Thanksgiving

[kshutchins]

@cowsrus said:

I'll add my 2 gibblets worth if nobody minds.

I'll make the usual suspects, giant turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, bread basket, pies 1 pumpkin 1 deep dish pecan pie, cranberry sauce, candied yams, brussel sprouts with melted butter (gotta have them brussel sprouts) and my stuffing that was handed down from my great grandmother. It does not have bread. If you wanna know here it is:

2 boxes crackers--crushed

in large sauce pan, scaled a bit over 1/2 gallon milk

in small sauce pan, melt 1 stick margarine, parsley, onion powder, celery leaves and the very thin parts of the celery they're attached to and 3-4 tsp poultry seasoning

Pour milk over crackers and mix.

Add the margarine and other stuff from small pan.

Add 2 eggs.

Add a handful and 1/2 of ground veal or ground pork (not sausage).

Mix thoroughly and put in 13 by 9 pan and bake covered 1 1/2 to 2 hours at 350.

It's hard to use measuements since I just judge amounts like I was taught. Sorry.

I have never shared this recipe with ANYONE. Since my Mom passed away in July of this year, and it came from her grandma, I am the only one who has it. Hope it was okay with y'all if I share it. It's great!

Have a great and safe Thanksgiving everyone. Especially those of you deep frying the turkey .

May we all remember to be thankful for something or someone.

Heidi

Sounds similar to what my mom used to make except she added the giblets instead of the veal or pork. Yum!

[kshutchins]

@the-fan-of-steel said:

After reading your post about apricot glazed cornish hens with sausage/apple/cranberry stuffing. The hens are rubbed with salt and cayenne pepper before being glazed so there's a nice subtle zip to offset the sweetness of the glaze. Served with sweet potato souffle', green pea casserole, cranberry relish and homemade "fairy" biscuits.... and you are not married? My wife would be jealous of my thoughts. And you like football. Damn. My wife is a Patriot fan and I thought I would never survive this. now I'm feeling this... something... about a browns fan I have never met. Good on you girl. You sound cool. Pssst. I will deny I ever said any of this.

Oooh... I forgot about dessert. I do make the best pecan pie EVER. The southern belles are always asking for my recipe. Hoosier Cream Pie is also yummy. Maybe I'll try something new.

[ballpeen]

brussel sprouts with melted butter (gotta have them brussel sprouts)

You know, i think I will have to add some to my table....I love the things.

I like mine with some saute onion and soft cooked bacon pieces.....not uncooked bacon...but still has some chew to it.

As I keep reading this thread, this small spread I was planning is going to turn in to a feast!

We haven't even talked wine yet!

[kshutchins]

@ballpeen said:

We haven't even talked wine yet!

I was waiting for Hoorta to chime in with some suggestions.

[calfoxwc]

We are building a new greenhouse, 14' wide, hoop style, 32' long.

..are planning to grow some things all year round, and are planning to

grow brussel sprouts way early, it's a long growing season for those,

and this is Ohio.

You can also take some fresh small cabbages, dice and fry it all up, and add

a good bit of pre-cooked sage sausage to it. That's some good stuff.

All this is making me want to start cooking today.

WSS lives just about 5 miles up the road - I wonder if he wants the gizzard from his turkey...

[Cowsrus]

@ballpeen said:

That or....what time are you slicing the pie??

Well, ya gotta have a window of recovery time before dessert so, pie at 6:00?

Heidi

[ballpeen]

@kshutchins said:

I was waiting for Hoorta to chime in with some suggestions.

I don't cellar any, but most any Gewurztraminer works exceedingly well with turkey. Slightly sweet and spicy..provides a nice balance with the delicate flavor of bird....be it roasted or smoked.

German wines aren't my favorite, but when it comes to Thanksgiving, I always have a few bottles on the table.

[ballpeen]

@cowsrus said:

Well, ya gotta have a window of recovery time before dessert so, pie at 6:00?

Heidi

I'll be there at 5:59...well, a little earlier for a proper introduction.

[kshutchins]

I like this topic and didn't want to see it get lost.

