Week of Thanksgiving food

[math teacher]

Like many, it will be just those who live in my house for Thanksgiving-Dh and I, and our 26 year old son. To make things more bearable, I want to celebrate all week. I have some food ideas, but I need more. So far, we are having ham, green bean bundles, corn bread dressing, pumpkin pie, raspberry cream cheese coffee cake, deviled eggs, and sweet potatoes of some kind.

Inspire me-

[Pawz4me]

I've been mulling something like this, too.  I don't know if I want to tackle an entire week of special food, but I'd kind of like to do at least one special thing each day. I think.

[marbel]

I have a kid coming home from college Thanksgiving week, and I was just about to text him to ask what he wants as far as food (other than Thanksgiving itself, which is pretty well set for us). Campus food has been very iffy this year so I'm sure there will be plenty of things he's missing. 

For better or worse, my family celebrates and comforts with food so I like your idea.

For us some special things are:

Breakfast: raised waffles (yeast batter started the night before, Marion Cunningham recipe if anyone is interested in that. Cinnamon rolls (homemade or from a tube, whatever works best at the time, don't judge).  Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives, or breakfast casserole with sausage, bread, eggs, cheese... you know the one.  Quiche (this can be for dinner too).

Snack dinner if we are watching a movie: baguette and/or crackers, cheeses, maybe some meats like salami, etc., grapes or other fruit, dip such as muhammara, which is a roasted red pepper/walnut dip (at least that's what my recipe calls for; I think it's one of those that has many variations).  Costco brie is a holiday favorite here; we have one in the fridge that should be about right in terms of creaminess right around Thanksgiving.

One special dinner is chicken shwarma and all the fixings, including falafels (made from Trader Joe's mix, again, don't judge).  Another is some form of curry with rice and other accompaniments.  Sometimes the college boy makes gulab jamun, which is fried milk balls in cardamom syrup.  

Looking forward to other ideas!

 

 

[almondbutterandjelly]

Rolls and apple pie are the only things I can see that are not on the list.  Oh, what about some green fluff?  Or ambrosia salad?

[alisoncooks]

Fall-inspired foods like butternut squash quinoa or cranberry apple crisp? Pecan pie bars. Corn soufflé/pudding. Spiced apple cider. Stuffed baked squash. 

Edited November 15, 2020 by alisoncooks

[Bootsie]

DD is visiting from out of the country--her first request was Frito pie and banana pudding

[Ditto]

Is anyone else really hungry after reading this thread?  

I hadn't thought of special things for each day but you guys have inspired me! 

[prairiewindmomma]

I'm working on this too...haven't made my final decisions but I do know that one of the things I'm eating Thanksgiving week besides the usual are some sandwiches.  One will be turkey, fresh greens, butter or mayo, and a fresh cranberry sauce (the one with cranberries, apples, oranges) from a rustic round loaf of bread..  Another will be turkey, swiss, and apple, grilled with butter on baguette.    

 

I'm looking at apple galette, pumpkin cheesecake, banana pudding, and pumpkin truffle recipes.  I'm contemplating making one dessert a day for the week--but only because I have teenagers who can help out with the calorie count.  If not, I'd totally be offloading desserts and fresh bread on the neighbors.

[KungFuPanda]

I think the best part about a Covid thanksgiving is that I can simplify the food and reduce the quantities. 🤣 Still, if you have the energy to sustain a week-long cook-a-thon, I'm a little jealous you don’t live in my house.  One year, for some holiday, my sister and I declared it Appetizer Day. We made appetizers all day long and everyone grazed. The kids loved it. When a platter got low, we’d prep the next batch of goodies and just announce when they were ready. At the time 4 of our six kids were teens and they still talk about how we need to do that again. 

[Bambam]

I've been slowly stocking up on the frozen appetizers. We can either have one day of just appetizers or appetizers every day. We usually don't eat those things, so it will be different. I wish I had a good international market here, we'd try a wider variety of appetizers. 

