The Thanksgiving Mega Thread

I'm craving a pecan pie but suspect that would not be a big hit here so I need to give the desserts some thought.

Make it anyway! I did last year. People were a bit scared of it, but that meant more for me. And the lecturer who'd lived in Canada was thrilled.

Pecan pie made with golden syrup instead of corn syrup is amazing.

We won't be there either - will be going home for a visit in November, but coming back before Thanksgiving.  Maybe us East Midlands types who will be around should pool together? 

That sounds promising but where would we meet up at though?

Pecan pie made with golden syrup instead of corn syrup is amazing.

I'll have to try that.  I'm not a pumpkin pie eater but pecan pie...  YUM!!!

Never too early to talk about Thanksgiving! It's my most favorite time of year, but not for food related reasons at all. My countdown is well underway!  Yay 

Just to stay with the theme.. I do really like the green bean casserole and am a huge fan of pumpkin pie. 

I'm stressed about Thanksgiving this year. I'm only going to be home for 3 1/2 days and there is not enough time for me to see everyone I need/want to see. I just dont want to make anyone mad!

so excited.

Thanksgiving is our family's favorite holiday.  I'm going to miss it dearly. I'm going to have to webcam them when they're eating so I can pretend to be part of it.  But I certainly can't afford to go back twice in a short period of time! 

Thanksgiving is our family's favorite holiday.  I'm going to miss it dearly. I'm going to have to webcam them when they're eating so I can pretend to be part of it.  But I certainly can't afford to go back twice in a short period of time! 

I feel your pain we are in the same boat  I would love to go see my family for Thanksgiving but I think seeing my niece graduate high school is more important to me. 

This will be my husbands first proper thanksgiving. We had a mini one last year but this year we're heading to the states to my parents for the huge family get together! Also it will be the first my mother in law too and my daughter who will meet her grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins for the first time. She'll be 6 months old by then, well if all goes smoothly at the embassy next week...fingers crossed!

This will be my first Thanksgiving away from home and I'm really sad about it.

I'll miss my family and the extreme shopping the day after!

I haven't decided if I'll do anything yet, but may have a nice Thanksgiving-ish dinner the Saturday after.

Yeah, my first Thanksgiving away from home, too.  This is what I have decided to do:
I took holidays for the Wed, Thurs, and Fri... just like I would normally get, and even though DH has no more holidays left this year, I will be cooking all day Wed and Thurs so we can have our dinner that evening when my family back home is having their dinner (they usually do it at lunch time, so we will have ours at the same time if we have it at tea time) and then i can stay up late on the webcam with my family and friends afterwards.  I think MIL and FIL are coming, but maybe not anyone else.  Not sure... most of them wouldn't come over on a weeknight, but I feel like I have to do it when I normally would... lest I be depressed that day!
So I checked with the local butchers and they are going to special order a turkey for me, I just have to pop in 2 weeks ahead of time to order it.  Probably just get a small one, since our oven is pretty small anyway.  My best friend is sending a few things my way for the event, like the french fried onions and stuff for the green bean casserole, which is my favorite... and even though I don't really like pumpkin pie, I am planning to make one this year so DH can try it, so I will have to probably get some canned pumpkin as well.  Unless anyone has a better idea on the green bean casserole and stuff, so I don't have to send out for supplies?  I can't imagine it any other way besides the usual processed food in cans mixed together....    I haven't ever really learned to make things from scratch!
And then the next day, I plan to shop all day, just like everyone does in Dallas!  WOOOHOOO!!! 
So, yeah, staying upbeat about my first Thanksgiving in UK, think I can make it almost as good as it would've been, will just miss my family a bit, but the webcam should help!   

I feel your pain we are in the same boat  I would love to go see my family for Thanksgiving but I think seeing my niece graduate high school is more important to me. 

Yep, this was my year for prioritising too and I chose my niece's wedding over Thanksgiving, so I'll be here this year for the first time in a couple of years.... I'm also taking W-F off and doing a big meal for a handful of people. I actually sort of enjoy doing it here, so even though it would be nice to be with my family we'll have a nice time regardless.

My best friend is sending a few things my way for the event, like the french fried onions and stuff for the green bean casserole, which is my favorite... and even though I don't really like pumpkin pie, I am planning to make one this year so DH can try it, so I will have to probably get some canned pumpkin as well.  Unless anyone has a better idea on the green bean casserole and stuff, so I don't have to send out for supplies?

They have the onion thingys here. They're in the grocery store salad stuff section.

Also more and more stores carry tinned pumpkin now. Waitrose pretty much always has it! 

Do I remember reading something on here about Pillsbury's crescent rolls (Pop-N-Fresh?) are starting to be sold over here -- or did I dream that?

At my family's Thanksgiving, we always had Grandma's homemade bread rolls & I have her recipe!  I think I'm going to make it at my brother's house in Atlanta, only it's the same recipe as for her bread & her cinnamon rolls too -- so I think we're going to make cinnamon rolls because he wants to know how.

Oh yes, I found these at ASDA's... they are just the same, and I was soooo happy!  Just wish you could get the biscuits and other pillsbury stuff as well.  Maybe one day....

Cool, yeah just realized how long this thread was and read through about the fried onions and stuff.  No Waitrose up here, I don't think, but I will check at Sainsbury's for some stuff, and maybe I could order online, as the last time my folks sent me some food (Velveeta and Fruity Pebbles!) it cost them $92 to ship it!      so, I'm not eager to ask for anything else from anyone I know!

If you are anywhere near a Booths (more of a northern based store I think?), they usually have the canned pumpkin as well.  I think I would sooner improvise using what's available here, than have someone in the US spend a lot of money shipping heavy stuff like tins, etc.  I am pretty sure someone posted some kind of green bean casserole recipe as well in the past!

Cool, yeah just realized how long this thread was and read through about the fried onions and stuff.  No Waitrose up here, I don't think, but I will check at Sainsbury's for some stuff

Sainsbury's has the fried onions.