[JohnG71097]

It's the Best holiday of the year

Family,Food, Football....... More Food

We have a great bread stuffing recipe which contains all of the basics ( Bread, the Cajun Trinity, mushrooms, sausage etc and might be available on request

But we make lots of it since we love it so.

And we fry up some of that Raw stuffing on T-Day morning in a cast iron skillet with some melted butter

until is turns crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside.

Oh it is, So good

Give Thanks to Family, Friends and to Thanks to Our Soldiers who are off in faraway lands and who can't be home on this

wonderful holiday

John

[ballpeen]

Cajun Trinity

Hard to go wrong with celery, onion, and green pepper.

[calfoxwc]

Green pepper? That's a new one to me.

I've found I love the golden bell and orange bell peppers a lot more than the green ones.

And, as a different side vegie dish, purple asparagus, which ordinarily I despise because

unless it's perfectly steamed, it turns to a nasty mush..

purple asparagus actually is good.

Most years, we haven't stuffed the turkey, just made a big baking dish of it.

But, that dressing out of the turkey is the best.

I like onion in it, but my Wifie doesn't.

Now, the great big candy onions? I never tried them before - but they are GREAT. Had

em in a pot roast.

And, for pumpkin pie? A regular pure pumpkin can has the excellent recipe on the label.

I generally add about an extra tablespoon of sugar, maybe an extra dash of cinnamon.

Cinnamon is very good for ya...

Haven't bought the turkey yet.. want a fresh, non-frozen one... I hope they still have some at the grocery Wed...

[Kosar_For_President]

Zombo said:

Gonna be 80* and sunny.

You F*ck Face.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

This has been a very warm November so far. In the 50's every day. Sunny for the most part. I actually prefer snow during the holidays. After that, you can have it.

[ballpeen]

Zombo said:

My first Thanksgiving with the Zombonestress, she's a good cook so expectations are high ... and judging by the grocery bill it's gonna be a feast. My Mom's coming over, her family too, we'll start drinking Wednesday night and take it on through T-Day with the games on. Gonna be 80* and sunny ... life is good.

Zombo

--but it would be a hell of a lot better if we didn't have idiots interfering on a Hail Mary....

I hear you on the temp....It isn't bad here in Chattanooga, but we have owned a home in Venice for 6 years now....it may be getting to the point we vacate this one for the winter months and play snowbird until we just finally settle down there full time...

[hoorta]

@ballpeen said:

I hear you on the temp....It isn't bad here in Chattanooga, but we have owned a home in Venice for 6 years now....it may be getting to the point we vacate this one for the winter months and play snowbird until we just finally settle down there full time...

Well, I'm not a fan of fowl (I can tolerate turkey if it's buried under a mountain of cranberry sauce), and I don't particularly care for the squash family either- yeah- I have weird tastes in food, and you could classify me as probably closest to the world's most picky eater. I would have starved to death if I had ever gotten drafted into the Army.

So a typical dinner for two on Thanksgiving consists of a dry aged NY strip on the grill, baked potato, sautéed mushrooms, and if I'm in the mood- broccoli with Hollandaise sauce. Of course accompanied by a well aged Bordeaux or California Cabernet Sauvignon. If the relatives come over, it's going to be a prime rib instead.

Dessert could be Roquefort cheese with Sauternes (the real stuff- 1990 or older) or maybe a Chocolate cream pie (if I really want to spend time in the kitchen, it's a white chocolate amaretto cream pie) with vintage port.

[ballpeen]

@hoorta said:

Well, I'm not a fan of fowl (I can tolerate turkey if it's buried under a mountain of cranberry sauce), and I don't particularly care for the squash family either- yeah- I have weird tastes in food, and you could classify me as probably closest to the world's most picky eater. I would have starved to death if I had ever gotten drafted into the Army.

So a typical dinner for two on Thanksgiving consists of a dry aged NY strip on the grill, baked potato, sautéed mushrooms, and if I'm in the mood- broccoli with Hollandaise sauce. Of course accompanied by a well aged Bordeaux or California Cabernet Sauvignon. If the relatives come over, it's going to be a prime rib instead.

Dessert could be Roquefort cheese with Sauternes (the real stuff- 1990 or older) or maybe a Chocolate cream pie (if I really want to spend time in the kitchen, it's a white chocolate amaretto cream pie) with vintage port.

