plunk Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 I would suggest making a ballotine with the turkey breast. It's a fancier presentation than just slices of turkey. You don't happen to have a good recipe, do you? I'm cooking for a small group, too, and this sounds like a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crackers Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 On a different note, what quantity of potatoes would you all mash for 12 adults and 5 kids (and hopefully a enough for leftovers!!)?Depends on how many other sides you're serving, but I usually count on one medium russet per adult for a healthy portion plus leftovers. ( that's with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, applesauce, cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts, green beans and gravy sharing the plate.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakegwinn Posted November 15, 2006 Share Posted November 15, 2006 Do you think putting two birds side by side in the oven will severely affect cooking time, and/or evenness of the cooking? I am doing two 14 pound birds and was thinking about getting two of the smallest possible foilf roasters from the grocery store. I haven't seen Beth's mothers oven but she said it is the same size as ours and I just don't know if they will fit. And if they do it will be tight I think so I don't want this to make for an unevenly finished bird. She wants me to do one in the oven and one in a roaster. I have never done anything in a roaster oven and am leery of the outcome. Plus it will probably throw off the timing and quality between the two. I have a great technique down for the oven but don't think it translates to a roaster oven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted November 18, 2006 Share Posted November 18, 2006 Every year I'm in charge of hitting the farmers market the weekend before which gives me the right to change dishes we always have This year we are going with white sweet potatoes instead of the traditional variety. I'm also going to make cauliflower puree instead of roasted cauliflower. The recipe is still in the works but I think it will include some piave and roasted garlic to be topped off with black truffle oil. My main concern is the oil is too much. Thoughts? We start the day of gluttony around 1pm with home made bloody marys and oysters on the half shell. I usually whip up wasabi bloody marys but am looking for something different this year. Does anyone have a recipe for a thicker version? Mine are usually the same consistency of tomato juice but I recently had one in Vegas that was amazingly thick and full of spices. Unfortunately, and fortunately , we were too drunk to do any real recipe break down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 We start the day of gluttony around 1pm with home made bloody marys and oysters on the half shell. I usually whip up wasabi bloody marys but am looking for something different this year. Does anyone have a recipe for a thicker version? Mine are usually the same consistency of tomato juice but I recently had one in Vegas that was amazingly thick and full of spices. Unfortunately, and fortunately , we were too drunk to do any real recipe break down.I'm not a big bloody mary fan, but how would taking a gazpacho recipe and adding vodka work? There's a Cholula dry chile-lime seasoning I like (found it at WF, I think) that works to my liking as a bloody (or virgin) mary mix, but it doesn't thicken the product. I'm not very fond of vegetable or fruit juices, except for tomato and grapefruit, so I drink a decent amount of tomato juice for my vitamin c. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidgey Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 I'm making turkey stock for the first time. I'm using the recipe from Cooking Light magazine. Last night I roasted and then boiled turkey legs, along with vegetables, for about 3 hours. I then refrigerated it over night, and then the recipe says to skim the fat off. Well, I took the stock out of the fridge, skimmed the "glisten" off, but the stock still looks pretty gelatinous. Is it supposed to look like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Gelatinous is good, that's what gives it body and a rich mouthfeel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidgey Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Gelatinous is good, that's what gives it body and a rich mouthfeel. Excellent! [taps fingers like Mr. Burns] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 This year we are going with white sweet potatoes instead of the traditional variety.Be aware that, chances are, the white sweet potatoes will be starchier and less sweet than the orange ones, so, adjust your recipes accordingly.Perhaps bake one in advance to get a feel for the difference? I speak from experience . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 This is what we're having: Appetizers - wedge of Ivernia cheese, wedge of brie, pimento olives, garlic marinated roasted red peppers, cranberry pepper jelly over cream cheese, all served with crackers. Mains and Sides - 12 lb. Turkey - brined and slathered with herbs, garlic and butter. pork rib roast - stuffed with cornbread, mushrooms and black olives Mashed potatoes - plain, but probably with some buttermilk thrown in there Sweet potato gratin - easy recipe: sliced sweet potatoes baked in a cream, bourbon and chipotle bath until tender. spinach salad with warm bacon dressing, red onion, pecans and bleu cheese cornbread and italian sausage dressing multicultural stuffing (Saveur recipe), substituting brioche for the challah bread base mac and cheese green bean and mushroom casserole with shallots (cooks illustrated recipe) whole cranberry sauce (store bought) with some orange marmalade mixed in turkey gravy homemade bread brought by guest Desserts brought by guests - probably an apple pie, pumpkin pie and a chocolate dessert serving Riesling, Valpolicella and Cotes du Rhone to drink but have no idea how they'll go with the meal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Be aware that, chances are, the white sweet potatoes will be starchier and less sweet than the orange ones, so, adjust your recipes accordingly.Perhaps bake one in advance to get a feel for the difference? I speak from experience . . . . What difference did you find in baking time? My mom and I have talked about the difference as far as taste and texture. We are going to experiment as we go along. Our plan right now (I think) is to just roast them up and then decide what to do with them. My first thought was mashing but we are going to have mashed potatoes and cauliflower puree so we decided this would be over kill since everyone at the table still has all of their teeth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigoldsandy Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 A related turkey stock question -- I used seven pounds of turkey wings to make my stock and wasn't sure if the remaining turkey meat can be used for other things. I tossed it in a ziploc but wasn't sure if it would be any good for sandwiches or turkey hash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 What difference did you find in baking time? My mom and I have talked about the difference as far as taste and texture. We are going to experiment as we go along. Our plan right now (I think) is to just roast them up and then decide what to do with them. Peel and cube them, then roast with butter, olive oil, and a little curry powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinDC Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 I am planning on making this slow-cooker cornbread stuffing for Thanksgiving. Do you think it would be okay to mix it all together the night before and then put it in the slow-cooker the next day? Or am I setting myself up for disaster? http://food.southernliving.com/southern/re...cipe_id=1120164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hersch Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 A related turkey stock question -- I used seven pounds of turkey wings to make my stock and wasn't sure if the remaining turkey meat can be used for other things. I tossed it in a ziploc but wasn't sure if it would be any good for sandwiches or turkey hash?If you simmered the wings for three or more hours, it's unlikely they'd make good sandwiches. One thing I've done with some of the meat left from stock-making is cut it up and put it in the stuffing, along with the liver (sauteed first). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 What difference did you find in baking time?I boiled them until fork tender, so can't answer this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Azzarano Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 Happy Thanksgiving to all here. If you're travelling -- be safe. If hosting family and friends, hope everything turns out the way you hoped it would. Also hope there are no horror stories - either food related or otherwise. Thanks again to DonRocks for hosting this playpen and to all the posters (and readers) who make this a lively place to avoid work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Smoked brined turkey -- a smallish turkey, 14 lbs, brined today and smoked tomorrow. Dressing/stuffing which can't be put into a smoked turkey, that won't do, simply made from lightly toasted home made corn bread with various aromatic vegetables sauteed first. Bone in rib roast -- contemplating turning in to a standing roast, not sure if this is a good idea or not. Seems like it would cook faster but not have much in the way of rare meat. Yorkshire pudding. Braised baby onions a