Thanksgiving Menus and Recipes

[aka_gerbil]

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This is my favorite butternut squash recipe. The cayenne adds just enough kick to offset the sweetness. I do sometimes substitute butter for the olive oil.

Easy Roasted Butternut Squash

We love this roasted butternut squash recipe. We toss the squash with a touch of brown sugar and spices so it caramelizes in the oven and becomes super flavorful!

www.inspiredtaste.net

Since it’s just me, and a butternut squash is sometimes too much, I will use the same mix, but on rings of acorn squash. Thicker tends to work better. For acorn squash, I cook at 400-425 and just keep an eye on it until they look done.

@once_upon, for butternut squash, someone told me years ago to throw it in the microwave a few minutes before peeling and cutting. It was life-changing.

I usually just go at the acorn squash with my knife, but the microwave would probably help here too.

 

[Aceon6]

My question is how to cut/half the squash? I bought a couple several years ago but couldn't cut it? My recipe called to cut, scoop the seeds, add butter, brown sugar, spices and bake for 45 minutes. But I couldn't get past the half part

As previously indicated, microwave or baking it a bit will soften the skin. Or, if you have a 10” chef’s knife, sharpen it to within an inch of it’s life, cut a small part of the squash away to create a flat side, then use the point of the knife to start in the middle. I usually do the wider side first, then tackle the other end. It’s a job. That’s why we gravitated to the roasted yam chunks with red onion and spinach.

 

[hanca]

does anyone have an apple pie recipe that is all that? I bought the apples and am ready to go. I usually trust smitten kitchen for recipes but if someone has a apple pie that brings all the boys to the yard that they're willing to divulge, I'm all ears.

What about apple strudel? Or Apples in jackets?

Apple strudel
Peel the apples, cut out the cores and cut the apples to smaller pieces.
Spread a sheet of fillo pastry or puff pastry, whichever you prefer. (Made from filo pastry it will be crispier, the one from puff pastry won’t be very crispy.)
Put the apples on one side of the pastry. Add sugar, cinnamon, raisins and breadcrumbs. Roll the pastry to make the strudel. (If you do this on a kitchen towel, it will be easier to roll the pastry.) Tuck in the ends.
Brush with egg whites or melted butter and bake.

Apples in jackets is similar, but the peeled and corked apples are wrapped individually in a square piece of pastry. (Again use sugar, raisins, cinnamon, nuts). Brush with egg whites or melted butter and bake.

 

[rfisher]

I'm watching a Chopped rerun. They have turkey testicles in the appetizer basket. With turnips and peanut butter cookies. I'd like to hear anybody's menu using these items.

 

[SamChez]

I’m making what I make every year: reservations.

 

[Vagabond]

Entire post

Thanks!

I have bought some cut-up butternut squash and will follow this recipe and/or adapt it for soup.

 

[aka_gerbil]

I have bought some cut-up butternut squash and will follow this recipe and/or adapt it for soup.

You’re welcome! Also good idea on the pre-cut.

 

[genevieve]

I made a butternut squash lasagne last week and I don't even remember the squash being a problem (no microwave in my house). I think I cut off the very top first, as that's often tough, but as others have said, start the halving at the widest part.

 

[myhoneyhoney]

Anyone else use a slow cooker for the turkey? It’s so easy and the turkey comes out so moist. Of course you need a HUGE slow cooker

 

[PRlady]

now I'm I'm not close. I'm having left over pizza. And pecan pie.

I was going to say next year you can drive to DC but you’re moving in the opposite direction.

Our family Thanksgiving is Saturday Dec 4, 9 days late, so my nephews can fly in without Tgiving airport drama and prices. So we are going to Friendsgiving tomorrow and are charged with regular and GF btread from scratch (DH) and sweet potato dish (me.) even I’ve gotten tired of very sweet sweet potato dishes so this is what I’m making tomorrow: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/376-sweet-potatoes-baked-with-lemon?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share

 

[hanca]

Anyone else use a slow cooker for the turkey? It’s so easy and the turkey comes out so moist. Of course you need a HUGE slow cooker

I was actually thinking about that, but I was worried that meats like turkey would come out very dry…
How long do you slow cook the turkey? And on what level, the faster or the slower?

 

[myhoneyhoney]

I was actually thinking about that, but I was worried that meats like turkey would come out very dry…
How long do you slow cook the turkey? And on what level, the faster or the slower?

