TOTALLY GEEKED!

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Prepping for Thanksgiving question

FNW · Guru

I have never done it either. I usually buy pies for Thanksgiving. One less thing.....

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

I wouldn't do it more than a week in advance.

just Czech · Give Me Grand's!

I wouldn't freeze pies in advance by more than a week either. You're going to have to re-bake them anyway.

I make my pies two days in advance and keep them in a cooler. Buns are made the day before and hidden. I have to hide everything around here.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

I'm really excited, ex MIL and grandaddy are coming for Thanksgiving week. I put in for time off. Not sure I will get it, will be nice if I do. I haven't had Thanksgiving week off in more than 15 years.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Well. Shoot.

I have to do things when I'm able and have help.

Was hoping to get that out of the way.

What about making the filling, sweet potato and pumpkin, and canning it?

Think that might work?

Then I could just pour it in and bake.

Tinydancer · Guru

I bet that would work lily. I usually do all my baking and prep work the day before. Anything I can chop or slice ahead of time makes for an easier Thanksgiving morning.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

We do, too.

Thanksgiving morning is usually just taking things out of the fridge and putting it on the stove and in the oven.

But, these last few years, mom has been doing most of it, and honestly, she can't cook.

Her Thanksgiving menu consists of a dry, flavorless turkey, 2 kinds of potatoes, dumpling, dressing, Mac and cheese, and can cranberry sauce.

She might open a can of green beans to heat up with it.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Oh man, I made homemade cranberry sauce last year - it was awesome.

Tinydancer · Guru

Do you have a recipe LL?

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I love homemade cranberry sauce.

It's so easy and so much better.

Tiny, I don't know about LL, but it's 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 used a pound of cranberries, and squeezed a drop of lemon juice in.

Bring to a boil, let simmer and thicken, and it's done. Chill or serve warm.

It's awesome warm over turkey.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I've used this recipe.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/cranberry_sauce/

Tinydancer · Guru

Thanks lily!

I know what to do_sometimes · Frozen Sucks!

Lol I thought this thread would be about a dreaded question you knew you were going to be asked when your family gathered for dinner. You know the type; when are you getting married, or when are you going to start a family.

TrudyML · Guru

And that is why I am skipping the dinner!

Lexxy · My dog name is Sasha, too!

I'm not much on any of the T-day trimmings. My favorite part is the leftover turkey sandwich the next day.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Tinydancer wrote:
Do you have a recipe LL?

Easy peasy

1 bag whole cranberries (12 oz.)

1 cup OJ

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to boil and cook until cranberries pop. Reduce to low simmer for 10 minutes. Awesomesauce.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I know what to do_sometimes wrote:
Lol I thought this thread would be about a dreaded question you knew you were going to be asked when your family gathered for dinner. You know the type; when are you getting married, or when are you going to start a family.

HAHA!!

That, too!

Momala · Great cook-happy wife-superb fisherman

Lily ~
Here's a frozen pie, that also takes care of your cranberry sauce!

CRANBERRY ICE CREAM PIE – (cut with hot knife)
Crush 40 vanilla wafers until fine, mix w/ ¼C sugar, grated rind
of 1 lemon, & ¼C melted butter. Press into 9” pan, bake at 375
for 8 min. Cool thoroughly. Mix 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
& juice of 1 lemon. Blend in 1 qt vanilla ice cream. Spoon into crust,
making peaks w/ back of a spoon, & freeze.

If you don't want to fuss with the crust, use a store-bought 9"
graham cracker crust. Using a hot knife makes it easier to cut
through the hard ice cream (I just use a tall glass of hot tap water)

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

lilyofcourse wrote:
I love homemade cranberry sauce.

It's so easy and so much better.

Tiny, I don't know about LL, but it's 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 1 used a pound of cranberries, and squeezed a drop of lemon juice in.

Bring to a boil, let simmer and thicken, and it's done. Chill or serve warm.

It's awesome warm over turkey.

This is really similar to the one we used at Canadian thanksgiving last month. Our recipe also added some spices - mainly Christmas ones. Nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. It was amazing.

Tangerine · Guru

LL, I use that same recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so good.
I just started putting together a menu for thanksgiving. Next step is coordinating with SIL.
We make almost all the the food and bring it to where we are eating. FIL deep fries or smokes a turkey, but no one else in the family likes to cook.

I don't know what is going to happen this year though.

