Thanksgiving (US) 2023

[Katie Meadow]

This holiday I will be grateful for many things, but most importantly for growing old on eG. When I repeat stories or content or dopey opinions no one blinks twice because no one remembers anything, just like I don't. Old ideas always seem fresh. Enablers keep succeeding despite our better judgment, which is probably just getting worse. Some members have really quirky likes and dislikes; the ones that get repeated are no less weird than they were the first time I heard them.  I'm content knowing that I will take my own picture of @JoNorvelleWalker's bedroom to my grave. I also have absurdly conflated snail broth and hatred of corn, and the person responsible for that is the only person on earth who knows both things intimately. I owe my successful learning curve for making Scotch Broth from scratch to eG. I must have learned a multitude of other things as well, but I can't remember what off the top of my head.  Cheers! Here's to Chum and AnnaN and everyone else.

 

 

[Shelby]

@Katie Meadowhow incredibly sweet of you to remember Chum 💕

[gulfporter]

This is our first TDay in US since 2016.  In a new home in a new city, though we visited Tucson on day trips from our Bisbee home from 2003 thru 2013.

 

Neither of us are turkey fans, and mi esposo is very anti-carb and the traditional 🦃 dinner is replete with carbs.    

 

So we're making Ottolenghi's recipe for Smoky Chicken.  Will give it a good dose of chipotle in homage to our other home town.  We'll make with only sweet potatoes, so there's a nod to TDay with it.  My husband loves dark chocolate and that's in the mix, too.  An ersatz quicky molé of sorts. 

 

https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/sweet-and-smoky-mexican-chicken

 

[Jacksoup]

@Katie Meadowlovely, so many memories and friends here

[Smithy]

4 hours ago, gulfporter said:

This is our first TDay in US since 2016.  In a new home in a new city, though we visited Tucson on day trips from our Bisbee home from 2003 thru 2013.

 

Neither of us are turkey fans, and mi esposo is very anti-carb and the traditional 🦃 dinner is replete with carbs.    

 

So we're making Ottolenghi's recipe for Smoky Chicken.  Will give it a good dose of chipotle in homage to our other home town.  We'll make with only sweet potatoes, so there's a nod to TDay with it.  My husband loves dark chocolate and that's in the mix, too.  An ersatz quicky molé of sorts. 

 

https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/sweet-and-smoky-mexican-chicken

 

Please post the results, on or after the cooking day and feast!

[liuzhou]

10 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

This holiday I will be grateful for many things, but most importantly for growing old on eG. When I repeat stories or content or dopey opinions no one blinks twice because no one remembers anything, just like I don't. Old ideas always seem fresh. Enablers keep succeeding despite our better judgment, which is probably just getting worse. Some members have really quirky likes and dislikes; the ones that get repeated are no less weird than they were the first time I heard them.  I'm content knowing that I will take my own picture of @JoNorvelleWalker's bedroom to my grave. I also have absurdly conflated snail broth and hatred of corn, and the person responsible for that is the only person on earth who knows both things intimately. I owe my successful learning curve for making Scotch Broth from scratch to eG. I must have learned a multitude of other things as well, but I can't remember what off the top of my head.  Cheers! Here's to Chum and AnnaN and everyone else.

 

 

 

 

Post of the Year!
 

[BeeZee]

Due to unfortunate circumstances, I may have an additional 2-4 people at the table. My idea of making a second turkey (roulade) is looking pretty genius right now. The bigger issue is finding sufficient cutlery and dishes. Not to mention chairs (Mom has some nice padded folding chairs I can borrow).

[heidih]

I decided to make a small batch of cranberry sauce yesterday. Halved recipe on bag and added dollop of orange marmalade + reduced sugar a bit. I'd not made any since Pandemic started. I forgot how enjoyable that bright sweet tart is. Just enough to fill a Bonne Maman jam jar. 

 

[Kim Shook]

On 11/17/2023 at 11:13 AM, Tropicalsenior said:

I totally understand where you're coming from and I just hope that the good experience with good relatives outweighs the bad.

As far as your mother-in-law being 82 years old, age is no excuse for bad manners. I'm 84 and I sincerely hope that if I were that much of a b**** that somebody would slap me in the head and put me in my place. My mother always said that if you took a long look at nasty old men that you would find out that they were just as nasty when they were young.

