2023 Thanksgiving Plans (U.S.A. - 11/23/2023)

[msmofet]

Tentative Thanksgiving Menu 2023

Appetizers

Cream Cheese, Green Olive, and Nuts Poppers
Marinated Mushrooms (Store-bought)
Stuffed Mushrooms

Entrée

Roasted Turkey
Turkey Gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Glazed Carrots
Creamed Pearl Onions
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed Turnip Root, Yukon potatoes
Brussels Sprouts
Stuffing
Sautéed mushrooms
Cranberry/Tangerine Relish (Homemade)
Cranberry Sauce - Canned
Crescent Rolls - Store-bought

Dessert

Apple pie (Homemade)
Pumpkin pie - Store-bought
Berry Fruit Cobbler (Homemade)
Vanilla Ice Cream
Whipped cream

Beverages

Soda
Sparkling Cranberry Apple Cider
Apple Cider
Eggnog

 

[cjmmytunes]

We are eating at a cousin's house in VA. I am making pickled cucumbers to take with us.

 

[Andy M.]

Our Thanksgiving is traditional and mostly the same every year by choice. The tried and true familiar dishes provide a family comfort of sorts that we all look forward to. I have been admonished not to make any changes.

We don't have appetizers because there's so much dinner.

Roast turkey with gravy
Stuffing with gravy
Pilaf
Roasted mashed butternut squash with cinnamon and brown sugar
Green bean casserole
Cranberry sauce
Dinner rolls
Pecan pie
Pumpkin pie
Ice cream
Chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache topping (this because my grandson has said it's the best thing he's ever eaten and he's my biggest fan!)
Apple Cider
Wine

 

[larry_stewart]

I'll be going to my Sister in laws, and as usual, will be asked to bring something I can eat. Ive already been asked to bring the sweet potato lasagna and truffle Mac & Cheese. I have a lot of extra potatoes from the garden, so Ill likely make some roasted potatoes and try something new to blow them away.

 

[msmofet]

Our Thanksgiving is traditional and mostly the same every year by choice. The tried and true familiar dishes provide a family comfort of sorts that we all look forward to. I have been admonished not to make any changes.

We don't have appetizers because there's so much dinner.

Roast turkey with gravy
Stuffing with gravy
Pilaf
Roasted mashed butternut squash with cinnamon and brown sugar
Green bean casserole
Cranberry sauce
Dinner rolls
Pecan pie
Pumpkin pie
Ice cream
Chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache topping (this because my grandson has said it's the best thing he's ever eaten and he's my biggest fan!)
Apple Cider
Wine

I basically make the same menu for holidays also because that's what DD's want. Sometimes I can ADD something new but can't take away old TNT loved dishes.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Trying hard to keep treats out of the house!

I’m thinking, a frozen turkey pot pie or entree, a baked sweet potato, and green beans with a few craisins.

A KozyShack tapioca or rice pudding snack cup for afters.

 

[GotGarlic]

We're going to Michigan to spend the week with DH's father. The three of us are going to my brother-in-law's and his fiancée's house for Thanksgiving. I've offered to bring dinner rolls and a dessert, but we haven't finalized the menu yet.

 

[HeyItsSara]

I was just planning my menu too!

So far:

THANKSGIVING MENU
Turkey with stuffing
Cranberry sauce
Butternut squash
Apple blueberry pie

it's a work in progress!

 

[GinnyPNW]

DH wants to try a Niman Ranch uncured ham...so we found one at a local market. I'll make some kind of yam dish, probably roast some Delicata squash (a new favorite)...and maybe Hasselback Scalloped potatoes too. Texas rolls are likely to be on the table...and dessert will probably be an ice box cake.

 

[dr morbius]

I shopped today looking for a turkey, and the smallest they had was over 11.5 pounds. I have a small family, just the three of us; we'd be sick of turkey by the time we finished all that. Besides which, it was frozen and I'd have to deal with it in the fridge for a few days and the garage the day before I make it. It simply isn't worth the hassle; no turkey this year.

