# What's For Dinner (Thanksgiving Edition)



## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

What's everyone making for Thanksgiving? 

I may try to raise a few turkeys depending on the size of the property we buy when we move, so I ordered a blue slate heritage turkey from a local producer. The freshly processed bird will be ready for pick up early next week before Thanksgiving to see if it'll be a worthwhile endeavor as chickens are easier and faster to the plate. Anyone that's cooked a heritage bird before got any good tips (besides don't overcook it)?

I also need to make homemade butter for cooking the bird, but the in-laws will be doing the rest of the cooking. They whip the potatoes. *thumbs down* Oh well... ;-)


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

we're having chicken. I have five chickens in the backyard. They are all about the same age but this one has never laid an egg. She not putting out so I'm gonna munch her ass next week.

I'll prolly make some beans and cornbread too.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

I am the Thanksgiving Chef this year. 

2 Turkeys (1 roasted, 1 deep fried)
1 Ham (brushed with maple syrup)
Sweet Potatoes (chunked, boiled til just done, and then drizzled with brown sugar and butter and carmelized in the oven)

Mashed and Gravy
Stuffing Casserole
Homemade Cranberry Salad
Green Bean Casserole 
Corn
Brussel Sprouts

Pumpkin Pies (2) from scratch
Apple Pies (2) from scratch

Some are bringing other desserts and salads, but that is what I am cooking up for 29 people. 
And, we are utilizing the school to host it. LOL


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

My son and daughter in law are hosting this year its going to be "the best of"the family's offerings/potluck.
They are making the turkey and potatoes and gravy the rest of us are bringing what we do best.
My daughter and son in law are bringing pie my daughter has always been a excellent baker/cook and has gone to some cooking/baking classes so it will be interesting to see if the bar has been raised on pies my mom has great game when it comes to pie homemade lard crust the hole shebang I'm EXITED FOR PIE!!!
Were in for the squash and slaw my Mom & Dad are bringing stuffing, biscuits, spreads, scalloped corn and cranberries. My Brother a bachelor olives, nuts and snacks, my sister brother in law and 2 nephews are coming in from Chicago not sure what they are bringing what ever it is it will be good only purchased.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Ah what the hell I participate to not participate this year, I am not cooking shit, have a bunch of beggars that can't be choosers show up last year. I cooked at my inlaws and slaved liked a fool to my wife's parents to invite people that we didn't even know from their church. I got pissed off and said the hell with it I won't cook again for awhile oh well. But am doing Christmas at my place this year and I can guarantee there won't be any unexpected guest, if so the dogs will have a meal LOL.


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Harry Keely said:


> Ah what the hell I participate to not participate this year, I am not cooking shit, have a bunch of beggars that can't be choosers show up last year. I cooked at my inlaws and slaved liked a fool to my wife's parents to invite people that we didn't even know from their church. I got pissed off and said the hell with it I won't cook again for awhile oh well. But am doing Christmas at my place this year and I can guarantee there won't be any unexpected guest, if so the dogs will have a meal LOL.


So what turkey tv dinner or maybe just some tots and campbell's soup :-(


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Carol Boche said:


> I am the Thanksgiving Chef this year.
> 
> 2 Turkeys (1 roasted, 1 deep fried)
> 1 Ham (brushed with maple syrup)
> ...


Perfect!!!! sounds like fun Ill pass on the sprouts


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Mike Scheiber said:


> So what turkey tv dinner or maybe just some tots and campbell's soup :-(


:-kDon't know what its going to be this year, this time my wifes parents are doing all the cooking:neutral:


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Mike Scheiber said:


> Perfect!!!! sounds like fun Ill pass on the sprouts


You are more than welcome here!!


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Harry Keely said:


> :-kDon't know what its going to be this year, this time my wifes parents are doing all the cooking:neutral:


Good not to have to bust your ass putting on a big nice meal is allot of work bad part is left overs can be skimpy


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Well it's just me and the kids this year, so we're staying home and doing the T-day thing. I've also been nominated to cook for Christmas by my mom though, since my grandmother usually cooks and she had a heart-attack not too long ago, we're trying to take over things to make it easier on her.