One day will hope to make savory kolaches (like cinnamon roll dough but with eggs/bacon/cheese, brisket/eggs/cheese, etc inside the dough). We will eat some and freeze some for the college girls to take back for quick meals with protein for finals week.  The week after Thanksgiving and Finals are all online, but they live in college town and have jobs there. 

One night will be fish - probably salmon as everyone likes that. One college girl said she craves fish as she rarely gets it anymore. I offered canned fish, but she declined. 

One night/day will be homemade pizza. I'll make the crust, and everyone can select their favorite toppings and make their own. 

 

[math teacher]

All these ideas are awesome-keep them coming, because we will also have Christmas break. Teachers who like to cook have to make up for it sometime.

[mmasc]

Charcuterie board! Easy, delicious, and such a pretty presentation! I like to do pepperoni/salami, various cheeses and crackers, olives, grapes, etc. Aldi is perfect for this stuff if you have access to one. 

Dips day would be fun and a success here! Fruit and fruit dip, hummus and raw veggies, queso/guacamole/salsa and tortilla chips, etc. 

Breakfast quiche or frittata one day maybe?

[*Jessica*]

Bacon cheese ball and Ritz.

Brie and baguette.

Spinach artichoke dip.

Fruit salsa with Stacy’s cinnamon pita chips.

Potato corn chowder with bacon.
 

These are a few things we enjoy but eat only at holidays.  We tend to prefer appetizers and grazing on holidays to a big meal.  We also love a charcuterie board, but that is something we eat fairly often.  It’s so easy and feels special somehow.  

[PeterPan]

Cracker Barrel has pies. Maybe treat yourself and enjoy all week?

[Selkie]

We had this roasted cauliflower with gravy tonight and it was so delicious. It's like an ultra healthy take on a traditional roast.

https://monkeyandmekitchenadventures.com/instant-pot-thanksgiving-cauliflower/

The recipe has instructions for both the Instant Pot or the oven.

[City Mouse]

Ooo, I really like this idea. We are a small family and have trouble eating all the stuff I want to make. If I spread it out across the week we can have more variety and not so much left overs.

Thanks!

Edited November 17, 2020 by City Mouse
To fix the bad typing

[Ottakee]

When my mother in law was alive we used to have appetizers in Christmas Eve.  Everyone got to pick one.  Wide variety and so yummy.

Crab ragoons (now a no go as dd developed a severe sea food allergy), spinach artichoke dip, cracker and cheese and summer sausage, BBQ meatballs, ham and cheese sliders, etc.

[Frances]

We always do aebleskivers on Christmas morning, but you would need to buy a special pan. We used to do homemade waffles on Christmas Eve, but decided the meals were too similar, so last year we switched to chicken schwarma with all the fixings including homemade taztziki using the  NY Times recipe. My niece used to spend Thanksgiving week with us when she went to college nearby. Her family tradition was Indian food for Thanksgiving, so we always did that the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I like turkey stew and turkey pot pie made with leftover turkey even more than the turkey itself on Thanksgiving. And homemade applesauce goes great with all of it. I haven’t been able to find it here, but where I grew up we could by cinnamon ice cream from a local ice cream shop to go with the homemade apple pie.

I just saw that someone mentioned various dips up thread and even though I haven’t made this myself, we recently had a very yummy dessert, something we almost never order, from a local restaurant. It was hot pita chips coated with cinnamon and sugar with several cream cheese based dipping sauces on the side. My favorite was a pumpkin spice one. They also had strawberry shortcake and caramel chocolate chip flavors among other options.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Frances

[Frances]

3 minutes ago, Ottakee said:

When my mother in law was alive we used to have appetizers in Christmas Eve.  Everyone got to pick one.  Wide variety and so yummy.

Crab ragoons (now a no go as dd developed a severe sea food allergy), spinach artichoke dip, cracker and cheese and summer sausage, BBQ meatballs, ham and cheese sliders, etc.

This is what family did growing up after midnight mass.

[mathnerd]

6 hours ago, marbel said:

Breakfast: raised waffles (yeast batter started the night before, Marion Cunningham recipe if anyone is interested in that. 

