My Thanksgiving Menu

[FarPoint]

Roasted Shrimp Cocktail, ... (cocktail dipping sauce with mild and tangy kick)

Spinach-Red Onion Salad with citrus dressing, topped with orange segments in a Parmesan Frico Cup
( the cup is also edible)

Fresh Cranberry Apple-Walnut Relish

Garden Fresh Corn with Diced Roasted Red Peppers (off the cob, I froze this at harvest time)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Sharp Cheddar and Gruyere Cheese

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Fresh Dill and Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Whipped Potatoes with Butter

Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple

Turkey Dressing with Sage Spice Sausage and Diced Apple

Parker House Rolls

Whole Roasted, Brined Herb Crusted Turkey.... (basted with butter,rosemary,sage and kosher salt; baked on bed of chopped root vegetables, sage, thyme, apples, cinnamon apple cider....

Turkey Dripping Gravy

Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger and Mascarpone Buttercream

That's my part in this gathering..... O8)

[bluethruandthru]

1. Sounds yummy.

Can you share your relish recipe? :)

[FarPoint]

2. Sure...

1- pound of fresh cranberries...about 4 cups

1/2 cup apple cider or fresh apple juice from a juicer

The zest of a navel orange with 1/2 of the orange squeezed for its juice

Pinch of Saigon cinnamon

1 pound of Granny Smith Apples, dice up....I leave on the skin for 1/2 of them for character

2/3 cup or so of coarsely chopped walnuts

1 cup granulated white sugar ( maybe a more if needed as cranberries are tart)


In a large sauce pan over medium heat, combined sugar, orange items, cinnamon, apple juice and
cranberries bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to simmer, stir often as it thickens and cranberries "pop"; about 15 minutes....
I add the apples at about 12 minutes in the process to soften them slightly.....at the end,
stir in walnuts.

Turn off heat.....let cool, then place into serving bowl, chill for at least 4 hours
in refrigerator....can make this in advance of Thanksgiving Dinner, store up to 3 days.

[bluethruandthru]

26. Thank you!

I'm going to make this tomorrow. :)

[tigereye]

33. nice- what is Saigon cinnamon? Is that from an Asian foods store?

or a specialty spice store?

[grasswire]

3. are you making your own parkerhouse rolls?

I salute you, if so. That was always a highlight of my grandmother's Thanksgiving -- after the turkey came out, she popped the risen rolls into the oven to bake while the gravy was made and things were set on the table. After Grandfather gave the blessing, the rolls came out of the oven and to the table swaddled in white damask napkin. Piping hot, smelling like heaven on earth!

Oh, and I should say that you are making a fine, fine dinner! Hooray!

[hippywife]

4. From the Parker House

http://www.omnihotels.com/upload/images/hotels/bospar/pdf/parker%20house%20rolls.pdf


:hi:

[FarPoint]

6. We use the same one!

Yummy! O8) One exception...I don't cut mine, I hand-roll them into little balls...then tap on their tops, brush with butter. To be honest, I never read the end of the recipe until today!!!!:rofl:

[grasswire]

7. I always rolled mine, too

I think the recipe I used years ago came from a McCalls Cooking School cookbook. That's where I got the "little balls" technique.

[FarPoint]

9. I'm going to have so much fun!

I was not initially planning on cooking more than one entree as I was a guest this year at my friends house..She does not cook, her husbands sister always comes down from Michigan and stays for the holiday and cooks the meal. Well, she canceled yesterday.....So, I put this together today. My friend, she always eats out.....I come over and cook upon requests....I did take her and her husband to a cooking class earlier this year....well after the prep work was done, we could begin drinking wine...OMG did we have a blast! Oh, we did Stir Fry..

My food entrees are not difficult or timely either....Most work time is going to be brining and roasting the turkey. Prep work will begin tonight!

[shanti]

16. my sister, an excellent cook, i might add

swears by brining. is it really worth the trouble?

[tigereye]

34. wow, that's an "easy" meal for you?

You are amazing! :wow:

[FarPoint]

10. I have a question for you regarding the Parker House Rolls..

In your opinion and/or experience....

After the first rise and rolling the rolls into our little balls....one lets the second rise occur.

Question:

Can the unbaked rolls be placed into the refrigerator overnight then baked the next day? My thoughts are to prepare the rolls the night before and just bake them before dinner. Can this be done? If so, at what step do I refrigerate and I sense the second rise needs to be completed but not sure when?

