Originally Posted By Sara Tonin This Thanksgiving will be kind of tough for our family, since it will be the first family holiday since my mom died. BUT, I'll be making the turkey (not my first or anything), gravy and stuffing. DD#1 is making the mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole (traditionally made by my mom), DD#2 is probably in charge of rolls and fruit salad (not a big cooker), I'll probably make a corn casserole and fresh green beans with ham hocks (also traditionally made by mom). I bought a Butterball last night 20# for 15(+/-) people. Five of those peeps are kids. Does that sound like enough? I'm thinking of buying one of those whole turkey breasts to go with it. And my dad wants to make pecan pie for dessert. I was looking in the cupboard to see what we need to buy. And I noticed that Mom stocked up on corn syrup for pecan pies, sweetened condensed milk for her special no bake cheesecake. We have enough of those two things to last for several years. Anyway, just thinking about it makes me teary...but we have to get through the firsts of everything and I kind of have to be the one to make sure we still celebrate as a family and not just stop it all because my mom's not here.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Oh hey, Pixie...I just remembered, it's time for my annual reminder....time to order your petit fours. ;-) (I remembered early!) This year is going to be so different for us. After 7 years of being estranged from my mom, she'll be coming over to Thanksgiving dinner. My brother broke up with his girlfriend a few months ago and he'll be coming over too. This will be the first Thanskgiving we've spent together in...wow, I don't even remember the last time...1994? My mom lives in a tiny apartment and my bro has a roomie so it's up to me to host. I used to love to do that but since I've been sick for about 7 weeks, we're going to DL in a few days and I've started working, I would have much rather made a side dish and brought a couple of cans of olives over to someone else's place! I'll still be making our usual meal although I've switched out the brown-sugar glazed carrots for greenbeans. Appetizers: pancetta wrapped garlic cloves crabcakes (my mom is bringing these) stuffed mushrooms (") cream cheese, pesto and sun-dried tomato dip from Costco pita chips potato chips relish tray (olives, sweet pickles and dill pickles) crudités (carrots, celery tomatoes, hearts-of-palm, baby corn) ranch dip I always treat myself to a vodka and cranberry juice right before the turkey comes out of the oven. Helps me not get stressed out while trying to get everything on the table. Dinner (as if we'll still be hungry): Turkey w/roasted vegetables (roast them under the turkey) Cornbread sausage stuffing (I usually mix cornbread cubes with regular bread.) Roasted garlic smashed potatoes (I hate peeling potatoes.) Madiera Gravy Cranberry relish (chopped cranberries, pecans, green apples and oranges-my great-grandma used to chop everything in an old meat grinder and then cover it with red jello-I use raspberry-the cranberry jello is too tart. I've decided that jello is the devil and so I will not be using it this year. I think I will just let it macerate in sugar for a couple of days. I don't like taking risks on the holidays but I was too lazy to test it out before hand.) Sauteed greenbeans Roasted yams (smashed with butter and brown sugar-YUM) Rolls Dessert: Brown sugar pumpkin pie (with Cool-Whip...I like that better with my pumpkin pie.) Lemon Pie (my mom is making that for my husband since he doesn't like pumpkin pie. Loser.) ;-) Chocolate pecan pie (or maybe just pecan pie. My mom's making it.) On the last Thanksgiving we spent together, she and I both made pumpkin pies. I did a taste test and my recipe was way better. LOL I hate that Thanksgiving is so late this year. My friend Bert is coming into town the day after Thanksgiving and I'll be hanging out with her right after I get off from work (yeah, I have to work on Friday. Boo) and then we're going to the Symphony that Saturday (Brandi Carlile Band is playing. Obsessive much?) I'm looking forward to seeing Bert and spending the day with her, and looking forward to the show but it will also be slightly driving me NUTS that I won't be decorating my house for the holidays. LOL! I've had to force myself to just accept that it's going to take me longer to get it up this year. When I complained about that to two different friends, both friends said "you could always not decorate this year." !!!
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka Hugs to everyone going through tough times/new times this year! We should have plenty to talk about afterwards!
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin "I've had to force myself to just accept that it's going to take me longer to get it up this year." Okay, now I'm teary from laughter...that and the "Crap Dip"...and now it's Mele's mom bringing "Crapcakes". My daughter makes a wonderful Crap Salad...okay, now I'm just gettihg punchy.
