The Thanksgiving Mega Thread

YES!!! It took some time, but I finally found it in this very thread - back a year, but here it is. LOL

Thanks for that! 

It might mean your filling boiled out so  yes likely the heat was too high...

I tried this one
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/pecanpie_12453.shtml

and it was pretty good---I did not make the crust and I think used a spiced rum.... 

I thought all Pecan Pies had eggs? 

Yes, AFAIK, they do - but the Bittman recipe was just like a sweet (with sugar) eggy custard and pecans...no added sugary syrups like corn syrup, golden syrup, etc.

I'll let everyone know what I end up doing & how it turns out.  Oh and I used the ready-made pastry from the store last year, so this year I'm going to make my own (with the help of the food processor), I think.

Okay, so I'm deliberating over my pecan pie...  And wanting some advice - vnicepeeps?  Elynor?  Bueller?

According to my go-to cookbook, Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything his take is this:  There are two kinds of pecan pie.  One made with corn syrup which is basically too sweet and nasty.  (I know he's talking about the pecan pie most of us know & love there, but hear this out.)  If you ever taste corn syrup on its own, you'll never cook with it again...I'm paraphrasing him there.  The other kind is (still a sweet pie, mind) essentially an egg custard type pie filled with pecans - what could be nicer?  (according to Mark)

So I was wondering - would people like the latter?  (I know I can use golden syrup over here & all that.)  Last year, my pecan pie...well people were nice & I guess it tasted okay, but you had to literally chisel it out of the pie plate.  Not nice.  So I'm just trying to decide if I'm going to do that kind of pecan pie - Take 2, this year?  Or maybe try Mark Bittman's way?  If I go traditional (very very sweet and lovely, not nasty), how do you keep from having to chisel it out of the pie plate?

Sorry, just saw this! I've had success going with the golden-for-corn-syrup substitution and, as EnglishHolly mentioned, lower the temp a bit. And keep an eye on it! If it's not too late, I can get you my grandpa's recipe when I get home tonight.

And yes, your pie last year did taste lovely!

Sorry, just saw this! I've had success going with the golden-for-corn-syrup substitution and, as EnglishHolly mentioned, lower the temp a bit. And keep an eye on it! If it's not too late, I can get you my grandpa's recipe when I get home tonight.

And yes, your pie last year did taste lovely!

Thanks, Elynor!  I think I'm going to make my pecan pie first (like this afternoon) so don't worry about getting me the recipe this evening - although I'm sure it's lovely.  

I was thinking about maybe trying Vnice's link recipe but just wondering as it's a UK recipe and my pie plates are BIG American-size ones - will have to measure & decide.  (Just concerned if the volume of the liquid on the recipe will be sufficient.)  I have rum on hand which the recipe calls for.  Long time ago, I used to do a chocolate-pecan pie recipe that called for bourbon & that was always nice, so I thought the rum might be interesting.

I used that recipe that vnicepeeps posted & it came out well - people said it was nice.  I was a little disappointed in my pie crust - not as flaky as I would like it to be, a little tough.  I think I overworked it, and also I tried the flour conversion thingie which maybe isn't necessary for pie crust - so maybe too much flour in it.

The pecan pie was good, but just not how I remember a great pecan pie being.  But you know sometimes your memories of something you had when you were younger, that someone else made - well what you make doesn't ever quite live up to those memories, IYKWIM?  Anyway, it was passable, I think!

I'll keep tinkering around with it from pie to pie, year to year though.  And hopefully, have volunteer pie tasters.

So how was everyone's Thanksgiving?

We celebrated Friday night and had some friends and family over. Everyone liked the pumpkin pie (or at least said they did, which is just as good to me) but no compliments on the corn bread, as usual. I just can't seem to get anyone to actually like corn bread.
All in all, it was really good. Lots of conversation and plenty to eat, but not too much.

One thing I always feel annoyed by this time of year is my lack of deep dish pie pans. It's something that doesn't bother me until Thanksgiving, and then it's a big deal! This year I made a pie in a UK pie dish but decided the crust to filling ratio was all wrong so I made another one in a 'sandwich tin', which was the right depth but a real bugger to line with pastry and a killer to get out of the pan. Luckily I mentioned this to my mom tonight, and she has resolved to solve the problem by sending me some pie dishes. Result!

I hope everyone else had a great Thanksgiving

I had a great last Thanksgiving in the States and am looking forward to heading to the UK in the next couple of weeks. YAY! Thankfully, I have paid attention to everyone's complaints about shallow pie tins, so I have bought one specifically to put in my luggage so I don't have to worry about it next year. hehe I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. I am looking forward to meeting the challenge of Thanksgiving in the UK next year.

