The Thanksgiving Mega Thread

I have a thing about Thanksgiving is NOT Christmas - lol!

Me too!  Except that, in my previous life, I cooked turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas.  DH balks at that, he wants his Christmas dinner with turkey.   

Right, I planned my official menu today and ordered my stuff from Tesco set for delivery on the Tuesday before. We're having our dinner on the Sunday afternoon, since we have to work on the day and I wanted to have a day beforehand to make some preparations ahead of time.
Sooo... here it is!

Turkey crown (wrapped in streaky bacon with treacle)
Allspice gravy
Cranberry sauce (maybe more like a cranberry-orange relish)
Allspice gravy
Roasted potatoes with duck fat (yeah, I know this is a Christmas thing, but too good to pass up and I was given two big jars of premium duck fat, so why not?! I could eat roasties every day!)
Sweet potato mash (going to keep this one simple as the in laws weren't too keen on the marshmallows when I made it last time. But I will probably add a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon, etc.)
Sauteed asparagus in garlic butter
Corn casserole (my BFF's recipe)

Maple pecan squares
Pumpkin pie with walnut streusel topping and brandy whipped cream

Also will have a bottle of brandy and a bottle of Hazelnut Bailey's for afters. 

We're doing either turkey or chicken and a small ham (and the gravy).
Mom and I will also do the stuffing and one dessert as yet to be determined. We also make a cranberry apple relish.

Other family will bring assorted veggies, rolls, and potatoes.

A friend of mine, who is originally from South Africa told me about a Thanksgiving dinner a church in Richmond is sponsoring and she mentioned it because she thought I might like to go.

I thanked her for so kindly thinking of me, but that I would not attend.  I will cook a smaller version of Thanksgiving for me and Mr. K, and will even watch some football if they have it on Sky sports.  I will call everyone in my family and that would be Turkey day for us.  And I am ok with that.

She thought I was being a bit strange by not wanting to celebrate with my fellow country men.  I tried to explain to her that eating some turkey with strangers (even though they are Americans) is not Thanksgiving for me.  Thanksgiving is celebrating/and giving thanks with my family and close friends that I consider family, eating foods that are traditional to my family, and watching some football.  If it was a 4th of July celebration...well, I could do that with a bunch of strangers, no problem and I would probably have a great time.   In my experience, Thanksgiving is just less fun around strangers.

I really don't mean to sound like I feel sorry for myself, because I don't.  Or that I don't feel thankful, because I do!  And it is not like I spent every Thanksgiving with my immediate family.  I have hosted many a Thanksgiving for friends, if I did not celebrate with my family. 

Does this make sense to my fellow ex-pats?  Or do I sound like the petulant child that I suspect my friend thinks I am?

She thought I was being a bit strange by not wanting to celebrate with my fellow country men.  I tried to explain to her that eating some turkey with strangers (even though they are Americans) is not Thanksgiving for me.  Thanksgiving is celebrating/and giving thanks with my family and close friends that I consider family, eating foods that are traditional to my family, and watching some football.  If it was a 4th of July celebration...well, I could do that with a bunch of strangers, no problem and I would probably have a great time.   In my experience, Thanksgiving is just less fun around strangers.

I couldn't agree with you more!
For me, Thanksgiving is about tradition, food, family, gathering together, etc.  It's not about an odd meal with strangers. Its definitely a family and close friends day.   

So far (for Nov 27th)...

Turkey breast (butterflied boneless, with lots of herb butter & wrapped with bacon)
A vegetarian main - still to be determined
Non-vegetarian bread (and probably sausage) stuffing
Vegetarian rice dressing
Mashed potatoes (lots)
Vegetarian gravy
Corn casserole
Green bean casserole
Sweet potato & marshmallow mash
Macaroni & cheese
Grandma's dinner rolls
Ocean Spray cranberry sauce (complete with can ridges!)
Lots of nibbles including (so far) - Crudites & dip, Party Mix, Savoury cheese & chilli biscuits
Pumpkin pie
Pecan pie
Cranberry/apple pie
Whipped cream & ice cream (for the pies)
Cupcakes
Wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, coffee & tea

Probably ought to get some more veg in there somewhere - that's a lot of starch, lol!

22 people confirmed...wish we had room for more but I think our house is going to explode as it is!

C- Where should I get my Turkey?  And is it better to get a Turkey Breast?  I'd rather have the whole bird but I'm concerned it won't fit in my oven! 

C- Where should I get my Turkey?  And is it better to get a Turkey Breast?  I'd rather have the whole bird but I'm concerned it won't fit in my oven! 

I bought mine from M&S..frozen..it's sitting in my fridge slowly defrosting for Saturday..and I got a reasonably small/medium one...

C- Where should I get my Turkey?  And is it better to get a Turkey Breast?  I'd rather have the whole bird but I'm concerned it won't fit in my oven! 

I get mine from the butcher - the one I told you about.  But you could get one elsewhere too - probably for a better price.  If you want one from the butcher, you should order it about a week ahead of time, which is what I'll be doing & then I'll go collect it a week from Friday.  It'll be a fresh one.

I've never done a whole turkey - we had good luck with the butterflied boneless breast that the butcher suggested to me the first year & so I just stick with that.

With all these beautiful menus, I wish we all lived close and had one heck of a shindig as I would feel like a Queen for all the wonderful food on Tday!

I swear this place is made up of born cooks! I should hire some of you one day lol

My Thanksgiving Menu:

I have a 4kg turkey on order from the local butcher, it's a fresh one and free range supposed to be in next Wednesday but he said he'd hold it in their fridge until Thursday for me because I have a mini fridge and no room for it, So I'll pick it up Thursday morning and pop it in the oven before I head of to my NCS appointment. Just going to rub it with butter sprinkle garlic salt & pepper on top and then stuff it with my mom's stuffing recipe

Mash potatoes
Brussel sprouts
Fresh baked rolls
Turkey giblet gravy

and I think I'm going to try to track down a can of pumpkin and try to make a pumpkin spice cheesecake for pud.

I just ordered a Turkey (16 lbs!) from our local butcher (per Mrs. R's suggestion) and he told me I was the third T-day order!   He wasn't counting Mrs. R either, because I told him I knew that other cheeky American and she made the suggestion to go to him for a turkey. 

Taking over Horsforth one by one! 

I just ordered a Turkey (16 lbs!) from our local butcher (per Mrs. R's suggestion) and he told me I was the third T-day order!   He wasn't counting Mrs. R either, because I told him I knew that other cheeky American and she made the suggestion to go to him for a turkey. 

Taking over Horsforth one by one! 

Lol!  No it wasn't counting me because I've not ordered mine yet.  I'd better get in there!  Maybe I'll ring them up tomorrow because I won't have a chance to go in until this Friday.

Even though I am a complete slacker - I just called a local farm like 5 minutes ago and they were able to accommodate me for this Friday (guess its not really rush season yet, lol) So I'm getting a farm fresh, free range turkey all ready to go! 

Lol!  No it wasn't counting me because I've not ordered mine yet.  I'd better get in there!  Maybe I'll ring them up tomorrow because I won't have a chance to go in until this Friday.

He probably thought I was a nutter then. Four T-days in Horsforth?  Let's gate crash!