So what's on the menu for Thanksgiving? Looking for something new or different to add to the menu.

[LovesTimone]

So what's on your Thanksgiving menu. I will be cooking for only 6 adults, and my almost 10 month old grandson by then. So I was thinking of doing something's different for Thanksgiving this year maybe a few twist's on traditional or a side dish or two, and something different to add to my appetizers to change up the menu. Everyone will be here all day and into the evening and in & out shopping sooo.

Here's my menu so far.

Sit out appetizers, munchies ( these I will put out at different times all day)
Shrimp platter
Cheese and Crackers
Veggies and dip
Really needing some more suggestions



Main Meal - *** needs some serious suggestions
Ham
Turkey ( 1 full breast, thighs)
Veggie potpie - This is so easy and looks pretty on the table, can make ahead except for crust.
Fresh Green beans with bacon, onions
homemade mashed potatoes, with turkey gravy.
Deviled eggs
*** Stuffing or dressing ( which depends on were you are from in the country), really need help here
*** Salad of some sort
*** Some sort of squash dish, I was think about acorn squash or something like this that my DH can cook on the grill. ( never have tried acorn squash on the grill anyone any experience with this?) He want to grill something..
*** Another side dish

Desserts
Lemon pound cake
Pumpkin pie
Apple pie - or something close to apple pie, maybe a tart or something
*** Looking for something different.

I know this looks like a lot for just 6 people, but I cook so that there are some leftovers, not a lot. And I send stuff home.

 

[eliza61]

LOL, at least you can get a firm number. I have a big family and it's sort of "you tell one person and the whole world shows up". doesn't look like a lot to me.

I'm planning on.

Appertizers
Cheese and crackers
salsa dip and chips

Main meal

Turkey
Standing rib roast
collard greens
Mac and cheese
sweet potatoes
mix salad
rice
rolls

Dessert
???
probably a pound cake. a few relatives usually bring a dessert
Ice cream.

 

[NJlauren]

I have made this stuffing the last few years and it's a huge hit. I do it in a casserole dish as we have started deep frying the turkey.
http://www.marthastewart.com/337095/cornbread-and-sausage-stuffing

I also make a baked Brie for an appetizer, I do it in pastry puff with shallots and garlic, other do it wil a jam both are good.

Are you going to candied yams? With the marshmallows? If I didn't make those i might not be allowed to eat!

For desert I also make brownies and put 3 symphony chocolate bars on the middle. A classic with a twist, also a hit and easy.

 

[eliza61]

I have made this stuffing the last few years and it's a huge hit. I do it in a casserole dish as we have started deep frying the turkey.
http://www.marthastewart.com/337095/cornbread-and-sausage-stuffing

I also make a baked Brie for an appetizer, I do it in pastry puff with shallots and garlic, other do it wil a jam both are good.

Are you going to candied yams? With the marshmallows? If I didn't make those i might not be allowed to eat!

For desert I also make brownies and put a 3 symphony chocolate bars on the middle. A classic with a twist, also a hit and easy.

Hey Lauren,
How easy is it to fry the turkey? Can you fry a big bird, like a 20 pounder? I've heard these are so good. I went food shopping yesterday and my local shoprite had a big thing of peanut oil on sale, I jokingly asked who needed that much peanut oil and the associate said it was very popular for folks frying turkeys

 

[NJlauren]

Hey Lauren,
How easy is it to fry the turkey? Can you fry a big bird, like a 20 pounder? I've heard these are so good. I went food shopping yesterday and my local shoprite had a big thing of peanut oil on sale, I jokingly asked who needed that much peanut oil and the associate said it was very popular for folks frying turkeys

Surprising it's pretty easy, but very very dangerous. My husband and my cousins husband do it I watch. But I monitor for safety (cause I am crazy). You can do a big bird, if I remember correctly it's 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes. So for 20 pounds an hour and 5 minutes. I will need to confirm the times but we usually do 12-15 pounds and it's about 45 minutes.

You get the fryer fill it with water put the turkey in let the water over flow pull the turkey out and note where the water was. Then completely dry the turkey (very important) season it, we don't use a lot of seasoning. Dry the fryer and fill it with oil to where the water went no higher! Then heat the oil and put he turkey in and time it. It is really good so moist and the skin is crispy! We fight over the skin so good!

And never fry a frozen turkey! (Google it people do this all the time )

Last years turkey:

 

[eliza61]

Surprising it's pretty easy, but very very dangerous. My husband and my cousins husband do it I watch. But I monitor for safety (cause I am crazy). You can do a big bird, if I remember correctly it's 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes. So for 20 pounds an hour and 5 minutes. I will need to confirm the times but we usually do 12-15 pounds and it's about 45 minutes.

You get the fryer fill it with water put the turkey in let the water over flow pull the turkey out and note where the water was. Then completely dry the turkey (very important) season it, we don't use a lot of seasoning. Dry the fryer and fill it with oil to where the water went no higher! Then heat the oil and put he turkey in and time it.

And never fry a frozen turkey! (Google it people do this all the time )

Last years turkey:View attachment 132471

thanks Lauren,
I have a patio off my kitchen where I have my barbeque grill and stuff, I'm thinking about doing it there. I definitely believe it can be dangerous, I think last year there was a news story about someone burning down their garage while trying to fry a frozen bird. I'm like you, I'm so uber safety conscious, I may "borrow" some nomex gloves and shirts from work to try this..

 

[HeatherC]

My family's two favorites are fried apples...recipe on allrecipes.. and hash brown casserole.

I also love fresh green beans sauteed in a little evoo and butter with shallots and bacon.

I also like fresh cranberries with apple. I basically put cranberries in a pot with a 1/4 cup water. Boil till they start to pop and add chopped apples, sugar and cinnamon. Very yummy cold the next day on a turkey sandwich.

