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Now I can't stop thinking about Thanksgiving. Food to plan! \o/

Turkey. I'm thinking about grilling it (after brining it courtesy of Alton Brown.) It'll free up the oven. Wonder if I have enough propane. Note to self: get instant-read thermometer.
Stuffing. WITHOUT CELERY. Celery = evil.
Potatoes. Dunno yet. That hashbrown casserole thing is yummy, but heavy. Maybe it'll just be mashed potatoes.
Veggies. I need to find a good vegetable recipe. (I can't stand green bean casserole.) Or I can throw corn in a bowl.
Cranberries. I'll do homemade. WAY better than the blob that looks like a can when you empty it out. And really fairly easy.
Bread. Tube crescent rolls! How can you not have tube crescent rolls?
Desert. A friend has a pumpkin bar recipe that she swears is better than pumpkin pie. Might do that.
Wine. Yes.

Not sure if it'll just be my parents coming or if I'll be acquiring more people. I probably will at least farm one or two of these out to my mom, although it's really not a whole lot to manage as long as you start cooking things a day or two ahead.

ETA: If you're interested in the turkey brine (basically, it's a bit like marinading the turkey), head this way.

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(after brining it courtesy of Alton Brown.)

I came in here to say that and see you are already on it. Carry on.

We've done that brined turkey every year, ever since I caught the turkey episode. It really does make a difference!

It really does. I've done it the past couple of years and it's always turned out perfectly. Although I just tried his new honey brine recipe and it didn't turn out as well as the original. Still good, but it didn't have the aromatics that the other did so it's not quite as flavorful.

That's a shame. I probably would have tried it as well since a honey brine sounds good on a turkey.

I actually think it would be good if you added the sage and rosemary stuff. It certainly doesn't use nearly as many obscure ingredients as the other does.

Took me DAYS to find the candied ginger. Curse you and your Kroger's, Alton!

Oh really? I think I'm massively spoiled by the choices around here. If it isn't at the main grocery store, it'll be at one of the many specialty markets around here.

Yeah, around here is nothing but big chains. There is very little selection. Most places are chains in at least the mid-Atlantic region and all are just general groceries.

WAY better than the blob that looks like a can when you empty it out

Blasphemy! Canberry is a traditional staple.

But homemade is soooooo good and easy. Much much better than canberry! Really!

Yes! Exactly! And it reminds me of my grandfather, who loved the stuff and put up with all the grandkids whining about it year after year after year. :)

*stomach growls* Can I come to yours for Thanksgiving? Once I've made my instant teleporter that is ;)

Ooooh, instant teleporter would be snifty!

Alton's brining recipe is the best thing that ever happened to my Thanksgiving turkey.

I've used it three years in a row now, and always comes out FANTASTIC.

(I do the cinnamon sticks and apples in the cavity, too... it's wonderful).

Yes! We always do everything too. Even nowadays my dad - who knows nothing of cooking - always asks to be sure that we will be brining the thing. As if we'd magically forget or something.

Michelle, could you possibly please post some of your thanksgiving recipes to Fandom Cookery? I'm rather interested in American traditions, and I'd like to have a shot at perhaps doing some of the stuff for Christmas (such as home-made cranberry).

Oh, sure! Just need to dig some of them up... :D

Oh shoot. I know one recipe that I will eventually be throwing in that comunity requires a Jiffy box of corn muffins (http://www.jiffymix.com/). Bet you guys don't have that over there. Well, I'll have other recipes.

I also have a very yummy pumpkin cheesecake recipe, if you're interested.

Oh, didn't you post that a long time ago? That sounds familiar. And I'm always interested in recipes.

How do you feel about spinach? I have a FANTASTIC recipe involving spinach and, yes, Mexican Velveeta, but it is very, very easy and delicious.

And crescent rolls are indeed obligatory.

How do you feel about spinach? I have a FANTASTIC recipe involving spinach and, yes, Mexican Velveeta, but it is very, very easy and delicious.

I really don't care much for spinach - either cooked or in salads. :-\

And crescent rolls are indeed obligatory.

*nods*

Pumpkin bread pudding! The custard portion is basically pumpkin pie. But the entire recipe only takes about 40 minutes and two bowls/pans total. Everyone tells me it's delicious (I wouldn't know, because "everyone" at it before I could). That website has a lot of nifty vegetable and salad dishes, too. It is my new favorite cooking blog. I think there are also good veggie recipes in these newsletters, concerning whatever produce was in the Box Contents that week. It's all seasonal, so if you look it over, you might want to skip the summer months.