That last sentence is SO true.  I have a cousin who is a retired nurse and she always said the same thing.  

[Kim Shook]

On 11/17/2023 at 5:59 PM, TdeV said:

@Kim Shook, you realize that they're probably jealous of how well you and Jessica cook and contribute, don't you?

 

 

The funny thing is that my MIL is an excellent cook.  Mostly.  I mean winning blue ribbons for baking and canned goods for many years at the VA state fair.  Though last year she sent us a picture of the finished and still stuffed turkey at 1pm.  We didn't eat until 6pm.  So, that stuffed turkey sat for 5 hours 😨.  I ate a LOT of the side dishes.  

[Maison Rustique]

19 hours ago, BeeZee said:

Due to unfortunate circumstances, I may have an additional 2-4 people at the table. My idea of making a second turkey (roulade) is looking pretty genius right now. The bigger issue is finding sufficient cutlery and dishes. Not to mention chairs (Mom has some nice padded folding chairs I can borrow).

The year we got married (on Nov. 17), we also hosted Thanksgiving at our small townhouse in San Juan Capistrano. There were several of my in-laws in town for the wedding still, so they were there. Then at the last minute, one of the nephews who was in the USN in San Diego called to ask if he could bring a couple of buddies and join us. Sure!. I was running around the complex to borrow chairs, plates, etc. It was a grand time and we got everyone crammed in. Probably the largest sit down dinner we ever hosted. I was in such a flurry about all the logistics, I couldn't even tell you how the food was, but I'd guess with several sailors there we didn't have any leftovers!

[TdeV]

11 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

The funny thing is that my MIL is an excellent cook.  <snip>  So, that stuffed turkey sat for 5 hours 😨.  I ate a LOT of the side dishes.  

 

Probably there's something going on with her relationship with the world. Maybe not dementia, but something. And she's definitely not happy about it, so she's bullying you and Jessica.

 

Empathy needed, if you can.

 

And then come and tell us all about it. 🤣 😝 🤣

[Kim Shook]

On 11/17/2023 at 9:19 PM, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Under the caption of holiday levity, I share an old in-law family recipe:   Cranberry/raspberry Jello/sour cream salad.    This is one of those much loved mid-Century sugar bombs.

 

one can cranberry sauce

one small pkg raspberry Jello

one half pint sour cream

 

Combine all well and  pour into mold.  

 

 I particularly remember one Thanksgiving when a young relative discovered this on the buffet table and made it centerpost of her meal.   Like nothing else, but half a dozen "seconds".    Finally hit the wall and spent the remainder of the evening on the couch.n

This sounds like a shortcut version of my grandmother's Thanksgiving "Congealed Salad".  It consists of ground cranberries, lemon jello, sugar, chopped pecans and celery, and a finely chopped peeled orange plus the zest.  It's actually delicious and I wish I'd thought of it sooner, so I could take it to dinner.  

[BeeZee]

It is ironic, I was thinking how easy this Thanksgiving was going to be. I left early for work today to hit up the supermarket on the way to the office. Bought another can of cranberry sauce (I don't fight that battle😁) and other odds/ends I needed at Shop Rite. Not a single boneless turkey breast to be seen. OK, next stop, Wegman's which is 1/2 mile from my office, they always have them. The only boneless was the pre-brined/flavored bagged variety. Thank you, no. Called DH from the car..."um, can I ask you do do me a big favor" and sent him to Wegman's which is 20 minutes from our house with very specific instructions, which praise be, he actually followed, and got a fine one from the guy working in the meat department who had to get it from the back.  We will have 13 people, which for my little house is really the max I can fit - our dining room and living room are connected, so we wind up moving some furniture to fit more tables.

[chileheadmike]

It's been a while since I've posted here. I've been really sick with a nasty cough, congestion and weirdly plugged up ears for the last month.

 

I just put the turkey back in the freezer. Not doing it this year. I have no energy and I don't want to make anyone else sick (although I think they already are).

 

We will try for Christmas. 

[Maison Rustique]

Just now, chileheadmike said:

It's been a while since I've posted here. I've been really sick with a nasty cough, congestion and weirdly plugged up ears for the last month.

 

I just put the turkey back in the freezer. Not doing it this year. I have no energy and I don't want to make anyone else sick (although I think they already are).

