Thanksgiving Day menu!

“Much to my wife's pleasure (NOT!), my son & I will be backpacking over the holiday. SO.. as a partial appeasement I told her we'd have a real Thanksgiving Day dinner... here's our plan: Chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans & dessert.

One small substitution, Instead of turkey, we're having chicken (close to turkey, isn't it?). Sweet Sue brand chicken comes in foil packs much like Tuna Creations, etc.

Lawry's Turkey gravy mix... I bought this instead of chicken gravy or regular old brown gravy since it is Turkey Day... add water, bring to boil. etc. good stuff! Once it's hot I add the chicken to heat up the meat.

Mashed Potatoes are Idahoan brand, they come in 4 flavors, we're having Buttery Homesytle! All of their flavors are really good for instant mashed potatoes... try them sometime.

Green Beans are mine.. I dehydrated some fresh ones this weekend, just add water a little before dinner so they'll re-hydrate.

For dessert I resorted to dehydrated, but this is pretty good stuff, I've eaten it before. AlpineAire Mountain Blackberry Cheesecake. YUM!

So... what are the rest of you backpackers having?”

“My Thanksgiving Dinner will be ready for pick-up on Wednesday afternoon and then I'll just have to heat it up on Thursday.

A couple of years ago my son and I decided that we'd rather just stay home and never get out of our pajamas on Thanksgiving Day. I order a Thanksgiving Dinner from somewhere (Marie Callendars this year) with all the trimmings, so I don't even cook. We watch movies and basketball and relax - it's really nice. I suppose once he's gone I'll just go hiking on Thanksgiving.

If we go spend the day with family in NY or Washington there will be a big fight for no reason and the day will be ruined by screaming and crying and fighting (that's what used to always happen). Staying home has been so much nicer.”

“Over cooked dried turkey, lumpy mashed potatoes, the funky green bean casarole (sp?) with the onion stuff, cranberry sauce, over-cooked pured squash, must I go on?

In-laws are not the best cooks.

Guess I should be thankful for gravy.”

“Sounds delish!

Wanderer2, I've seen turkey in the foil packs too. I'll find out the brand and let you know. Ya gotta have turkey!”

“Oh, man, we have a delicious feast on Thanksgiving. Our cousins do the majority of the cooking - they love it! BowlderSon and I will be running a race that morning to work up an appetite!”

“Oh, man, we have a delicious feast on Thanksgiving. Our cousins do the majority of the cooking - they love it! BowlderSon and I will be running a race that morning to work up an appetite!


So good I had to post it twice!!
last edited: 11/20/05 10:17:27 PM”

“The evil Super Wal-Marts have the turkey pouches around here.”

“The not so evil Meijers have it here.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving! My entire family will be together for the first time in about 4 years. I haven't met my two youngest neice/nephew yet. I'm tickled pink.
The food will be good too. The women in my family don't fool around in the kitchen and the Matriarch will be there to make sure of it, lol.”

“Deep Fried Turkey; Homemade sage dressing; creamed potatoes; English peas; cranberry sauce (not the jelly kind); hot rolls; and I haven't decided what to cook for dessert yet, but will, of course, make at least on pumpkin pie.”

“traditional meal...

mom makes turkey with stuffing, mashed potato, squash, turnip, peas, sweet potato with marashino cherries and mini marshmellows, pickle and olive trays, jellied cranberry sauce. older sister makes breads, zucchini, banana, etc. younger sis makes pies, pumpkin, pecan, banana cream, chocolate cream, etc. and rolls. I bring fruit, nuts and appetizers - this year I think it's spanikopita and crab in crescent rolls. maybe stuffed olives. brother brings cheese and crackers.

There are like 20 of us plus some friends. the only really annoying thing is that there are so many leaves in the table it's tippy and my mom's farmhouse dining room is too darn small for all of us.

I look forward to the giblets!
:D
last edited: 11/21/05 8:11:57 AM”

“Waffle House”

“My father-in-law shot a wild turkey and he's going to use his deep fryer to cook it. I don't think I've ever eaten wild turkey (drank one, tho!).

