Thanksgiving Menus 2002–2011: The Topic

[Jason Perlow]

Lets see... its going to be a joint effort this year, and we are going to be spending it at a friends house, the Kims. Rachel and I will supply the following:

Empire Kosher Turkey, breasts topped with bacon, stuffed with White Castle Stuffing, with Gravy

Freshly Smoked Whole Ham (made at Stickey's BBQ and picked up Thursday morning)

Pepperidge Farm Stuffing/Dressing Medley (hey they were on sale... gotta try them all)

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apple

Some sort of dessert from Patisserie Sainte Michel, probably one of the seasonal Creme Brulee tarts, maybe pumpkin flavor, although I am leaning towards either Mango or a cranberry/walnut something.

My friends are Chinese/Korean, so they will be supplying various Asian side dishes and appetizers. And mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes.

[Rebecca263]

I want everyone's leftovers.

[K8memphis]

...Empire Kosher Turkey, breasts topped with bacon, stuffed with White Castle Stuffing...

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Oh man, if my schedule allowed, I'd consider driving to Nashville (3+ hours one way ) to get White Castles for stuffing. I totally cannot appreciate the frozen ones. You using fresh or frozen??? Maybe in stuffing the frozen-ness is not a factor. Hmm, maybe I will try this on one of the three additional turkeys my son has accumulated this year. New Year's sounds good. Will frozen work??

Sounds to die for good!

[Jason Perlow]

I'm using the frozen ones, as they don't have ketchup on them or pickle to begin with. After a few email exchanges, the guys over at White Castle seem to think for the stuffing it probably doesn't make much of a difference. There will still be plenty of moisture in the stuffing since it will be stuffed in the bird. When we made some as a test run the other day, we used more chicken stock than called for when we baked it in a dish. We also add sauteed mushrooms and more sage than they call for, plus salt, since we don't salt the chicken stock when we make it.

[greenwich st]

Brussels sprouts with bacon and apple sounds good...I've been assigned these and have never made them due to my husband's irrational loathing of anything cruciferous. And maybe the apple aspect gets kids to partake. Do you roast the apples separately and add them later?

[Jason Perlow]

Brussels sprouts with bacon and apple sounds good...I've been assigned these and have never made them due to my husband's irrational loathing of anything cruciferous.  And maybe the apple aspect gets kids to partake.  Do you roast the apples separately and add them later?

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No, its not necessary.

Wash your brussel sprouts. If they are large, slice them in half, and toss then into a mixing bowl. If you are using the little flash frozen ones just toss them into a bowl from the package -- they taste just as good as the large ones in this dish. Now, cook the bacon. Render the grease out and pour some into the mixing bowl with the sprouts. Cube some apples (firm apple type, Granny Smith is good) toss in with the Sprouts and bacon grease. When the bacon is done cooking, chop up into bits, toss with the sprouts. Grind in some black pepper (if you use as much bacon as I do you won't need to add salt), toss again, and then throw the whole mess onto a baking sheet and cook in the oven until they start to caramelize, for about say, 30 minutes at 350. Put into casserole dish and reheat for 10 minutes just before meal.

Edit: Jay, please forgive me, but I wanted this in here with your instructions... Roast the sprouts for about 40 minutes at 350-400 (depending on what temp you need your oven for other things), stirring/turning about halfway through. If your bacon is already very crisp, it can wait till the end, if not, add the diced apple & bacon at this point and roast for another 10 minutes. I think if you roast the apple the whole time the pieces will disappear into apple sauce and they may burn. You just want the apples soft. A sprinkle of apple cider vinegar is nice too.

Edited November 25, 2005 by Rachel Perlow (log)

[K8memphis]

Must be a New Jersey thing--there's no ketschup on Chicago area White Castles where I grew up. Yah I can see the need to eat er ahh remove the pickles. Cool I'm gonna try this with frozen ones.

Happy Thanksgiving--gobble gobble

[SMW]

My first year as a Thanksgiving hostess so I'm going pretty Midwestern traditional:

Parmesan Crisps

Veggies and Dip

Relish Tray (Olives, Cherry tomatoes, Spiced Carrots, Dill Pickles, Sausage bites)

Cheese and Crackers

Cheese Goldfish (for the kids)

Roasted salted nuts

Fresh Free-range Turkey

Giblit Gravy

Butternut squash Lasagne (Vegetarian)

Gluten-Free Stuffing with Sausage

Vegetarian Stuffing with Mushrooms

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Kid Mashed Potatoes (No Garlic)

Curried fruit

Sweet potatoes

2 Unknown vegetable sides from a sister-in-law

Creamed peas and pearl onions

Cranberry sauce

Salad

Rolls

Pumpkin Pie

Key Lime Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think that's everything!

Edited November 22, 2005 by SMW (log)

[greenwich st]

Thanks, Jason, sounds incredible! I'm going to try it.