[FarPoint]

5. Yes I am!

I have a Bobby Flay recipe I saved a few years ago. They are fun to make....I've made many a dozens for Democratic Club Dinner-fundraisers....cabbage roll dinners are topped off with great mash potatoes and Parker House Rolls.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/parker-house-rolls-recipe/index.html

Parker House Rolls

Recipe courtesy Omni Parker House Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts
Prep Time: 10 min Inactive Prep Time: 2 min Cook Time: 55 min Level:


Ingredients

6 cups all-purpose flour (about)
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
1 cup margarine or butter (2 sticks), softened
1 large egg


Directions
In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; add 1/2 cup margarine or butter (1 stick). With mixer at low speed, gradually pour 2 cups hot tap water (120 degrees F to 130 degrees F.) into dry ingredients. Add egg; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in 3/4 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour (about 2 1/2 cups) to make a soft dough.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, working in more flour (about 1/2 cup) while kneading. Shape dough into a ball and place in greased large bowl, turning over so that top of dough is greased. Cover with towel; let rise in warm place (80 to 85 degrees F.) until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough is doubled when 2 fingers pressed into dough leave a dent.)

Punch down dough by pushing down the center or dough with fist, then pushing edges of dough into center. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead lightly to make smooth ball, cover with bowl for 15 minutes, and let dough rest.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In 17 1/4-inch by 11 1/2-inch roasting pan, over low heat, melt remaining 1/2 cup margarine or butter; tilt pan to grease bottom.

On lightly floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll dough 1/2 inch thick. With floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut dough into circles. Holding dough circle by the edge, dip both sides into melted margarine or butter pan; fold in half. Arrange folded dough in rows in pans, each nearly touching the other. Cover pan with towel; let dough rise in warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Bake rolls for 15 to 18 minutes until browned

[kestrel91316]

8. Don't forget to Fedex me the leftovers!

[FarPoint]

11. I think this is a great menu!

I see you agree. O8)

[Fire1]

12. Roasted shrimp? Boil first or straight into the oven? Any

seasoning??

[FarPoint]

13. I start out raw...

then peel, devein and leave the tails on......Season with just sea salt, ground pepper and olive oil; place on a sheet pan, single layered. Roasting at a 400 degree oven for 8 minute or just until pink, slightly firm and just cooked through. The cocktail sauce/dip brings the flavor layer.....

The cocktail sauce is home made with Heinz chili sauce and ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, pinch of horseradish, lemon juice. Some folks add Tabasco sauce for heat.

[Fire1]

28. Thanks so much, FarPoint! Think I'll give it a try on Turkey Day!

[Jazzgirl]

40. Wow....that is my recipe for cocktail sauce too!

Been making that for years. I use more than a pinch of horseradish though. :-)

[yellerpup]

14. Everything on your menu is making me drool.

I'm sure your guests will fondly recall that meal for years into the future. Sounds delicious.

[FarPoint]

15. Thank you.

I'm so looking forward to shopping and prepping tomorrow. I just reviewed the menu with my friend and her husband, picked up the turkey..

[ginnyinWI]

17. My Menu

Hen Turkey done in the roaster, with cornbread stuffing and gravy

Cranberry-Orange relish

Sweet Potatoes with maple syrup and apple

Baked Potatoes

Garlic Parsnips and Carrots

Rosemary Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts

Maple-Pecan Cornbread

Mexican Seven-Layer Dip

Homemade bread (Sister-in-law is bringing)

Salad (Brother-in-law's speciality--has olives, pasta, artichoke hearts and all sorts of goodies)

Homemade bread-and-butter pickles from my garden


Apple Pie (apples from our tree)

Pumpkin Pie

Wine with the main course, Coffe with dessert


I got the cornbread and cranberry relish done today (bread in the freezer until Thurs). Tomorrow I make the pies. Wednesday the veggie dishes. Then on Thurs all I have to do is the turkey and stuffing and gravy and baked potatoes. And heat everything else in the oven.

[FarPoint]

21. Your brother-in-laws salad

sounds delicious..and bread and butter pickles from the garden...I know they are the best..maple syrup in the sweet potatoes...oh that is something I want to try next time.