What I"m making here:

Oven roasting the 22 lb Turkey I bought - complete with "body bag" and seasoning - my dog loves Thanksgiving, she gets the gross shit they stuff back in it like the gizzard 

Neck gravy - boil the hell out of the neck until the meat falls off the bone and make gravy with turkey drippings and the neck meat. Sounds gross but it's great.

German potato salad

Biscuits - from scratch, I like them really big and fluffy.

Green salad stuff - I forget what the hell it's called, but it's pistachio pudding mix, marshmallows, pineapple, and cool whip - and it's totally awesome.

Green bean casserole.

Cranberry goo from a can - I hate this stuff but the kids like it.

Jello - debating on cherry or lime, might make both

Pumpkin pie - from scratch
Blueberry pie - from scratch also. 

I skipped the sweet potatoes this year. Normally I get a bunch of them, boil them down and peel them, whip them up with the electric mixer (this pulls a lot of the stringy stuff out of them and makes it smoother than just mashing them) and add brown sugar, white sugar, molasses and cinnamon. Then bake it for about 30 minutes, with the last 5 or so pull it out and throw marshmallows on top - but I have enough junk food to make this year so I'll skip it.

I usually make banana bread too but again, we have enough I'm going to make this year to last a week.


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Mike Scheiber said:


> Good not to have to bust your ass putting on a big nice meal is allot of work bad part is left overs can be skimpy


Very true Mike:lol:, and thats cool with me.


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## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

its just my wife and me out here... no need for a big meal. So it's really just another day of picking up dog shit to me.


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Screw it....I am going to Ashley's.....YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(if allowed that is....)


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Chris Michalek said:


> its just my wife and me out here... no need for a big meal. So it's really just another day of picking up dog shit to me.


Naughty!!! It's Thanksgiving....DA**IT!!!:mrgreen:


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## Annika Friberg (Mar 27, 2009)

going to my mom in law - I don't know what she's planning but it's usually not turkey (they don't really like it for some reason). 

Certainly, there will be a few pies. And probably the family recipe jello salad (which is a mystery to me - perhaps because I'm European - whoever first thought to put jello in a salad?).


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Carol Boche said:


> Screw it....I am going to Ashley's.....YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> (if allowed that is....)


Anytime! Not like I'm not going to have a TON of left overs


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## todd pavlus (Apr 30, 2008)

Chris Michalek said:


> . She not putting out so I'm gonna munch her ass next week. I'll prolly make some beans and cornbread too.


Your a funny guy.............and hungry


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Chris Michalek said:


> we're having chicken. I have five chickens in the backyard. They are all about the same age but this one has never laid an egg. She not putting out so I'm gonna munch her ass next week.
> 
> I'll prolly make some beans and cornbread too.


They got teh stove top stuffing that might sorta festive.
Phoenix is a odd place nothing seemed quite rite when we lived there sorta out of sorts


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

T Day will be with turkey, ham and roast beef with all the fixins at a brother-in-law's house.
Friday is here with my kids and g-kids. Not sure on the meal yet. 
Saturday with my brother's and sisters and their families.
From now till after the New year I just try and stay out of the way or I'll get put to work cause Christmas will be the same other then it will be here with the wife's family. The honey dos will be flying!


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

Bob Scott said:


> T Day will be with turkey, ham and roast beef with all the fixins at a brother-in-law's house.
> Friday is here with my kids and g-kids. Not sure on the meal yet.
> Saturday with my brother's and sisters and their families.
> From now till after the New year I just try and stay out of the way or I'll get put to work cause Christmas will be the same other then it will be here with the wife's family. The honey dos will be flying!