WAY better than the blob that looks like a can when you empty it out.

But...but...the canned stuff is pre-lined for your cutting convenience (although the allure of some type of cranberry...orange...something is suddenly strong)!

Pumpkin bread pudding! The custard portion is basically pumpkin pie.

That looks fantastic! And with all the bread pudding/breakfast casserole-type things out there, it never once occurred to me to even want something pumpkin-based. Of course, now I do want it. I might have to try that some weekend.

It is my new favorite cooking blog. I think there are also good veggie recipes in these newsletters, concerning whatever produce was in the Box Contents that week. It's all seasonal, so if you look it over, you might want to skip the summer months.

Wow. Pretty pictures!! (And I didn't just sit there reading about a no-knead bread recipe. Nope.)

But...but...the canned stuff is pre-lined for your cutting convenience (although the allure of some type of cranberry...orange...something is suddenly strong)!

Slab-o-cranberries! (Or cranberry-like product.)

I'm making the Bread Pudding tonight for my family, so I may actually get to try some this time. Hooray!

Wow. Pretty pictures!! (And I didn't just sit there reading about a no-knead bread recipe. Nope.)

YES. All the food pictures are just...*drools* I wonder if I could steal some for LJ icons...ah, probably not. OOoh, and I haven't even looked at the bread recipes yet. I'm so bad at baking because I'm one of those people who just starts randomly adding or subtracting things to a recipe to suit myself (Less cream! More booze! MORE GARLIC. Erm..but not all three of those in the same recipe) and that really doesn't work for baking. *wince*

Slab-o-cranberries! (Or cranberry-like product.)

Pre-perforated for your convenience! WHOO!

(Hey there's even an orange-cranberry sauce recipe over there...)

I'm making the Bread Pudding tonight for my family, so I may actually get to try some this time. Hooray!

Will need a report!

I'm one of those people who just starts randomly adding or subtracting things to a recipe to suit myself (Less cream! More booze! MORE GARLIC.

MWAH!! I've tried that a couple of times, but it usually winds up badly. So I've given up.

(Hey there's even an orange-cranberry sauce recipe over there...)

Looks pretty similar to mine. But I like to put cinnamon and cloves in it as well.

Report!

So, my family likes it, especially with whipped cream. I'm hyper critical, so I think I used too much spice (though I used more than the recipe called for), and made the "pudding" part not quite thick enough. But still, tasty! Mmm...bread pudding...so full....

Ooooh, a success! Yeah, might need to try this.

I've been declared unAmerican at my office since I don't do Turkey on Thanksgiving or really Thanksgiving. (last year we had crab more to celebrate my new job than to celebrate Thanksgiving) This year my mom's thinking some type of seafood crepe. (really just to rile up my coworkers)

I can offer you a pumpkin roll recipe. Basically throw the pumpkin mixture in a jelly roll pan, bake, spread with cream cheese mixture, roll, and throw in the fridge. Dust with powder sugar to make pretty.

Oh and where are the sweet potatoes? Aren't they a must? I know everyone loves those.

I've been declared unAmerican at my office since I don't do Turkey on Thanksgiving or really Thanksgiving. (last year we had crab more to celebrate my new job than to celebrate Thanksgiving) This year my mom's thinking some type of seafood crepe. (really just to rile up my coworkers)

OH YUM!! I'd *almost* ditch the turkey on Thanksgiving for a seafood crepe. Almost. Any other day of the year the turkey would be left in the dust.

I can offer you a pumpkin roll recipe. Basically throw the pumpkin mixture in a jelly roll pan, bake, spread with cream cheese mixture, roll, and throw in the fridge. Dust with powder sugar to make pretty.

That sounds great!

Oh and where are the sweet potatoes? Aren't they a must? I know everyone loves those.

I do have a great recipe for sweet potatoes, but it was starting to look like WAY too much food for three people.

See, my mom's never wanted to go to the effort of a full turkey considering we'd never eat it all. And it's not like we don't eat turkey ever, we have Thanksgiving-ish meals through the year with turkey (from the deli), cranberries, some form of sweet potato and peas. By the way, I'm now hooked to a vanilla flavored mashed sweet potato my mom concocted. Yum!

