Thanksgiving....What's on Your Menu

[Jim Becker]

We generally join a good friend's family and friends for T'giving, so the menu is large and diverse...with turkey at the center.

[Rod Sheridan]

Bit late for Thanksgiving, that was more than a month ago

I cook the turkey on the BBQ, in a roasting pan with some cranberry juice and water. The main cavity is stuffed with bread stuffing, the smaller cavity with sausage stuffing.

Diann makes roast potatoes, roast carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts, squash and of course cranberry sauce and gravy.

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving on the 24th.....................Regards, Rod.

[Rod Sheridan]

Brent,

How kind of you to offer Stan's hospitality. Actually I plan to meet another Creeker, John Langley, just south of KC the Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving.

Back to food...there seems an absolute dearth of desserts planned for members of the Creek. What a pity.

Dang! Forgot to mention pumpkin pie for dessert...............Rod.

[Bert Kemp]

Rich ,I've done that several times, also go to the Hospital to visit vets and MANA house to visit. Semper Fi Vets has a couple cook outs a year for homeless vets also, I serve they don't want my burnt burgers and dogs LOL .Right now the PGR is organizing a food and toy run. We hope to get 2000 canned goods and toys. Last month I made an award for the AZ Fisher house to be given to the organization who had the most participants . Happy to say The Arizona Patriot Guard Riders won that award, and the whole event everyone that came we raised I get goose bumps saying this $28000 for the Arizona Fisher House. I'm proud to serve as a volunteer.

Bert,

When single, I used to serve meals to veterans on Thanksgiving. It offered a new perspective. Phoenix likely needs volunteers for that on Thanksgiving day.

[Art Mann]

For many years, I have been smoking 2 Boston butts the day before and a whole turkey the day of thanksgiving. That is waaay more than we will eat but I provide a care package of left overs for my children and their mates to take home. They won't let me stop!

[Chris Padilla]

My folks! LOL Well, they are driving out from Denver. They are actually arriving on T-Day which is unusual but they need to help out my brother with some things and they can't leave when they normally would. We'll like do a turkey and all the usual stuff...nothing fancy. With any luck, the food will be ready as my parents pull into the driveway!

[Prashun Patel]

Chris,
After Denver's recent law loosening regarding what vegetables you can consume in bars and restaurants now, I am surprised they'd ever want to leave...

[Jim Koepke]

We were hoping for simple this year as our family is too spread out and far away to come by for dinner. Candy was hoping to find a turkey roast. It seems they are no longer available, at least in the stores around here.

So it will be a small turkey. Due to my heart surgery and need to limit sugar and cholesterol I will not be making my favorite egg nog recipe this year. One of the things I loved to do was to make my own pumpkin pie using my home made egg nog instead of condensed milk. Makes for a great pumpkin pie.

Likely a simple dinner with a lot of the trimmings. Marie Calendar is supplying the pumpkin pie this year.

In case anyone wants to try making some of the best egg nog, here is the recipe (written in 2010):

EGG NOG

If you are expecting a large crowd, double the ingredients.

Ingredients:

4-Cups whole milk (scalded)
10-eggs separated (any yolk in the whites and they will not whip properly)
3/4-Cups sugar (1/2 cup and then 1/4 cup.
1/2-tsp salt
1-Cup heavy cream (whipped)
Vanilla to taste
Nutmeg
Optional: Rum or Brandy

Procedure:

Scald the milk, be careful not to burn. This is done by heating the milk to a point just below a boil. It must be stirred constantly, when it starts to form a layer of bubbles, and the surface looks satin like, remove from heat and set aside.

In the top of the double boiler combine 1/2-Cup of sugar with egg yolks. Set the heat to below a boil. Slowly stir in the scalded milk. Stir constantly making sure to drag the spoon across the bottom (a wooden spoon with an end flattened at an angle works great), until the mixture thickens enough to coat the spoon lightly. It is better to do this with the heat too low than too high. This can take a lot of patience. Remove from heat and chill thoroughly, in the refridgerator over night is good.

When the yolk mixture is chilled, add salt (1/2 tsp.) to the whites and beat until thick, gradualy mix in the sugar (remaining 1/4 Cup). The thickness of the whites is what determines the texture of the finished drink. It can vary from a delicate smooth texture to thick froth. This is a time when having two mixers is very handy. It is best to use a ladle to transfer the whites into the yolks. this helps to make sure all the whites get whipped. As the whites are being poured into the yolks, fold the mixture. If using an electric mixer use on the lowest setting. If further whipping of the whites is needed be sure to wash the beaters if they have been in contact with the yolks.

Whip the cream to a consistency to match the egg whites. Blend in to the mixture. The mixture can be chilled in a freezer for an hour, and then set in a refridgerator until serving time. When serving take care to remix as the ingriedients will seperate. this is done easily with a ladle picking up some of the beverage and pouring it back into the mixture and repeating until it is of an even texture. This evening at our Thanksgiving dinner (this was in 2010) one of the Grandmothers that only speaks Finnish got very excited after tasting the Eggnog. I have no idea what she said, but I was told she enjoyed it very much.

Notes:

IMHO, adding alcohol is neither good for the egg nog nor the spirits. Keep them separate, they are both better that way.
If you have a cooking thermometer the egg yolks should be at least 140º for a couple of minutes to kill any bacteria.
Salmonella can not live in the separated whites beyond 24 hours. This is why I always took two days to make egg nog.

If this is done right, it will be an egg nog to remember. My son always asks if I will be making some when he comes around for the holidays. Just remember to stir constantly and not let the egg yolk (custard) get too hot or it will get lumpy.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Forgot to mention one of my favorite things about a turkey dinner is making a sandwich the next day with some sliced turkey and cranberry sauce.

Then the day after that, making turkey soup.

jtk

[Rich Riddle]

Jim,

Have you pondered just getting a turkey breast instead of a small bird? Are you going to make a little nog for your son?

[John K Jordan]

For desert it is cushaw pie. I love pumpkin pie but I love cushaw pie more.

JKJ

[Jim Koepke]

Jim,

Have you pondered just getting a turkey breast instead of a small bird? Are you going to make a little nog for your son?

It was Candy that wanted to do the turkey roast. I like the full bird so I didn't bring it up. Besides, she likes the dark meat.

If my son was coming I would make a small egg nog. He is in the Air Force stationed in Maryland and will not be coming this year. He has a wife and three kids to crowd his dinner table along with anyone he may invite there.

jtk

[daryl moses]

We like to do a traditional Thanksgiving. Venison, wild Turkey. Vegetables grown in our garden, corn, green beans, potatoes etc. For the non traditional folks we will also have store bought Turkey.
And of course several deserts.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Turkey, dressing, giblet gravy, deviled eggs, black eyed peas, collard greens, mashed potatoes. cranberry relish, rolls, pecan and sweet potato pie. Cooked collards today (in the yard,) and cooked and pureed the sweet potatoes for pies, Grandson is coming over on Wednesday to help make the pies..

[Bonnie Campbell]

Traveling to Minnesota for Thanksgiving. We will have the usual (turkey, stuffing, etc) But we also will be making foods to satisfy a vegetarian and a vegan....