Thanksgiving 2015 - Chat and Prep (All Plans)

[CheeryChick]

I thought I'd make a space to chat about our Thanksgiving plans this year, share what we're working on, and trade tips and ideas.

Do you have your menu and shopping list ready yet? Let's talk tablescapes, turkey, and everything in-between!

 

[Minta]

Oh I have been thinking about it but have not much yet. We are moving in 2 weeks so that has been our focus. I did pack up all of my fall/Halloween/thanksgiving stuff together and have them labeled. I cannot wait for the holidays this year. The new kitchen is 3 times bigger then my current one and opens right up into the family room.

We did go picking apples a couple weeks ago, I made and canned apple pie filling for the holiday pies.

 

[AuntJamelle]

We typically go down to visit family in a town about a 1/2 hour away. I get tasked to bring a big ole' cheesecake and some of my yummy Herb Cheese Crescents (made with puff pastry)...

Other than that, my responsibilities are light!

I've always wanted to host a big Thanksgiving - maybe some day!

I compensate by making a smaller version of Thanksgiving dinner a bit later in the 4 day weekend we have - we don't get to bring much leftovers home from the family meal and this way we get our fix! And get to have certain recipes the way WE like them.

For example, my DH is not crazy about the Oyster Stuffing we have with the family. I don't mind it, but for his sake I make regular stuffing later that weekend, and so on.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Finally

Finally we are going to someone else's house for Thanksgiving. DS wanted to know what we were doing so I took the opportunity to say we were coming to his house. He married someone who is gluten free so I can eat there.

I will make the turducken and probably a dessert.

 

[MinnieCo]

No plans yet. It's the one holiday, I just kinda go with the flow because I never know which family member, on my husbands side, I'll be going to. I use to try and have them narrow it down early on, but just gave up. They are all so last minute kind of people and it drives me crazy. I just know I usually show up with sweet potatoes or mac and cheese and then a dessert. That makes it pretty easy. Last year I totally messed up the sweet potatoes though. The store was out of regular yams, so I tried to mix white yams and orange ones and that just looked disgusting, so no one ate them...oh well!!

 

[luludou]

Our Thanksgiving is October 12th this year. We do not really celebrate Thanksgiving except for a day off work. Since it's a long weekend we are going to Boston with my sis & bil.

 

[MrsSoup]

DH will be on cycle break since graduation is the week before Thanksgiving but i'm not sure if he'll be working on the day or not. I usually just make a small turkey and the fixin's for us. The kids don't usually eat much of it. If there's any Drill's in his unit he wants to invite then i'm okay with it and i'll make a feast but I won't really know until it gets a lot closer. I always make the same things so not much planning needs to go into it.

 

[aggy]

I will be cooking Thanksgiving and my menu will be the same as always.

Turkey/gravy
Ham
Crab Stuffing
Mac & Cheese
Potatoe Salad
Collard & Kale mixed greens
sauerkraut
sweet potatoes
dinner rolls
and an added bonus: BBQ ribs

This year I am attempting to make a sweet potatoe pie. I made one a few years ago but it didn't taste like how pies I've had taste. I think I missed an ingredient or didn't use enough.

And I must remember to make a small pan of regular stuffing as my youngest niece is allergic to shell fish. She loves it, but I learned a couple years ago, it doesn't love her.

 

[AuntJamelle]

The menus all sound lovely!!! Makes me hungry!

We have a family of wild turkeys that live in our neighborhood that I've been seeing constantly lately - they make me smile - and remind me of Thanksgiving!

 

[missjane]

Now that DD21 is married, I'm not sure just how Thanksgiving will go this year. We've always had it at my mom's house, but every since my sister's house burned, Mama's house has sort of become a "storage area" for DSis's stuff. DSis finally bought a trailer and it was moved in two weeks ago, but there are still hook ups that have to be finished. She's one for really taking her time at doing every thing, so no telling how long it will be before all her stuff is out of Mama's house. Therefore, I may be having Thanksgiving at our house with just our children instead of at Mama's with my sister, her children and grandchildren, and two cousins of mine and their children and grandchildren, so it may be a very different Thanksgiving (and Christmas) for us.

 

[ejagno]

I wanted someone else to take Thanksgiving this year but its not going to happen since 2 of the 3 kids families are moving and the other one always does Christmas Day.