I should get over to the Deep Fried Turkey thread and see what's going on...”

“Mayhem, aero!

OK, this year's menu is gonna be strange. We're having Thanksgiving at my Mom's this year. My uncle decided he wanted prime rib this year, so we're having that, and a roast turkey, and a ham. My mom thinks 24 people will be there. I guessing probably more like 15. I'm bringing the cornbread dressing and my infamous pumpkin cheesecake.”

“Wild turkey - I'm still waiting to try some of the one my bro-in-law shot this year.

I forgot gravy (details, details) and the occasional deer roast if we're lucky.”

“mostly all the traditional stuff except whitecastle dressing...traditional dressing made with whitecastle's (Krystal's in some areas, check local listings) instead of just bread

White Castle Turkey Stuffing

10 White Castle hamburgers, no pickles
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
1 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1 1/2 tsp. ground sage
3/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 cup chicken broth

In a large mixing bowl, tear the burgers into pieces and add diced celery and seasonings. Toss and add chicken broth. Toss well. Stuff cavity of turkey just before roasting. Makes about 9 cups (enough for a 10- to 12-pound turkey). Note: Allow 1 hamburger for each pound of turkey, which will be the equivalent of 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound.
last edited: 11/21/05 9:00:51 AM”

“mmm, i bet that turkey's going to be good, Aero!!

we're not going home for Thanksgiving, we're waiting until Christmas...so i'm going to be fixing the whole shebang myself! scary. LOL!! i've never roasted a turkey before...although we're just getting a breast, so it shouldn't be too hard (famous last words). and i've also never made gravy, so that should be interesting. HOWEVER, i've been watching the Food Channel like it's my job, so i should be somewhat well-prepared.
;-D

i'm also making potatoes, asparagus, maybe stuffing, yeast rolls, and pumpkin pie (i'm cheating with the store-bought cranberry sauce). good thing i like to cook!! haha.”

“That white castle stuffing is wrong.”

“i was thinking the same thing, Sass!! wonder what the author of that recipe was smoking...ha.”

“what is white castle?

why is it cheating to buy store bought cranberry sauce?

Lyra - every year we rave about my sister's rolls - turns out they're made from frozen bread dough.”

“more like drinking”

“my grandma tricked me like that with frozen Pillsbury biscuits, twiggy!! that little rascal. lol!

well mine are from scratch, i've been making them since i learned how in Home Ec in 7th grade. and i guess the cranberry sauce isn't really cheating, since the only two people eating it know it's out of a can...”

“Twiggy needs to rent Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle.”

“Wild turkey tastes quite good, but is really not that far removed (in taste) from a domestic turkey. The body shape is different---they're a longer, skinnier bird, and the meat can be a bit tough. The drumsticks are certainly not what you're used to. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.”

“why don't you just tell me all about it Stovie...
:)

I thought my bother in law said the legs were too tough to eat at all. We usually get to watch the wild turkeys on Thanksgiving day gloating in the pasture, LOL...”

“Wow Lyra! What time's dinner?!!

Glad to haer that 7th grade Home Ec paid off. I wish I could say the same for my shop class. :P”

“It isn't thanksgiving without that green-bean casserole thing with the mushroom soup and onions on top. I friend of mine called the other day asking if I knew how to make a gluten-free milk-free version. Talk about a challenge!”

“Honey Buns....

http://whitecastle.com/

(I bet MS Twiggy thought I was talking about her) ;-)”

“thanks Aero! hmm, dinner time should be approximately whatever-time-i-get-done-cooking o'clock. midnight good with you? LOL!

yeah shop class was dumb...i lost my thingy i was making (a wooden key-shaped key hanger i think?) and the teacher just made me another one himself and graded me on that. fine w/me!! haha.”

“I need to go to the store and buy fruit and whipped cream. I think I'll also buy some canned corn - I need to have corn to mix in with the mashed potatoes.”

“We're having venison and ribs.”

“Is no one else out on the trail?”

“Dinner at the in-laws! Except we will be eating around 1:30 so We can make it for my mothers store bought meal then.”