 

We will try for Christmas. 

Hope you feel better soon. Please see the doctor if you haven't.

[lemniscate]

1 hour ago, chileheadmike said:

Not doing it this year.

Me neither.  Recent lumbar issues in the household have changed plans drastically.   It's stay home, stay still-ish, and eat what's easy in the pantry.   Luckily we did some early shopping and are pretty well stocked.   

[Dave the Cook]

A few years ago, my grandson, tired of being shuttled, as the many the child of divorce (parents and grandparents) might be, from one turkey dinner to another, said, "What is it with turkey? Why can't we have some ham or something?" Since he was about 4 when he made this proclamation, he has been considered an epicurean prodigy, despite his declassé preference for an orange juice-milk-vanilla blend as his drink of choice (which I am told is pretty much an Orange Julius, though despite his advanced age [9] he calls "Spider Juice").

 

Anyway, combine that with my family's shared reservations regarding the traditional Thanksgiving story (remind me someday to tell you the story of My Son the Communist), and you get the Annual Ham Celebration, the date of which happens to fall, without fail, annually exactly on the date of the American Thanksgiving. This year's menu: 

 

Apps
Sausage-stuffed mushrooms
Parmesan-rosemary sweet potato croquettes with lime aioli

Sparkling Pénélope North Coast Brut Rose NV

Mains

Berkshire bone-in smoked ham with pineapple-molasses sauce
Potatoes Dauphinoise
Brussels sprouts with maple syrup and smoked almonds
Orange-grapefruit salad
Rolls or biscuits

Choice: Patrice Grasset Loire Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir 2022; Matt Parish & Oscar Quevedo Duo Mistura Portugal Red 2020

Desserts

Marble pumpkin cheesecake
Caramel apple pie

[Kim Shook]

@chileheadmike and @lemniscate - I'm so sorry to hear of your health issues!  It's an especially terrible time of year to be less than well.  Hope your respective recoveries are swift!  

[chileheadmike]

2 hours ago, Maison Rustique said:

Hope you feel better soon. Please see the doctor if you haven't.

 

 

Thanks, I have, Probably going back

[BeeZee]

Opinions, please. My intention is to cook my turkey roulade ahead of time and reheat. I thought I would cook it just shy of done, stick it in the fridge (well-wrapped) and then on Thursday finish it off in the oven. However, I am seeing recommendations for slicing it to reheat (in a pan with a little stock, covered with foil). I figured that keeping it whole would prevent it from drying out, will it take too long to come back up to temp and actually dry out more? What do you think? I do not have sous-vide equipment.

[Shelby]

2 hours ago, Dave the Cook said:

Why can't we have some ham or something

I am so with him.  

 

In that very line of thinking --not me but several members of my in-laws family have at least two if not three Thanksgiving dinners to show up at--years ago I suggested doing something like lasagna and salad etc etc.  When I got there to help, along with all of the usual turkey and sides was a huge pan of lasagna and a salad.  Sigh.  That wasn't what I meant lol.  Bless her heart.

[Shelby]

25 minutes ago, BeeZee said:

Opinions, please. My intention is to cook my turkey roulade ahead of time and reheat. I thought I would cook it just shy of done, stick it in the fridge (well-wrapped) and then on Thursday finish it off in the oven. However, I am seeing recommendations for slicing it to reheat (in a pan with a little stock, covered with foil). I figured that keeping it whole would prevent it from drying out, will it take too long to come back up to temp and actually dry out more? What do you think? I do not have sous-vide equipment.

Maybe combine those two plans.....keep whole but reheat in stock covered with foil?

[TdeV]

@BeeZee, wouldn't a Dutch oven with some liquid be adequate? I have been cooking/reheating a cabbage casserole at 200°F which has good results. With the broth reduced (from the microwave).

 

 

Edited November 21, 2023 by TdeV
Edited to say more. (log)

[BeeZee]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

@BeeZee, wouldn't a Dutch oven with some liquid be adequate? I have been cooking/reheating a cabbage casserole at 200°F which has good results. With the broth reduced (from the microwave).

 

 

That was more or less my thought, reheat at 300F so it comes to temp a bit slower. The filling is a fig/olive tapenade, so it isn’t very moist.