Thanksgiving planning thread

[Magic Microbe]

MM, tell me more about the amaretto and apple sweet potatoes please

I need to get the recipe from my mother. I tried to find a similar one online and failed.

[BonitaApplebum]

Yeah I try to eliminate heavy prep when I travel, too. But there’s always that one guest that shows up with groceries and a plan!

For my party it gets challenging - we are expecting 40 guests this year. I always whiteboard out everything that needs any onsite prep, and offer up everything we have: oven, stove, toaster oven, microwave, grill, IP. I make the turkeys in the late morning so that the oven is free when people get here.

It’s a challenge to get everything ready to go at the same time, but that’s part of the fun.

[diablita]

Totally agree.  I love a good project so much and when it ends with delicious food, drinks and wonderful friends, more the better.

Do you roast your birds Bonita?

Does anyone here grill their turkey?  I should know better than to try after the spatchcock chicken fire of 2015 but I'm kinda sorta tempted...

[caribougrrl]

I'd love your Portuguese stuffing recipe Jan 

me too!

[rocketgirl]

I have no idea.

Last year, a friend hosted Friendsgiving for the hashers and I made cheesecake and I think mac and cheese for that.  My family doesn't always do Thanksgiving, and Dad didn't message me about it until 5pm the day before and I'd already made alternate plans, so...

I haven't heard anything from anybody this year.  If nothing else comes up, I'll probably do something on the smoker or the grill and invite my brother. Or do something simple like make a pie and go crash someone else's Thanksgiving. It's looking like I'll have no idea until the last minute. 

[diablita]

Had a free minute so I googled "Portuguese stuffing recipes" and Leite's Culinaria popped up.  I had forgotten all about this site and how much I love it.   

This mushroom strudel recipe looks simple and divine.  It would make a great Thanksgiving app either cut into small pieces or (I may do this) with the filo shaped into purses for individual bites.  https://leitesculinaria.com/2229/recipes-mushroom-strudel.html

[rocketgirl]

I'm curious - how far in advance do your respective families firm up Thanksgiving plans?

[Magic Microbe]

I'm curious - how far in advance do your respective families firm up Thanksgiving plans?

My family lives a 14 hour drive away. If we had made plans with them it would have been firmed up months ago.

[Run Amok]

Not far.

[rocketgirl]

Not far.

How not far?  I would PREFER 2 weeks advance notice, but not less than the Saturday before because I want the ability to make other plans.  My family is CONSISTENTLY just a few days before and it drives me nuts!  (And since they sometimes go to the beach instead of doing Thanksgiving or host on Friday instead I can't just assume it's going to happen and when.)

[BonitaApplebum]

I'm curious - how far in advance do your respective families firm up Thanksgiving plans?

We alternate years with my fam and DH’s, so we always have a general idea of who we will be with.

As far as deciding who is hosting goes — odd years are always at my mom’s. Thanksgiving overlaps with hunting season, so we go where the woods are.

Even years, DH’s fam takes turns hosting, it’s either here, SIL’s, or at a cousin’s. We usually decide maybe a month out or so who is hosting, although sometimes someone offers sooner.

[BonitaApplebum]

Totally agree.  I love a good project so much and when it ends with delicious food, drinks and wonderful friends, more the better.

Do you roast your birds Bonita?

Yes, exactly!!

I roast, following the Cook’s Illustrated brining and roasting methods. I’ve been doing that for years with good results.

[Magic Microbe]

Amaretto Yams

Prep time: 20 min. Cook time: 45 minutes total

3 lbs yams, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup hot water
1 small green apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup amaretto
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar 2 tbsp butter, melted 1 tsp cinnamon

Place yams and water in a 9 inch square baking dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH for 8 minutes; let cool slightly.
Fold over one corner of plastic wrap and carefully drain off all water; remove wrap and place apple slices on yams. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dissolve cornstarch in amaretto in a small bowl; stir in brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Pour over yams and apples and bake for 30 min.
Makes 8 servings.

[Run Amok]

RG-- well we just do our own thing anyway. If we have my step-daughter we are in town and usually do TG with his family. Usually his brother hosts but one year they were out of town so we hosted. But at my dad's house because we cant seat that many people. Usually tg with my dad is only an option if we go to his wife's fams party or if I host Friday. But anymore I just don't have the energy for it and would prefer to opt out.

But yeah, usually this is all kinda last minute. I know it makes us kind of jerks for travelling over TG but otherwise TG planning is a cluster fuck I don't enjoy participating in.

[rocketgirl]

Well, now in particular, it's like, if I don't make plans, I'll have to spend it alone.  And if I do make plans, I feel guilty if last minute my parents decide to do something.

The year we were entirely out of town was totally the best.  But I was out of town with the now ex-boyfriend.  I did enough holidays entirely alone when I worked retail and lived out of state.  Including the one where I ate a bologna sandwich in a hotel room because all the restaurants serving meals closed before I got off work.

[Run Amok]

I am thankful for the quiet day alone to have the world to myself. But, I get it.

In your shoes, I'd ask if they're planning something and if you don't get an answer make other plans. We often take in orphans if we host though.

[diablita]

I would love to have you over if you lived closer RG.  I agree, RA, we always take in orphans when we can.

Our group just grew by 6 in fact because a dear friend mentioned at girls' night out last night that it was just her immediate family and IL's.  We can fit them.  Now our TDay dinner is going to be epic.

[diablita]

And also, her IL's keep kosher so now her husband (gently) insisted on bringing the (kosher) turkey, already roasted and carved.  Yes please!  This makes Thanksgiving dinner soooo much easier now.

[Run Amok]

NYT posted an awesome Thanksgiving cooking in a tiny kitchen video. It's a little long (37 minutes) but I am liking her side dishes.

[diablita]

I'll have to look for that.  Thanks RA

I love Thanksgiving planning so much.  I used to travel super heavily around this time of year and one of my favorite things was to get all the cooking magazines and devour them on flights, then pick and plan everything out so I could hit the ground running when I got home a day or two before.