Thank you! I had to look that up. We don't eat eggs, but, have egg substitute and aquafaba, so I will be trying this out for the holidays! I have a waffle crazy household, so this is great.

[mathnerd]

21 hours ago, mathnerd said:

Thank you! I had to look that up. We don't eat eggs, but, have egg substitute and aquafaba, so I will be trying this out for the holidays! I have a waffle crazy household, so this is great.

I made a test batch of the "raised waffles" today and used egg substitute. The belgian waffle turned out very crispy, light and fluffy. I served it for breakfast with poached pears and a scoop of Greek honey yoghurt on top and it was a hit.

@marbel thanks for sending me on this path of discovery to yeast batter waffles 🙂

 

[marbel]

1 hour ago, mathnerd said:

I made a test batch of the "raised waffles" today and used egg substitute. The belgian waffle turned out very crispy, light and fluffy. I served it for breakfast with poached pears and a scoop of Greek honey yoghurt on top and it was a hit.

@marbel thanks for sending me on this path of discovery to yeast batter waffles 🙂

 

Aw, I'm so glad it worked for you! I love sharing good recipes. We have been eating those waffles for many years.  

[mom31257]

It will be the three of us, too, but we are possibly going to see dd on Friday. She is a nurse, lives 2.5 hours away, and works Thanksgiving night. 

I am hoping I can get fresh turkey pieces at Kroger this year. I have cooked them in a crockpot wrapped in foil and seasoned with poultry seasoning. It's a great way to have some turkey without doing a whole one. 

I am going to ask ds what some of his holiday favorites are and cook those. Dh wants the turkey and sweet potato casserole. 

 

[Lecka]

We are seriously considering doing a cookout for Thanksgiving.  We moved over the summer and missed out on the grilling we usually would have done, and we bought a new propane grill but have only made hot dogs since we've had it.  

We're kind-of undecided, but our Thanksgiving menu and Christmas menu are probably going to be exactly the same, and there is only a month in-between -- and we do all really like what we would have for a cookout.  

We "had" been talking about trying to quarantine and then get tests to be able to do Christmas, but I don't think that is going to happen now.  My niece is working as a server at a restaraunt and needs the money, my husband may be working in a little too in-person way, and my other niece is being allowed to hang out at Panera (which I support because she has really struggled lately and she just needs it).  

Anyway -- we are basically not thinking we will do a family gathering for Christmas, so I think it makes more sense to save our traditional meal for Christmas, instead of that being kind-of boring (because -- we do just eat the same foods one month apart, because we do not cook turkey so have ham for both, and are very dedicated to our sides).  Only desserts would be different.

Will check in with all the kids -- but they do all like hamburgers a lot and I think we only had hamburgers once and it was back in June!  

My sister's family has ordered a Thanksgiving meal from a local grocery store, that she will pick up and then re-heat.  My mom and aunt will gather in a group of 5 (from two households) that all take a very high level of precautions.  

My sister has basically told me -- she doesn't see anything changing as far as her older daughter working as a server or her younger daughter being allowed to hang out at Panera -- and basically she does not see how we can do Christmas.  My aunt has basically told me they are drastically limiting until numbers improve in our area -- and they are just getting worse and worse.  She will see my Mom though, and their husbands will see each other, and one adult son will only see the 4 of them.  

I think we would really enjoy hamburgers and maybe potato salad, etc, and then maybe still do a holiday-themed dessert and breakfast (I am thinking either a sausage-egg casserole or trying the Pioneer Woman baked french toast).  

[fairfarmhand]

One day this week we are doing a Snoopy thanksgiving feast, so it'll be toast and popcorn with jelly beans. And then we're going to watch the Thanksgiving Special. We'll probably do that on Wednesday.

[math teacher]

Today we are having Country Style Ribs in the crock-pot. While not exactly Thanksgiving food, the sides will be broccoli casserole and sweet potato casserole. 

Tomorrow will be either ham or coconut shrimp, english pea salad, and potatoes of some kind.

