What Absolutely Positively Has To Be On Your Thanksgiving Table?

[sparrowgrass]

Sweet potato casserole, with a pecan praline topping.  Which reminds me, better buy some pecans.

[SylviaLovegren]

Lindacakes, I don't really have a recipe as such for either. But, I can tell you what I do. The cranberry orange relish is simply a package of cranberries cooked with 1cup of fresh orange juice and one cup sugar. Once the berries start popping, I add in some Grand Marnier, maybe 3 tablespoons. I just eyeball it. Sounds as though you make the same type of stuffing that I do, except I don't add mushrooms. For the stuffing I use a loaf of cubed plain old sandwich bread. Cook up a large diced onion and a couple of stalks of celery in about 3/4 cup of butter. Once softened, mix with the bread, celery salt, savoury, thyme, poultry seasoning, sage, and pepper, all to taste. When that part seems right, I add enough chicken broth to moisten, just enough so bread sticks together. We don't like it too moist.

I like the idea do frying slices of it and eating it with gravy. Given that there are only two of us, there will be stuffing and gravy left after tonight's dinner so I will try that out. Thanks!

 

 

That is exactly my mom's recipe for stuffing that I love love love.  I do add pecans for a little crunch.   Best stuffing ever.  Been eating it for many decades and have no interest in changing!

[ChocoMom]

The absolute, must-have in our family is turkey.   A couple years ago, we started raising turkeys, organic, free-range.  They eat the fallen apples from the trees, along with grasses, and all the heirloom veggies they can get their beaks on.    We grew a 42 lb. Bronze last year, and had that for Thanksgiving.  That monster barely fit in the oven. I stuff the inside with halved onions, apples, celery, sage and butter,- set it on a rack, then poured a can of Vernors in the bottom of the pan. Weird, perhaps. But, very tasty. (My Mom used to do that, and it always tasted good.)

 

For me, personally, I must have my grandma's stuffing.  Its heavy on celery, onion, white pepper, and sage.  The stuffing at the Bavarian Inn (in Frankenmuth, MI) comes closest to the flavor, but Grandma's wasn't quite as mushy and salty.  It's one of those childhood memory things, and I just can't do without it.  A few years ago, I was finally able to replicate it--and it was absolutely wonderful.

 

I'm almost ashamed to post this here, because its not exactly an exotic, advanced, or complex dish. But- in the interest of variety and fun.... the newest and most demanded culinary work of art around here is the Snicker Salad.  (Using the term "salad" is a bit of stretch, but it conjures up a somewhat healthy picture in one's mind, right?)    Its the perfect dish to take if you're short on time, and don't mind people falling at your feet, worshipping you later on.....

 

8-9 tart apples- like Granny Smith, chopped in chunks;

6 large Snicker bars, diced;

1 bag mini marshmellows

Big tub of Cool Whip, thawed. 

Mix it in a really BIG bowl. (Please don't kick me off the forum for posting this simple-stupid recipe. Its just so darned tasty!) 

 

Apple pie and pumpkin pie are also standard fare. The pumpkins are heirloom pie pumpkins, straight out of my garden.  The apples are Northern Spy- off the trees in the backyard. Served with ice cream or whipped cream.  Its the perfect ending, with a cup of coffee. :+) 

 

Mashed potatoes: must be real, Yukon Gold potatoes (not potato pearls), with butter, cream and salt.  No exceptions.    The potato water, and one cup of mashed potatoes are immediately set aside for making potato-bread rolls.  (I still remember grandma's voice ringing through the house,  "Save the potato water!!!!")  

 

The list goes on, but those are the staples around here.

[LaurieB]

Turkey and my husband's wonderful stuffing.

Mashed potatoes (made with butter, milk and sour cream)

Brocccoli cheddar casserole

 

The above are set-in-stone musts.

 

Other sides/accompaniments vary year to year.