My first Thanksgiving in the UK went really well, minus a few hiccups.  My internet went down so I couldn't download the parade like I had planned.  Then Saturday morning when I put the turkey in the oven I realized I would have no room to put in the broccoli casserole.  After some whining to the hubby, I realized I could try to make it in the slow cooker.  Turned out just as my Mom would make it, along with everything else.  Last hiccup was the Pumpkin Pecan Pie... I used the golden syrup substitute for the corn syrup and lowered the temp, but the darn pumpkin never fully cooked... Still tasted good though.  We had 9 people in total (turned our lounge into a dining room for the day), and I barely have any leftovers (which is good and bad... I <3 leftover turkey sandwiches).  We drank, watched American football, and passed out early.  Besides the lack of my own family, it was a great day.

Now on to Christmas...

We had ours on Sunday, and it was good, but MIL could not get her mind round the idea of having roast meat without roast veg, so in addition to the mashed potatoes, broccoli purée, and leafy greens that are traditional in my family, we also had roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots and cauliflower.  An "Anglo-American" Thanksgiving, she said.  At least they liked the pumpkin pie.

We had ours on Sunday, and it was good, but MIL could not get her mind round the idea of having roast meat without roast veg, so in addition to the mashed potatoes, broccoli purée, and leafy greens that are traditional in my family, we also had roast potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots and cauliflower.  An "Anglo-American" Thanksgiving, she said.  At least they liked the pumpkin pie.

Ha ha!  Someone asked me (maybe more than one person & on more than one occasion) - when I was describing my Thanksgiving menu, if there was going to be roast veg (potatoes, etc).  Now I realise that some Americans may do that as part of their traditional meal (just saying), but not mine!  I said - No way!  This is American Thanksgiving, not British Christmas!  They will eat their mashed potatoes and their candied sweet potatoes & they will like it (or else - ha!). 

Ha ha!  Someone asked me (maybe more than one person & on more than one occasion) - when I was describing my Thanksgiving menu, if there was going to be roast veg (potatoes, etc).  Now I realise that some Americans may do that as part of their traditional meal (just saying), but not mine!  I said - No way!  This is American Thanksgiving, not British Christmas!  They will eat their mashed potatoes and their candied sweet potatoes & they will like it (or else - ha!). 

You could have said but candied sweet potatoes are roasted  (ie they're done in an oven). We always had roast potatoes and mashed and scalloped but them my mom always made 2 or 3 kinds of everything and way way too much of everything else.

But reading about all these sweet potatoes, pumpkin pies, pecan pies, turkey sandwiches, I swear I am putting on weight. Probably because I read, get hungry, go and snack. Too much.

But reading about all these sweet potatoes, pumpkin pies, pecan pies, turkey sandwiches, I swear I am putting on weight. Probably because I read, get hungry, go and snack. Too much.

My husband swears he's putting on weight too, but not from UKY, from all the cream and butter filled, fried dishes that I serve (which in my defence is not that often).  I explained to him that I am American... that's how I roll. 

You could have said but candied sweet potatoes are roasted  (ie they're done in an oven). We always had roast potatoes and mashed and scalloped but them my mom always made 2 or 3 kinds of everything and way way too much of everything else.

Lol!  But I like distinguishing what are two different meals (in my head) - so I had to learn to like brussel sprouts (which I do love now!) and Christmas pudding (like is a strong word on that one), so I figure it's only fair my DH learn to develop a love for candied sweet potatoes! 

so I figure it's only fair my DH learn to develop a love for candied sweet potatoes! 

and cranberry sauce! which thankfully is easy to get nowadays.  But good on you.

Have you got him into pancakes and real maple syrup yet? 

Has he gotten you into chutneys? 

My husband swears he's putting on weight too, but not from UKY, from all the cream and butter filled, fried dishes that I serve (which in my defence is not that often).  I explained to him that I am American... that's how I roll. 

I had to laugh at that. My hubby is going to be in so much trouble. Not only am I American, but Southern too! hehe Is there any other way to cook? Seriously though, he'd better be glad that I have branched out from my roots because it would be all fried stuff and gravy & biscuits all the time, otherwise. LOL Good eating for sure, but only on occasion.

Roll on Christmas! 

I had to laugh at that. My hubby is going to be in so much trouble. Not only am I American, but Southern too! hehe Is there any other way to cook? Seriously though, he'd better be glad that I have branched out from my roots because it would be all fried stuff and gravy & biscuits all the time, otherwise. LOL Good eating for sure, but only on occasion.

Roll on Christmas! 

LOL!!! Now how about fried stuff with gravy??? One of my faves is French Fries and Gravy!!!!  Thank goodness I don't eat like that all the time though....