Nana fell and broke her back, she and grandpa are both in a rehab hospital right now. It looks like they will have to move again to an assisted living place. She won't be able to transfer grandpa in and out of his chair anymore after this. cry

Also, my parents bought a house and are moving to Colorado. They moved my brother and his no-longer-estranged-wife to an apartment in the same city last month. cry

I guess they will have the holidays there without us.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Lawyerlady wrote:
Tinydancer wrote:
Do you have a recipe LL?
Easy peasy

1 bag whole cranberries (12 oz.)
1 cup OJ
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to boil and cook until cranberries pop. Reduce to low simmer for 10 minutes. Awesomesauce.

That sounds easy! And, yummy. I may try it. Though, i like the canned stuff cuz that is what i always had growing up and it's nostalgic.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Tangerine wrote:
LL, I use that same recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so good.
I just started putting together a menu for thanksgiving. Next step is coordinating with SIL.
We make almost all the the food and bring it to where we are eating. FIL deep fries or smokes a turkey, but no one else in the family likes to cook.

I don't know what is going to happen this year though.
Nana fell and broke her back, she and grandpa are both in a rehab hospital right now. It looks like they will have to move again to an assisted living place. She won't be able to transfer grandpa in and out of his chair anymore after this.
Also, my parents bought a house and are moving to Colorado. They moved my brother and his no-longer-estranged-wife to an apartment in the same city last month.
I guess they will have the holidays there without us.

Can I come to your holiday? I'm going to be fired from all future family engagements after I tell the fam that I'm sick of being treated like crap by my brother. I'm going to have to find a new family.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Momala wrote:

Lily ~
Here's a frozen pie, that also takes care of your cranberry sauce!

CRANBERRY ICE CREAM PIE – (cut with hot knife)
Crush 40 vanilla wafers until fine, mix w/ ¼C sugar, grated rind
of 1 lemon, & ¼C melted butter. Press into 9” pan, bake at 375
for 8 min. Cool thoroughly. Mix 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
& juice of 1 lemon. Blend in 1 qt vanilla ice cream. Spoon into crust,
making peaks w/ back of a spoon, & freeze.

If you don't want to fuss with the crust, use a store-bought 9"
graham cracker crust. Using a hot knife makes it easier to cut
through the hard ice cream (I just use a tall glass of hot tap water)

That sounds good.

I love frozen desserts .

Tangerine · Guru

Tignanello wrote:
Tangerine wrote:
LL, I use that same recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so good.
I just started putting together a menu for thanksgiving. Next step is coordinating with SIL.
We make almost all the the food and bring it to where we are eating. FIL deep fries or smokes a turkey, but no one else in the family likes to cook.

I don't know what is going to happen this year though.
Nana fell and broke her back, she and grandpa are both in a rehab hospital right now. It looks like they will have to move again to an assisted living place. She won't be able to transfer grandpa in and out of his chair anymore after this.
Also, my parents bought a house and are moving to Colorado. They moved my brother and his no-longer-estranged-wife to an apartment in the same city last month.
I guess they will have the holidays there without us.
Can I come to your holiday? I'm going to be fired from all future family engagements after I tell the fam that I'm sick of being treated like crap by my brother. I'm going to have to find a new family.

Of course you can come. My brother in law is single,btw. ; )

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

So let's talk turkey. How do u cook yours?
How about your stuffing?

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I roast it in the oven.

Thaw it out, I prefer fresh but I have had to use a frozen bird.

Smear it with and insane amount of butter, inside and out.

Season with salt and pepper, shove an onion and stick of butter inside it, and roast at 325* for about 4-6 hours. Depending on the size of the bird.

I'll tent it with foil if need be.

Mom will use this oven pot thing she bought.

Doesn't season it. Just puts it in and turns it on.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

How many pound bird?

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

About average. 12-15.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I always have to get my turkey earlier, otherwise, there is nothing left but some huge Birdzillas, lol.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I make my mom's simple stuffing. The night before, DD and I rip up a bunch of bread. I usually put it in the oven on a cookie sheet to dry it out a bit. Then, we add butter, salt, pepper, diced onions and celery seed. That's it. Simple, easy and good. I put some inside the bird and then just bake the rest.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I've never made stuffing.

I make cornbread dressing.

I'll tell you what I miss, the ONLY thing I miss about my ex MIL, giblet gravy.

I try to make it, but it's never as good.