la Julia Child, at least 5 lbs, these are inhaled. We will have a "peeling party" tonight. Roasted root vegetables. Memo to self, check the garden to see if the parsnips are finally big enuf. Green salad with vinaigrette. Home made cranberry sauce, just boiled in sugar water until they pop. Mashed Yukon gold taters. Apple, pumpkin and pecan pies, probably from Mom's Apple Pie, I can't find good apples so why stress over so-so apples? Not much in the way of fancy stuff. I brought back some turkey tasso from Baton Rouge, so will put that into the dressing. Also brought back some fresh Tony Chachere's. Wanted to bring back two jars of Savoie's Roux, one light, one dark. The check out lady at Calandro's told me, don't put it in the checked baggage, they'll break and the roux will get on everything, she's tried this before taking stuff from home to her kids who live up north now. Put it in the carry on, she says. I asked her, did you hear about the new rules for what you can put in your carry on? She hadn't. Let's see, a 50-50 mixture of oil and flour, cooked until mahogany color, is that more than 3 ounces of liquid? After a couple of days contemplating the mason jars full of the black, oily mixture, I decided to leave the roux at my dad's house. When I went through airport security at BTR, I asked the TSA guards what they would have done if I had tried to bring jars of Savoie's roux on board in my carry on, would it have caused them to have a melt down and they said "probably." One BTR policeman told me, "make your own roux." I do, I said, I'm just lazy. But I did bring the tasso, the turkey tasso, the andouille, and the crawfish, all frozen, they made it fine. Wish I could see the look on the TSA faces when they tell all the Louisiana mamas they can't bring jars of Savoie roux to the kids up north. That will be something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roo Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Any thoughts on dry vs. wet brining? I was thinking that I don't have a big enough container to brine the turkey overnight in my fridge, so I was going to just go with dry salting the bird. Anyone have any luck with this method? Also, I have some chicken stock in my fridge, so I was planning on adding the turkey parts (neck, gizzard, wings, not liver, from the fresh turkey I'm picking up tonight), to the stock, and simmering that all for a bit this evening. Then I would use that to make the gravy tomorrow with the pan drippings when the turkey is done. I'm hoping that will be a good substitute for a true roasted turkey stock? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunk Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 Any thoughts on dry vs. wet brining? I was thinking that I don't have a big enough container to brine the turkey overnight in my fridge, so I was going to just go with dry salting the bird. Anyone have any luck with this method?Also, I have some chicken stock in my fridge, so I was planning on adding the turkey parts (neck, gizzard, wings, not liver, from the fresh turkey I'm picking up tonight), to the stock, and simmering that all for a bit this evening. Then I would use that to make the gravy tomorrow with the pan drippings when the turkey is done. I'm hoping that will be a good substitute for a true roasted turkey stock? Do you have a cooler and some outdoor space? You can wet brine using roasting bags, a cooler and some ice. I think your gravy/stock idea will work fine. I'm doing a similar thing. The stock that I am using for the gravy tomorrow is a "poultry" stock made from chicken and turkey parts/bones. Its quite good, actually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcanuck Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I just picked up my 17lb turducken. I'm so excited. I'll post food porn pix, assuming it all turns out. It's being served with pumpkin soup, mashed potatoes (w. smoked sea salt), mashed sweet potatoes (w. cumin and maple syrup), sauteed brussels sprouts and pancetta, and collard greens (w. ham hocks and crispy bacon). Dessert is sour cherry pie and layered vanilla/espresso ice cream (w. caramel sauce). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 We're headed to my husband's aunt's house tomorrow for the family Thanksgiving. I've got one loaf of bread left to go into the oven. So far, I've made cranberry-orange bread, a whole wheat boule from the NYT no-knead recipe, mktye's Tabasco Cheese Bread and her Salami-Provolone Bread. The last to go in is the fast-rising white bread from the New JOC. I've also made two batches of spiced honey nuts (with additional cinnamon and nutmeg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babka Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi. It's midnight and I've already overcooked half the turkey. That might be ok, except that 8 guests somehow became 13 this afternoon. And that will probably be ok, except that, in laying out the china, I discovered that that my former roommate apparently took half my good plates and glasses to college with her. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotteeM Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi. It's midnight and I've already overcooked half the turkey. That might be ok, except that 8 guests somehow became 13 this afternoon. And that will probably be ok, except that, in laying out the china, I discovered that that my former roommate apparently took half my good plates and glasses to college with her. Sounds like you're doing great, Babka! Seriously, it's all good, right? Maybe one of your non-cooking guests could bring dishes and glasses, either theirs or disposables? Have a great one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malawry Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Menu for 11 adults and 4 kids: Cocktail hour snax: Spiced pecans Marinated olives Duck confit-cabbage strudel Chopped chicken liver Assorted cheeses Onion tart with thyme Gravlox The main event: Fried turkey, huzzah! Turkey gravy Cranberry sauce Stuffing Braised red cabbage Haricots verts with shiitake mushrooms and fried shallots Cheesy potato casserole (from a guest) Sweet potato casserole, Grandma's style Applesauce Dessert, from guests: Coca-Cola cake Pumpkin trifle Pear-raspberry crisp Fresh fruit Chocolate treats Everything's done but the turkey and gravy. :smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waitman Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 No cooking today Bored, must not start drinking yet Maybe see Borat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 One of the (dis?)advantages of living in the sticks is that no one wants to go to your house for Thanksgiving. We're going to three Thanksgiving dinners this weekend, and alls I'm making is bread. I feel left out. I might roast a turkey next week just for the leftovers. Must. Start. Drinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi. It's midnight and I've already overcooked half the turkey. That might be ok, except that 8 guests somehow became 13 this afternoon. And that will probably be ok, except that, in laying out the china, I discovered that that my former roommate apparently took half my good plates and glasses to college with her. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Sounds like you're doing great, Babka! Seriously, it's all good, right? Maybe one of your non-cooking guests could bring dishes and glasses, either theirs or disposables?Have a great one! If there is one person who could make this work without anyone noticing it's babka! Let me know if you need extra chairs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malawry Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 One of the (dis?)advantages of living in the sticks is that no one wants to go to your house for Thanksgiving. Au contraire. Though, except for my folks, everybody else at my home also lives in the sticks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 The next time I offer to cook dinner at someone else's house, please thwack me. Repeatedly. So far--one really ugly apple pie (discovered the cookie sheet was uneven and a bunch of filling fell out...), two moderately ugly pumpkin pies (oven not big enough to fit two pies comfortably...) MIL keeps opening oven to look at turkey--concept of high heat roasting not going over well. No food processor... The mushroom gravy seems to have turn out well. Mr. BLB and I are going to start chopping veggies for the roasted root veggies in a few minutes. Sigh... Jennifer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babka Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi. It's midnight and I've already overcooked half the turkey. That might be ok, except that 8 guests somehow became 13 this afternoon. And that will probably be ok, except that, in laying out the china, I discovered that that my former roommate apparently took half my good plates and glasses to college with her. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! replaced yesterday's braise with a new one. calculated: have now washed three primary pots six times each. realized that since I already invited the neighbors so as to get access to their oven, I can borrow their chairs and plates without guilt. consuming fresca cans and glasses of wine in roughly a 2:1 ratio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotteeM Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 My 8-lb turkey only took 90 minutes to roast (I had estimated 2 hours), but it looks beautiful. The potatoes are coming to the boil, the Brussels sprouts and the tomato bread pudding are in the oven now. We enjoyed the wine-boiled shrimp and remolade, and then shifted to pate