Oh dear - DH wants a Thanksgiving dinner.......

[evan]

Bear in mind, we don't even celebrate Thanksgiving over here, but DH has put in a request and if you look past the fact that I'm currently working 60+ hour weeks and I have two parties to attend this weekend - I think I can squeeze one in om Sunday.

I bought the turkey today (nine pounds, smallest I could find. Let me tell you, DH will be eating turkey for a long time - I don't eat meat, remember?) and hopefully it will thaw by Sunday.

I also bought potatoes (I'm mashing them), brussels sprouts (thank goodness he likes those), pepper sauce, cranberry sauce and yams....I have no idea what to do with the yams though. They might end up in muffins......

I'm making a pumpkin pie from scratch for dessert. I figured that will do it since there will just be the two of us. Two pies will probably be a little overkill, food wise.....

Am I forgetting anything? I'm not doing fried onions or serving bread on the side since DH doesn't care for it, but should I include stuffing? Is it a "must" for Thanksgiving?

 

[melissa-dallas]

Cornbread dressing is a must in the South (not Stuffing)

I think I would be very disappointed without dressing or stuffing, depending upon where I came from. Where is he from?

 

[cheezz]

True...with lots of turkey gravy. Here's a recipe for yams >>>

I've never added Southern Comfort, but that's up to you. If you need to thaw the turkey more quickly, you can submerge it, wrapped, in a sink of room temp water

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=36389

 

[melissa-dallas]

Have to admit, though it is very declasse, that I love the marshmallows on the yams

Either that or praline-type topping.

 

[maycee]

Stuffing and gravy are more important than even the turkey in my book!

 

[maycee]

Oh, Anne Burrell and Alton Brown say you can put a frozen turkey in the brine to defrost.

 

[erininny]

Yes, stuffing/dressing is a must. smileys/wink.gif I'm afraid you've created a monster (as we say in the U.S.). smileys/wink.gif

 

[joe]

I agree. It's not Thanksgiving without stuffing.

 

[florisandy]

Sorry cheezz, but I beg to differ about thawing in submerged water at

room temperature. That is not the way to go. That technique may be quicker, but not safe. Shortcuts when it comes to food safety are not good and are highly risky, especially when it involves poultry.

Eva and cheezz, please read this link about thawing turkey.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/turkey_basics_safe_thawing/index.asp

 

[evan]

We are both Norwegian, so we have no tradition to lean on whatsoever smileys/bigsmile.gif

 

[evan]

Then stuffing it will be smileys/wink.gif. Has anyone tried Barb's recipe? I was thinking about

making the bread and herb stuffing. It sounds good (and it's the traditonal stuffing, right?).>>> see link.

BUT, what does the baking powder that I'm supposed to rub the chicken with do? Does it add crispiness to the turkey skin or something?

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=118018

 

[evan]

I think so too. Me thinks DH will LOVE this dinner so much I'll be stuck

cooking TG dinners till I die....

 

[elaine]

Not a bad thing!! I am still savoring flavors.. For breakfast today..

turkey sandwich with a drop of mayo, cranberry relish, turkey, cherry tomatoes sliced, and last pieces of lettuce from delicious salad.

And now to plan lunch!!

 

[barb_b]

That is clever....

 

[melissa-dallas]

Traditional depends on where you are from. Nobody makes bread stuffing in

this part of the country.

 

[evan]

I think the left over part is part of my DH's attraction to this dinner...

And I really hope he'll like it because he has got a 9 pound turkey to chew on smileys/bigsmile.gif

 

[melissa-dallas]

That won't be bad - not a huge ratio of meat to bone on a nine pounder

 

[evan]

What kind of stuffing do you make, Melissa?

 

[melissa-dallas]

Cornbread Dressing