Who's cooking Thanksgiving and what are you making?

**cynic** · November 21st, 2008, 12:11 PM

....all by myself **cue bad 70's song**.....I've had a few pity invitations from co-workers.....thanks, no....so.....ham sandwich, coleslaw....maybe I'll make a pie.....**looking at belly**....well, maybe jello.....

**JuicyLucy** · November 21st, 2008, 12:11 PM

Oh that's right, americans forgot Thanskgiving is in October. Stupid..

**january** · November 21st, 2008, 07:27 PM

Well, I'm just cooking for my husband and I. We're not huge meat eaters anyway so I'm just going to forego the turkey this year, too much work for something that neither of us really care about. I never really make the traditional food for the most part, is that bad? Anyway, I'm making:

Lentils and Rice
Toasted Chickpeas
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Penne Veggie Casserole
3 Bean Marinade
Feta Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Dinner Rolls
Apple Pie

It will be MORE than enough for the two of us, will probably have leftovers for a week.

**chartreuse** · November 21st, 2008, 07:30 PM

your menu sounds delicious, january!

**january** · November 21st, 2008, 07:46 PM

Oh good! I'm glad somebody thinks so. I'm not really into the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. The penne veggie casserole dish I make almost has a Mexican vibe to it, I told my mom what I was making and she was like "where is your green bean casserole! Where is your sweet potato pie!" She even emailed me the recipes, lol. Its like, yes mom, I know how to make them, but I'd rather make something we both like! Some people (especially older people) get caught up in the more traditional dishes, I've found. My mom would hyperventilate if she ever served a menu like the one I'm thinking of, it almost makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong!

**sweetness** · November 21st, 2008, 07:49 PM

^^ Sounds good to me, January!

Originally Posted by cynic

....all by myself **cue bad 70's song**.....I've had a few pity invitations from co-workers.....thanks, no....so.....ham sandwich, coleslaw....maybe I'll make a pie.....**looking at belly**....well, maybe jello.....

Aww cynic, you just need to bring your sweet self on down here and eat with us then. Everything's calorie-free at our Thanksgiving dinner!

**chartreuse** · November 21st, 2008, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by january

Oh good! I'm glad somebody thinks so. I'm not really into the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. The penne veggie casserole dish I make almost has a Mexican vibe to it, I told my mom what I was making and she was like "where is your green bean casserole! Where is your sweet potato pie!" She even emailed me the recipes, lol. Its like, yes mom, I know how to make them, but I'd rather make something we both like! Some people (especially older people) get caught up in the more traditional dishes, I've found. My mom would hyperventilate if she ever served a menu like the one I'm thinking of, it almost makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong!

i like the way you think. your thanksgiving meal should be the way you want it, regardless of what "tradition" calls for. being unique will make it all that more memorable!

**msdeb** · November 21st, 2008, 08:13 PM

we have a 14 pound turkey, we usually have Birdzilla, so this year will be a nice year.
also making the normal stuff
mashed taters
corn
biscuits.

and hopefully i dont burn down the kitchen

**celeb_2006** · November 21st, 2008, 08:35 PM

Originally Posted by cynic

....all by myself **cue bad 70's song**.....I've had a few pity invitations from co-workers.....thanks, no....so.....ham sandwich, coleslaw....maybe I'll make a pie.....**looking at belly**....well, maybe jello.....

Join the party! At least you got invites, none of my coworkers ever invited me, and that's with them knowing my family lives out of town (and I'll be working on one of the days). Which is fine because I really don't like spending hours with people I don't know, I'd rather spend it myself and be happy, like playing video games!

I was thinking of some turkey dinner with trimmings from somewhere but decided I better go with my favorite KFC meal deal. But I'll buy it on Wednesday because as I remember it practically everything is closed on thursdays, even the fast food places.

**southernbelle** · November 22nd, 2008, 01:02 PM

Usually in my family, my stepmother does the majority of the cooking, but all of the girls help out while the guys watch football on tv.

We will have turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, homemade rolls, several pies, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, ambrosia, and probably a few other things.

**MontanaMama** · November 22nd, 2008, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by cynic

....all by myself **cue bad 70's song**.....I've had a few pity invitations from co-workers.....thanks, no....so.....ham sandwich, coleslaw....maybe I'll make a pie.....**looking at belly**....well, maybe jello.....

I have had a number of solo years - my daughter used to go to her dad's every year. But I loved it and still made the full meal (it's all about the leftovers anyway).

I'm cooking this year for my daughter and myself

Turkey (fresh from the Hutterite farm)
Corbread/chestnut stuffing (I dropped the oysters this year, made the dressing too mushy)
Mashed Taters
Sweet Taters w/ balsamic
Green Bean Casserole (I use the Cook's Illustrated recipe which makes it such an awesome dish - not quite as gloppy)
Gravy
Jellied cranberry - from the can only. This is not negotiable, you must have the plop from the can and be able to see the lines!!! There have been many debates about this among friends & family.
Pot de Creme

I did most of my shopping today and finally got smart this year and put it on an Excel spreadsheet. Sure makes shopping easier when I figured out how to do a Pivot table to group all the categories together. I recommend if you make the same things every year.

**Penny Lane** · November 22nd, 2008, 02:43 PM

I usually just get stuck with making the gravy or something.

This year I am going to try and make a diet stuffing, though.. small amount, though, since my family thinks 'diet' and 'stuffing' in the same sentence is blasphemy.

My mom usually makes green bean casserole, turkey, stuffing, and some kind of vegetable side.

My aunt makes mashed potatoes. Another aunt makes artichoke dip. My uncle makes this awesome macaroni tomato thing with black olives and gobs of cheese. And my grandma is usually stuck with quiche, pie, yams/sweet potatoes, and some really awesome fried cinnamon sugar things called bunuelos.

**MontanaMama** · November 22nd, 2008, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by stylejunkiex

This year I am going to try and make a diet stuffing, though.. small amount, though, since my family thinks 'diet' and 'stuffing' in the same sentence is blasphemy.

I think I agree with your family, blasphemy indeed (at least an oxymoron). I would be very interested to hear what ingredients you use to make it lower cal.

**McJag** · November 22nd, 2008, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by southernbelle

Usually in my family, my stepmother does the majority of the cooking, but all of the girls help out while the guys watch football on tv.

We will have turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, homemade rolls, several pies, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, ambrosia, and probably a few other things.

Oh,yea! Ambrosia! With fresh coconut,I hope! I love the taste (so different that store bought) I used to love watching my Dad crack one open after Mother drained it over a glass.

**Penny Lane** · November 22nd, 2008, 03:12 PM

I spray a teensy bit of Pam and water into a large saucerpan and add chopped celery, onion, mushrooms, and sage leaves and let them sweat for a bit before I add in some fat free vegetable broth (Swansons) and let it come to a simmer and then add some seasoned bread crumbs... ill usually toss in some apples and cranberries if I feel like it. My mom uses whole sticks of butter in her recipe.. delicious, yes, but I usually end up feeling like crap for eating it.