Tinydancer · Guru

Around here stuffing and dressing are used interchangeably. It used to be stuffing was for stuffing the turkey and dressing was for dressing up the look of the turkey by having dressing on the plate. I do a sausage dressing (because I don't stuff my turkey) and I make a lot so my DH can have leftovers for sandwiches. He loves having turkey, dressing, and cranberry sauce sandwiches but he's always had the crap in the can. This year I'm going to try either LL's or lily's recipes for homemade cranberry sauce.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I have never made dressing. Dressing is what i put on a salad. Stuffing is mashed up bread and seasonings.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Cornbread dressing starts with cornbread. A lot of it.

After the cornbread is cooked, it is crumbled, as close to crumbs as possible.

Then you add onion, celery, sage, and chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste.

Mix into a thick batter.

Pour into a pan and bake.

-- Edited by lilyofcourse on Thursday 3rd of November 2016 09:28:58 AM

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

I consider dressing to be made with cornmeal and stuffing with bread. We prefer stuffing and that's what I make:

One large loaf cheap white bread, set out for a day to become stale and dry.
Take the stuff form the turkey - neck, liver, giblets, heart, etc. and boil in a small saucepan with chopped onions and celery and enough water to cover, add water as it boils away. Once the meat is done, pull meat from neck and chop up the rest.
Break up the bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl.
Add the meat and an egg to bind.
Sprinkle in salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage to taste.
Pour the water mixture from the pan into the bowl until bread is wet and the right consistency. It's best to mix with your hands.

Stuff the turkey or place in a casserole dish - doesn't matter, cook at 350 about 40 minutes in the dish, or cook in the turkey until the turkey is done.

FNW · Guru

My MIL made delicious gravy. Fortunately, she passed her secret on to DH, who makes it every year. It's fabulous!

jlbear71 · Guru

Since we have a smaller oven, I cook the turkey on the grill with indirect heat. Bird is usually seasoned with olive oil and poultry seasoning. Sometimes with fresh herbs and citrus in the cavity. No stuffing in the bird itself.

Stuffing is seasoned bread or Pepperidge farms cubes with a finely minced mirepoix (usually onion, carrot, celery). Sometimes with any of the following: sausage, mushrooms, ground chicken/poultry, sage, rosemary, garlic, apples, pears, cranberries, bacon, olives, nuts. Broth and an egg to bind it all together. There is never oysters in my stuffing nor will I eat it. I make mine in cupcake tins so everyone has a crunchy corner - stuffin' muffins.

Dressing is for salads.

Since it will be small this year, I want to try Amish filling which is kind of a mix between mashed potatoes and bread stuffing. I have had it at restaurants but want to try to make it myself. Yes, I know, carb overload.

I will make cranberry relish for some family members if we have a larger gathering but I only like the kind in a can. And not with the whole fruits in it either.

Momala · Great cook-happy wife-superb fisherman

For those of you who have gardens/ground available to you -

TRASH CAN TURKEY

Buy a new galvanized trash can. Thoroughly wash it inside and
out. Measure the height, and buy a piece of rebar (metal rod)
about 12" longer.
Using super Heavy Duty foil, make an "X" on the ground with
2 pieces of 3' foil. Pound the rebar into the middle of the X to
a depth where it will clear the trash can when it is inverted over
the rod.
Thoroughly dry (and I DO mean thoroughly - even use a hair
dryer!) your defrosted/fresh turkey. Wrap the bottom 2-3" of
the legs with foil, to prevent them from burning. Spray the bird
with Butter Flavor Pam, and season as desired. Impale the bird
on the rebar, legs down. If the legs separate too much, tie them
lightly with kitchen twine.
Invert the clean trash can over the bird, making sure it is level
with the ground.
Using the lid and another container, ignite a full bag of charcoal
until they have a fine white ash all over them. Using a small shovel,
transfer half the coals to the top of the trash can - it now has a
"lip" to hold the coals. Use the other half of the coals to make a
ring around the bottom, going up about 3" from the ground. If
it seems "scant", start another batch of charcoal in the lid.
Start timing.
90 minutes later (for a 10-12 pound bird), your turkey is done!

Carefully - very very carefully - using two people and heavy duty
oven mitts, lift the trash can up and off the bird. Lift the bird off
the rebar, and let it rest 20 minutes before carving.

I did this 5 years ago for DH - he was totally skeptical. One
taste, and this is how he requests I do our turkey every year!