I'll have to get the recipes from my mom. Although I'll have to come up with an excuse because obviously I'm not making it for myself! (I have to hide my LJ activities from her, she just doesn't understand.)

As for the crepes, it's only going to be me and my mom, so it's definitely not worth cooking a whole meal!

See, my mom's never wanted to go to the effort of a full turkey considering we'd never eat it all. And it's not like we don't eat turkey ever, we have Thanksgiving-ish meals through the year with turkey (from the deli), cranberries, some form of sweet potato and peas.

Every year we keep saying we're just going to do a turkey breast, but then wind up doing the whole thing and freezing the leftovers. :D

By the way, I'm now hooked to a vanilla flavored mashed sweet potato my mom concocted. Yum!

Interesting!

omg the turkey done with the Alton Brown method of brining is the best turkey I have ever had ever. We've done it, what, three years ina row now? And every year it is so fabulous. Glad to hear other people are in on the secret. *drools*

Also, for veggies, mashed sweet potatoes are a great way to do something interesting but not too radical. And they're really interesting if you do them with malt vinegar instead of sweet stuff (like the sweet potato fries at Burgerville). Best stuff ever.

Aaand now we've about reached the limit of my food knowledge.

Oh, and salad! Salad is also good if done nicely.

I'll shut up now.

omg the turkey done with the Alton Brown method of brining is the best turkey I have ever had ever. We've done it, what, three years ina row now? And every year it is so fabulous. Glad to hear other people are in on the secret. *drools*

It really really helps to keep it moist, as well as makes it really tasty without adding a ton of different flavors to it.

Also, for veggies, mashed sweet potatoes are a great way to do something interesting but not too radical. And they're really interesting if you do them with malt vinegar instead of sweet stuff (like the sweet potato fries at Burgerville). Best stuff ever.

Oooh. Never heard of them with malt vinegar before. I bet that would be good.

Aaand now we've about reached the limit of my food knowledge.

:D

Oh, and salad! Salad is also good if done nicely.

*nods* Salad would be good as well if I wasn't getting up in the "too much food" category. Although, they will be staying at my place for a couple of days...

For a lot of years I thought that I didn't like turkey because it always came out really dry. This turkey changed my mind. <3

Oooh. Never heard of them with malt vinegar before. I bet that would be good.

Yeah, it sort of helps to balance out the almost over-whelming sweetness without makig it bland. My mom thought she'd experiment with that, and it turned out well.

Yeah, I'm a food!idiot. It's great.

Salad would be good as well if I wasn't getting up in the "too much food" category.

Well, you could always do a really nice, full-flavored salad instead of rather than in addition to veggies. And you can always send people home with leftovers too, if only to avoid getting absolutely sick of leftover turkey sandwhiches.

Meep, now I'm hungry.

Is it bad of me that I *heart* celery?

*hangs head in shame*

VERY VERY BAD.

Bread. Tube crescent rolls! How can you not have tube crescent rolls?

There is a time and place for tube crescent rolls. Thanksgiving is not it. Thanksgiving involves homemade yeast rolls. Do you know what would happen to me if I didn't show up with homemade rolls (still warm, even) for Thanksgiving at the (hubby's) cousins? I'm also expected to bring cherry dessert and there will probably be a riot if I don't have homemade candy ready.

Definitely time to clean off the kitchen counter and start making candy...

But...tube crescent rolls!! (Although, I do have a breadmaker.)

You have obviously never had my homemade rolls.

Recipe, please!

Cannot conceive of Thanksgiving with only 3 people. Thanksgiving in Iowa typically involves somewhere between 30 - 40 people and Thanksgiving out here involves 20 - 25.

Worst Thanksgiving of my life? The one right after my dad had his cancer surgery and my parents didn't want to do the big family Thanksgiving (see above re: 30 - 40) so I cooked for them and my little sister. Food was good but Dad wasn't doing well that day. Ugh.

So bring on the people! The more the better! Even better if there's a poker tournament after dinner!

Normally there is a larger gathering, but when I'm up at my parents' place, it's all their friends. BLEH. And so I wind up drinking WAY too much simply because I'm bored out of my mind as people insist on small talk.

I will be very happy to not have to deal with that this year.

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