I love your organization! I hope to br half as prepared as you.

[ginnyinWI]

25. thanks

Yeah I've got to get him to write that recipe down this year; he brings it every time and everyone likes it. He'll probably say he can't write it down because it evolves, which is true.

I've been doing this so long it's not hard to have it organized and do what I can ahead. Otherwise it's really chaotic the day before!

[pengillian101]

18. My mail lady lost my invitation!

Your dinner sounds divine! Yum.

[Callalily]

19. Sounds very yummy.

I'm not sure what is on the menu - will find out tomorrow, but I'm bringing the wine! ;)

[Tesha]

20. Our menu - tradition prevails... sort of

From the neighbors...

Squash Soup - she calls it Old Mother Hubbard Soup - mmmm she adds chili
Turkey Surprise - it's the neighbors turn, and they first attempt at cooking one -
Cranberry Relish -
Cheese Tray -
wine

We'll make.....
Sausage Stuffing - with tons of onion and celery
Mashed 'Taters and gravy
Fluffy rolls
Green Bean Casserole - Mr. Tesha tradition
Watergate Salad - my tradition - the kids next door asked for it again
baked sweet potatoes
Pumpkin Pie/Apple Pie/Chocolate Souffle Roll
relish tray & fruit tray
more wine/coffee/aperitifs

-----isn't this fun?

[japple]

22. My menu sounds very much like yours, Tesha.

Roasted Turkey
Cornbread Dressing (Sausage, leeks, celery, onions, garlic, grits, and leftover biscuits, fresh sage)
Mashed potatoes
Green beans (frozen, from our garden)
Corn (frozen from our garden)
Creamed spinach
Relish tray (with lots of olives for my 2-1/2 yr. old nephew who lives for olives)
Orange/cranberry sauce
Homemade rolls
Dried Apple Tart (my sister's specialty--DIVINE--will post the recipe when I find it)
Nelle's Pecan Pie

[japple]

27. Dried Apple Tart with Crisp Crumble Topping

This recipe came out of Gourmet back in 1998 and is at epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Dried-Apple-Tart-with-Crisp-Crumble-Topping-15712

My niece always requests it for her birthday, which sometimes falls on Thanksgiving day. It is a very rich-tasting dessert and we serve it in very small slices and no one seems to think it needs any kind of accompaniment (although I do think a dollop of hard sauce might be good.)

[Warpy]

24. My favorite Thanksgiving feasts were back home

in New England, always pot luck affairs with all of us hiding out from our families so we had something to be thankful for. There were always surprises and it was always good--most of us were foodies. Oddly enough, the guys didn't sit in front of a TV while women did all the work, they pitched in and only repaired to the outdoors to pull the guts out of someone's broken car when most of it was done.

Families claimed us for Xmas.

[Warpy]

23. I live alone, so mine will be simpler

I have a salmon fillet which I'll be slicing into thinner fillets and wrapping around a by-guess-and-by-gosh filling of rice and whatever else strikes my fancy that day. I have some frozen prawns and I think they might be part of it. The filling will be cooked and still warm when I wrap the salmon around it, so the fish won't have to be overcooked to cook the filling. Sides will just be a plain salad, cubed pineapple for dessert.

The older I get, the simpler my cooking gets.

[FarPoint]

29. If you have a cat.....

sharing the salmon would not be refused. My cats are family so I think along those lines.O8)

Salmon is always an elegant entree.

[pengillian101]

31. When I open a can of salmon...

I am very hard pressed to share it. Red Salmon - canned is heaven even better than fresh to me.

I do, however, give the juice to my 2 cats - but they won't touch it.

But, tuna water is a whole nother story. Crazy cats.

:hi:

[Warpy]

38. My cat has always disliked people food

but she makes an exception for salmon. She prefers it smoked, however.

[pengillian101]

30. The older I get, the simpler my cooking gets.

Me too! We are just two and just had a whole turkey breast, stuffing and whatnot last month. My partner thinks he can cook. Not so good, but I keep quiet.

We're doing Cornish game hens T-Day. I'll suffer through it. I would much rather cook the meal, but like I said, he thinks he can make it best.

Undercooked poultry and lumpy mashed potatoes - yum, everyone's favorite.

When my family visits in a few days afterwards, I will cook something non-traditional. Lloyd's ribs, onion rings, French fries, etc.

