The Thanksgiving Mega Thread

We won't be doing very much for Thanksgiving this year as I'll be close to 9 months pregnant and can't do very much cooking.  (Last year we hosted a big meal for family and friends but my mom was here to do a lot of the hard work!)  Regardless we plan to have a small but festive meal just the three of us on the saturday or sunday afterwards.  I'd love to find a small turkey but haven't seen any in stores yet (has anyone?) so may end up getting a joint.  (last year we had a fabulous - but expensive - turkey from the butcher down the rd). 

-some form of turkey
-stuffing (really want to make my dad's recipe but doubt I'll have the energy)
-cranberry sauce
-mashed potatoes and gravy
-sweet potatoes
-biscuits
-green beans?
-pecan pie

Just to let everyone know I saw frozen turkeys at Lidls for £9.99 over the weekend.  Not sure about the quality - I don't usually buy meat from there but haven't seen whole turkeys anywhere else this early.

I saw a few frozen turkeys in Morrisons on Friday. I didn't look at the price, but they had a few in already.

I saw a few frozen turkeys in Morrisons on Friday. I didn't look at the price, but they had a few in already.

Dh & I were at Tescos a couple weeks ago an they had there turkeys marked half price so we got our turkey then its big enough for 3 people so its perfect for Dh & I.

Right, we're T-10 days now until Turkey Day!!! 

What's your menu?

After 3 years running of throwing a huuuuuge Thanksgiving for local expats & their families, we're taking a break this year from that - it'll just be DH and me, in a cozy little cottage up in the Yorkshire Dales.  And I'll probably cook it on the actual day, although last night we were discussing having Thanksgiving in the cottage next weekend so that we can eat the turkey leftovers the rest of the week while we're there.  Hmmm.  So far, I've got:

Turkey crown - frozen (just bought at Morrisons this morning)
Stovetop Stuffing - I brought back from the US in October, yay!
Stuff to make pumpkin pie (Libbys!)
A jar of cranberry sauce
A jar of bread-n-butter pickles

Now, obviously I've got to fill this out a bit more, lol.  Since it's just the two of us, however, I won't be going crazy so just want to make sure it's the essential things that we both like.  I'm sure there will be some mashed potatoes & gravy in there too.  But I haven't decided on the rest just yet.

I need a veggie side dish to take to my sister's. I thought about stepping out from the typical (and very delicious) green bean casserole and trying something different. We're already having corn, so I was hoping to find a good recipe with a green vegetable, maybe broccoli! Any suggestions??

P.S. - Unfortunately, only DH and I like Brussell sprouts, so they're out. 

I need a veggie side dish to take to my sister's. I thought about stepping out from the typical (and very delicious) green bean casserole and trying something different. We're already having corn, so I was hoping to find a good recipe with a green vegetable, maybe broccoli! Any suggestions??

P.S. - Unfortunately, only DH and I like Brussell sprouts, so they're out. 

They're not green, but creamed onions? I love them and they're really festive (and delicious!)

You can also braise mustard greens or kale or something like that with pancetta.

Or what about that yummy broccoli salad?  You know the one!

They're not green, but creamed onions? I love them and they're really festive (and delicious!)

You can also braise mustard greens or kale or something like that with pancetta.

That sounds delicious, but my sister and her family (3 young boys) would never eat that. I should have pointed out that this can't be fancy at all!  My mom used to make creamed peas with pearl onions and I'm positive not even my sister would eat that, so I know my BIL and nephews wouldn't!

Or what about that yummy broccoli salad?  You know the one!

I was hoping for something hot, but I do love that salad!

It's definitely good anytime - summer BBQ or Turkey Day.  I have been thinking about having it for our Thanksgiving menu because I like it so much & a great way to do broccoli - something cool with crunch & texture vs all the hot foods.

One thing I don't think I'll do - the sweet potato thing (brown sugar, marshmallows, etc).  I've never been its biggest fan, and DH thinks it's beyond disgusting & appalling. 

I'm going to a potluck dinner with some Yankee friends in Newcastle this year.  My first Thanksgiving dinner with other Americans in the UK, so I'm really excited. I normally just cook something for my English family, but I have to accommodate their English tastebuds a bit, so it will be nice to be with other Americans this year instead and not baking a pumpkin pie that only I will eat!

I'm making the cornbread stuffing (it's such a faff to make since I have to make the cornbread from scratch, but I have to have it), the sweet potato casserole (complete with marshmallows this year - yay!) and an apple pie. Our vegetarian friend who is hosting is cooking the turkey, so that should be interesting.  I can't wait!

One thing I don't think I'll do - the sweet potato thing (brown sugar, marshmallows, etc).  I've never been its biggest fan, and DH thinks it's beyond disgusting & appalling. 

LOL! Yeah, I made it the first year just to see my family's reactions to it... hilarious! They were putting gravy on it, too (you know how much English people love their gravy!) so I'm sure that didn't help. They didn't understand why you would have anything on the plate that didn't get covered in gravy before you ate it... haha!  I can usually take it or leave it, but I'm looking forward to it this year since I don't usually have it anymore. 

This year, instead of BIL's family doing a feast for us (turkey, mash and then a bunch of roasted veggies - but I take sage and onion dressing and green bean casserole) MIL has decided we'd go to a carvery on Thanksgiving this year. I'll be getting turkey so I am okay with it. BUT... since I won't be getting dressing (grandma's recipe) or green bean casserole, I will make a Thanksgiving meal for hubby and me either Wed or Fri, with all the trimmings, but he isn't keen on turkey so I will bake a chicken. I can compromise, especially since a friend gave me all that pumpkin a couple weeks ago and I can make a pie to go with it.

That sounds delicious, but my sister and her family (3 young boys) would never eat that. I should have pointed out that this can't be fancy at all!  My mom used to make creamed peas with pearl onions and I'm positive not even my sister would eat that, so I know my BIL and nephews wouldn't!

I was hoping for something hot, but I do love that salad!

I was thinking about making this cheesy baked broccoli dish recipe because it seems like something the kid would like.  Seems pretty easy as well.

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2008/11/recipe-for-broccoli-gratin-with-swiss.html

I was thinking about making this cheesy baked broccoli dish recipe because it seems like something the kid would like.  Seems pretty easy as well.

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2008/11/recipe-for-broccoli-gratin-with-swiss.html

Looks tasty! Thanks for the tip!

I've never in my life cooked Thanksgiving dinner but, under duress (i.e., my husband's very greedy), I'm doing it this year. There will be 5 people, so not a huge thing. I'm doing the standard turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potato, cornbread stuffing, GBC, cranberry, etc. I really want to make a corn casserole, but haven't ever done that so I don't know what's a good recipe. I did a quick Google and all the recipes I saw seemed to include Jiffy corn muffin mix as an ingredient. Um ... no thank you. I think I have something lighter and fluffier in mind. My stepmother made it once and it was nearly souffle-like, if that makes any sense.

Anyway, since I'm too lazy to go through 50+ pages of this thread, can someone help me out please!