Wednesday, November 03, 2004

Thanksgiving

We're having my parents and one of my grandmas (and possibly my other grandma, my sister, my cousin and her boyfriend... not for sure yet) over for Thanksgiving, and I'm SO EXCITED :-) We usually do Thanksgiving with John's family, but since his parents are in Florida, *I* get to do it this year!

John and I were planning a menu yesterday, talking about what each of us just can't live without on Thanksgiving (besides the turkey), and what our families ALWAYS had on the table each year. My favorite item is baked sweet potatoes with cinnamon-honey-butter. John's is mashed potatoes with gravy. So here's what we're having:

Turkey with Stuffing
Mashed potatoes with gravy
Baked sweet potatoes
Rolls from Great Harvest Bread Co.
Cranberry sauce
Green Bean Casserole
Steamed Carrots
Cranberry-Apple Streusel Pie
Pumpkin Pie (if my sister is coming)
Chocolate Silk Pie

Too many desserts, I'm aware, but my last year my dad fell in love with my sugar-free Cran-Apple Struesel pie (he's diabetic and can't have sugar). My sister's can't-live-without item is Pumpking pie. John doesn't like either of the other two, and his mom ALWAYS makes him a chocolate silk pie on Thanksgiving.

Anyway, all the reminiscing yesterday got me wondering what all of you are doing for Thanksgiving, any family traditions you have (food or otherwise), and what your dream menu would be :-) Discuss!

11 comments:

Jen said...

Well, my dream menu would NOT include the green beans casserole and the carrots. ;)

I'm very traditional: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls and cranberry sauce. And I could eat some pumpkin pie, too, if you twisted my arm.

keesh said...

Our Thanksgiving is not normal. My husband is almost always out of town, my brother's wife is almost always out of town at some family shopping deal and so it is just my brother, myself, my mom and step Dad and sometimes the grandparents. I am not sure what is up this year yet, maybe it will be like the old days when we get together at my Aunt's house and have everyone there! My Mom and my aunt just started speaking again after 4 years, so we shall see....I don't like to cook, i hate it! but I can make some mean mashed potatos! :), I love mashed potatos, pumpkin pie and I am with Jen, the usual menu!

Anonymous said...

How about homemade macaroni and cheese? (Hey, it was in the movie Soul Food!)

Jen said...

Oops, I was the "anonymous."

And Soul Food also had those damn collard greens.

Jen said...

If anyone should have "soul food" at their Thanksgiving it's us, since our family is so multi cultural) ... speaking of which, I wonder what we're doing for Thanksgiving. Nikki, if you read this, are you guys going to your mom's or Mom and Steve's or is someone else in your family hosting Thanksgivign or what?

Jen said...

So leave out the sausage or bacon fat or whatever.

keesh said...

Renee- I saw that episode too and i think she is an amazing woman too. I am interested in getting her cook book, but i am not sure what for as I hate to cook, but one of my friends loves to cook and we always exchange a Christmas gift, so that is a good idea. Hey, thanks for bringing it up :)

Jen said...

I should actually start paying attention to this whole "cooking" conversation...apparently Jeff and his parents usually go OUT for Thanksgiving dinner, but I'd really like to have a home-cooked meal, and I even went as far to say that, if his mom didn't want to cook (which is why they usually go out), then we could cook it HERE.

I will give you all a moment to laugh hysterically, as the most complex thing I've ever made was Taco Bake Casserole.

Jen said...

My sister said there's some new kind of Remedial Turkey out where you just put it in the oven and bake; no defrosting, no taking out yucky stuff from the inside, etc. I'm going to look into that.

keesh said...

Jen- don't feel bad, I have been married for almost 5 years and I still don't do too much "good" cooking, like big homecooked meals, but I offered to have Thanksgiving here at my house for my Mom's family so I better get it in gear. Although my Mom said she would make the turkey...

Anonymous said...

Jen - are there any places open on Thanksgiving? No wait I was thinking Christmas nevermind. I think it would be great if you cooked Thanksgiving - of course please get pointers from any one of your MANY friends that can cook before you do it and let me know if the remedial turkey thing tastes good - Lisa