T-Day dishes

[Too Tall]

I'm a guest this yr. so the pressure is off!!! That means I can get jiggy with it.

Gorgonzola Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts is at the top of my list to bring. I'll make fettuchini pasta by hand and bring the dish at room temp. This should go with anything.

Should I make the pasta with cracked black pepper?

[JoB]

I vote for 'add later'.

[fastupslowdown]

I'm a really simple Thanksgiving day person. No stuffing or Pecan pie for me. All I want is some simple turkey, cranberries, brussel sprouts and butternut squash soup. I don't really deviate from that. Gave up stuffing years ago

[rydesteel]

Shannon's in town from Atalanta, Jess and Ben are coming over and it's just us for Thanksgiving. I asked what they wanted, so the menu is.. Salad of some sort, Baked Ziti with Spicy Pork and Sausage Ragu, Garlic bread, probably some type of Veg and Zabaglione with Strawberries for Desert.

[rydesteel]

Sounds Delicious Josh. I make a similar dish with Linguini,Spinach, and gorganzola, we use Pine Nuts, well cooked mushrooms and crisp up some pancetta to crumble over the top. I stole the idea from a friends restaurant, he called it Linguini con Spinacci. I'll need to try it with toasted Walnuts, that adds a new dimension.

[robin3mj]

We’re headed to my folks with my siblings et al. 16 mouths to feed, and our household is in charge of the turkey, antipast, and Wednesday night dinner

1. Padma Lakshmi turkey recipe. Buttermilk brine 18-24 hrs (though I go easy on the salt), slow roast 3-5 hrs with fennel, apple, orange, onion, rosemary, etc. then mash all down to make the gravy. Broil for last 30-ish minutes to crisp the skin.
2. Mozzarella, salami, provolone, olives, roasted pepper, artichoke, etc.
3. Farfalle in a white wine/butter/veg stock sauce with chicken, Italian sausage, broccolini, and sun dried tomatoes. Pine nuts are a good idea- will bring some of those too.

[Too Tall]

Dewd, you had me at Farfalle.

[JoB]

Dewd, you had me at Farfalle.

the most popular dishes at our Thanksgiving:

Turkey liver pate with thyme, apple, shallots, and brandy
Smoked oysters with kimchi compound butter

Delightful.

[rwsaunders]

Guests at my SIL’s…just bringing the bread, pumpkin pie and coffee.

[robin3mj]

We’re headed to my folks with my siblings et al. 16 mouths to feed, and our household is in charge of the turkey, antipast, and Wednesday night dinner

1. Padma Lakshmi turkey recipe. Buttermilk brine 18-24 hrs (though I go easy on the salt), slow roast 3-5 hrs with fennel, apple, orange, onion, rosemary, etc. then mash all down to make the gravy. Broil for last 30-ish minutes to crisp the skin.
2. Mozzarella, salami, provolone, olives, roasted pepper, artichoke, etc.
3. Farfalle in a white wine/butter/veg stock sauce with chicken, Italian sausage, broccolini, and sun dried tomatoes. Pine nuts are a good idea- will bring some of those too.

Turkey and gravy came out perfectly, but the night before pasta stole the show.

Not nearly enough of the bird was eaten so I picked the carcass clean and brought the meat home. Turkey soup on the docket tomorrow.

Next year assuming we host (8-17ish people) I may skip a whole turkey and do a breast for tradition sake and maybe a smaller brisket or something

[Too Tall]

Turkey and gravy came out perfectly, but the night before pasta stole the show.

Not nearly enough of the bird was eaten so I picked the carcass clean and brought the meat home. Turkey soup on the docket tomorrow.

Next year assuming we host (8-17ish people) I may skip a whole turkey and do a breast for tradition sake and maybe a smaller brisket or something

Turkey soup is a gift.

[mg2ride]

Turkey soup is a gift.

Yes it is. Smoked my Turkey this year and I think it made the Carcass broth darker and richer. Best Turkey soup I have made and I do it every year.

[robin3mj]

We’re headed to my folks with my siblings et al. 16 mouths to feed, and our household is in charge of the turkey, antipast, and Wednesday night dinner

1. Padma Lakshmi turkey recipe. Buttermilk brine 18-24 hrs (though I go easy on the salt), slow roast 3-5 hrs with fennel, apple, orange, onion, rosemary, etc. then mash all down to make the gravy. Broil for last 30-ish minutes to crisp the skin.
2. Mozzarella, salami, provolone, olives, roasted pepper, artichoke, etc.
3. Farfalle in a white wine/butter/veg stock sauce with chicken, Italian sausage, broccolini, and sun dried tomatoes. Pine nuts are a good idea- will bring some of those too.

Same as last year but we’re hosting so the turkey will be smoked.

[Tom]

Kind of low key here. Braised and glazed beef short ribs, colcannon, maple glazed acorn squash. Pumpkin pie a la mode for dessert. I'm all about simple but tasty this time around.

[bigbill]

Post illness here. We normally travel down to PHX to have dinner with one of my old friends, but with the illness and compromised health of some of the attendees, we stayed home. We're having a small plate dinner with a smoked salmon, mushroom, spinach, and cheese fritatta, pecan pie, and buttermilk pie. We'll use a hand torch to caramelize the buttermilk pie. I was never overly stoked about turkey. IMO, Thanksgiving is about pie.

I would have to think about it for a while, but I think I had about a dozen deployed Thanksgivings. I have much to be thankful for.

[rwsaunders]

Progress shots from the “shop”…

[Tom]

Cornish hens with grape and porcini stuffing and a Madeira sauce, brown/wild rice casserole, pan roasted carrots with crumbs, oatmeal rolls and sweet potato pie with whipped cream. Sort of but not quite traditional.

[Tom]

Review.

Hens. B-. Tasty, mushrooms soaked in Madeira pretty good but I've made chicken more impressive than that.
Rice. B+. Pure wild rice would have done it but I couldn't get any so a blend. Orange zest/juice elevated well.
Carrots. Solid A. Caramelized beautifully and panko/maple syrup/cayenne topping was real good.
Oatmeal rolls. Not grading. I'm pissed. My mother in law is skinny as a rail at 92 years so we sent the leftovers of those home with her. I wanted them.
Sweet potato pie. Homemade crust for the win. When the filling and the crust knock it out of the park and you top it with vanilla whip cream, well then.

And when I was making the pie I discovered we have half a bottle of Bib and Tucker bourbon down cellar. What are you thankful for? I know what I am.