emilyr

I haven't even a clue about my own decorations yet, but I work part time at a florist and we just got the most exciting order. The woman who won the blue ribbon for jellies and preserves at the state fair is having us match small low clusters of flowers to the colors of her jellies (I think onion marmelade, pepper port jelly, pumpkin rind preserves, and something involving cranberries and sage are included). Lots of burgundies, bronzes, and golds. She's putting the jellies, flowers, and floating candles in crystal candy dishes that she collects. It should be awesome and I hope she brings in the pictures that she promised.

My family has always had a rivalry between the giblet stuffing and oyster stuffing factions, and my mom and I bore the brunt of it, making two huge pans full. No one could decide which would go into the turkey, so neither one would. We've been frying our turkeys for the last 7 years or so with a spicy cajun or southwestern injection. I decided I wanted something with a little more kick to match the flavor of the turkey. I ended up making a cornbread stuffing with pork chorizo, green chilis, red peppers, and sundried tomatoes. I moisten it with a broth infused with cilantro and lime. You don't need to use a lot of extra spice if you use good chorizo. This year, because of time constraints, we're buying a smoked trukey. What kind of dressing goes best with the smokey flavor? Also, since we may not have gravy, will regular stuffing have enough flavor?

As a Girl Scout camper from way back, I know it's not too hard to cook for 20 or more in the Great Outdoors. My favorite thing to do are packet meals. Toss some chicken, fish or your favorite cut of meat into some foil, add root veggies, spices and something "wet" (EVOO, butter, broth, or wine for the adults), wrap them up tight, and you're ready to go. My little Brownies like chicken, broccoli (otherwise a no-no food in the 3rd grade set) and Velveeta (ick, I know, but sometimes you just gotta cater...). Also something the kids like, I can't remeber the name, but you cut a piece of bacon in half and start to cook it, add a piece of bread with the middle bitten out on top, drop an egg into the hole and top with another halved piece of bacon. It makes like an inside out sandwich. I think we made these on top of little stoves made out of coffee cans and a heat source made out of tuna cans, cardboard and candle wax.

Hey eGe'ers, my name is Emily and this is my first post. I've been devouring the site while waiting for my confirmation email and am completely undone this is awesome! But to get back on the thread... We're a good midwestern/borderline southern family, so we'll have all the regulars: green bean casserole (but with cheese, no yucky onion ring thingies and homemade cream of mushroom soup), corn bread casserole, mashed potatoes (with every kind of dairy product we can fit in - cream cheese, cream, parm, milk and butter - and garlic), oyster AND onion/sage stuffing/dressing (the debate escalates in my house every year), giblet gravy, my aunt's homemade noodles in gravy, my mom's awesome butter horn rolls and creamed peas with pearl onions. Plus, my mom and I have managed to throw in a few new and interesting variations on some of the old standards. In favor of the traditional frozen niblets, we sautee white sweet corn in butter with basil, tarragon and sundried tomatoes. Instead of candied yams (ick) we make a sweet potato whip with apples and candied pecans or deep fried sweet potatoes (wth salt AND cinnamon/nutmeg sugar - yum!). And since it was a hit (with at least half the family) last year, I'll make a corn bread/chorizo stuffing made with a lime and cilantro infused broth. Since my mom and two aunts will be recovering from surgery, I'll be doing my first totally solo Th'giving dinner. A big deal in my family as our celebrations tend to last for 4 or 5 days. Plus I'm trying to plan a surprise b'day party for Mom on the Saturday after. So to lessen the load on myself, I'm going to get 2 smoked turkeys from a local smokehouse. We've been doing fried turkeys for the last 7 years, but I just about had a breakdown when dad asked if we (we=me) were doing it again this year. And since I like smoked turkey better than ham hocks in them, I might do collard green. I think that's all, but does anyone know if a smoked turkey needs anything else. I've never done one. Do they need a glaze? Should I serve one hot and one cold? Will giblet gravy be OK on them if my family insists? *whew* My first post has turned into a rather long ramble. Thanks in advance for any help! I love eGullet! Emily