I usually have a 10-11lb turkey and slow cook for around 9-10 hours. 165 degrees is the magic cooked number (although I wait until 170)

 

[VGThuy]

I feel oddly ready. My turkey has been in the brine for a few hours, and I have casserole dishes already assembled and just need to be reheated. My friends who aren’t near family are bringing other stuff and my mom and brother are here to help with potatoes and egg rolls and stuff - and helping me keep track of naughty little boys. My in-laws and sister-in-law are coming and are making something tomorrow, that’s a curve ball but it’s fine. Best part is that my mom brought her gumbo that’s in the freezer and just needs to be reheated.

I’ll let you know how I actually feel this time tomorrow.

 

[myhoneyhoney]

I’m going to the in-laws for Thanksgiving and they told Hubby to bring something. I will need rum… so rum cake it is, topped with rum butter glaze. OYE

 

[KCC]

We are not big turkey people, so I made a beautiful lasagna for today & tomorrow. We also made a special rib roast last weekend. Our schedule is very packed this weekend, so we decided to just eat what we want, when we want it. It seems like a lot of our traditions and bigger get-togethers have gone by the wayside since my family splintered (over politics, death of a few family members, abusive sibling-in-laws, money, diverging values & generally living very separate lives), and these days, we gather more often with friends and just giggle the night away. I'm incredibly thankful for my new & old, in person and online friends!

 

[skateboy]

I'm watching a Chopped rerun. They have turkey testicles in the appetizer basket. With turnips and peanut butter cookies. I'd like to hear anybody's menu using these items.

I don't care if they torture and threaten me, I ain't eatin' no damn bird balls for Thanksgiving.

Well... maybe if there was enough mustard on 'em...

 

[aka_gerbil]

I have made my dessert and nothing else yet.

 

[Buzz]

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends.

 

[paskatefan]

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends.

Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving to all the American posters here! ?

 

[skatingguy]

I don't care if they torture and threaten me, I ain't eatin' no damn bird balls for Thanksgiving.

Well... maybe if there was enough mustard on 'em...

You don't eat chicken balls with your Chinese food?

 

[skategal]

Happy Thanksgiving American friends!

This thread has made me gain 5 pounds just reading it. LOL!

Have lots of ideas for Christmas now though! (Our Thanksgiving was last month.)

 

[Judy]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

[Judy]

Happy Thanksgiving American friends!

This thread has made me gain 5 pounds just reading it. LOL!

Have lots of ideas for Christmas now though! (Our Thanksgiving was last month.)

It's more like 20 pounds ???

 

[Judy]

I don't care if they torture and threaten me, I ain't eatin' no damn bird balls for Thanksgiving.

Well... maybe if there was enough mustard on 'em...

???

 

[Aceon6]

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I’m currently taking a well deserved break. All the veg are prepped and I got the backbone out of the turkey breast with minimal struggle. Mr. turkey is now slathered in butter and seasoned, just chillin’ until it’s time.

What took forever was disinfecting the sink and counters! I’m careful not to splatter when I take the bird out of the bag and I never wash the bird, but I’m always paranoid that Sal Manella* is lurking. I used antibacterial spray liberally and rinsed everything with a fresh sponge, but a sparkling sink and counter just made it more obvious that I needed to clean the stovetop… then the kettle… then the little ceramic dish that holds our scrubbers… and so on. A cleaning wormhole!

*Sal was DH’s relative. He had some personality traits that made it hard to be around him for longer than a few minutes. So now, we invoke Sal when there’s raw meat or suspect produce.

 

[Aceon6]

4 hours prep, 2 hours cook time, about 30 minutes to eat, and another 30 to clean up. That sounds about right.

 

[once_upon]

I made fudge, cookies, chex mix. My son had requested green bean casserole with lots of bacon and mushrooms.

I mixed fresh green beans, with canned green beans, a pound of bacon, 8 ounces of fresh cut mushrooms and cream of mushroom soup. Will top it fried onions.

 

[SkateSand]

We're making our typical Thanksgiving dinner. No deviations allowed. It's a combination of both of our families traditional dishes. The only change I ever make is how I prepare the turkey - sometimes roasted, sometimes cooked in a bag. But the stuffing is written in stone. It's a packaged stuffing, but I add dried apples, cranberries, and raisins, and sometimes dried cherries if I have them. I'm responsible for the turkey and stuffing - hubby prepares the mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, and green beans. The green beans are his family recipe, which basically consists of green beans cooked in tomato sauce. Meh, but he likes them. Dessert is always pumpkin pie, which my husband makes. On occasion, he will also make an eggnog pie.

If it were entirely up to me, we'd eat out. But I console myself with all the leftover turkey sandwiches, which I love.

 

[VGThuy]

Convection ovens are weird.

 

[hanca]

Have lots of ideas for Christmas now though! (Our Thanksgiving was last month.)

We don’t do Thanksgiving here! At least I have never heard of it being celebrated here. (Pity, the dinners look good!)