The Thanksgiving Mega Thread

guitar hero and trival pursuit

I'd love to get Apples to Apples, but since I can't fit it in my suit case I'll have to look for it online once I get over there. Imagine If is really fun as well! 

I'd love to get Apples to Apples, but since I can't fit it in my suit case I'll have to look for it online once I get over there. Imagine If is really fun as well! 

Those look like fun! I love Cranium and its iterations as well. 

I figured since I made it through all 46 pages of the thread (over several days) I'd go ahead and post.  This will be my first Thanksgiving in the UK and since I've been feeling a little homesick my mom has decided to come visit!  We're going to have our big feast the saturday after Thanksgiving so my in-laws can come.  Besides my mom, my husband, my 9-year old step-son and my in-laws, we've invited my American best friend and her husband who are students in London, and our next-door neighbors (they've kindly offered the use of their oven since we only have a tiny one).

I'm really going to miss having a real Thanksgiving with all of my extended family but I'm determined to make my new family love it as much as I do.  My step-son doesn't really understand what it's all about but he loves learning about American history so I'm thinking of ordering a kid's book about the history of the holiday to read with him.

As for the menu, I'm going to see our neighborhood butcher next week about a turkey (I saw frozen ones at Sainsbury's yesterday) and I'm letting either my husband (he does a brilliant roast) or my mom handle that one.  We're going to have homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, homemade cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and maybe green beans (not a casserole, usually home-canned ones)?  Definitely pumpkin pie and pecan pie.  My mom is going to make my Granny's rolls and I've got a load of Southern Biscuit flour in the freezer if we wanted proper biscuits.  It will be a stretch to have everyone in our small flat (we don't even have a dining table yet but are searching for the perfect folding one) but it'll be worth it to start new traditions here in England. 

It will be a stretch to have everyone in our small flat (we don't even have a dining table yet but are searching for the perfect folding one) but it'll be worth it to start new traditions here in England. 

AMEN! EXACTLY! Just make new traditions...I cant wait for next year when we hopefully will host Thanksgiving..That weekend will always be special as we got married the 28th so I hope to incorporate all of that fun stuff starting next year in a bigger house *crosses fingers*

I am happy to hear your mom is coming - how could it get better then that? Awesome!

AMEN! EXACTLY! Just make new traditions...I cant wait for next year when we hopefully will host Thanksgiving..That weekend will always be special as we got married the 28th so I hope to incorporate all of that fun stuff starting next year in a bigger house *crosses fingers*

  NOV 27th is special for us thats our Anniversary!! 

  NOV 27th is special for us thats our Anniversary!! 

Our Wedding Anniversary is the 28th!

Good luck, Tally. Sounds like you'll all have a great time!

Still no idea what we're going to do this year. DH and DS should be back in US that week but not sure I am ready for all that cooking (and the dishwasher is still feeling poorly) We'll probably get invited to my cousin's but whenever I ask what I can bring she will never say.  That bothers me because I think it should be about sharing -- if I just make something off my own bat it always feels like she doesn't really need an extra dish.  We usually beg off (DS is never up in time anyway  )

Does anyone have any interesting vegetable side dish recipes for thanksgiving?
I might make this scalloped sweet potato dish I saw on tasty kitchen, but I'd like recipes for other veg as well, like carrots, shallots (mmm baked onions) or anything really, I like all veg really (aside from celery!) (Not green bean casserole thanks, that's one tradition I just can't get down with!)

This is my FAV...I have made it EVERY year...I dont do green bean casserole..bleh

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Green-Bean-Bundles-3
Really easy but oh so yummy!

Does anyone have any interesting vegetable side dish recipes for thanksgiving?
I might make this scalloped sweet potato dish I saw on tasty kitchen, but I'd like recipes for other veg as well, like carrots, shallots (mmm baked onions) or anything really, I like all veg really (aside from celery!) (Not green bean casserole thanks, that's one tradition I just can't get down with!)

Do any of these sound good?  I'll post the recipes (or pm) for any you'd like to try.
Cauliflower & Carrot Gratin
Green Beans with Pearl Onions & Bacon
Smokin' Lime & Honey Yams
Slow-cooker Brown-sugared Baby Carrots
Maple & Applesauce Carrots with Candied Pecans
Sweet Corn with Sage
Green Beans with Colored Peppers
Sweet Potato and Barley Risotto
Broccoli & Squash Medley
They all sound yummy to me.  :-)

Pumpkin pie according to the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/oct/28/make-perfect-pumpkin-pie

Check out some of the British comments. 

Pumpkin pie according to the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/oct/28/make-perfect-pumpkin-pie

Check out some of the British comments. 

THANK you that was so funny I had to share on FB for the US peeps

Pumpkin pie according to the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/oct/28/make-perfect-pumpkin-pie

Check out some of the British comments.  

I try not to read comments when something American is mentioned anymore. Yawn.

All hail sweet potatoes with MARSHMALLOWS!!

Zoya, I might do the same!

Those comments were so funny. People here eat pumpkin soup but that seems to be it. I had to explain to people what is so great about pumpkin pie. It's the best.

Do any of these sound good?  I'll post the recipes (or pm) for any you'd like to try.
Cauliflower & Carrot Gratin
Green Beans with Pearl Onions & Bacon
Smokin' Lime & Honey Yams
Slow-cooker Brown-sugared Baby Carrots
Maple & Applesauce Carrots with Candied Pecans
Sweet Corn with Sage
Green Beans with Colored Peppers
Sweet Potato and Barley Risotto
Broccoli & Squash Medley
They all sound yummy to me.  :-)

oooh they all sound good! Um, could I get... Lime and Honey Yams, Slow cooker Baby carrots, Sweet corn with sage and Green beans with pearl onions and bacon

I'm quite interested in this green beans + bacon combination, as zoya's beans look lush and I never would have thought to put beans and bacon together really.