jdtofbna

I'll be feeding 10 this year. We'll start with football, bloody marys, nuts, olives, probably a cheese tray, maybe hummus and veggies. For the main event, which happens later in the afternoon, I roast a Trader Joe's kosher turkey and will serve it with my mom's southern cornbread stuffing (we call it "dressing, cooked separate from the bird,) my friend Tonia's fabulous turkey gravy (have wings roasting in the oven for stock as we speak,) Mother's corn pudding, wild rice salad with oranges and dried cranberries, potato-carrot mousseline, haricots verts with balsamic-glazed shallots, cranberry-tangerine relish, rolls, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and pumpkin cheesecake (made last weekend and now in the freezer.) Oh--and a Swiss chard and fontina tarte for my vegetarian niece. All served with adult beverages of choice, of course. I'm not sure I've decided yet on this year's red wine--anyone want to weigh in on that?

Yum, Weinoo, that looks fabulous! Right now I'm using stale bread to make crumbs to feed the birds out on my deck because Nashville seems to have become the North Pole . Usually I make some sort of savory bread pudding, preferably one containing a nice cheese, some sauteed mushrooms and spinach. I also make a Portuguese Fish Soup that calls for bread and is a tasty use for stale bread.

Sounds like I'm not the only one who is suddenly feeling Thanksgiving nipping at my heels, so I need to get cracking, too. I'm feeding 10, a mix of family and friends. Most of the guests will bring a little something and one friend is always in charge of the gravy. Here's my thinking at this point: Pre-Dinner fare: Bloody Marys, wine, beer Stuffed mushrooms (friend contribution) Homemade Chex Mix (We always called this Nuts and Bolts)(another friend contribution) Possibly an antipasto platter--ok, not very American, but do-ahead easy Dinner: Roasted Trader Joe's brined turkey Traditional Southern Cornbread dressing Gravy Cranberry sauce with kumquats Mother's Corn Pudding Potato-Carrot Mousseline Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Figs Wild Rice Salad with oranges and dried Cranberries Haricot verts sauteed with garlic and spinach Sister Schubert's rolls (ok, I cheat here but they're really good) Pickled Peaches, celery sticks (don't quite know the origin of the celery sticks, but Mom always had them on the Thanksgiving table so I do, too) Dessert: Pecan Pie Pumpkin Pie Pear and Fig Strudel (courtesy of my newly-cheffy brother) Fresh whipped cream

Jaymes's mention of watermelon salad reminded me of one a friend of mine makes with watermelon, feta cheese, arugula, basil and a lemon vinaigrette. I'm off to Publix to get the ingredients right now---it's 95 degrees in Nashville!!

Thanks for the suggestions---now I need to ponder this a bit more!

Thought I would tag onto this thread. A friend and I are making a quick IKEA run next weekend from Nashville and will be staying at the Artmore. As the designated driver, I'd like to have a nice dinner at a restaurant within walking distance so I can have more than 1 glass of wine A couple of people have recommended South City Kitchen--any opinions? Thanks!

Somewhat off-topic, Chris, but I had to reply that I've made that same Gourment recipe several times and it is indeed delicious.

One obvious omission in my opinion is the lowly cabbage, an excellent accompaniment to pork/ham. Creamed, roasted, lightly sauteed in butter with fine breadcrumbs. Yum! I also like simple broccoli with salmon--steamed, dressed with a little butter and a sprinkle of lemon. Also--can't remember if anyone has mentioned turnips? Another somewhat lowly veg, but I remember my mom used to serve turnips with lots of black pepper alongside roast pork.

Thanks for the help, I kind of figured that was the situation. I'll just have to go farther afield. I'd forgotten about Haandi, I've eaten there several times when I was staying in Knightsbridge and remember that it's very good. Thanks!

I will have one night for dinner on my own in London in March, and will be staying at the Paddington Hilton, which is not my usual neighborhood. Can anyone recommend a good Indian restaurant nearby? I will have spent a week in Cornwall and decent Indian meals are pretty thin on the ground down there. Thanks!

Ah! At last someone mentions kale and white beans. A pot of garlicky beans and greens, simmered for a bit then served up in a bowl with a good dash of Tabasco and a chunk of crusty wholegrain bread.

I make a very simple slaw that goes great with steamed shrimp, grilled fish, or even with the old traditional BBQ, baked beans,etc. I core and finely shred a small-ish head of green cabbage and add a finely sliced red onion that has been soaked in ice water if it's too hot. Throw in a good handful of chopped fresh dill, and dress the slaw with 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup plain yogurt (fat content of your choice, but I use nonfat,) 1/3 cup mayo and 1 Tbsp lemon juice, combined well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let chill for at least and hour before serving.