[tigereye]

32. wow, impressive!

I tend to make a french bread, granny smith apple chestnut stuffing - yours looks interesting as well!


I love fingerling potatoes, there were some in the store yesterday and i was sorely tempted, even though we are having Yukon gold mashed. We had some wonderful farm share fingerlings earlier this year, they were scrumptious - the best potatoes I'd ever tasted!



the menu here:

Organic Farm- raised turkey from the community share, with sage and other savory herbs

Chestnut, apple, french bread stuffing - always moist (my mom always did the "fry until it crackles" dressing - not for me - ugh.)

Cranberry-pineapple relish

My SIL is making some yummy- sounding popovers

Cheesecake pumpkin pie

Mashed yukon gold potatoes

Steamed broccoli, carrots and brussel sprouts

Greek salad- my husband always makes this, it's so good.

wine, beer, and Sumatran coffee!


I think that's it.

[The empressof all]

35. I made Reservatioms! A first for me.

It's a great restaurant and they do a buffet:

MENU

Carved Turkey with Rosemary, Lemon

and Black Pepper Rub

Pike Place Market Ale and Honey Glazed Baked Ham

Old Fashioned Onion Gravy

Cranberry, Orange and Cinnamon Sauce

Annabelle's Savory Celery, Sweet Onion

and French Bread Stuffing

Corn Bread Oyster Stuffing

Whiskey Barbecued Pulled Pork

Maple Vanilla Bean Sweet Potatoes

Country Style Red Skin Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Crispy Bacon

Butternut Squash, Spinach, Ricotta Cheese

and Walnut Cannelloni

Housemade Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Lobster Champagne Bisque with Fennel Chantilly

Northwest Seafood Stew with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Basil

Black Bean and Cojita Cheese Quesadilla with Pico de Gallo House Smoked Wild Salmon with Honey Rum Glaze

Chilled Prawns Cocktail with Horseradish Tomato Cocktail Sauce House Smoked Penn Cove Mussels

Olive Oil Poached Albacore Tuna

with Watercress and Red Bell Pepper Pesto

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Curried Garlic Dressing

Spanish Red Snapper Escabéche

Deviled Eggs with Dungeness Crabmeat

Orzo Salad with Green Vegetables

and Green Goddess Dressing

Caesar Salad with Focaccia Croutons

and Parmesan Dressing

Thai Noodle Beef Salad with Lemon Dressing

Greek Vegetable Salad with Feta and Kalamata Olives

Red Cabbage and Apple Slaw with Brown Sugar Dressing

Roasted Winter Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Tomato, Basil and Fresh Mozzarella Salad

Caramelized Onion and Three Cheese Tart

Balsamic Onions with Smoked Tomatoes and Arugula

LePuy Lentil Salad with Chicken Cilantro Meatballs

Ricotta Tortellini Salad

with Autumn Squash and Crispy Sage

Refreshing Fruit Platters

International Cheese Selection with Sesame Crackers

Roasted Potato Focaccia, Walnut Bread, Challah, Savory Scones, Cilantro Jalapeno Corn and Bacon Muffins

SIGNATURE DESSERT BUFFET

Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Sweet Potato Pie, Crème Brûlée,

Cranberry Tiramisu, Rustic Apple Tart, Cheesecake, Cookies, Chocolate Mousse, Banana Betty & Many More!



They're going to have to wheel me out of there.

[Tesha]

36. Good Golly!

What a spread! Don't eat anything today or tomorrow morning - go hungry and taste everything! twice!

Where is this marvel?

[FarPoint]

42. Oh YES!

That is some Buffet! My favorite foods are on that list.........all of them are my favorite! A fine treat indeed.

[Vinca]

37. I want to go to your house for Thanksgiving!

[Jazzgirl]

39. What time do I show up?

No.....really!!! That sounds wonderful! Yummy and I wish I could be there.

[shanti]

41. sounds awesome!

but mine is more average: roast stuffed turkey (in a cooking bag - can't beat the moist meat in a bag - my bottom line!), whole berry cranberry sauce, gravy, garlic mashed yukon gold potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, sauteed asparagus, tutti frutti whipped jello with mandarins, crescent rolls, AND homemade pumpkin and amish sour cream apple pies! everything from scratch too.

if that don't give you a coronary, i don't know what will!