Turkey Day 2011 - What's On Your Menu

With Turkey Day fast approaching, what is on your menu??
 
After last year's fiasco at my house (preparing food for 18 and 3 showing up) I've decided to take my Mom out for dinner and then to her house for desserts, so my menu?
 
Chocolate Chess Pie
New York Style Cheesecake
Pumpkin Pie
Hoosier Cream Pie
Homemade Ice Cream

Since I'm actually NOT working, I get to not only cook, but eat dinner as well!
 
Bacon-wrapped shrimp
My grandma's recipe for tossed salad (with WAY too much mayonnaise, olives, tomatoes and cheese)
Turkey breast (there is an ongoing debate about how I will be preparing it)
Corn casserole
Cheese-herb bread
Baby red potatoes with garlic and parsley
Grands flaky layers biscuits (I am biscuit-inept)
Green bean casserole
Plenty of Yellowtail chardonnay
Pumpkin-cream cheese pie (more like cheesecake, but still pie)

We're getting a take home platter from a local restaurant. Enough to feed 8. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls and green beans. Will definitely add cranberry sauce from the can (wife's favorite) cold and probably orange cranberry relish from publix along with another side dish possibly carrots. Will have apple and cherry pie along with vanilla ice cream. Just 3 of us this year, mom is 86 and my wife and I. We will have a 14 yo Basset hound and a 10 yo Westie also present

After what I ate this past weekend- A couple of  Met-Rx bars and a diet coke
 

I was thinking of making the CajunKing Spinach Casserole along with my cauliflower casserole.  I'll also make the same thing I make every year... cranberry tarts.
 
I go to Rancho Mirage and celebrate at my place there.  My brother does the turkey and most of the other things along with heating up a spiral cut ham.

We usually  buy a smoked turkey but this year the spouse got a free frozen turkey for buying $100.00 in groceries at  the local market so I'm going to do something I haven't done in 20 years - roast it in the oven.  Checked out some of the recipes at FN & I'm ready to roast - and I'm going to make gravy with the drippings - another 20 year first.
 
The sides: 
Dressing (not stuffing)
Mashed Potatoes
The Gravy
Sauteed Green Beans
Bourbon Glazed Carrots
Artichoke Salad
Rolls 
None of us like cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes or pumpkin and really don't do much in the way of desserts - but I will have some Bailey's available - just in case.  
 
 

felix4067


Turkey breast (there is an ongoing debate about how I will be preparing it)

If you're looking for ideas, Thomas Keller has said that his mother's recipe was to slather it with mayo and then roast it in the oven.
 
I'm hoping to be able to cook the turkey on my Weber kettle's rotisserie but there might be an issue with drip pan clearance, and since the pan will be filled with stock, vegetables, and herbs I'm a little hesitant about putting it down on the grate next to the coals.  So if that doesn't work I'll do like last year and use a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker.

What is the Jewelry Cleaner used for?

Hey, you gotta have a secret ingredient...

Doing a Deep Fried Cajun Turkey and a ham from a local pork shop. No Water added. A real smoked ham. All the usual sides. It's my Birthday so my Daughter is making me a coconut cake for my Birthday! (Plus Punkin pie too!)

Brad
Thats a nice looking Turkey in your post. Does the smoke get thru all the way to the dressing, or just the surface areas? You smoke it "stuffed", Ehh?

I usually have dinner at the Vets Hall, but the last few years the event has been swamped by young homeless people who are in need of a bath...last year I could barely walk and had to be assisted...I'm a little better this year...
 
I'll look for another venue, so my Plan B is undefined, and my Plan C is a tri-tip in the freezer...(I'm assuming snow won't prevent travel)...
 
I really do prefer a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but sometimes weather conditions change plans...
 
I'm a native so I don't need to travel back east for the holiday(s)...I'm fine if I can minimize travel miles to 25 miles or less...

BackRhodes I think the Vets hall is your best bet or maybe there are other group settings where you could have a good meal. I don't think you should eat alone. JMHO

I was just informed that my uncle will be bringing smoked turkeys to the dessert portion of the day. 
 
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I love smoked turkey

mayor al


Brad
Thats a nice looking Turkey in your post. Does the smoke get thru all the way to the dressing, or just the surface areas? You smoke it "stuffed", Ehh?

