Happy Turkey Day 28 July 2022

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Ahorsesoul

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Menu Deciding Today-Post your menu here please

So have you decided on a menu for Thanksgiving or does you menu remain the same. Mine remains the same most years. The past three have been out of sync since it seems my medical issue have always happened during this time of year. So we have had prime rib since that is what Dh will cook. One of my favorite so worked for me. But I am craving Turkey this year. My menu:

Turduckham-- Rolled together: deboned turkey with dressing, deboned chicken with dressing and some ham. Excellent
Mashed potatoes-- with some spinach added and sometimes a block of cream cheese
Ellen's Make-a-head Gravy-you make most of it and freeze it, then add the cream and a few ingredients when ready to reheat
Black Olives-buying them now
Cranberry Jelly--both canned and fresh
Sweet potatoes--usually baked both the regular ones and then at least one white one for my stepmom
Cinnamon butter--for the above potatoes
Green Beans or Asparagus
Pecan Pie-my favorite so we always have this
Pumpkin Pie-if I am in the mood to make a GF one
Apple Pie Lasagna-if I have a lot of energy or
Banoffe Pie--which is easier-bananas, caramel and whip cream in a graham cracker

My menu is set up for what is easiest for me to prepare. A few years ago I started cutting out anything that was time consuming and cut down on a lot of the extra serving items. No one has missed all the extra items.

The Turduckham can be mostly prepare ahead of time. Debone the turkey and chicken, lay them flat to freeze. Take them out the evening before to defrost in the Refrig and put it together Thanksgiving Day. Once you debone a turkey or chicken it doesn't take long. I then toss the bones into the crockpot or use the instant pot to make broth and then freeze it or make the gravy and freeze that.

Here is a Turduckham I made. No bones you just slice. You keep on the wings and legs.20171123_140331.jpg
 
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halimer

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I have a notebook for the fall holidays that includes Rosh Hashannah and Halloween but I'm not sure I go as far as Thanksgiving. Since we usually go to DSIL I am limited in what I can make - I usually do pies.
 

missjane

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Diedra, thanks for the note about the electric knife! I need a new one and will start looking in August for one when small appliances often go on sale.
 

Lori K

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So, I'm trying to wrap my head around what happened yesterday . . . I offered to host Thanksgiving for my entire extended family. That's me and my DD and DSIL, DM, DSis#2 and her 4 + spouses and kids, DSis#3 and her DH, DS, D(step)DIL and kids, and DSis#4 and her 2 kids. So, prob 32-35 in total, if everyone were to come.

  • DSIS#2 says her youngest is hosting and not sure if her in-laws are coming in or not.
  • DSis#3 (nurse), who worked ER for 2 1/2 years w/o any infection, just tested positive for Covid. Her response, "I don't know, My head hurts. I'm going back to bed." (Note: she left the ER last summer and now does pre-op scheduling in an office by herself, and her only contact was a quick trip into the Dollar store (masked, only patron in the store) and a masked appointment with an orthopedist. Go figure! She's been exceptionally diligent as she has an adult highly immunocompromised son who can't get boosted (rare genetic disorder).
  • DSis#4 says "I don't know what I'm doing on Sat., how am I supposed to know what I'm doing 4 months from now?"

So, right now, I don't know who is hosting or how to menu plan. I give up!
 

Ahorsesoul

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So, I'm trying to wrap my head around what happened yesterday . . . I offered to host Thanksgiving for my entire extended family. That's me and my DD and DSIL, DM, DSis#2 and her 4 + spouses and kids, DSis#3 and her DH, DS, D(step)DIL and kids, and DSis#4 and her 2 kids. So, prob 32-35 in total, if everyone were to come.

  • DSIS#2 says her youngest is hosting and not sure if her in-laws are coming in or not.
  • DSis#3 (nurse), who worked ER for 2 1/2 years w/o any infection, just tested positive for Covid. Her response, "I don't know, My head hurts. I'm going back to bed." (Note: she left the ER last summer and now does pre-op scheduling in an office by herself, and her only contact was a quick trip into the Dollar store (masked, only patron in the store) and a masked appointment with an orthopedist. Go figure! She's been exceptionally diligent as she has an adult highly immunocompromised son who can't get boosted (rare genetic disorder).
  • DSis#4 says "I don't know what I'm doing on Sat., how am I supposed to know what I'm doing 4 months from now?"

So, right now, I don't know who is hosting or how to menu plan. I give up!
Lori, Maybe plan a short vacation over Thanksgiving.
 

Lori K

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Lori, Maybe plan a short vacation over Thanksgiving.
If all else fails, it will be the 3 of us (me, DD, DSIL) and I'll add any friends w/o a place to spend the holiday.
 

Holiday_Mom

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We serve the same thing each year Turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and sweet potatoes. Pumpkin pie is dessert. If we have guests, they bring a side dish or dessert of their choice.

I don't have a dedicated binder for Thanksgiving but I have one for all holidays. I will have to revamp the binder once I finish with classes.
 

PamelaG

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I'd love to find a historic inn for Thanksgiving. Vic and I were in the Grand Canyon a few years ago and had Thanksgiving at the El Tovar Hotel, a Historic National Park Lodge. It was wonderful. It seems like places that offer Thanksgiving in a charming setting are hard to find. They were all over when we lived in the UK, maybe I'd find more on the East Coast, especially New England. Has anyone ever done anything like this?
 

Ahorsesoul

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I'd love to find a historic inn for Thanksgiving. Vic and I were in the Grand Canyon a few years ago and had Thanksgiving at the El Tovar Hotel, a Historic National Park Lodge. It was wonderful. It seems like places that offer Thanksgiving in a charming setting are hard to find. They were all over when we lived in the UK, maybe I'd find more on the East Coast, especially New England. Has anyone ever done anything like this?
That sounds so Lovely. Fine dinning is very hard to find now.
 