and crackers with a few glasses of blanc de blanc. Mr. S has selected a 2000 St. Innocent Pinot Noir (Brickhouse Vineyard) to go with the main event, and he's promising (or maybe threatening) to open a 1971 Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling TBA with dessert. Can't wait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe H Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I have made candied sweet potatoes a different way every year for almost 20 years. I was obsessed with finding the absolute best. And I did. A variation from Emeril's in his cookbook Real 'n Rustic. I make Southern green beans by cooking 5 lbs. of fresh snap beans down for eight hours with 4 large, sweet Spanish onions and a half pound of pork sidemeat or fatback. For corn souffle I repeatedly scrape the corn milk from the cob and use heavy whipping cream. I use fresh cranberries for my relish and a very good bottle of Cab in my red wine turkey gravy. Of course the turkey is free range. And the mashed potatoes are three parts Yukon Gold, one part French butter and one part heavy cream. Mashed with the skin on. Sometimes with fresh garlic. For thirty years now I have cooked for eight to twelve sated, obsessed souls who dearly love the comfortable excess of Thanksgiving. This year, our daughter who has shared the cooking over the past several years couldn't participate or host because she just gave birth to her second baby. We also didn't know if there would only be us or as many as twelve or more until a week or so before. I decided that this would be the year I would try Wegman's $149.95 Thanksgiving dinner for 10 to 12. I reserved the 3:00PM slot for Fairfax and, at 2:50, joined 49 others in a slow moving line. Several immediately near me volunteered that they "were back" because "it was soooo good last year." I heard comments like "delicious," "heavenly," "awfully good" and "to die for." In the fifteen minutes that I stood there before my number was called I cannot tell you how much my sense of anticipation skyrocketed. I even forgot all about the front page, above the fold Washington Post article that debunked a western Loudoun County icon which sells 6,000+ Sara Lee pies a year under the accurate but seemingly misleading "home baked" appellation. After all, this year I had bought my pies from the rapidly expanding Sterling/Herndon/Occoquan/Leesburg's Mom's. As I have for years dating back to the '80's when I watched them bake the pies off of Sunset Hills in an industrial park on the Reston/Herndon line. The depression, the disillusion from the Post article and the disappointment from not sharing the cooking this year was behind me. It SMELLED GOOD in Wegman's; I trusted them-I trusted my nose. And the "stoked" comments of the portly several who stood near myself in line. I also had the foresight to pick up some Irish butter, an excellent garlic boule along with several wonderfully fresh Kummelwick rolls, all to compliment the Thanksgiving feast Wegman's was thoughtfully and apparently deliciously providing. Two hours later nine of us sat at the dinner table. After several pregnant silences a family member from La Jolla volunteered that it was really good; another from Ithaca agreed. And a third, in town from the Bay area noted that the gravy really lent a lot to the turkey. A fourth pointed out that the quart plus of gravy really "helped" the stuffing. All were kind, all were politically correct, all were family. It was awful. Arguably the worst Thanksgiving dinner I've had since I waited tables at Hot Shoppes while I was in high school in the 1960's and scarfed down leftovers between throngs of diners who arrived in hungry waves. In a narrow corridor out of sight of the dining room where a conveyor carried dirty dishes to a steam room. From dried out turkey to Heinz like gravy to dry, bland, bread bloated stuffing to flavorless gloppy yams this was an unworthy dinner that I will never repeat. Sholl's, S & W, Morrison's-all cafeterias-would have blown this away. As would Hot Shoppes forty years ago. And, the Mom's butter crust apple and chocolate pecan, we all thought, perhaps rather disturbingly, could have been frozen and baked on site. They, too, left quite a bit to be desired. I want my 5,000 calories back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poivrot Farci Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 26# heritage bird. Ataturk would be proud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jparrott Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I don't see any EtOH on there . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I decided that this would be the year I would try Wegman's $149.95 Thanksgiving dinner for 10 to 12. They sell a cooked turkey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPW Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Cheese and salami board. Check Turkey. Check Gravy. Check Cranberry sauce. Check Smashed potatoes. Check Biscuits. Oops, that was unfortunate. Guest provided green beans. Check Guest provided stuffing. Excellent Apple Pie. Excellent Ice Cream. Check Guest provided wine. Check Own wine. Check. Too much wine. Check At work with a hangover. Check 2 year old Peanut passed out on family room floor at 7 PM because of all the excitement and no nap. Check One last unneeded nip of bourbon. Check. Thankful for dinner guests and all the other blessings of my life? Definitely check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Round 1 -- Assorted snacks while the food cooked. Selection of cheeses Prosciutto Mortadella Home made terrine (no SPAM in this one ) Home made gravlax Dried Fruits Crackers Gewurtz Round 2 -- Italian Pre-Dinner Meatballs Braciole Sausage Home made manicotti (Brought by the guests) Chianti Classico Round 3 -- Traditional Turkey Dinner Spice-rubbed Turkey Roasted spiced sweet potatoes Cornbread sausage stuffing Collards Cranberry Sauce Home made bread Cornbread Bradford Zinfandel Round 4 -- Dessert Pumpkin pies Pumpkin cheesecake pie Devil's Food birthday cake Coffee Limoncello The bird was purchased from M.O.M. (Maple Lawn Turkey) and it was delicious. I did not brine the bird, but used the ice pack on the breast technique. The turkey was tasty and succulent and was probably the best bird I have had in years. I know where I am getting my bird next year! Thankful that I have a fridge full of leftovers so I don't have to think about lunch or dinner for the next week or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mktye Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 The spread: and the Acorn Mush (rwtye thinks I need to call it by a more appetizing-sounding name, his suggestion: Acorn Gruel) cooked in turkey stock with garlic and bacon Pies: Pumpkin (supplied by my mother-in-law, she even brought the crust with her in her suitcase and seriously considered toting along her own eggs too), Apple (with home-grown apples supplied by my mother-in-law) and Pecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillvalley Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Nine hours of indulgence in five "courses" Cheese board with 5 different cheeses which were enjoyed throughout the day 5 dozen oysters and 3 dozen clams on the half shell washed down with hillvalley's infamous Bloody Marys Proscuitto and melon The meal: Basil Turkey-pesto spread under the skin and a bunch of basil pesto put in the cavety-and homemade gravy mashed potatoes, roasted green beans, purple cauliflower with grated parmesean roasted white sweet potatoes (Amazing!!!) chesnut puree Dessert: homemade and bakery bought pumpkin pie (homemade was better) apple pie apple cake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Four friends at loose ends had dinner to make amends: butternut squash soup with toasted pepitas and queso fresco; French sparkling cider mole poblano with Maple Lawn Farms turkey (sauce fantastic, turkey terrible); Hennepin Rare Vos frijoles de olla roasted potatoes torta de elote homemade pumpkin pie; Very Old Fitzgerald Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdt Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 ...Maple Lawn Farms turkey (sauce fantastic, turkey terrible) Terrible?! Really? What was wrong with it? Did anyone else get one that wants to comment? Granted I only cook turkey once a year, but the bird I got was really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Terrible?! Really? What was wrong with it? Did anyone else get one that wants to comment? Granted I only cook turkey once a year, but the bird I got was really good. It was incredibly tough. Or maybe I should say inedibly tough. I followed the recipe, and I've made it before with good results, so I really don't know what happened. But I have 2 20-oz jars of mole sauce in the freezer now, to grace a chicken or pork shoulder in the future. So the effort wasn't entirely wasted. And that was one of the best f***ing pies I ever et. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 The spread: Nice job, Martha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babka Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Final Spread for 13: cheese & crackers & bread leek soup egullet's slkinsey's turkey two-ways, braised & roasted. roasted butternut squash & gorgonzola pie creamed corn greens with peanut sauce cranberry chutney with orange zest & whisky indian curried vegetables baked potatoes with cheese russian crepes spinach salad rice & beans & stinky cheese stuffing, forgotten on the stove & discovered after dinner the forgotten champagne & dancing off calories, followed by homemade carrot cake, two apple pies, 1 cherry pie, and a fruit salad. I only made the turkey and the squash pie; everyone else either brought a dish or showed up early to cook. Somehow the dishes all got done before everybody left and nobody called the police, despite, we realized on a late walk, being able to hear the music from a block away.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