This also frees up your entire oven for your side dishes.

-- Edited by Momala on Thursday 3rd of November 2016 01:47:40 PM

Lexxy · My dog name is Sasha, too!

There is never oysters in my stuffing nor will I eat it
______________________________________________________________________________

My mom & her siblings like oyster stuffing. Most everyone else in the family find it disgusting. Myself included.

FNW · Guru

Oyster stuffing was a tradition in DH's family. His mother would make it. DH learned how to make it. We stopped having it years ago because they were the only two who would eat it.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Oysters and turkey.

Sounds disgusting.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Tangerine wrote:
Tignanello wrote:
Tangerine wrote:
LL, I use that same recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so good.
I just started putting together a menu for thanksgiving. Next step is coordinating with SIL.
We make almost all the the food and bring it to where we are eating. FIL deep fries or smokes a turkey, but no one else in the family likes to cook.

I don't know what is going to happen this year though.
Nana fell and broke her back, she and grandpa are both in a rehab hospital right now. It looks like they will have to move again to an assisted living place. She won't be able to transfer grandpa in and out of his chair anymore after this.
Also, my parents bought a house and are moving to Colorado. They moved my brother and his no-longer-estranged-wife to an apartment in the same city last month.
I guess they will have the holidays there without us.
Can I come to your holiday? I'm going to be fired from all future family engagements after I tell the fam that I'm sick of being treated like crap by my brother. I'm going to have to find a new family.
Of course you can come. My brother in law is single,btw. ; )

Hmmmm. How old is he? Can you post a picture? Age, height & weight? Employment? Annual net salary?

I mean .... thank you!

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Just FYI - I get invited to all geek weddings facilitated by this board. It's a new rule.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Lawyerlady wrote:
Just FYI - I get invited to all geek weddings facilitated by this board. It's a new rule.

You'll have to help me make this happen then. AND, you're a lawyer. Can you officiate? Or can you get one of those online certifications to officiate? Do you know anyone for me to marry?

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

Tignanello wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
Just FYI - I get invited to all geek weddings facilitated by this board. It's a new rule.
You'll have to help me make this happen then. AND, you're a lawyer. Can you officiate? Or can you get one of those online certifications to officiate? Do you know anyone for me to marry?

I do not really know anyone for you to marry. But, I will get ordained and marry you.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Lawyerlady wrote:
Tignanello wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
Just FYI - I get invited to all geek weddings facilitated by this board. It's a new rule.
You'll have to help me make this happen then. AND, you're a lawyer. Can you officiate? Or can you get one of those online certifications to officiate? Do you know anyone for me to marry?
I do not really know anyone for you to marry. But, I will get ordained and marry you.

Yeah, I don't think I want to marry YOU tho. We'll have to keep working on it. Wedding, however, is all planned. Community hall, potluck, gifts and a pretty dress with pretty shoes. Now just need a groom.

Tangerine · Guru

Tignanello wrote:
Tangerine wrote:
Tignanello wrote:
Tangerine wrote:
LL, I use that same recipe for cranberry sauce. It is so good.
I just started putting together a menu for thanksgiving. Next step is coordinating with SIL.
We make almost all the the food and bring it to where we are eating. FIL deep fries or smokes a turkey, but no one else in the family likes to cook.

I don't know what is going to happen this year though.
Nana fell and broke her back, she and grandpa are both in a rehab hospital right now. It looks like they will have to move again to an assisted living place. She won't be able to transfer grandpa in and out of his chair anymore after this.
Also, my parents bought a house and are moving to Colorado. They moved my brother and his no-longer-estranged-wife to an apartment in the same city last month.
I guess they will have the holidays there without us.
Can I come to your holiday? I'm going to be fired from all future family engagements after I tell the fam that I'm sick of being treated like crap by my brother. I'm going to have to find a new family.
Of course you can come. My brother in law is single,btw. ; )
Hmmmm. How old is he? Can you post a picture? Age, height & weight? Employment? Annual net salary?

I mean .... thank you!

Mmm. I wouldn't seriously consider fixing you up with BIL. He is a super nice guy, but not at all ambitious. All of these stats you asked about are not favorable.

You are still welcome at my table for Thanksgiving.

Tignanello · My dog name is, Sasha!

Well, at least I get fed! :D

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

One thing i discovered is that I hate sage! I think i put too much in one year and it was awful! So, now i just dont like it.