I was at a meeting a couple of weeks ago and someone had made pimiento cheese that had Old Bay in it---deelish!

Thanks so much for the YouTube link. I'll definitely be making the Butter Chicken soon!

Gotcha! Thanks---

A girlfriend is going to England with me and this will be her first time there. I've been so many times that I never bother with afternoon tea in London, but I know it's something she'll want to do. I was thinking we'd go to Sketch rather than one of the traditional places like Brown's or Fortnum's. Any thoughts? Thanks!

I made a comforting Cannelini and Broccoli Rabe Soup last night from a friend's blog Feeding Groom. Well, shoot. I was going to post a photo but can't seem to see the button to let me do that. Loaded with flavor from herbs, shallots, garlic, fennel and broccoli rabe, it was a lovely soup for a cold gloomy evening.

My mom's rolls. It's her mother's mother's recipe for yeast rolls, made with the usual stuff plus mashed potatoes. And, preferably, part lard. Tasted like heaven, which, if one believes such things, is where my mom is now, and I still can't make her rolls. The last batch I made came out like little rocks. So, it's Sister Schubert for my family holidays.

Definitely wine. Think about how much better a beef stew or braised lamb shank is with some red wine thrown in. Not only adds acidity but also depth of flavor. I like the idea of hot sauce as an acidic addition, too---as in hot sauce sprinkled on a piece of fried chicken or some scrambled eggs.

Cheese straws, definitely. With plenty of cayenne. And how about divinity? My mom always made divinity candies at Christmas with a pecan half on top of each candy.

My mom always served either pickled peaches or these fabulously crisp, sweet green tomato pickles. Alas, she's no longer with us and I was too lazy this year to make pickled peaches and too scared to commit to making her Transparent Green Tomato pickles. So, I took the easy, cheap way out and made these: CHRISTMAS PICKLES 1 Gallon jar whole dill pickles, drained and cut into 1” slices 5 lbs sugar ½ bottle Tabasco 3 tsp whole allspice 2 tsp whole cloves 4 cinnamon sticks 2 Tbsp pickling spice 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh ginger Rind of 2 oranges cut into strips Layer pickles with remaining ingredients in the jar the pickles came in. You may have to wait a couple of hours before you can add all the sugar. Let stand 24 hours, then refrigerate. Ready to eat in 2 weeks. Sorry, they probably won't be ready for next week, but they'll be tasty at Christmas!

I've also been thinking about Thanksgiving for a couple of weeks, the planning is half the fun for me. I'm still pondering hors d'oeuvres, but that will be an important part since we're gathering to watch our Tennessee Titans play the Detroit Lions before the main food event. Right now I'm thinking: Bloody Marys, wine, beer Rosemary Roasted Pecans Crudites and steamed shrimp with (homemade) Green Goddess Dressing Mediterranean Palmiers (puff pastry, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, feta) For the Main Event: Turkey, Mother's cornbread dressing, gravy Cranberry kumquat relish (if the kumquats have come in by then) Wild rice salad (Martha Stewart recipe with orange, green onions, dried cranberries) Green beans sauteed with garlic and shallots and dressed with lemon and toasted hazelnuts Potato carrot mousseline Relish tray (pickles, celery) Sister Schubert yeast rolls Mincemeat pie Pumpkin pie All served with a dry Riesling and probably a Zinfandel (the real kind, NOT pink!) Then a big nap

Just a quick post to say thanks to everyone who responded to my question. My young friend and I ended up going to Number Twelve, where we had a delicious meal accompanied by excellent service. My friend had the Devon Crab salad with avocado and lime dressing, followed by Osso buco, while I had pan-fried prawns with a salad of asparagus and pine nuts, followed by Scottish halibut on a bed of samphire grass with Devon crab potatoes. I love samphire grass, and it's something you just don't see much here in the States. We shared a nice bottle of red wine but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. We also shared some sort of delicious strawberry dessert. The entire meal was a particular treat for my friend (my neighbors' son) since he's in London as a student and on a very limited budget. If I have any negative comment, it would be that the bar kind of has the feel of a faceless hotel bar---but, I guess that's kind of what it is...All in all, though, it was a delightful evening and again I appreciate everyone's input. Now I've got to get back to work so I can afford to return next year!

Thank you all so much, these are great recommendations and observations. I head for London on the 11th and can't wait to try one of these spots---right now I'm thinking Number Twelve or LL--but that is totally subject to change. Also looking forward to at least one visit to Borough Market!

I was all set to say "weak dollar be damned" and choose River Cafe when I checked their website and realized they don't reopen until the end of Sept, and this little dinner will be on the 19th. Wish I knew how to edit the subject of my thread so I don't have to look at that embarrassing typo every time I check in.....