Nothing wrong with that...whatever floats your boat is my attitude.

I noticed you prefer a strip steak over a ribeye....so if you go the roast route if company stops in....have you ever had a striproast? Same principal as a ribroast....only strip. I am probably going to have one of those for Christmas. Had always done rib roasts, but saw a strip roast at the market last year and gave it a shot....less fat then on the rib, and it is all on the top of the cut which you can trim or broil down....makes a really nice crust once salted down with added garlic, pepper and rosemary sprigs...it's wonderful....there will be 3 for Christmas...Pat's mom is going to be here....so I will call to get a 5 lb cut..perfect for sandwiches the next day

Just slather on some of the left over horseradish cream sauce.....good stuff.

[kshutchins]

@hoorta said:

Well, I'm not a fan of fowl (I can tolerate turkey if it's buried under a mountain of cranberry sauce), and I don't particularly care for the squash family either- yeah- I have weird tastes in food, and you could classify me as probably closest to the world's most picky eater. I would have starved to death if I had ever gotten drafted into the Army.

So a typical dinner for two on Thanksgiving consists of a dry aged NY strip on the grill, baked potato, sautéed mushrooms, and if I'm in the mood- broccoli with Hollandaise sauce. Of course accompanied by a well aged Bordeaux or California Cabernet Sauvignon. If the relatives come over, it's going to be a prime rib instead.

Dessert could be Roquefort cheese with Sauternes (the real stuff- 1990 or older) or maybe a Chocolate cream pie (if I really want to spend time in the kitchen, it's a white chocolate amaretto cream pie) with vintage port.

We can forgive your limited taste in food because of your delightful taste in beverages.

I could use some advice on purchasing port. Can I find a tasty vintage for a reasonable price?

[ballpeen]

@kshutchins said:

We can forgive your limited taste in food because of your delightful taste in beverages.

I could use some advice on purchasing port. Can I find a tasty vintage for a reasonable price?

Probably not a vintage port...not knowing what reasonable is to you, but vintage port is usually very expensive as it has been aged 30 years minimum...or more...in many cases it isn't even ready to drink until it has been in the bottle 40-50 years.

A tawny port is less expensive..you can find lots of those in the $50-60 price range that drink well.

[hoorta]

@ballpeen said:

Probably not a vintage port...not knowing what reasonable is to you, but vintage port is usually very expensive as it has been aged 30 years minimum...or more...in many cases it isn't even ready to drink until it has been in the bottle 40-50 years.

A tawny port is less expensive..you can find lots of those in the $50-60 price range that drink well.

Yup, aged vintage ports have become real expensive, like $100 and up expensive, and they really shouldn't be drunk before they're 10 years old minimum. Vintage porto says that and no more on the label, not "port of the vintage", "late bottled vintage", "cohelita 1986". They also need to be decanted before you drink them because they throw a ton of sediment as they age.

OTOH, there are reasonable alternatives, depending on what style of port you prefer- fruitier, or nuttier-more dry. I second your opinion 'Peen on a tawny, (that's the nuttier, dryer type) buy you needn't spend $50 on it- there are plenty of good 10 year tawnies (that's the time they've spent in barrel) in the $30 range- and my standard tawny- Dows' Boardroom- is $25, at least in Ohio. MHO is it isn't worth the extra money go for the 20, 30, or 40 year tawnies, they get logarithmically more expensive for minimal increase in quality and complexity.

On the fruitier side- look for a "late bottled vintage" porto. They're ports that weren't quite good enough to "declare" as vintage ports (that only happens roughly three times a decade) and they're left in barrel 4-6 years, instead of the 2 years that vintage ports get. Mostly ready to drink right off the shelf. This style is my personal preference over tawnies.

Names to look for? Taylor, (not the New York stuff!!!) Graham, Dow, Fonseca, Warre, Quinta do Crasto.

BTW, the Brits (who invented port- as a perusal of the top names may indicate) recommend walnuts and Stilton cheese to go with porto. Personally, I'm preferential to Roquefort, but any aged blue cheese that you happen to like would go great with it.