Up late tonight while I wait for the turkey stock to cool off so I can strain and store, along with the breakfast breads… I have a good handle on the actual Thanksgiving dinner but struggling on some other meals. Cooking for 2 growing girls, and 4 adults. with my parents being 2 of them and a bit on the picky/selective side.
Here goes for Thanksgiving dinner:
Dry brined spatchcocked turkey- said bird did not want to become flat this evening. . . GRR
Mashed potatoes and gravy (stock is chilling as I type)
Farmhouse style dressing- an Epicurious recipe which the internets deleted so going off of memory
Cranberry sauce
Green beans
Salad of some sort (Mr Autumm’s request)
Pumpkin and apple pies
My parents will be getting here for lunch on Thanksgiving and I have no idea what to serve. They are the 3 squares types and don’t want to be called picky but GAH!
If you aren’t able to read that for paywall reasons, DM me and I’ll attempt to copy/paste it.
Do they like soup? If you make something simple like lentil soup prep and clean up could be minimal…
Good friends are hosting & providing most of the expected stuff: turkey, Southern-style beans, deviled eggs, GF key lime pie, etc., and the rest of us are bringing the rest. My PIC was going to make either an orange olive oil cake, flan, or ice cream, but several folks are already bringing dessert.
IF I can find fennel today, I’ll be making my traditional Thxgiving salad of shaved fennel, pomegranate, and blue cheese with walnut dressing.
So far, the only fennel I’ve seen looked like complete garbage. I’d hate having to pivot to a simple green salad bc it does not stand up as well to sitting around for hours.
Stumbled on this thread looking for what folks did for turkey stock (which I will be working on today).
I’m going to make a simple American Thanksgiving up here in Canada. I haven’t decided whether to do a turkey thigh or turkey schnitzel. Leaning towards turkey schnitzel.
I’m going to make stuffing, cranberry sauce, and cauliflower cheese.
Purchased pumpkin pie unless I become inspired.
Would shaved celery, cut on extreme bias so it has some substance, work in your salad?
It wouldn’t be the same. I really do like the flavor of fennel, and celery just tastes completely different. Sturdy, for sure.
If I have to go the green salad route I may add some for heft, and see if I can find stoopeed iceberg or romaine. Meh.
I had a hard time finding fennel this week. I only need about 1/2 cup chopped, and so I bought the best looking unit I cound find…I think it will yield amount I need. It was expensive too, but no where as expensive as the Mary’s turkey I picked up yesterday. $96 for 10.6# of chilled Heritage bird. We’ve had so many turkey birds over the years, I thought I’d go with a “Heritage” bird this year because I could. We’ll see.
Now that salad sounds good…care to share the recipe?
Haha, thanks! I decided to drop the cranberry pie since one adult is diabetic and we have more than enough sweets and carbs. Will save that for Christmas.
I started pickles last night. Today we prepped green beans, rolls, cranberries, mashers, butternut squash, and pumpkin pie. I’m gonna cube up some bread for dressing and make salad dressing, and I think that’s probably all that’s worth doing ahead.
I’ve had a similar dinner-prep dilemma this week. Hot sandwich ideas: tuna melts. philly cheese steak, Italian beef, grilled ham & cheese, tortilla roll ups (cream cheese & lunchmeat of your choice). Soup ideas: Tomato basil, Tortellini & mixed vegetable in chicken broth w/ Italian seasoning. I just saw an appetizer idea of smoked salmon with avocado (sliced or mashed to spread) on party rye bread that looked small-meal worthy.
I’m making this for my dinner, I’m using pine nuts and I don’t think I will add cheese.
Jicama might be a not as good as fennel alternative.
If you do come up fennel-less, maybe riff on this roasted squash salad from Ina Garten.
I use the idea rather than follow her recipe as written: mine gets a simple balsamic and olive oil vinaigrette, candied walnuts or pepitas, pomegranate seeds instead of cranberries, and I may or may not use the Parmesan depending on what else is in the meal. So, extremely riffable.
For a potluck, the squash can be dressed in vinaigrette and then greens/ other ingredients layered on top to keep the green stuff from wilting for longer.
Though I hope that you get to stick with your Plan A of fennel salad, which sounds delicious.
Good idea. I have the fixings needed for Ina’s chickpea and tomato soup. Maybe with some crudités and sandwich sliders.
I love the smoked salmon on rye idea! Maybe for our New Year’s Eve spread
I’m thinking soup. With big girl still in a cast I’m missing my prep cook. She’s not fast but she was independent. Her sister not so much but very wanting to help
I like quiche for low-key, make-ahead lunch, brunch, or snacking. I usually make it, but there are lots of good ones for purchase at grocery stores and the likes of Costco.
We usually do some selection of eggs, bagels, and smoked salmon for brunch on T-day, but this year my aunt wanted jambon beurre with ham she had bought just for that, so we used one of the plentiful baguettes to make those for the handful of us who were there early.
Decided on this:
Glad for permission not to separate the pan drippings.
My aunt forgot the Wondra in the last-minute havoc this year, and had to strain lumps (I didn’t realize until you posted this why she asked me for the strainer for the first time in forever).
