Thanksgiving Menu Ideas?

So what's on the menu for Thanksgiving?!

In my family, I'm allowed to be in charge of veggies, my mom does desserts, my sister hosts us with turkey, dressing, potatoes, etc..., my dad brings my brother, the kids bring their bellies, the cats hide in the laundry room (my poor kitties will be at home alone hiding in drawers ).

This year I'm thinking about braised greens (which I've never made before - any suggestions?), roasted brussel sprouts, squash, and root veggies, green beans, and a corn pudding. Any other ideas I should consider?

Let's share ideas!

Jackie,
I love braised greens but would not do them for TDay- they brown upon sitting and don't look as appetizing. Love the corn pudding idea- I make an Emeril recipe and it's both great and easy. will your crowd eat roasted squash? I really like basting cubes of butternut, parsnips and carrots with some maple syrup and butter and then roasting. Makes a great combination with other flavors.

Do you have a cranberry sauce recipe yet? My Grand Marnier cranberry sauce is fab and gets requested by everyone- foodie and non- foodie alike.
Deb

Thanks Deb - I will HEED your advice and scrap the greens. And what's the ratio of syrup to butter in your roasted roots and squash? I'll definitely try that. And I'd loooove it you would share the cranberry recipe! You're so awesome!

By the way - the recipe you gave me for the lemon chess pie with blackberry compote was a HUGE success! Thanks again for that.

Thanks Deb - I will HEED your advice and scrap the greens. And what's the ratio of syrup to butter in your roasted roots and squash? I'll definitely try that. And I'd loooove it you would share the cranberry recipe! You're so awesome!

By the way - the recipe you gave me for the lemon chess pie with blackberry compote was a HUGE success! Thanks again for that.

Jackie,
You're welcome! Wanna sit next to me Sunday and we'll dish about recipes ( and everything else)? I think I might have posted the cranberry recipe before but I can 't search from my iPhone...

Deb

If you decide to roast brussel sprouts, try adding in some balsamic vinegar and pine nuts in the last 1/3 -1/2 of your cooking time and then sprinkle with parmesan cheese when you bring them out of the oven.

The vinegar will reduce a bit and thicken.

The acidity from the vinegar and the salt from the cheese are great!

We love them this way.

I use a recipe from Robert Irvine on Food Network for my brussel sprouts. It has me boil fresh sprouts for a few, then cut in half. I cook back until crispy. Remove the bacon from the grease and add chopped shallots. Then I add dried cranberries, sugar, red wine vinegar, and the sprouts and bacon back. I have to look up the porportions every year. lol

I love this recipe. I do the whole head and it looks nice when done. I double or even triple the sauce and cheese so its a bit richer. I've had people that dont like cauliflower request it, its so good!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cheesy-bak ... etail.aspx

Please share the cranberry recipe!

I think all these recipes for brussel sprout are missing a critical step that I learned from my Grandfather many years ago:

FINAL STEP: After removing from heat, wait approximately 20 seconds and when nobody is looking toss the sprouts down the disposal.

Re: brussel sprouts, these are great: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alto ... index.html

The tart apples, earthy blue cheese, and salty bacon completment the bitterness of the sprouts well. I generally can't stand brussel sprouts, but these are great and the preparation complements, rather than masks, the flavor of the sprouts.

Thanks Deb - I will HEED your advice and scrap the greens. And what's the ratio of syrup to butter in your roasted roots and squash? I'll definitely try that. And I'd loooove it you would share the cranberry recipe! You're so awesome!

By the way - the recipe you gave me for the lemon chess pie with blackberry compote was a HUGE success! Thanks again for that.

Jackie,
You're welcome! Wanna sit next to me Sunday and we'll dish about recipes ( and everything else)? I think I might have posted the cranberry recipe before but I can 't search from my iPhone...

Deb

Oh, I'd LOVE to! I'll be with a friend of mine who absolutely loves to talk about cooking, too.

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. I had dinner with Gayle last night and she advised against travelling with roasted veg because it steams and becomes soggy when covered. That reminded me of the roasted veggies I took last year that were not very popular at the table, so I'm gonna think about this a bit. The cauliflower head sounds neat. And the creamy sprouts that Brad posted sound delicious, too... Lots of food for thought. Gayle said she'd send me a link to a website for pot luck sides that travel well, but maybe she'll post it here so everyone can see? I'm definitely going to look up Deb's cranberry recipe. Gayle also mentioned an asparagus savory bread pudding, and it reminded me of Gary's savory bread pudding with roasted garlic and leeks. I actually tried his recipe for Thankgiving two years ago and totally flubbered it, but I've always wanted to try it again. Then there was Marsha's Bourbon creamed corn which I also made, but I was WAYYY too generous with the bourbon and flubbered that too. If anyone wants those recipes, let me know. When done right, they were two of the most delicious pot luck items I've ever had, ever.

Jackie,
Well, you and your friend and Gary and I will have a blast dishing over recipes then.
I checked and cranberry recipe was not posted- I'll post it shortly.
Deb

I want to play "recipe talk" too!!!

I've already started scouring the foodie blogs for ideas!

I'm making this butternut squash gratin: http://www.simplebites.net/butternut-squash-gratin-recipe-family-favorite-side-dish/

And I think I'm bringing these individual pumpkin cheesecakes as a dessert (minus the Halloween decorating, of course): http://www.yummymummykitchen.com/2011/1 ... cakes.html

Re: Thanksgiving Menu Ideas?
by Jackie R. » Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:40 pm . . . I had dinner with Gayle last night . . .

We had dinner at Hillbilly Tea, in the recently opened upstairs room. I was mightly impressed, - both with the deor and the food. We shared an order of White Bean and Sage Fritters which are now one of of my two favorite appetizers in town; then we both had the Cauliflower Soup and the Sorghum Squash Salad w/Goat Cheese & Almonds. The later is now my all tie favorite salad. The sorghum leaves were baby tender; the squash roasted to melt-in-the-mouth perfection. I noticed that the salad is also on the lunch menu. I just can't praise it enough. Definite food heaven!

As opposed to traditional mashed potatoes I like to have a mash of about 2/3 potatoes and 1/3 parsnips - also I sometimes add celery root and an maybe an apple. More or less a root veggie mash (not counting the occasional apple). I this it really jazzes up a thanksgiving table and goes well with turkey and turkey gravy.

Brussel sprouts - clean and cut in half - toss in olive oil and season with salt. Through them in a warm skillet and put in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or so until they are browning. Given them a toss and turn about half way through the process. When that are done move to a warm platter and drizzle with good balsamico. They should be soft and nutty - the sweetness of the balsamic offsets the bitterness of the sprouts. Amazing with roasted meats or in a vegetarian meal as they have a meaty quality all their own.