“Thanksgiving is at my house again. No probelms there. 2 of my mom's friends are going to be with us since all their kids have moved pretty far away.
Lessee here, the menu...
1.turkey by mom in law (she makes great turkey but lousy gravy)
2.cornbread stuffing by mom in law (this stuff is great)
3.regular stuffing by my mom
4.turkey gravy by my mom
5.cherry walnut salad by my mom (drool)
6.rutabegas by my mom
7. corn and wild rice pudding by me (Emeril's recipe)
8.peas with mint (me again)
9.variation on baked potatoes by me
10.carrots and snow peas by Carol
11.bread/ rolls also provided by Carol
12.pumpkin pie (me)
13.sweet potato pie (me again)

and I know I'm forgetting a bunch of stuff but the table will be groaning from the load of food.”

“antipasto w/fresh mozzarella, marinated artichokes, mixed olive salad w/hot fresh Italian bread.

Next meal a few hours later, home made ravioli baked with mozzarella on top with my homemade sauce.

Next meal whenever we get hungry again, turkey, gravy, chestnut stuffing, peas w/bacon and onion in them, corn, broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes.

I'm not sure about dessert yet. I have a recipe for peanut butter muffins with hot fudge in the center I may make. Then there's ice box pie which is layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding with graham crackers between them.

The peas are to die for. I use sweet onions and they taste like you're eating candy they are so sweet. I'm making a pound of them at least.”

“lipstick hiker

Care to share your antipasto recipe?”

“I have tickets for myself and my two youngest daughters for a Thanksgiving Dinner here in the trailer park. Their holiday meals are always great. My 3-year granddaughter will be with us. She gets to eat free. For an extra desert I bought several pies this evening. In fact I'm trying one of them right now. Want to make sure it tastes OK before the last minute. Then on Friday we may take off for some weekend camping and hiking. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, baked yams, broccoli casserole, relish tray, cranberry sauce, rolls and butter. Pumpkin pie, apple pie, fruit cake whipped cream. It's at our house, but we're pretty much only making the turkey, although we'll probably make extra pies since we always do pies for the holidays. And maybe LH's pea, onion, and bacon dish. LH, do you saute the onion or use those canned or frozen miniature onions?”

“I'm not hitting the trail until the day after Thanksgiving.”

“Treebait...what time should I be there for the eatin' ??”

“MDS; 2 pm.”

“ChicagoMark, it will not be my usual huge antipasto, because I'm not going to NY to be with my family for Thanksgiving, so it's just an olive mix that has peppers in it, fresh chunks of mozzarella, and artichoke hearts that I buy in a jar that are marinated and add carrot and celery sticks.

Now if I had my entire family present, I would have inaddition to what I mentioned above, a meat and cheese platter with provolone, jarlsburg, salami and prosciutto.

I'd add jarred red roasted peppers to which I would drizzle oil and put slices of garlic in them. My mom would fry green peppers, and we would have black olives too besides the pitted green ones.

To buy all these individual things for just us two is too much.”

“Turkey, giblet gravy, sourdough rolls, greens (turnip)with bacon, corn, cornbread, cornbread dressing, ice tea, paper towels, plates, forks, knives, spoons, a table, chairs, kitchen, walls, roof....aw, hell with it. After we eat, at the in-laws, I'm goin out back (150 acres) to the woods to spend the night.
last edited: 11/22/05 12:49:15 PM”

“Wow. I just made a hot buttered rum cake that's like an 80 proof krispy kreme doughnut. I cannot WAIT to try that sucker!”

“Dang, Treebait. You live too far away for me to just drop by tomorrow. That sounds really good.”

“New Johnsville Hot Italian sausage with grilled onions and veggies for dinner today.”

“My contribution is hash brown casserole and fruit salad. I love comfort food!”

“Nephew's girlfriend brought over yams in orange halves. The orange zest infused the yams, very yummy. Gotta remember that for next year.”

“The wife cooked turkey and everything for everyone and I had a fillet, mac&cheese, and mashed potatoes.

Great meal.”

“I had....a sandwich at work and some juice...”

“Thanks for your recipe. It sounds great! I copied it. Of course you will get credit.

Thanks”