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Thanksgiving - menu/recipe links - post here


momee
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This is my basic menu: (I'm on my tablet so will add some recipe links later)

Brined turkey http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe.html

Gravy http://www.food.com/recipe/all-purpose-gravy-264763

Mashed potatoes--no recipe, just basic w/milk, butter, salt/pepper

Stuffing--boxed doctored with sauteed veggies

Cranberries--canned per son's request

Corn casserole http://www.melskitchencafe.com/creamy-confetti-corn/

Rolls--I usually make a different recipe every year, trying to find THE ONE. This year I'm going to make the hot roll recipe from my elementary school. Those rolls were so good that everyone remembers them--they were only served on ham & bean day. Somebody who used to work in the cafeteria posted the recipe on FB so I'm going to give it a go. Hope they're as good as I remember.

 

Desserts:

Flan

Apple pie http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/10/perfect-apple-pie-recipe-double-crusted-thanksgiving-dessert.html

 

MIL is bringing:

Lasagna

Salad

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I'm going to dry brine a turkey this year. The link won't copy because my phone is crazy, but it's on Serious Eats.

Dressing (maybe waffled. I tried this last week using TJs mix and it was a hit.)

Sweet Potato Soufflé

Rolls

Kale salad

Green bean casserole (a version of Alton's)

Cranberry sauce

Pecan pie

Pumpkin pie

 

Other items TBD

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We are going to my IL's house, so I am not sure what all there will be but I do know that there will be turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, sweet potatoes, and DH's uncle is bringing an apple pie.  I am supposed to bring anadma bread, pumpkin pie, and two more desserts.  DS wants me to make a key lime pie, so I might do that.  I was thinking I might make a raspberry cheesecake.

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Apple Brined and Hickory Smoked Turkey: The Best Turkey You Will Ever Eat
NOTE* You can roast in the oven instead of smoking on the grill.
 

15 lb. turkey thawed

2 quarts apple juice or cider

1 lb. brown sugar

1 cup salt

3 oranges quartered

4 oz. ginger peeled and thinly sliced

15 whole cloves

6 cloves crushed garlic (see step 8 for a variation)

hickory wood chips

olive oil (see step 8 for a variation)

aluminum foil

BBQ grill

 

1. Thaw a turkey by 2 days before Thanksgiving. (This can take up to a week in the fridge so see health department recommendations for thawing faster another way if needed.)

 

2. Put 2 quarts of apple juice or cider, 1 lb. of brown sugar, and 1 cup of salt in a pot and bring just to a boil stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add in 3 quartered oranges, 4 ounces of thinly sliced, peeled ginger, 15 whole cloves, 6 bay leaves, and 6 crushed garlic cloves and boil for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

 

3. Clear out space in your fridge for a water tight container to marinade the turkey in. Pour marinade into water tight container. Put the turkey in and plan to flip it over (turkeys float) at regular intervals until you're ready to cook it. Let it marinade for 2 days (or at least over night, but 2 days is better.)

 

4. The day before you cook it, put the hickory wood chips in  water and let them soak until you're ready to cook. (Here in PHX 24 hours of soaking is not enough to keep a smoking plank/board from catching fire while grilling. )

 

5. Plan to cook your turkey about 15 minutes per pound and plan to let it sit at room temperature after cooking for about 20 minutes before you carve it.

 

6. (Skip these step is you're roasting in the oven.  Google temps and cook times for roasting in the oven.) Set up your grill to cook with radiant heat.  Be sure your heated side is far enough from where the turkey will be that you don't scorch one side of the turkey.  If space is tight, be prepared to foil the turkey on the heated side during the cooking, and/or plan to rotate your turkey frequently during the cooking process. Maintain about a 300-350 degree temperature throughout the cooking process.

 

7. Prepare multiple aluminum foil pouches filled with wet wood chips and puncture with several holes on the top. Place one directly over the heat for smoking (you may have to put it directly on the heating element itself) if you don't have a smoker box on your grill. Change them out as needed through out the cooking process.

 

8. When you first put the turkey on the grill and about every 20-30 minutes after that, brush the turkey with olive oil. (For added flavor, the day before you cook the turkey, crush about 5 or 6 large garlic cloves and put them in a cup or two of olive oil in a glass jar with a tight lid at room temperature overnight.)

 

9. 40 minutes into the cooking process you will need to put aluminum foil on the wings to keep them from scorching.

 

10. Cook for about 15 minutes per pound.  It's done at 180 degrees. (See health department regulations for more details.) Let it rest for 20 minutes at room temperature before carving.

 

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This isn't really a recipe per se, but I just wanted to post this idea in case others have not realized it yet: you can totally make mashed poteatoes a few hours ahead and put them in a crockpot. (Assuming you do crockpots, of course!) Saves the last-minute trouble and mess of beating up the potatoes right before serving. Also works if you have to take the potatoes to another location for dinner.

 

Secondarily, if you have leftover potatoes, they are awesome baked. Put some sour cream or cheese or potatoe toppings in with it and bake it. Yummy!

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 you can totally make mashed poteatoes a few hours ahead and put them in a crockpot. (Assuming you do crockpots, of course!) Saves the last-minute trouble and mess of beating up the potatoes right before serving. Also works if you have to take the potatoes to another location for dinner.

 

No crockpot needed.

Make mashed potatoes, cover pot, wrap pot in towels, place in bed under down featherbed or comforters.

Will stay hot for several hours.

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This isn't really a recipe per se, but I just wanted to post this idea in case others have not realized it yet: you can totally make mashed poteatoes a few hours ahead and put them in a crockpot. (Assuming you do crockpots, of course!) Saves the last-minute trouble and mess of beating up the potatoes right before serving. Also works if you have to take the potatoes to another location for dinner.

 

Secondarily, if you have leftover potatoes, they are awesome baked. Put some sour cream or cheese or potatoe toppings in with it and bake it. Yummy!

 

Yep.  One of my kitchen island outlets is reserved for the crockpot of mashed potatoes someone else is bringing.  If a crockpot has a warm setting you can keep just about any kind of warm food in it, ready to serve.

 

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As usual, our menu includes far too much food.  Hoping for good leftovers.  Our thanksgiving is a mixture of my extended family and my in laws. 

 

Turkey

Ham

Chicken and dumplings

Mashed potatoes

sweet potatoes

corn

green beans

green salad

Two different kinds of dressing to appease both families

deviled eggs

crescent rolls

 

pumpkin pie

apple pie with ice cream 

chocolate cupcakes

 

I am not cooking all of it.  The responsibilities are divided up among those attending. 

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I am going with the basics. I have never hosted before, so I am feeling slightly overwhelmed.

DH is cooking the turkey. I will make the stuffing/dressing.

I am making mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes with garlic and rosemary, steamed carrots, (with lemon and dill),  rolls (not from scratch...I needed something to be easy), and 2 pies. Oh, and gravy.

 

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