Side item recipes/ideas for Thanksgiving Dinner

[MaggieTheCat]

It should've been zest, sorry. I used a microplane to grate the rind so it's really fine. And yeah, my recipe calls for 1 cup water + juice of 1 orange. I only got maybe 2-3 tablespoons of juice so I don't think it's a huge difference. I just took it off the heat as the cranberries are soft and popping, and letting it cool now. I'm eager to taste it in a bit after it starts to set up.

[CalyCoRose]

I am not making the mac & cheese until we get back home and I'm just making it for us. (Hubs loves jalapenos and doesn't care if they're fresh or pickled. (And besides, I already bought jarred jalapeno slices. )

I made a larger batch of the applesauce. I also made my World Famous Green Bean Casserole. Not sure how it's going to taste as I used Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom soup. (It's got 410 mg of Sodium and has less calories than regular Cream of Mushroom soup). I also make it differently than the recipe that is found on the French's Fried Onions container, so it's going to taste way different than my MIL's version (she follows the "official" recipe).

[Jester]

I am going to a friend's dinner tomorrow, and a few people are bringing side dishes. I offered to make cranberry sauce, but someone already is. So I offered to make stuffing, and the hostess told me she was already making the stuffing.

Out of a box.

Um, no.

So now I'm making the stuffing. I am using the sourdough stuffing recipe I linked to earlier in the thread, however, I am omitting the parsley, as I often do....buying a whole head just for that little, when I really don't think parsley brings that much to the party anyway? I don't think so! So tonight when I went to the grocery store, I discovered that I am not the only one who likes sourdough for Thanksgiving. Not one, not two, but ALL THREE major grocery stores down here were completely OUT of sourdough bread.

Motherfucker.

Well, let's try something different. I saw a beautiful loaf of freshly baked challah bread, and we'll see how that works. Since challah bread is basically baked heaven, I don't foresee too much of an issue with it.

[Jester]

Also, regarding my earlier cranberry sauce recipe, I was going on memory for the basic procedure, but just looked up a basic cranberry sauce (which is the process I use), and it reads like this: "Bring all ingredients* to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until most of cranberries burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer sauce to medium bowl. Cool, cover, and refrigerate cranberry sauce."

*Except the added fruit, such as pineapple, mango, or mandarin oranges...these you want to add after you've pulled the sauce off the heat and cooled it somewhat, since they are already quite soft, and cooking in the sauce would probably make them mush. If you are doing apples in your cranberry sauce, I would imagine that you WOULD want to cook them in the sauce, otherwise they would be way too firm.

Enjoy Stuffing Day, everyone!

[MaggieTheCat]

I'm about to make stuffing myself! Mine doesn't use fresh bread, though, I use the stuffing breadcrumbs by Pepperidge Farms. The rest is browned Italian sausage, onion, celery, an apple, some dried cranberries, a bunch of herbs, and chicken broth. This year, I'm also going to add the giblets of my chicken (doing chicken since there's only going to be 4 people for dinner) to the broth, and let everything except the breadcrumbs simmer for at least an hour. Then toss with the bread and let sit overnight in the fridge. I've made it before and it's amazing.

Boxed stuffing for Thanksgiving? Psssh. I make that stuff when I want a quick stuffing casserole, not for a holiday!

[Jester]

To be fair, I love stuffing, even out of a box. It is my favorite part of the holiday meal.

Typically at work (I almost always work this holiday), we'll have a traditional meal available as a special, but I always order it with no turkey and extra stuffing. Did I mention that it's my favorite part of the meal? Even out of a box.

Hell, my personal record is SIX helpings of stuffing in one sitting....and that was in addition to everything else. (Well, maybe not turkey, but I'm not a huge fan of the stuff.) My stepbrother, whose family nickname is HOOVER, just looked at me and said, "Dude, what the hell is WRONG with you?"

Did I mention.....ah, nevermind.

[firecat88]

I'm with ya there, Jester. Stuffing is my favorite part of the meal. The only time I've ever turned it away was one year at my sister's ex's house and someone made oyster stuffing. Apparently, his family likes it, but I couldn't take two bites. Oysters do not belong anywhere near stuffing.

[MaggieTheCat]

Yeah, boxed stuffing isn't bad, I just like to go the extra step for special occasions and make a special stuffing. I'm really eager to try it this year with the chicken giblets. My mom always made her stuffing with the turkey liver/heart mixed right in and it was great.

[Jester]

I'm with ya there, Jester. Stuffing is my favorite part of the meal. The only time I've ever turned it away was one year at my sister's ex's house and someone made oyster stuffing. Apparently, his family likes it, but I couldn't take two bites. Oysters do not belong anywhere near stuffing.

I respectfully disagree. I have had some wonderful oyster stuffing in my time, and have been trying for literally years to get my friend's friend's recipe for same. DEEElicious!

I'm really eager to try it this year with the chicken giblets. My mom always made her stuffing with the turkey liver/heart mixed right in and it was great.

A lot of people would say EWWWWWW!!!!

I say MMMMMMMMM!!!!

I have never had either of those, but they both sound delightful!

[HappyFun Ball]

We don't do stuffing here, we do cornbread dressing.

I have a real healthy soup recipe, it only takes 3 ingredients.

[Jester]

Cornbread dressing IS stuffing. Or a variant thereof. I've had cornbread stuffing/dressing, and when done right, it is delicious.

Stuffing is stuffing, and I love all its incarnations, be it traditional, cornbread, oyster, whatever.

[dalesys]

Stuffing is stuffing, and I love all its incarnations...

Not this variation:


Freewheeling Franklin: Not bad. What did you use for the stuffing?
Fat Freddy: Huh?
Freewheeling Franklin: The stuffing! What did you stuff the turkey with?!
Fat Freddy: Oh. I didn't have to. It wasn't empty.
[/Fabulous Furry Freakout]

[Jester]

Yes, even that kind. I do like those bits that come from the inside.

[dalesys]

Yes, even that kind. I do like those bits that come from the inside.

Bits, OK. But alla dem bits?

Chitlins ... I think you misspelled that... I ain't eatin nothin where it is food or where it isn't.
[/Cos]

[XCashier]

Yes, even that kind. I do like those bits that come from the inside.

Mmm, giblets! Sadly, no giblets with this year's bird.

Since there were only three of us at the dinner table (my son, the Picky Eater, refuses to eat Thanksgiving dinner ), there was no point in cooking a large bird, so I went with a smaller turkey recipe. (Yes, I realize I'm posting this late, I didn't want to post until I'd tried it. Besides, Christmas dinner is coming up!)

Crockpot
1 whole turkey breast (you could use drumsticks or thighs if you like dark meat)
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup

Combine both soups in Crockpot, whisk them together. Clean turkey breast and add to Crockpot, spooning soup mix over it. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours.

It's super easy, comes out very tender, frees the oven for other items and makes a nice gravy!