Originally Posted By Stacers76 I love everyone's traditions..and best thoughts to those carrying them on through the rough spots And I'm still laughing at amazed laughing at Lisann's dip...who knows it might be good ;o) As for us..this is our 2nd married Thanksgiving, last year my evil MIL forced her side of the whackjob family on me at my house for the holiday and it was....well so bad that we didn't remember this year what we did last year...we'd apparently blocked it out. But she moved to Phoenix and we were off the hook this year with her, so I'm hosting my other awesome MIL & FIL, bro n sis in laws, 3 nieces, the other BIL and my mom....no worries....yeah guess who moved back...and FLIPPED out today about not having Thanksgiving with us. SHE HAD IT LAST YEAR!!! ok. Rant over...as for the goods... Appetizers: Chips, dips, cheeses n crackers, veggies Relish tray of pickles n olives Spinach Dip Cream Cheese and Shrimp dip Nuts - because we all are Dinner: Turkey cooked with herbs n white wine - Me n my mom Mashed taters, green beans of some sort -SIL & BIL Homemade dressing and sweet taters w/marshallows - the good MIL Pistachio jello salad, both chunky and log style cranberry sauce, dinner rolls - Me Desserts: Both SIL and MIL are bringing something and I'll probably get some little pumpkin pie tartlets in they aren't bringing a pumpking something...we need the pumpkin!! Assorted coffees, teas, wines, champagne, juice, soda, water, vodka if it goes downhill... for me, alot of vodka if the evil MIL shows... It should be interesting as we have a much smaller house this year, so we'll be rotating spots on the couch for seating...but hopefully the evil MIL stays away and it's not raining so we can kick the kids n dogs outside OH and since I like to send people home with leftovers, I have another small turkey that hubby will be making Friday since I too work blah, stove top stuffing and extra cranberry log sauce for our leftovers Best thoughts to all as the holidays approach!
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin Does anyone have an AbFab recipe for a cranberry sauce with pineapple? We've always had the cranberry logs and I want to do something different this year.
Originally Posted By Pixie Glitter MELE!!! OMG, girlfriend, you rock! I cannot believe you remember to remind me about the petit fours every year. . . what is this--like the third or fourth year now? You're awesome! I just put a reminder to order them in my planner for the end of November. :-D
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka I found this recipe on www.foodnetwork.com. Never tried it, though. <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/good-food-fast-with-family-circle/cranberry-pineapple-relish-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.foodnetwork.com/rec...dex.html</a>
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka LOL, I have no idea why I always remember them when I can't remember my new ATM pin that I've had for weeks now. I think it's because it's food related. ;-)
Originally Posted By Sara Tonin Sounds strange...this family would love it! re: the pineapple cranberry sauce.
Originally Posted By melekalikimaka This one's a little less odd. LOL <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1693958" target="_blank">http://find.myrecipes.com/reci...=1693958</a>
Originally Posted By Pixie Glitter <<<LOL, I have no idea why I always remember them when I can't remember my new ATM pin that I've had for weeks now. I think it's because it's food related. ;-)>>> Well, crap. And here all this time I thought you it was because I'm the center of your universe and you adore me. Now I find out it's just that it's food related. Thanksgiving is ruined.
Originally Posted By lesmisfan so this thanksgiving I am finally going to be around!!! the last three years i have worked over at disney, not that i don't mind the holiday pay, but i really wanted to be home this year since my grandparents are coming down and somehow i managed to get it off! so excited. So my and my familys thanksgiving traditions are to watch the Macys thanksgiving day parade, well thats more me than my family. We have the traditional foods turkey, yams, cranberries, pumpkin pie, gravey, bisquits, and then when we are all done we watch the first holiday movie of the holidays!
Originally Posted By tapdancemom Tapdancemom, I am betting that you and I have the very same favorite bit of the >>Macy's parade--the Rockettes! My children learned at a very early age (i.e. before they could even talk very clearly) that when the Rockettes came on, their job was to screech at the top of their lungs for Mommy to hurry into the family room to watch.<< Pixie, I can just see two little cherubs screaming for you to hurry. The Rockettes are my favorites too.
Originally Posted By Pixie Glitter Ooooo, lesmisfan, you just reminded me of something! The last couple of years we've had a new Thanksgiving tradition for just the four of us after everyone else goes home. We watch our first Christmas movie of the season as well. Usually "Elf."
Originally Posted By Tiggirl I love Elf! The past few years my Thanksgiving tradition has been "Latesgiving" which is usually the day or two after the actual holiday because people were working on Thanksgiving day. But this year I'm hosting at Thanksgiving potluck for all my friends who's families aren't in town (or people who just don't want to deal with their families. LOL!) I'll make the turkey and probably the mashed potatoes. Everything else is up to everyone else. I *will* be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while cooking. Its a must. ~Beth