So, I just confirmed the actually date and time to host it here with the kids days off. We have a fairly traditional menu every year:
Turkey Roast
Ham
Cornbread Dressing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole
Fruit Salad
Pecan Pies
Pumpkin Pies
Fudge
Various candies
Cheese/veggie trays

My son was married here yesterday and the theme of the wedding was fall so everything is already decorated.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

My son was married here yesterday and the theme of the wedding was fall so everything is already decorated.

Congratulations! Now get some rest.

 

[CheeryChick]

I just started hosting Thanksgiving at our house in 2014, and since my family members all live in different towns, they end up staying at our place for a long weekend. My parents arrive the day before and my mom and I do a lot of the advance cooking and prep together (I used to do the same thing by going to their house a day early when they were still hosting Thanksgiving). Therefore, we plan for something to eat together the night before Thanksgiving, along with something for breakfast the rest of the weekend as family members often stay to shop in the area (we live in one of the biggest cities in our state and there is lots to see and do).

Thanksgiving Menu
Roast turkey
Bourbon Baked ham (we made this last year for the first time and it was a hit!)
Mashed potatoes with turkey gravy
Stuffing/dressing (we make a LOT)
PW's "Soul Sweet Taters" (I originally found the recipe in her holiday cookbook)
Green bean casserole
Cole slaw
Cranberry sauce
King's Hawaiian rolls with butter
Pie (pumpkin, apple, and cherry)

Thanksgiving dinner is usually served during late afternoon, so I have appetizers out at lunch time. I do a hot Mexican dip with tortilla chips, relish tray with crudités, cheese plate and crackers, cheese ball, deviled eggs, salami and cream cheese, etc. There is plenty of snacking to keep everyone satisfied until the real feasting begins.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

For the last 17 yrs. it's just been Dh and the children for Thanksgiving. We usually have a vegetable platter in the afternoon. Then we move on to the turkey, cranberry, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie.

Since my children are all school age, I tend to make the sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie up ahead of time and freeze them. Then I get to watch the parades on TV Thankgiving morning.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

Australians do not celebrate Thanksgiving (for obvious reasons). I have always thought that the menus look very nice. One year we did Christmas in July and tried pecan pie and sweet potato pie. They were both delicious.

It always looks like such a fun holiday.

 

[HouseElf]

Our Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend! On Saturday we will watch my son play in his high school football game, the "Turkey Bowl". :turkey2:

Sunday we will "celebrate the harvest" and have dinner (Monday is officially Thanksgiving).

My porch is decorated with a scarecrow, pumpkins, straw bale and corn stalks. The mantle has squash and dried corn with candles. My dining room table is simply set to make room for all the food low candles in mason jars filled with popcorn and beans, a few mini pumpkins, napkins in cranberry and gold.

Our Menu:

Roasted Turkey with sage and sausage stuffing
Pan gravy
Spiced Cranberry sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Sweet potatoes and pineapple (they are just cooked and whipped sweet potatoes, with smidge of mustard and a can of drained diced pineapple - bake till bubbly, no added sugars )
Herbed Roasted Parsnips, Carrots, Carnival, Acorn, Dumpling, Buttercup and Butternut Squash (with sea salt and drizzle of honey)
Cornbread

Mulled cider

Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie

(served with whip cream and ice cream)

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

HouseElf the menu and decorations sound lovely. It sounds very cozy.

 

[CheeryChick]

HouseElf, your menu looks delicious! Is the squash served together in the same dish or are they cooked separately?

Mmm, mulled cider... That sounds divine right now.

 

[Lolwlias]

LOL I guess I should have read on....

 

[Lolwlias]

I will be cooking Thanksgiving and my menu will be the same as always.

Turkey/gravy
Ham
Crab Stuffing
Mac & Cheese
Potatoe Salad
Collard & Kale mixed greens
sauerkraut
sweet potatoes
dinner rolls
and an added bonus: BBQ ribs

This year I am attempting to make a sweet potatoe pie. I made one a few years ago but it didn't taste like how pies I've had taste. I think I missed an ingredient or didn't use enough.

And I must remember to make a small pan of regular stuffing as my youngest niece is allergic to shell fish. She loves it, but I learned a couple years ago, it doesn't love her.

You listed sauerkraut. Is it as a condiment or do you make a sauerkraut salad or something?