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

[HeatherC]

Neither DD15 or I are fans of turkey, so we are in search of an alternate meal as well. In past years, we've just done a day full of appetizers. But we've both grown bored with that. So we are thinking some sort of seafood possibly this year. (Well, I'd rather just go out but DD really still wants to eat in, just something different) DD would like salmon of some sort, but I'm not a big salmon fan. So far the only idea that has a possible thumbs up from both of us are mussels, but I am concerned about getting them fresh - I'm not sure I would make it to the fish shop the afternoon before, and I don't want them any older than that. And what would I do if they were sold out when I got there?

Anyone have any other turkey-alternative ideas out there? We eat pasta on a regular basis, so I'd like to avoid that too. And it's just the 2 of us, so big cuts of meat like ham and rib roasts aren't practical either.

How about Filet Mignon? You can buy individual ones so you don't have a ton of meat left over. Very easy to cook and very tender and yummy.

 

[LovesTimone]

I host Thanksgiving. We aren't close to family. My husband works for the Navy so most of our friends are sailors and also far from home. So we host them and anyone they know that has no place else to go. I never know how many I'll have so I make a ton of food. Last year there were 23 of us.

Apps:
meatballs in jelly sauce (chili sauce and either grape jelly or cranberry)
Jalapeno chicken dip
Lil smokies in BBQ
meat and cheese tray
assorted crackers
deviled eggs
baguette and salsa/cream cheese spread

Main meal:
roast turkey
fried turkey
homemade mashed potatoes
homemade turkey gravy
homemade stuffing http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/moms-stuffing-lightened-up.html
Ruth Chris sweet potatoes
corn souffle
cranberry sauce
green bean casserole
mac and cheese
2 kinds of homemade rolls

Dessert:
mini pumpkin pies
marshmallow salad
and this year I will be making mini Dutch apple pies

I think that's everything.

I want to say Thanks for feeding the Military men and women, It's so wonderful of you open up your home. When we lived in Pensacola, my DD had just started dating a Navy guy, I told him that anyone that doesn't have anywhere to go can come here. I had about 35 men and women, that we fed that day. I knew I would have a lot so I cooked up a storm. I have to say that they all were so appreciative, they did the dishes, took out trash, and I got lots of hugs and thanks that day. I let them all know how much I and my family was thankful for all of them.

On your meatballs I make these to, the only difference is that I use orange marmalade, and some kind of honey BBQ sauce added in to make them sorta sticky, my family like them like this.

 

[FLCyndi]

Reading through this thread is making me hungry. Everything sounds good.

 

[worm761]

I want to say Thanks for feeding the Military men and women, It's so wonderful of you open up your home. When we lived in Pensacola, my DD had just started dating a Navy guy, I told him that anyone that doesn't have anywhere to go can come here. I had about 35 men and women, that we fed that day. I knew I would have a lot so I cooked up a storm. I have to say that they all were so appreciative, they did the dishes, took out trash, and I got lots of hugs and thanks that day. I let them all know how much I and my family was thankful for all of them.

On your meatballs I make these to, the only difference is that I use orange marmalade, and some kind of honey BBQ sauce added in to make them sorta sticky, my family like them like this.

Thank you. It's funny. We are in Pensacola. My husband works on Correy as an instructor. He is former Navy. I am a military brat. My dad was a Marine. I know how it is. It started out that we hosted his students and any others they found to drag along. It's grown over the years. I love every minute of it. I get the feel of a big family Thanksgiving and none of the family drama that happens in my family. Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday. I've been known to invite former employees that I knew didn't have anywhere else to go. As my favorite holiday I feel no one should be alone.

 

[luvsJack]

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..

Eliza, if you are thinking of frying a turkey and don't have a fryer yet---get the oiless fryer! It is amazing. Same wonderful turkey (but it doesn't shrink as much) and no danger that you have with oil. We have cooked turkeys, pork roast, chicken legs, steaks, and beef roast in this cooker and everything comes out wonderful. The turkey its really "fried" but it has the same flavor, and the same crispy textured skin as a fried turkey. Our oiless fryer cost the same as a regular turkey fryer and I didn't have to spend $80 on oil! It paid for itself after two turkeys.


Our menu this year:

"Fried" turkey
Dressing
Dumplings
Gravy
Cranberry sauce
Sweet potato casserole
Purple hull peas and butter beans
roasted acorn squash
Huge mixed green salad, with candied almonds, cranberries and apples

Chocolate pie
Coconut Creme Pie
Pecan Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Italian Creme Cake
German Chocolate Cake

 

[jennasmommyinMS]

It's just my 13-year-old daughter and me for Thanksgiving this year, but we still feel the need to have some traditional menu items. Our menu:

Slow Cooker ham (we don't want turkey this year)
Cornbread dressing
Green bean casserole
Make-ahead mashed potatoes
Homemade gravy
Cream corn
Yeast rolls
Banana pudding (daughter's request)

When I'm looking for new things to make for Thanksgiving, I always look here for some great ideas: http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2008/01/thanksgiving-recipes.html

 

[eliza61]

Eliza, if you are thinking of frying a turkey and don't have a fryer yet---get the oiless fryer! It is amazing. Same wonderful turkey (but it doesn't shrink as much) and no danger that you have with oil. We have cooked turkeys, pork roast, chicken legs, steaks, and beef roast in this cooker and everything comes out wonderful. The turkey its really "fried" but it has the same flavor, and the same crispy textured skin as a fried turkey. Our oiless fryer cost the same as a regular turkey fryer and I didn't have to spend $80 on oil! It paid for itself after two turkeys.