[Jason Perlow]

Thanks, Jason, sounds incredible!  I'm going to try it.

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It is. Even people who claim to hate brussel sprouts love it.

[Foodie Craze]

Here's our menu ...

Pumpkin Apple Soup

Roast Turkey with Turkey Gravy

Cornbread and Chestnut Stuffing

Cranberry Chutney

Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Sauce

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Honeyed Carrots

Brussels Sprouts with Braised Chestnuts

Baked Butternut Squash

Escalloped Onions

Plymouth Squash Pie

We found out some of our family won't be coming so we'll probably pare down the sides. Hard to decide what to leave out! Reviewing this list, it looks like we're carbo loading for a marathon, doesn't it?

[Rabbi Ribeye]

OK, katchkelach, here's the kosher menu that I am preparing for 18 at the home of the nefarious Aunt Annette:

Rumpolt Combination Salad

Seared Duck Breast

Caesar Salad

Toasted Macadamia Nuts ● Seared Tuna

Sake-Basted Roast Turkey

Shiitake-Marsala Sauce

Challah-Toasted Pecan Dressing

Tzimmes du Rebbetzin

Sweet-Piquant Chutney

Fig-Bay Marmalade

Jeweled Beets

Maple-Glazed Red Cabbage and Pineapple

(By the grace of God, someone else is doing the desserts.)

Shameless self-promotion, but has anyone seen my column, Aus dem Bauch, in the Judische Allgemeine, where I am the resident kulinarische Humorist?

[Suzanne Podhaizer]

Even though we celebrate at my mom's house, I am in charge of Thanksgiving dinner (I think that started when I was in my early 20s). My mom does all the desserts, and I take care of everything else (with the help of my younger sister, and these days, my fabulous husband).

I try to make sure that the menu is different every year, and I'm lucky because I come from a family of adventurous eaters. Here's the bill of fare this year:

Breakfast:

Sweet breads (not sweetbreads) made by my mother. Will probably include cranberry bread and some type of scone.

Lunch:

Smoked Trout and Horseradish Creme Fraiche (from Gastronomic Meditations)

Smoky Deviled Eggs

Onion and Bacon Tart

Olives

Honey and Chipotle Roasted Nuts

Goat Cheese with Homemade Chutney (inspired by Recipe Gullet)

Dinner:

Brined, Free-Range Turkey--Roasted with Herbs

Apple Cider Gravy (cheating and using homemade chicken stock instead of Turkey Stock)

Roasted Chestnut, Sausage and Sage Stuffing--it's not Thanksgiving unless my sister and I have chestnut-peeling related injuries (burns and scratches).

Yukon Gold Potato and Celery Root Gratin--made with Gruyere

Shredded Brussels Sprouts cooked in Duck fat and served with Toasted Walnuts and Bayley-Hazen Blue Cheese

Homemade Citrus and Spice Cranberry Jelly

Sweet Potato and Apple Dish provided by my Mother-in-Law

Dessert (after many board games):

Blueberry Sour Cream Tart

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pecan Pie

I love holidays!!!

[Basilgirl]

Smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers on some kind of cracker

Simple roast turkey & gravy

Roasted parsnips, carrots & fennel

Bread and sausage stuffing with lots of butter and sage

Crescent rolls

Pecan pie

Wine - lots of wine

This will be for the Basilman and I, so I'm keeping it simple. Not even a relish tray.

[LBNoble]

I am in withdrawal, last year, I was stressing about fixing dinner for 20+,( w/ no pepper-allergy!-not mine, a guest's). this year, with my husband TDY, I handed off Thanksgiving (& it's a good thing-I had surgery, w/ complications, so I'm just grateful I was not responsible for the feast).

But, I feel strangely out of the loop-my SIL is planning on doing a fried turkey (my husband, upon hearing that, said, "Are you going to do a back-up (smoked turkey)?"-hey, she's a big girl, it will be fine, if it doesn't work, we can always get pizza! After hearing about my hospital stay, they said, 'All we want you to bring is the bean dip'-but that's not really traditional T'giving food-the answer, 'Now it's our tradition, we NEED bean dip! Since I can't not cook, I'm also doing a roasted asparagus, potato, cherry tomato, olive dish (from Rori Travato's Dishing w/Style, a very nice cookbook), some cheeses, dips, & cider. I think we will have a great Thankgiving, my SIL confided that her dad has recently 'gotten into' purchasing foodstuff online/by mail, so we have lots of things to work with...

[jgm]

We're eating at my sister's this year. I will be baking the pies; each is a request. So there will be pumpkin, chocolate, lemon meringue, and coconut meringue. Plus a pumpkin roll. And I'm taking off early on Wednesday so I can get it all done. I don't get to bake as much as I'd like, so I'm very, very happy about that!

