Thanksgiving?

[AdminAssistant]

Since Fiance just got his new job (to move here, yay!), he has to work both the day before and the day after Thanksgiving = no going home for him. I've really gone back and forth on whether to go home by myself...but for a number of reasons I've decided to stay here with him. It's mostly money (gas to go home, oil change, wear and tear on the car, etc.) but also the thought that I'd like to actually enjoy my break instead of spending half of it on the road and the other half with my family...worried about whether or not Dad's going to be sober.

SO, all that said, What the hell should we make? Our combined cooking skills aren't much, but we manage. Boiled potatoes are a must, and I've made Mom's pecan pie enough times at home, so I think I can manage that.

Any other suggestions?

[BarbieGirl]

This was going to be the first year we didn't go anywhere and I was going to cook the following;

Turkey breast (cause a whole turkey would be too much for just the 4 of us, when 2 of which are 4 and 3.)

cornbread stuffing

homemade rolls

a couple of veggies

homemade mashed potatoes

cranberry sauce (I was going to try and find a recipe to make some myself and have the ocean spray jellied kind, I'm weird but I love that stuff!)

Pecan Pie for the husband and some other dessert off of food network or martha stewart because I HATE pecans and dislike pie.

Pretty simple but, why stress, I'd rather spend the time with the family than cooking all stinking day.

As it is we'll be going to some family in town that also decided to stay home this year. But I'm still doing the potato rolls and pie.

[Becks]

When I lived in NJ, spending every holiday with the MOTH's family, never having the chance to come back to WI, I always swore I'd play sick, stay home and have spaghetti.

On that note, what you want to do, food wise, is up to you.

Want turkey? Find a turkey breast, or even get some sliced turkey from the deli.

[blas]

I love Thanksgivings where we go weird and have Italian food instead.

Can I please stay with one of you guys this year? It looks like we are having Cornish Game Hen again this year, and I honestly can't stand another year of that or pheasant. I just want a real turkey, or something other than these stupid mini chickens that taste like burnt rubber.

[telecom_goddess]

I love Thanksgivings where we go weird and have Italian food instead.

Can I please stay with one of you guys this year? It looks like we are having Cornish Game Hen again this year, and I honestly can't stand another year of that or pheasant. I just want a real turkey, or something other than these stupid mini chickens that taste like burnt rubber.

Oh cornish game hens should not taste like burnt rubber....they are YUMMY and I have an awesome recipe for them.

But for Thanksgiving I like traditional stuff...it's the one time of the year when I do go traditional....so I do a full turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing (inside the bird), yams, some kind of veggie, pumpkin pie. One time we did a stuffed theme so we had things like deviled eggs and stuffed mushrooms.

[MaggieTheCat]

I'd go with a ham. It's different, it's easy, and you can get small ones that aren't going to inundate you with leftovers (although ham leftovers do freeze wonderfully and you can make lots of things with them.) Pretty much every ham I've ever seen in a grocery store is already fully cooked, all you have to do is heat it up. Stick it in a warm oven for a couple of hours and you're good to go. Of course, you can make a glaze or sauce or whatever to go on it if you want, but if you're really going for simple, a plain ham is not bad.

Of course, if you want poultry of some kind, do a turkey breast as others have suggested, or even do something with chicken. Roast a whole chicken if you want all the parts of a bird, or just do roasted breasts/wings or thighs/legs, depending on if you like white or dark meat.

There are lots of side dishes that are easy to make. I have a great cream corn recipe that's super simple and super delicious. Corn bread, or even refrigerated biscuits/crescent rolls are a good bread if you don't want to make something from scratch. Sweet potato casserole made with canned sweet potatoes goes together really quick.

ETA: Last year I did ham, turkey breast, stuffing, cream corn, mashed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, cornbread, applesauce, chocolate pie, pecan pie, and pumpkin cheesecake. I think we had 8 people over total and we still had way more food than we needed. This year, nobody can come over for Thanksgiving or even the weekend right after, so we're going to do a Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner sometime in December. I'll probably do something similar this year but skip the turkey (everyone liked the ham better), skip the mashed potatoes and do mashed sweet potatoes instead (I won't have homemade gravy if I just do ham, anyway), maybe skip the cream corn (delicious as it is, we may not need it), and probably only do 2 desserts. Well, depending on how many people we have.

[trailerparkmedic]

When I've cooked Thanksgiving for 2, I made roast chicken (very easy, ask for a recipe if you want one) but turkey breast is pretty easy too. Add any other sides you like. We had mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and pumpkin pie because those are our favorite sides, but go for whatever you want!! Is there something you want a recipe for?