Our menu this year:

"Fried" turkey
Dressing
Dumplings
Gravy
Cranberry sauce
Sweet potato casserole
Purple hull peas and butter beans
roasted acorn squash
Huge mixed green salad, with candied almonds, cranberries and apples

Chocolate pie
Coconut Creme Pie
Pecan Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Italian Creme Cake
German Chocolate Cake

Thanks for the tip Luvs

 

[twinkleintc]

I may try to brine the turkey this year; thanks to this thread... & the Today show!

Our menu

cheese, sausage, cracckers
veggie/fruit tray

Turkey
mashed potatoes
sweet potato casserole
green bean casserole
baked beans
mac n cheese
tossed salad
dinner rolls

apple pie
pumpkin pie
white cake w/chocolate ganache
assorted mini cookies

I love Thanksgiving & all the traditions.

 

[NJlauren]

love Thanksgiving more than Christmas. That should go into the unpopular opinion thread!

I second this! Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday....

 

[buckirj1]

Keeping it simple:

Roasted turkey thighs or breast tenderloins with maple/mustard/sage glaze
Mixed white and sweet potatoes oven roasted with curry and other spices
Brussels sprouts in walnut oil/butter/cranberry/walnut mixture
Pumpkin cornbread
Gingerbread with warm pear compote

 

[LovesTimone]

Keeping it simple:

Roasted turkey thighs or breast tenderloins with maple/mustard/sage glaze
Mixed white and sweet potatoes oven roasted with curry and other spices
Brussels sprouts in walnut oil/butter/cranberry/walnut mixture
Pumpkin cornbread
Gingerbread with warm pear compote

On your gingerbread, do you have a really great recipe that you would share, also the warm pear compote. This sound so yummy... Thanks in advance.

 

[buckirj1]

It's basically this one: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/black-sticky-gingerbread-recipe-50162196, based on what ingredients I have (I don't bother with some of the ingredients), but I don't use that much sugar and I use more ginger. I also add at least a half-teaspoon of black pepper. I try to find very dark molasses (Grandma's Robust Molasses) so it'll make a dark, dense, sticky, spicy, not-too-sweet gingerbread. I use a 13x9" pan because I prefer a bake that doesn't rise so much. If you're into a fluffy, cake-y, sweet gingerbread you won't like this recipe.

For the compote, I just microwave peeled pears cut into chunks until barely tender, then simmer then in a sauce of butter, honey, lemon juice, vanilla and cinnamon. Sometimes I use drained and rinsed canned pears.

 

[LilyWDW]

I'm still working on my menu but since it's just me I can take as much time as I want and don't have to worry about others. Makes things easier!

Turkey
Stuffing (family recipe)
Green bean casserole
Another side of some sort (thinking mac and cheese, corn casserole, or broccoli rice casserole.... or I may do traditional sweet potatoes)
Gravy
Rolls (maybe)

Some sort of dessert. Right now I am leaning towards pumpkin pie but may do something else. Heck, I may just BUY a pie since it's just me.

 

[Thing 1]

One new thing I am adding this year is pumpkin dip. It so easy and can be put out as an appetizer or put on the dessert table. You simply take 2 8 oz packs of cream cheese and beat it really well in your mixer. Add one can of pumpkin and 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Add two cups of powdered sugar and beat till it is fluffy. Serve with graham crackers, ginger snaps or if you have some kids....teddy grahams.

 

[Hisgirl]

We have a roasted turkey or turkey breast, cornbread dressing (moist with sage and onion), green beans (cooked in chicken broth, onion, ham, butter), sweet potato casserole topped with brown sugar pecan crumble, squash cheese casserole, cranberry orange sauce homemade, yeast rolls, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and mincemeat pie.

 

[KTSMOM]

We do things a bit different here. We will do a brunch on Thanksgiving. We always have pumpkin waffles, ham, and crustless quiche. We usually add some type of fruit and green veggie. It's a bit different but fun.

A good Thanksgiving dessert is Pumpkin Pie Trifle. My sister-in-law makes one that is out of sight!

 

[crisi]

If you aren't from Minnesota and are looking for something different, you could try a wild rice dish (if you are from Minnesota, it probably isn't different). Its one of those good fall tasting foods. This is similar to the one I usually make (they call it a stuffing, we serve it as a pilaf).

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014036-wild-rice-almond-and-mushroom-stuffing

My mother in law makes a good potato and leek au gratin, but to me its too much work for Thanksgiving. To me, Thanksgiving is about easy dishes you can cook ahead or in the morning and warm up later once the turkey is resting so that you can spend time with family and not in the kitchen. And I'm not a huge fan of a whole bunch of dishes on the table that everyone has a tablespoon of and you throw out a week later. Stuffing, sweet potatoes, turkey, cranberries and a green vegetable or green salad are usually sufficient.

 

[willowsnn3]

We usually have a traditional turkey dinner at church the week before so we do different things at home each year. One year I made empanadas, one year homemade pizza. Grandson wants fried chicken and mashed potatoes. My dd has been making a great crockpot dressing the last few years tho. We also have 2 birthdays on Thanksgiving day this year so I know there will be birthday cake.

 

[mrsboz]

I bought one of those roaster ovens. It is awesome. I cook my turkey in it and it frees up my whole oven. They are usually on sale this time of year for around $45.00.

I'm thinking
Mashed potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Green bean casserole
Bells mix bread Stuffing
Broccoli casserole
Pineapple casserole
Homemade cranberry sauce
Boiled onions
Carrots
I make the food and apps and hv people bring the desert

 

[Accident]

I actually don't have my whole menu planned out but I love adding a small pasta dish like stuffed shells or ziti that is really easy to prepare ahead of time and cook in the oven at the same time as everything else. We've also seem some really interesting options from whole foods, fresh direct and some other food stores that we're thinking of getting a couple just to mix it up this year a little.