Wednesday we are having baby back ribs, brussels sprouts, and a rice dish with cranberries.

Thursday is chicken and dressing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, and green bean bundles.

Friday is appetizers.

At some point, there will be pumpkin pie and raspberry cream cheese coffeecake. Maybe another dessert if we want it and a fruit salad.

I am loving it.

[Familia]

2 hours ago, math teacher said:

Today we are having Country Style Ribs in the crock-pot. While not exactly Thanksgiving food, the sides will be broccoli casserole and sweet potato casserole. 

Tomorrow will be either ham or coconut shrimp, english pea salad, and potatoes of some kind.

Wednesday we are having baby back ribs, brussels sprouts, and a rice dish with cranberries.

Thursday is chicken and dressing, giblet gravy, mashed potatoes, and green bean bundles.

Friday is appetizers.

At some point, there will be pumpkin pie and raspberry cream cheese coffeecake. Maybe another dessert if we want it and a fruit salad.

I am loving it.

Your menu looks delish!  Can you please expound upon the ‘green bean bundles’?

@Ottakee, we do the appetizers-as-Christmas-Eve-meal, too.  Fun & fairly easy.

[Annie G]

Thanksgiving week for us has always been Pie Week, where we have a different pie every day. It’s a tradition our kids have grown up on and even as adults they love it. 

[math teacher]

1 hour ago, Familia said:

Your menu looks delish!  Can you please expound upon the ‘green bean bundles’?

@Ottakee, we do the appetizers-as-Christmas-Eve-meal, too.  Fun & fairly easy.

The fresh green beans are cooked to desired tenderness, toothpick a half piece of bacon around 6 or 7 beans. Pour a mixture of butter, brown sugar, worcestershire, soy sauce, and maybe pineapple juice? 

I Must learn to link-sorry.

[math teacher]

Green bean bundles

4 cans whole green beans-I will use fresh

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp soy sauce

Cook trimmed beans to desired tenderness. Cut bacon in half and cook half way. Wrap and toothpick bacon around 6-10 beans, depending on how large you want the bundles. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over beans. Bake in 375 degree oven until bacon is done, 30-45 minutes.

[73349]

Our foods will include crustless pumpkin pie, a roasted chicken, cranberry sauce (DH likes canned, so canned it is), this amazing butternut squash, mashed potatoes, peas, and vegan spinach and artichoke dip (with Miyoko's mozz, not homemade) with stuff to dip in it.

I commend to you also roasted sweet potatoes with cranberries and the best mushrooms ever. (I used to think I didn't like mushrooms; in fact, I do not like many customary ways of preparing them. Same with radishes.)

The chicken carcass will be made into chicken soup.

[Lecka]

We are officially having:  hamburgers, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin pie.  

 

[PeterPan]

On 11/23/2020 at 10:10 AM, Lecka said:

I think we would really enjoy hamburgers

You could make some turkey burgers, hehe... 

[Kanin]

27 minutes ago, Lecka said:

We are officially having:  hamburgers, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin pie.  

 

This sounds pretty amazing....

[popmom]

It will just be DH and I and our kids. I made a huge batch of Brunswick stew yesterday. I've never made it before, so that's special dish I guess. Made corn muffins to go with it. 

I think I will smoke a turkey breast for Thursday. Served with white bbq sauce.

Sides will be corn bread dressing, squash casserole, sweet potato casserole with strudel topping, deviled eggs, corn casserole, canned cranberry sauce, green beans, Sister Schubert's rolls.

Pumpkin pie and either a chess or buttermilk pie for dessert. I'm leaning toward buttermilk pie.

[popmom]

21 hours ago, math teacher said:

Green bean bundles

4 cans whole green beans-I will use fresh

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp soy sauce

Cook trimmed beans to desired tenderness. Cut bacon in half and cook half way. Wrap and toothpick bacon around 6-10 beans, depending on how large you want the bundles. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over beans. Bake in 375 degree oven until bacon is done, 30-45 minutes.

I had these for the first time last year at my SIL's house. They are so good!