So you get to eat Holiday meals for DAYS???? LUCKY!!!!!\\/


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Carol Boche said:


> So you get to eat Holiday meals for DAYS???? LUCKY!!!!!\\/



Between Tday and New Years I'll be eating large. With my 4 sisters and 2 brothers it means leftovers till ya choke during the hollidays.  .........but I never let food interfear with my appetite. :grin:
Usually about 5-6 lbs extra by New Years. :-&


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## Terry Devine (Mar 11, 2008)

What, nobody's having Turducken !!!!!!!!


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Terry Devine said:


> What, nobody's having Turducken !!!!!!!!


Sounds like it will be quiet at your house with plentyo left overs :-&


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## Mike Scheiber (Feb 17, 2008)

Terry Devine said:


> What, nobody's having Turducken !!!!!!!!





Mike Scheiber said:


> Sounds like it will be quiet at your house with plentyo left overs :-&


Sorta reminds me of 
www.southparkstudios.com/clips/150056/mr-hankey-visits-kyle


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Picked up the turkey after herding yesterday. It rained all afternoon during herding and I was still soaked while waiting for the producer to get back from the slaughterhouse where the birds were just processed. Teeth were chattering. Their heritage birds ended up not being of a big enough weight, so I picked up one of their pasture raised broad breasted whites instead. I am reading I'm supposed to brine the turkey overnight. Hmmm...

I take my national boards to get my national license tomorrow (7 hour test, argh...), so I hope I'll be mentally aware enough to handle this whole brining thing. :smile:


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

My turkey is sitting in my sink, defrosting. It's 22ish lbs and still pretty rock solid (then again, my house isn't super warm either). 

I ended up being convinced to make a pie last night, so I made a blueberry one. My oldest son forgot to let me know he wasn't feeling well - he ended up vomiting in his sleep...blueberry pie coming up is rather grotesque.


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## Doug Zaga (Mar 28, 2010)

My incredibly tender, juicy, flavorful Prime Rib at our house... Need I say more? :lol:


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Going to my sisters this year and will have my kids . She is doing everything and refuses to let me bring anything . I'm sure there will be plenty of turkey , gravy and stuffing , sweet potatoes , squash , mash potatoes , corn , pumpkin pie , cookies , cranberrysauce , green bean casserole , beer and I'm going to bring plenty of Bailey's Irish Cream because I'm sure she's going to need a good drink after all that plus the rest of the family likes it too . 

Ashley I know how you feel . 2 Christmas ago all 3 of my kids had the stomach flu . I was up all night doing laundry . Got a good story about the sleep thing too but don't want to ruin this discussion about good food . I'll save it for another day .


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

LOL, yeah, I'm in the laundry-doing business today for sure. Bedsheets and clothing  Plus hand scrubbing and bleaching floors (who would have thought that blueberry pie would stain tile?!) At least I know it wasn't the pie that got him, because everyone else ate it too and nobody else is sick.

I'm testing a new brine concoction I made out on some chicken for tonight - if it's good, I'll use it this year. 

PM me the sleep story - I'm not squeamish  I have a feeling it's much like what happened last night.


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## Adam Swilling (Feb 12, 2009)

The wife's cooking this year, and I must say that girl can COOK!

Turkey
Dressing (not the gay kind with cranberries and nuts, but good ole Southern dressing)
Corn casserole (my favorite)
Sweet potato casserole (fresh mashed sweet taters with pecans butter and brown sugar topping then baked; freakin' delicious)
Mashed potatoes w/gravy (who am I kidding? I'll put gravy on everything)
green beans
mac and cheese
pumpkin pie made from scratch (even the crust)

This year she's doing Cornish hens for our two boys. One each. Give them their own little "turkey". 

Great, now I've made myself hungry. She's really going all out this year, as my B-Day is on Thanksgiving.


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

Sounds like the same sweet potatoes that I make, I love that stuff like fat kids love cake! Cornish game hens are great, especially stuffed with wild rice - that's a cool idea!