I'm going to make breaded pork tenderloin. I trim the silver off the tenderloin and then create butterfly cuts, which I season with kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder. I then coat them with cracker crumbs, egg wash, and cracker crumbs again. I lightly brown these in a mixture of melted bacon fat and canola oil and place them in the oven on a rack over a baking pan filled with hot water, with the oven at 208 degrees F. For about 20 minutes after I finish frying. This basically means I steam them to completion. I'm planning to make Stove Top stuffing and boiled carrots alongside. One huge plus of this plan is that it's cheap. I bought the pork tenderloin today for $1.99/lb; the Stove top was $.99/box, and I get carrots all the time for about $.59/lb. All in all, Thanksgiving meal will cost considerably less than ten bucks. Beat that!

This is before I head off to work for a 12 hour shift, like every Thanksgiving. And I'll be getting home from work on Thursday morning at about 3:30 am, if I'm lucky.

 

[taxlady]

I shopped today looking for a turkey, and the smallest they had was over 11.5 pounds. I have a small family, just the three of us; we'd be sick of turkey by the time we finished all that. Besides which, it was frozen and I'd have to deal with it in the fridge for a few days and the garage the day before I make it. It simply isn't worth the hassle; no turkey this year.

I'm going to make breaded pork tenderloin. I trim the silver off the tenderloin and then create butterfly cuts, which I season with kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder. I then coat them with cracker crumbs, egg wash, and cracker crumbs again. I lightly brown these in a mixture of melted bacon fat and canola oil and place them in the oven on a rack over a baking pan filled with hot water, with the oven at 208 degrees F. For about 20 minutes after I finish frying. This basically means I steam them to completion. I'm planning to make Stove Top stuffing and boiled carrots alongside. One huge plus of this plan is that it's cheap. I bought the pork tenderloin today for $1.99/lb; the Stove top was $.99/box, and I get carrots all the time for about $.59/lb. All in all, Thanksgiving meal will cost considerably less than ten bucks. Beat that!

This is before I head off to work for a 12 hour shift, like every Thanksgiving. And I'll be getting home from work on Thursday morning at about 3:30 am, if I'm lucky.

I think cheap is appropriate for Thanksgiving. I read that the whole idea of using turkey, back in the day, was that just about everyone could shoot a turkey. It was inexpensive meat. Also, the bread stuffing was a cheap substitute for the fancy meat stuffings that were popular with the upper classes in Europe. So the bread stuffing was an inexpensive way to make that turkey roast more festive. Thanksgiving was meant to be a feast that regular people could put on.

 

[Andy M.]

We buy a Fresh Butterball every year. It has been $1.69/Lb at most supermarkets for a few years now. Just happened to be in Costco last week and saw them for $0.99/Lb! Bought a 16 pounder.

 

[Kathleen]

We are having Frank's parents join us this year! Thanksgiving is my one menu that does not change because every dish is a memory. Because of this, when others join, I invite them to bring something from their own memories. (Last year, mac-n-cheese was our visitor's contribution.) Traditionally, we have Turkey, dressing, dumplings, mashed potatoes, cream peas, fresh cranberry sauce, stuffed celery, olives, citrus salad, Thanksgiving salad, gravy, and rolls. Since it is a carb-heavy meal, I rarely make rolls unless others join. With the visitors coming, I will add asparagus and jellied cranberry sauce because I know Frank's father is fond of them. Sweet tea is usually served with it all.

Pumpkin pie has been traditional, but his mother is bringing her apple pie, which we like better than pumpkin! I plan to make some vanilla ice cream for it.

I'm willing to swap out and make anything for any other holiday but Thanksgiving. It's my day for memories. As for leftovers, I am the Bubba-Gump of turkey leftovers: Turkey sandwiches, turkey and gravy, turkey salad, turkey stew, turkey casserole. I like turkey, but generally limit myself to getting one between 12 and 14 pounds.

 

[Jusa]

Going to in-laws for Thanksgiving. I'm bringing Knorr Swiss cold spinach dip with Pumpernickel bread and veggies plus Buffalo chicken dip in my small crockpot with tortilla chips. Oh also a pecan pie.