[jnd4rusty]

I love turkey for Thanksgiving, I use Reynalds cooking bags to cook my turkey in, it makes for a moist and delicious turkey and cooks fast!! A 12 to 15 pound turkey can cook in about 3 hours! Also use one of those disposable roaster, makes clean up easy. There is only two of us but I make the whole traditional turkey dinner because we love leftovers. Mashed potatoes made with cream and butter, turkey gravy-easy to make if you use the dry mixes and instead of water I use the turkey juices. Green bean casserole- use frozen green beans and mix in a couple cans of cream of mushroom soup and french onions then bake, when almost done put more french onions on top to toast. Boxed stuffing is pretty simple to make, cranberry sauce in a can, Bruce's yams- empty can in a baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar and cover with marshmallows and bake until marshmallows are brown. pumpkin and apple pie and whipped cream. The pies can be bought already done at the bakery or you can bake your own, I usually get Mrs. Smith or Sara Lee depending what is on sale. I don't usually make from scratch because I fail at pie crust..LOL!! Thanksgiving meals can be made pretty easily if you just take your time and relax, the turkey breast that others suggested can work real well also..look up recipes, that is what I do.

[AriGriffin]

I think Mom and I are going out to eat on Thanksgiving because my aunt doesn't want to bother with cooking and nobody wants to come to our house to eat. Anyway, we usually cook for just us because we love the leftovers. We're making:
15 lb Turkey
Gravy made from the turkey
Mashed Potatoes- actual potatoes
Stovetop Stuffing
Frozen green beans cooked on the stove with cranberries and a little butter
Carrots- oven with honey
Frozen corn microwaved with butter
Frozen lima beans microwaved
Can jelled cranberry sauce
Rolls (storebought frozen)
Cheesecake

We usually eat that for lunch and then for dinner have sandwiches made from the leftover rolls- turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Don't knock it until you've tried it.

[AdminAssistant]

He suggested ham, I've actually considered a leg of lamb or something like that...but roasted chicken sounds pretty good! (Recipe, please?) As for side dishes, I definitely want to make boiled potatoes (family tradition). Maybe some green beans. He really likes sweet potatoes, but I don't. Maggie, care to send along that creamed corn recipe? I like corn at any time.

I really wish I had the time and skill to make chicken and dressing the way Mom makes it. But I haven't even mastered her cornbread yet, and that's a vital component. (I can't try to make it for Thanksgiving because Fiance doesn't like non-sweet cornbread and it's the only kind I'll touch.) Ah well, at least I'll be home for Christmas. Ooohhh...I may call up my aunt for her chicken and dumplings recipe.

[42_42_42]

If you've never cooked a turkey, I *HIGHLY* recommend you watch Alton Brown's Good Eats episode (if I remember correctly, it's called "Romancing the Bird"...someone correct me if I'm wrong).

There's just hubby and me, but I always cook a big turkey anyway because you can freeze the meat and use it later for lovely things like soups and casseroles (turkey tetrazzini!) and sandwiches (grilled turkey and swiss sandwiches!).

Anyway, we'll definitely have:

brined and roasted turkey
stuffing AND dressing (because I grew up on stuffing and he grew up on dressing)
giblet gravy (I make excellent gravy)
green bean casserole (again, following Alton Brown's recipe)
chipotle mashed sweet potatoes (another AB recipe)

other than that, not sure, depends on what I and hubby (who also cooks) feel like fixing, possibilities include:
stuffed acorn squash
creamed corn
roasted root veggies (carrots, parsnips, turnips and beets)
butternut squash soup
wild mushroom and mixed alliums gratine (alliums are onions, leeks, scallions, garlic, and shallots)

As for dessert, not sure there, either. Really depends on the number of orders I have for cakes and pies (I have a small business selling baked goods from home). Usually I make at least a pecan pie, a mincemeat pie, and a sweet potato or pumpkin pie, because pie goes better w/ Thanksgiving that cake in my mind (probably b/c that's what I grew up having) although sometimes I try something new.

[Imprl59]

Most important question Do you like leftovers? If so read on, if not hang up now and make a reservation somewhere delicious.


i'm a freak for turkey so I always make that. Luckily we host the thanksgiving for a number of friends now so I get to cook the biggest turkey I can find. Even when it was just two of us I always make a big turkey though.... have to have the "in the butt" stufing dont ya know.

My personal favorite is maccaroni and cheese. Here's the recipe I use http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/p...ipe/index.html If all that link doesnt work google paula deen mac and cheese nd it's the first one.

Deviled eggs are a must!

Don't hesitate to make something just because only one person likes it. Make your cornbread for you. Make some sweet potatos for him (blech). Can you tell thanksgiving is my holiday?

[zombiequeen]

Hubby and I have informed all of our relatives that the year we get a house, we're celebrating holidays at home with just us.
I plan on doing chicken and dumplings (mmmmmmmmmmmm) for either Thanksgiving or Christmas, I'm not sure yet.
This year my parent's side of the family is having a huge Thanksgiving dinner at the church (family is THAT big) and my hubby's side of the family is having dinner at his parent's huge house.
For our anniversary, we had pizza. Not super fancy or romantic, but it was fun and easy.

[Amina516]

As much as I hate her....Rachel Ray and her 30 minutes meal show actually has some good turkey breast thanksgiving like meals for two.

Maybe google that bitch for some food ideas.

[telecom_goddess]

what is the difference between stuffing and dressing? I thought it was the same thing