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farmerswife

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They were all over when we lived in the UK, maybe I'd find more on the East Coast, especially New England. Has anyone ever done anything like this?
I haven’t lived in the Northeast for about 8 years, so I’m sure somethings have changed, but try searching in Quichee and Woodstock Vermont, there were some lovely little inns in those two towns and all along the Connecticut River Valley on both sides Vermont and New Hampshire.
 

sweetpumkinpye

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We do not celebrate Thanksgiving but I do love looking at all the plans and ideas.
 

jampss

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One year, our new flooring got postponed to the week of Thanksgiving ... so ... we went to Cracker Barrel! Easiest stress free Thanksgiving dinner EVER! LOL
 

Myron's Mom

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Will be just the 2 of us again. I’m planning to order dinner from the same restaurant I did last year. It was perfect for us and except for the pumpkin pie it was excellent. We are pumpkin pie snobs so we figured we wouldn’t care for the pie. So I will make a pie for us and it will be a perfect dinner.
 

Lori K

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Just a little rant, so please forgive me.
So, I'm trying to wrap my head around what happened yesterday . . . I offered to host Thanksgiving for my entire extended family. That's me and my DD and DSIL, DM, DSis#2 and her 4 + spouses and kids, DSis#3 and her DH, DS, D(step)DIL and kids, and DSis#4 and her 2 kids. So, prob 32-35 in total, if everyone were to come.

  • DSIS#2 says her youngest is hosting and not sure if her in-laws are coming in or not.
  • DSis#3 (nurse), who worked ER for 2 1/2 years w/o any infection, just tested positive for Covid. Her response, "I don't know, My head hurts. I'm going back to bed." (Note: she left the ER last summer and now does pre-op scheduling in an office by herself, and her only contact was a quick trip into the Dollar store (masked, only patron in the store) and a masked appointment with an orthopedist. Go figure! She's been exceptionally diligent as she has an adult highly immunocompromised son who can't get boosted (rare genetic disorder).
  • DSis#4 says "I don't know what I'm doing on Sat., how am I supposed to know what I'm doing 4 months from now?"

So, right now, I don't know who is hosting or how to menu plan. I give up!
Just a little rant, so please forgive me. Feel free to pass on reading ...

So, the above is something I wrote earlier this year. I offered to host my entire family -- DSs, BILs, nieces, nephews, step-niece and nephew, grand nieces and grand nephews (full and step, as I count them all the same) -- every . single . one, with little to no response.

Today I get a text message thread that includes DSis#2, #3, and #4 + my DMom. DSis#4 announces that she's going out of town for Thanksgiving and will be spending the holiday with friends; her 2 kids are joining her there (and offers her house to DSis#2, if she needs additional space for her family over the holidays (but not to me, who travels I-94 to get to DMom's during the dead of winter, and DMom has no extra sleeping space, so I'd have to hotel it). And, after Thanksgiving, she's continuing her travels that will take her through the entire winter, covering lengthy stays in 4 different states. Never mind that she lives 5 mins. from DMom who is requiring more and more attention (dementia is getting worse). Then, DSis#2 announces that they will be at her DD#3's (about 20 mins from me) for Thanksgiving. But they are going to a hotel with a water park for the holiday, so the kids can swim. She, too, lives right near my DMom. DSis#3 doesn't reply to the thread, but messages me separately, asking if I meant to send my somewhat snippy reply to the entire group [to a really snide remark about my not being around much this summer -- I live 1 1/2 hours away, and when I was there, DSis#4 was not available for even so much as a coffee]. DSIs#3 is at a wedding and doesn't group text when drinking.

From where things stand now, we're going to try to all get together in early Nov., before everyone heads out to do their own thing. I don't know how we can all be from the same family. We certainly have different values, when it comes to looking beyond your immediate household. The biggest issue, as I see it, is that my Mom could be alone on Thanksgiving, unless I drive over to pick her up and bring her back (min. 90 minutes each way), and then do the same thing in reverse after Thanksgiving. The good thing? I don't have to buy a 20# turkey (or two) and all the trimmings. My Nov. grocery budget just got a reprieve!
 

jampss

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Whew ... take a deep breath. Family, eh?! I get it. My parents divorced in 1977. My DSis has nothing to do with our father. I do. So, holidays are like .... I can do one but not the other, so like every other year its the one side with each holiday. Sigh .....

Can you and your ma do a B&B near her for a few days? I know you mentioned her dementia. Shared bathroom may not be a viable option. Maybe a hotel stay that will offer a meal for Thanksgiving?
 

Lori K

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Whew ... take a deep breath. Family, eh?! I get it. My parents divorced in 1977. My DSis has nothing to do with our father. I do. So, holidays are like .... I can do one but not the other, so like every other year its the one side with each holiday. Sigh .....

Can you and your ma do a B&B near her for a few days? I know you mentioned her dementia. Shared bathroom may not be a viable option. Maybe a hotel stay that will offer a meal for Thanksgiving?
Thank you for you comment. At least I'm not alone with family dynamics. Early this morning, I think we've worked things out. DSis#3 and her DH will bring DM to my place on Tuesday night. DD and I will work out logistics for Thanksgiving Day. Either DD and I will drive DM home over the weekend (we usually take a wreath to my DH's grave, which is about 1/2 hour away from DM), or she will ride back with DSis when they return home. If I need to go over to DMs during the winter months, I'll simply make it a day trip or hotel it. Weather around the tip of Lake Michigan can be unpredictable, so will play it by ear. It was just the irritation that DSis#4 would offer to one, but not the others, especially knowing that I have no place to stay when I do come over. .
 

jampss

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Whole turkey alt .... hmmmm ...
or
 
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