Thanks, Al.  The stuffing near the body and neck openings does pick up some smoke but it doesn't penetrate very far.  We had my parents over for the holiday so I used only a very small chunk of apple for just a hint of flavor as my dad's not a fan of smoked foods, and I also cooked it at more of an oven temperature (325-350) so it was in the smoker for only a few hours.  If I had been doing it for just my family I would've kept the same temp for less rubbery skin but added more apple and probably some cherry as well.
 
I don't know if this is the "right" way to do it or not but I always make sure the stuffing is very hot when I put it in the bird, the idea being that it'll kill off any nasties and also jumpstart the cooking of the innermost meat.  If I do put the turkey on the rotisserie this year I'm thinking about wrapping the stuffing in cheesecloth first so that it doesn't fall out.
 
Brad

ScreamingChicken


Hey, you gotta have a secret ingredient...

Oh, now I get it!  That's what gives the bird that special shine and sparkle! 

ScreamingChicken

felix4067


Turkey breast (there is an ongoing debate about how I will be preparing it)

If you're looking for ideas, Thomas Keller has said that his mother's recipe was to slather it with mayo and then roast it in the oven.

I have an idea, but my mother thinks I should put it in the crock pot with a package of onion soup mix and a little water. I beg to differ. The mayonnaise thing sounds interesting, though...could be an option.

Same as last year:
Oven roasted turkey
glazed ham
gravy
dressing
mashed potatoes
baked onions in cheese sauce
spinach
some kind of squash
zucchini and yellow squash cheese bake
green bean casserole
cranberry sauce (jelly in the shape of the can!)
fresh rolls
Maybe this year I won't pick at everything before we sit down so I'll have room for more than two plates.

My brother is cooking, so I'm bringing dessert, which is open for suggestions - I'm thinking of a bakery-made carrot cake, and a traditional pie like mincemeat and/or pumpkin.
 
What I'd really like to do is make creme brulee for about10-12, and wondering if there's such a thing as disposable custard cups?  I know you can get foil muffin liners, maybe there's something similar for brulee at a party supply store or restaurant supply place.  I'm thinking the night before, I could  make two batches or double the recipe, chill, then fire tops when ready to serve.  Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
 
 

BelleReve


My brother is cooking, so I'm bringing dessert, which is open for suggestions - I'm thinking of a bakery-made carrot cake, and a traditional pie like mincemeat and/or pumpkin.
What I'd really like to do is make creme brulee for about10-12, and wondering if there's such a thing as disposable custard cups?  I know you can get foil muffin liners, maybe there's something similar for brulee at a party supply store or restaurant supply place.  I'm thinking the night before, I could  make two batches or double the recipe, chill, then fire tops when ready to serve.  Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

I've seen small, individual pie tins or tart pans at cooking supply stores. Wouldn't be fancy but would do the job

For me it'll be the traditional Thanksgiving dinner: A patty melt and coffee.

We will be at one of the kids house for a gathering of a bunch of in-laws and out-laws. It is a major Pitch-in Thanksgiving Dinner. All the usual holiday menu, but due to the numbers involved it will not be formal at all. In fact, it tends to be quite a bit less than casual-dining !
For a warm-up preview dinner or two I will use my electric smoker to do one or two 12 pound Turkeys (on sale this weekend). I have never smoked a whole bird and look forward to trying a couple of different injection marinades to see which does the best with our test birds.
 

Michael Hoffman


For me it'll be the traditional Thanksgiving dinner: A patty melt and coffee.

 That comment just made my day! LOL!

Al,
One of the things I learned about smoking poultry is to use a rack and smoke it breast side down. All of the extra fat in the legs and thighs drip downthe breast and keep it moist. Good Luck!
 
Chris

Michael Hoffman

For me it'll be the traditional Thanksgiving dinner: A patty melt and coffee.

Sounds like a Roadtrip to Waffle House is in order!!

Not exactly. I stop there for dinner after hunting pheasants on Thanksgiving.

BelleReve


My brother is cooking, so I'm bringing dessert, which is open for suggestions - I'm thinking of a bakery-made carrot cake, and a traditional pie like mincemeat and/or pumpkin.

What I'd really like to do is make creme brulee for about10-12, and wondering if there's such a thing as disposable custard cups?  I know you can get foil muffin liners, maybe there's something similar for brulee at a party supply store or restaurant supply place.  I'm thinking the night before, I could  make two batches or double the recipe, chill, then fire tops when ready to serve.  Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

There are disposable custard cups on the internet:
http://www.kitchendance.com/inalfocu.html
 

CNW   Thanks for the tip on how to place the Bird.  Hope some of the injected juices help keep it moist as well. 

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,and may your
Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!

I like lumpy potatoes and gravy!