Thanksgiving (American) 2024

[BeeZee]

What is everyone making, “tried and true” or anything new?

I am probably only having 6 people this year, possibly 8 (sister is a last minute call, and BIL doesn’t eat turkey if he comes) so I decided to make the roast turkey breast with fig-olive tapenade that was a big hit last year. Nobody cares if we don’t have a bird to carve. I use a recipe for make-ahead turkey gravy that doesn’t rely on drippings.

Starting with curried coconut and carrot soup. Veg will probably be simple roasted green beans with toasted almonds. Mom is bringing stuffing and twice baked potatoes. Stepson bringing dessert, and I will have ice cream on hand.

[gfweb]

For the first time in 30 or more years I'm not cooking. Family is all elsewhere.

 

So we are going to he Hotel duPont in Wilmington. A grand old joint with a fine restaurant that's doing a TG dinner. Should be nice.

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/gRaXmLPRSQHPFqwZ7

[gulfporter]

I like the old fashioned turkey dinner.  Mi esposo detests it.   

 

We have made non-traditional meals at home when we don't have guests or go to someone else's place.  

 

I said this year I might make a traditional  🦃Day dinner since I have a hankering for it. 

 

Mi esposo offered to make a non-traditional meal and I happily agreed to stay out of the kitchen.

 

I have no idea what his meal will be.  When I nagged asked him yesterday he said he didn't either 🤨

 

I put the Domino's app on my phone.  

[Katie Meadow]

Today we had my favorite  pre-TG meal: turkey necks in brodo. We make a turkey every year for the holiday. It used to be a major project my husband and I would make together. Elaborate and time consuming. He makes it now, but pretty simple, no drama like in the old days. His gravy is fantastic. We used to just make stock for the gravy with the neck, the day of. I really don't care for turkey meat but broth made from a roast turkey carcass is my Kryptonite; it brings me to my knees. Now, a week or so before the holiday I buy some wings and necks and roast them, them put them in a stockpot to make enough broth to freeze for the gravy plus a couple of extra quarts. We splurged for dinner and were happily up to our necks in broth. I make a bigger batch with the carcass after TG. Sometimes my neighbor gives me his carcass, so I have a double batch! I've given him a quart of stock afterwards, but I'm always worried he's going to like it so much he'll start making his own, but thank god he hasn't caught my addiction. He just wants the meat. Good for him! 

[gulfporter]

On 11/17/2024 at 9:19 AM, gulfporter said:

I like the old fashioned turkey dinner.  Mi esposo detests it.   

 

We have made non-traditional meals at home when we don't have guests or go to someone else's place.  

 

I said this year I might make a traditional  🦃Day dinner since I have a hankering for it. 

 

Mi esposo offered to make a non-traditional meal and I happily agreed to stay out of the kitchen.

 

I have no idea what his meal will be.  When I nagged asked him yesterday he said he didn't either 🤨

 

I put the Domino's app on my phone.  

 

Mi esposo has decided on this recipe which is a Jerk Chicken by Ottolenghi.  I will make a side of smashed sweet potatoes with sauteed onions and apples.  I normally add chipotle to this side, but will instead add some of the warm Jamaican spices from the chicken recipe. 

https://ottolenghi.co.uk/pages/recipes/chicken-stephs-spice

[C. sapidus]

Only 7 this year so we will go traditional. Mrs. C makes the proteins - probably a small turkey / capon / big chicken, plus nephew's favorite salmon with a soy-maple glaze. House guest used to own a bakery shop, so she will be doing mashed potatoes and desserts. I'll make my usual vegetables: bourbon sweet potatoes with orange sauce, creamy braised Brussels sprouts, and green bean salad. Maybe something else, we shall see if inspiration strikes.

 

Our main family get-together will be between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that will have more people and fewer tradition-based constraints. The only sure thing will be palak paneer for vegetarian sis. Probably make my own paneer again.

[Shelby]

Just the two of us --it'll be fun to maybe have a few leftovers!  Smaller grocery store has turkeys on sale for 69 cents a lb limit 2 if you spend $30.  So, we splurged on a beef brisket and got one turkey.  It's already cut up.  Bones are roasted with some veggies and are in the IP making stock.  I'm going to SV half a breast for us on TDay.

[JeanneCake]

I ordered a turkey from the local farm, so we'll have that and the usual sides.  My personal favorite is the brussels sprouts with chestnuts recipe from Epicurious (and I came late to the brussels sprouts fan club) but I don't bother with the chestnuts if I don't have them.  I like this recipe with baby brussels if I can find them.  It's only going to be the 3 of us and I am looking forward to a day off from work