Oh and as for the dressing, yeah, I don't get the whole cranberry crap being in it - YUCK. I don't care much for dressing anyway, it's dry and has cornbread - which is nasty as hell - but it's tolerable compared to the stuff with cranberries.

As of tonight, I have dinner roll dough setting in the fridge (it can sit up to 3 days so I made it early because after reading this, I'm kind of jonesing for dinner rolls with the chicken I'm making - so I doubled it and just made a huge batch) and the watergate salad...aka "the green stuff". 

Tonight is just chicken, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and corn. I might make gravy too. I have 4 vultures hanging around the stove right now (1 dog, 3 kids) so I guess my cooking isn't too bad.


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## Adam Swilling (Feb 12, 2009)

I fully intend on wearing jogging pants just so I can eat more. Then the plan is to pass out like drunk on the couch. Then wake up and do it again. My goal this year is to eat until I'm genuinely ashamed of myself.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Well, tonight I'm making homemade enchiladas, rice, salad and Pineapple Upside Down cake from scratch in the hopes this will appease Peter, so that tomorrow when he goes to the relatives for turkey dinner, I will be able to sneak off to dog training where all my dog training buddies will be (that's my plan anyway)........we will see!


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

LOL Susan! Sounds like you have a good plan there...I think it'll work - being at dog training is a lot more fun than the in-laws for sure.

I can't say that about my family, last Christmas I ended up with a tomato to the head for swearing while cooking Christmas dinner - the tomato thrower? My mom.


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## Carmen van de Kamp (Apr 2, 2006)

Don't know, we are in the US now for the first time with Thanksgiving and are invited by Tims family to join them, so we let them surprise us....


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

We've been really busy and traveling a great deal the last couple of weeks. This year we are doing things a bit different. We bought a couple of really nice NY Strips, some asperagus, taters, even a couple of pumpkin pies. We'll do the turkey and dressing for Christmas this year. 

DFrost


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## Harry Keely (Aug 26, 2009)

Well I'm excited we are staying home now so its going to be just me the wife the boy and the four legged ****ers.

Ham
Mac & Cheese
Brocolli
Rolls
Gravy
Stuffen
Potatoe

Oh yea, I guess dreams and prayers do get answered, I'm like a kid jumping up and down in puddles have fun.:lol:


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## James Idi (Apr 19, 2009)

Solo this year...

Going with a Louisiana inspired menu:

-Turkey breast stuffed with andouille, spinach, and spices, with gravy
-Collards seasoned with tirnity, andouille, and lots of Tabasco 
-Mashed taters with gravy
-Pumpkin pie
-eggnog n' John Daniels
-espresso


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

James Idi said:


> Solo this year...
> 
> -eggnog n' John Daniels


Jack's long lost brother I presume, ha ha.

DFrost


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## Carol Boche (May 13, 2007)

So, now we have the supper menus....what's for dessert???? 

So far we are slated for

3 Pumpkin Pies
2 Apple Pies
Strawberry Pretzel Dessert (it involves sweetened strawberries, cream cheese, powdered sugar and pretzels...YUM)

Chocolate Dessert (shortcake crust, chocolate pudding and homemade whip cream) 

Raspberry Cheesecake

and I am not sure what else is going to arrive!!!


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## Ashley Campbell (Jun 21, 2009)

David Frost said:


> Jack's long lost brother I presume, ha ha.
> 
> DFrost


That's what happens when Johnny Walker and Jack Daniels meet and have a prom night dumpster baby...


All I want to do for Thanksgiving is go back to bed, I didn't sleep very well at all and don't feel like eating.


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## Jim Nash (Mar 30, 2006)

Carol Boche said:


> So, now we have the supper menus....what's for dessert????
> 
> So far we are slated for
> 
> ...


I'm heading out real soon and I'm bringing strawberry cheescake and Bailey's Irish Cream . I'm sure there's going to be pumpkin pie , apple pie , brownies , lemon bars , my mom's awesome banana bread , assorted cookies and ice cream . 

Happy Thanksgiving everybody !


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