Now I'm hungry!!

 

[NJlauren]

thanks Lauren,
I have a patio off my kitchen where I have my barbeque grill and stuff, I'm thinking about doing it there. I definitely believe it can be dangerous, I think last year there was a news story about someone burning down their garage while trying to fry a frozen bird. I'm like you, I'm so uber safety conscious, I may "borrow" some nomex gloves and shirts from work to try this..

You're welcome! As long as your safe and read up on it I think you'll be fine and it's well worth it for the taste IMO! Let me know if you decide to do it!

I'm sorry but frying a frozen turkey inside.... I don't even know what to say!

 

[Jake&IzzyLand]

I vote for acorn squash, it's amazing. For dessert I like to make chocolate bourbon pecan pie and serve with really good vanilla ice cream or frozen custard. I like to make a jalapeño cranberry relish, it's super yum the next day mixed with a little mayo for turkey sandwiches, be sure to use romaine lettuce and nice bread. Good luck!

 

[DisneyMandC]

I have made this stuffing the last few years and it's a huge hit. I do it in a casserole dish as we have started deep frying the turkey.
http://www.marthastewart.com/337095/cornbread-and-sausage-stuffing

I also make a baked Brie for an appetizer, I do it in pastry puff with shallots and garlic, other do it wil a jam both are good.

Are you going to candied yams? With the marshmallows? If I didn't make those i might not be allowed to eat!

For desert I also make brownies and put a 3 symphony chocolate bars on the middle. A classic with a twist, also a hit and easy.

I'd love to get your recipe for the baked brie, that sounds great!

 

[NJlauren]

I'd love to get your recipe for the baked brie, that sounds great!

Sure! I will post what I do tonight

 

[mrsabbott]

I make "Stuffin' Muffins" every year. Basically, it is stuffing cooked in muffin tins (no paper cups, just oil the tins). They are individual servings and you get the perfect amount of crispiness along the outside and not that mushy middle that no one really likes.

 

[sk8jdgca]

My daughter mademthis sweet potatoe recipe and everyone loved it
http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/slow-cooker-sweet-potato-casserole/

 

[Narnia_girl]

I love Thanksgiving and reading all these suggestions!

We were in the same situation a few years ago--wanted to try something new and hit upon two recipes that became family "musts". The first was Emeril's Brined Turkey Breast. It was such a hit that I wrote out the quotes from our family on the printed recipe ("best meat I've ever had" haha) People who don't like turkey seem to like it and our son now requests it for his June birthday, so we cook it twice a year. The problem is the exact online version of the recipe is not to be found any longer--there is a similar one--but thankfully we printed out the recipe at the time and have made several copies so as to never lose it. I'd be happy to share with you if you are interested.

The other great recipe was Awesome Sausage, Apple & Cranberry Stuffing from allrecipes. It has a 5-star rating with over 2000 reviews.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I do a make ahead Thanksgiving for a small group - I only cook the turkey, make the mash, and do Stovetop on Thanksgiving
Dinner
Roast Turkey stuffed with citrus and veggies and rubbed with butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, and herb de provance (took Giada and Michael Chiarello recipe and combined) - turkey is cleaned and seasoned/prepped the day before and wrapped in fridge to just throw in the oven on Thanksgiving
Make ahead giblet gravy
Stovetop stuffing
Mashed potatoes
Make ahead Homemade cranberry sauce (with a 2nd fruit - I've done it with apples, pears, mandarin oranges, solo - all good and all easy)
Make ahead veggie TBD - I pick a single make ahead veggie recipe each year based on grocery sales or farm box

Dessert
Make ahead Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Pie - this is a family favorite!
New this year - Farm box Sweet Potato Pie delivered (for $9.50, my farm box will give me a sweet potato pie made from the sweet potatoes from the field that week - I only make SPP with fresh sweet potatoes, so this seemed ideal for me, b/c I don't have to do the work of peeling and cooking and mashing the sweet potatoes and then turning them to pie...

 

[SparklePixie]

I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year for 6 adults and one toddler.

Snacks
Cheese, meat and crackers
Various chips, crackers and dips

Brined Turkey
Mashed potatoes with gravy
Bacon-wrapped brussel sprouts
Roasted broccoli
Homemade stuffing
Homemade cranberry relish
Rolls

Dessert
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie

 

[DisneyHardin]

My dad always fries the turkey to free up the oven for the other stuff.

I always bring the appetizers, so below are my suggestions -

-Veggie Tray
-Sausage balls (for some reason these have become somewhat of a Thanksgiving tradition)
-Some sort of dip/crackers - some years I've done spinach dip, one year a did a cheesy bacon dip, last year I did queso and chips.

 

[JenzyHP]

The Pioneer Woman's Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese would make a great side.

 

[EricInPA]

Roasted asparagus drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar is my usual go-to if asked to bring a side. Asparagus: the most underrated green veggie!

 

[pezheadmeg]

Another vote for the asparagus. Last year I roasted mine with cherry tomatoes and bacon that and potatoes au gratin in the crock pot so I had a free oven. I cooked everything but the Turkey after doing that little New York City parade, so it had to be easy prepped ahead dishes.

I've played a lot with making my baked brie over the last few years. My current method is

1. 2 rolls of seamless crescent dough pressed together to form one big sheet,
2. Spread a small jar of raspberry jam over that.
3. Unwrap wedge of brie, plop into center of dough.
4. Fold edges of dough so all of brie is fully covered.
5. Flip over so edges are on bottom and place on greased cookie sheet.
6. Get a half of stick of butter so it's almost melted.
7. Spread over brie packet.
8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes give or take.
9. Let sit about 10 minutes before serving.

Looks like a lot more steps when it's typed out.