demandalicious Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I hosted a last minute dinner party for my "family of friends"...I am still full: *1 kosher turkey named Pauline - brined overnight and rubbed down liberally with a sage, bacon and butter concoction. *Cranberry/orange chutney. *The best stuffing that I've ever made. *Marshed pertaters. *Gravy. *Green Bean Casserole with baby bellas and fried shallots. *Corn pudding. *Collard Greens. *Macaroni and Cheese. *Various beverages. *A few cigarettes. *Pumpkin pie, blueberry pie (from Whole Paycheck...both were disappointing). *Fresh whipped cream. *Lactaid. *Tums. *Advil. *Extreme giggling. *A Dance-off. *12 hours of sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 Joe, Your post almost had me crying-because I considered it myself. We hosted, for probably the 5 or 6th time, my inlaws & various outlaws, I was expecting 11 adults & 5 kids (one is an infant), then was surprised w/ an additional guest , who is allergic to all types of pepper. However, it all went well, we smoked a turkey & a turkey breast, had a ham & also country ham, on rolls, for a starter. Everyone else brought the sides-rolls, m. potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes & excellent homemade pies-apple, pecan, & pumpkin. My MIL made her cornbread dressing. I did some apps, cheese board, salami & country ham, crackers, bread, clam dip, olives, nuts, carrot & celery sticks. I also made a cabbage, bacon, sauerkraut, mushroom,& apple saute (w/ pomegranate vinegar), because that's my favorite part of T'giving dinner. We had enough food (& plastic containers) to parcel out the leftovers, enough comfy places for people to nap afterwords, a fire in the fireplace...as much as the thought of a '1-stop dinner' appealed to me, ours was great, because everyone helped out. I made stock w/ the turkey carcasses last night & have a lentil soup in the crockpot now, & another crockpot, w/ the hambone in it. And it's so quiet here right now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 24 lb. turkey green bean and mushroom casserole topped with fried onions brussel sprouts with housemade pancetta and chestnuts giblet gravey cranberry orange relish mashed potatoes roasted fingerlings (my mother thought they were white sweet potatoes when she bought them) sausage and apple stuffiing chocolate pecan pie creme fraiche ice cream with maple-bourbon swirl too much work for a day off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe H Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Joe, Your post almost had me crying-because I considered it myself. We hosted, for probably the 5 or 6th time, my inlaws & various outlaws, I was expecting 11 adults & 5 kids (one is an infant), then was surprised w/ an additional guest , who is allergic to all types of pepper. However, it all went well, we smoked a turkey & a turkey breast, had a ham & also country ham, on rolls, for a starter. Everyone else brought the sides-rolls, m. potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes & excellent homemade pies-apple, pecan, & pumpkin. My MIL made her cornbread dressing. I did some apps, cheese board, salami & country ham, crackers, bread, clam dip, olives, nuts, carrot & celery sticks. I also made a cabbage, bacon, sauerkraut, mushroom,& apple saute (w/ pomegranate vinegar), because that's my favorite part of T'giving dinner. We had enough food (& plastic containers) to parcel out the leftovers, enough comfy places for people to nap afterwords, a fire in the fireplace...as much as the thought of a '1-stop dinner' appealed to me, ours was great, because everyone helped out. I made stock w/ the turkey carcasses last night & have a lentil soup in the crockpot now, & another crockpot, w/ the hambone in it. And it's so quiet here right now... For myself it also spoke volumes about the credibility of those who stand in lines like this and rave about returning because it "was so good last year." Wegman's has its limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brr Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 we were very pleased by our effort this year and judging by the satisfied smiles at the table our guests were fairly happy as well..... corn bread white winter vegetable soup corn souffle oyster, leek and mushroom stuffing regular stuffing parsnip, potato and carrot gratin french beans w/ pine nuts a a little lemon zest mashed potatos port wine, fig and cranberry sauce turkey frango mint chocolate cake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now