I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to fit four pies and a pumpkin roll into our little refrigerator overnight, and then get them and a large, always-hungry 75 pound dog, into a car at 6 in the morning, and then traveling 150 miles, with no tears, mishaps or homicides.

Edited November 22, 2005 by jgm (log)

[Bill Miller]

Here's ours-----

Bloody bulls or salty dogs

Hot garlic shrimp

Jewish braised brisket with baby carrots

mashed potatoes

green bean casserole (for my son)

corn and poblano casserole

apple pie with sharp chedder or ice cream

Old vine Zinfandel

Gevalia cafe' oriente

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!

Regards, Bill, Jane, Bert, & Allison

Edited November 22, 2005 by Bill Miller (log)

[torakris]

...and I told her I would bring an apple pie, a sweet potato gratin and a wild rice salad, this morning...

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Hi Kris, I realize you are going to be very busy but when it's convenient for you could you elaborate with a recipe or how you make that sweet potato gratin???? It just sounds so much more together and interesting than the usual sweet potato mush business we make y'know?

Thanks

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I am going to attempt the sweet potato with chipolte gratin talked about in the sweet potato thread starting with this post.

The wild rice salad I found in recipeGullet:

Wild Rice Salad by chantal

[WHS]

What kinds of wine go with turkey? White, presumably. Sancerre might be a little dry. How about a nice Viognier? Is Gewurtz too much? Oh, what the hell, how about a red???

[Gifted Gourmet]

What kinds of wine go with turkey?  White, presumably.  Sancerre might be a little dry.  How about a nice Viognier?  Is Gewurtz too much?  Oh, what the hell, how about a red???

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no need to fret .. some answers to your question right here!

[K8memphis]

I am going to attempt    the sweet potato with chipolte gratin talked about in the sweet potato thread starting with this post.

The wild rice salad I found in recipeGullet:

Wild Rice Salad by chantal

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Thank you!!!

[NWKate]

Here's our menu ...

Pumpkin Apple Soup

Roast Turkey with Turkey Gravy

Cornbread and Chestnut Stuffing

Cranberry Chutney

Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Sauce

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Honeyed Carrots

Brussels Sprouts with Braised Chestnuts 

Baked Butternut Squash

Escalloped Onions

Plymouth Squash Pie

We found out some of our family won't be coming so we'll probably pare down the sides. Hard to decide what to leave out! Reviewing this list, it looks like we're carbo loading for a marathon, doesn't it?

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it sounds wonderful! Last year I was invited to dinner at the home of dear friends who made a kosher meal as their child keeps kosher( except that they don't keep kosher and served the meal using their own china and silverware...never mind). I would love to have the recipe for your gravy.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Ah, but one can prepare a sumptuous meal which is quite kosher (witness the following) and Rabbi Ribeye's meal above.

Our (kosher) Thanksgiving menu will be ...

Relish tray

White asparagus wrapped in smoked salmon

Olives ... variety

Gherkins

Marinated artichoke hearts

Pepperoncini

Home-pickled beets

Hearts of palm

Marinated grape tomatoes

Soup course

Red and yellow roasted pepper soup

Main course

Roast young turkey

Cornbread, sausage, onion, pepper, celery stuffing

Sweet potato souffle

Golden acorn squash halves with cranberry-orange-port filling

Baby green peas with multicolored pearl onions

Honeyed baby carrots with grapes

Desserts

Brandied pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Cinnamon apple pie

kosher wines

Moscato di Asti

Chardonnay

Of course, I substitute nondairy creamers and faux cream for the whipped cream but the result is really quite undetectable ...

It will be a wonderful day as family and friends gather (and no waiting for the seder to end before eating!!)

[NWKate]

Ah, but one can prepare a sumptuous meal which is quite kosher (witness the following) and  Rabbi Ribeye's meal above.

Yes, but it must be prepared in a kosher kitchen with meat or dairy pans and utensils and served on the appropriate dishes with the appropriate silverware. Keeping kosher is sort of like being pregnant- either you is or you ain't!

[Gifted Gourmet]

Yes, but it must be prepared in a kosher kitchen with meat or dairy pans and utensils and served on the appropriate dishes with the appropriate silverware.  Keeping kosher is sort of like being pregnant- either you is or you ain't!

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All this I know quite well ... have been doing it for 20+ years with no apparent dimunition of food crossing my palate ... it is restrictive in some ways but nice in others .. some members of my family require this strictness but, out of respect for them, I find it not terribly difficult. I personally eat what I like when I dine outside my home (in restaurants, not my cold garage!) and that "holds" me more than delightfully! Thanks for your input, NWKate ...

and you would be shocked to learn of the various "styles" of keeping kosher: some eat on one set of dishes for both dairy and meat, some have two sets of dishes and eat nonkosher meat, some ... well, you get the picture .. everyone does it in their own way ...