I'm guessing we'll be having turkey (hopefully no ham or sweet potatoes, yuck--I won't eat them). I don't ask. I'll just fill up on appetizers and turkey.

 

[bethzaring]

We will be having two Thanksgiving dinners this year. On Thanksgiving Day we are going to a friends house and I will be taking herbed dinner rolls and green chile, cheddar cheese, mashed potato casserole. Whenever we go elsewhere for Thanksgiving, I roast a turkey on another day because I require leftover turkey! On Tuesday we will have one neighbor over and I am fixing a brined and butter soaked cheese cloth on turkey roasted, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, tortillas, apple pie shortbread bars and tequila. Neighbor is bringing green chile corn pudding and cranberry compote.

 

[GinnyPNW]

We are having Frank's parents join us this year! Thanksgiving is my one menu that does not change because every dish is a memory. Because of this, when others join, I invite them to bring something from their own memories. (Last year, mac-n-cheese was our visitor's contribution.) Traditionally, we have Turkey, dressing, dumplings, mashed potatoes, cream peas, fresh cranberry sauce, stuffed celery, olives, citrus salad, Thanksgiving salad, gravy, and rolls. Since it is a carb-heavy meal, I rarely make rolls unless others join. With the visitors coming, I will add asparagus and jellied cranberry sauce because I know Frank's father is fond of them. Sweet tea is usually served with it all.

Pumpkin pie has been traditional, but his mother is bringing her apple pie, which we like better than pumpkin! I plan to make some vanilla ice cream for it.

I'm willing to swap out and make anything for any other holiday but Thanksgiving. It's my day for memories. As for leftovers, I am the Bubba-Gump of turkey leftovers: Turkey sandwiches, turkey and gravy, turkey salad, turkey stew, turkey casserole. I like turkey, but generally limit myself to getting one between 12 and 14 pounds.

Don't mess with perfection! I would say that anyone at your Thanksgiving table should feel very honored and blessed to be included...

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I was going to say that I was showing up at the @msmofet house, but now I decided that I'll be giving thanks at @Kathleen's instead.

We're actually going to Lovely's on Thursday. She said that with both of them not working (they both are assistant store managers at different Lowe's stores), they just toss a ham in the crock pot and watch football all day. While it's not the traditional formal turkey day I grew up with and continued on until we had to move in 2000, it's with family (Goober will be there, too) and that's the most important ingredient of all - family. I will be bringing the traditional Brussels sprouts/mushroom/bacon casserole; also mac and cheese and a homemade apple pie. The recently-minted son-in-law prefers apple to pumpkin - and I forgot the canned pumpkin and milk at home. Pumpkin at Christmas!

 

[Silversage]

It's just the 2 of us this year, so no turkey. We'd be eating it till Christmas! I will make seared duck breast with some kind of sauce/gastrique, pureed parsnips and roasted Brussels sprouts. No dessert. That will be more than enough food!

The following day, were are going to a "Friendsgiving" pot luck (it's not truly pot-luck because you sign up for your dish) in our community. I am bringing a pumpkin praline cheesecake and a baked brandied cranberry compote.

 

[Aunt Bea]

It's just the 2 of us this year, so no turkey. We'd be eating it till Christmas! I will make seared duck breast with some kind of sauce/gastrique, pureed parsnips and roasted Brussels sprouts. No dessert. That will be more than enough food!

The following day, were are going to a "Friendsgiving" pot luck (it's not truly pot-luck because you sign up for your dish) in our community. I am bringing a pumpkin praline cheesecake and a baked brandied cranberry compote.

It’s nice to see someone using parsnips!

Parsnips, yellow turnips, cardoons, etc… are gradually slipping into the past.

 

[Silversage]

It’s nice to see someone using parsnips!

Parsnips, yellow turnips, cardoons, etc… are gradually slipping into the past.

In our family, yellow turnip (rutabaga), parsnips, and Brussels sprouts were standard Thanksgiving fare. My grandmother grew up in Ireland, and those root vegetables were her family's dishes, so they became ours. Sometimes I have trouble finding them in Florida.