Good sunday to everyone! My wife and I were mulling over what to make for thanksgiving dinner, traditional or doing something totally different. Maybe mexican or just a hoge poge of different things. We are kinda tired of the same thing every year so I thought to ask what are you guys and gals doing out there for Tg dinner, maybe something different? Anyone care to share. I hope everyone travels safe and has a wonderful thanksgiving!!!!!
A ham baked with pineapples, mash sweet potatoes, and all the little sidelines like pickles, relishes, salads, and so on.
Last year we were at WillowTree Resort in Longs, SC near Myrtle Beach. We decided instead of eating Thanksgiving out or even participating in the campground's covered dish dinner we would grill a turkey breast and it was wonderful! Instead of doing alot of cooking, I made a quick prepare cornbread stuffing, jar gravy, a veggie, microwaveable mashed potatoes (real, not instant) and rolls. The turkey breast took about 2.5 hrs on a Holland grill (if you're lookin - you ain't cookin) which doesn't flare up. None of it took much effort, no oven cooking and it all turned out delicious with very little effort. We are leaving for WillowTree again on Wednesday and plan to do the very same thing again. It was a great Thanksgiving meal! Happy Holidays!
I just can't break from tradition, lol, so it's turkey as usual for us, but again, this year since we're going to relatives for dinner, instead of cooking a whole turkey for at home we're going with a turkey breast. My recipe for stuffing appears in the other thread here about Thanksgiving, so I won't repeat it. We'll also have home-made mashed potatoes and my favorite, Sweet Potatoes with pineapple chunks...very easy to make just take some canned sweet potatoes, since I like lots of left overs, I use two of the large cans, drain them, put them into a 2 quart casserole, chop them up a bit, drain one can of the pineapple chunks and add to the sweet potatoes, then add the other can of pineapple chunks with the juice, sprinkle about a 1/4 cup of brown sugar over them, mix gently, cover and either put in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or nuke in the microwave about 8 minutes. We'll also have the jelled cranberry sauce, don't know why I like it...I think the fun is getting it out of the can and try to slice it on indented "rings", lol. I've gotten lazy the last few years with making pies, so I either get the frozen pumpkin and apple pies or just go to a store or bakery and buy them. The nice thing I like about Thanksgiving dinner is there is enough leftovers to last several days until we get sick of them, so that means I don't have to cook for a few days and that leaves more time for shopping, lol!!!! Also, the last few years I've started to make our Thanksgiving dinner on Wednesday, so I can get up and watch the whole Macy's Day Parade without being interrupted by having to get anything prepared. No matter what you're having (as long as it's not bear, lol) or who you're having it with or where, I wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving!!!
We have considered changing our "Thanksgiving" dinner menu in the past, but have all most always chose to keep the traditional "turkey dinner" as we truly enjoy the meal and all the extras that go with it. Would like to share a couple of our favorites at both Thanksgiving & Christmas dinner get togethers. One is our cold bean salad. Easy to put together and very tasty. Cool overnight one can each of; kidney, yellow, green, beans and a can of chic peas. Drain well, add 1/4 cup sweet onion, 1/4 cup white small cubed cheese, two cloves of minced garlic, fold ingredients together with a generous amount of red wine/vinegar dressing. You may want to season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and if the dressing is to tart, a small amount of sugar to cut the tartness. We also prepare our own clam dip, which is fresher and tastier that the prepared store variety, and is not that hard to put together. We make a large amount, as it goes pretty fast, it's that good. You will need: two cans of snow's minced clams, one can of snows chopped clams, 6.5 oz each, three bricks of cream cheese, 8oz each, the juice of 1/2 fresh lemon, three large cloves minced garlic, and retain the clam juice from draining the clams. Of course you will need chips or whatever you prefer for dipping. Start by allowing the cream cheese to warm on the counter, and at this time drain the clams, again retaining some of the clam juice..say at least a water glass full. Prepare the lemon juice, minced garlic, separately to be added later. Place softened cream cheese in large bowl with a small amount of the clam juice and with an electric hand mixer whip the cheese until smooth, by adding more clam juice a little at a time to achieve the smoothness desired. Do not add to much at anyone time as you do not want the cheese to be to thin because the lemon/garlic mixture, and the drained clams have to be folded in and these ingredients will thin the cheese mixture a little. Fold all ingredients together, cheese, clams, and the lemon/garlic mixture and if at all possible refrigerate overnight, covered so the favors can mix. Enjoy!!!!!! At our house, at this time of year, the grandkids always ask, "is Papa going to make his bean salad and his clam dip for Thanksgiving"? And the same is asked at Christmas. I guess you could say it has become a tradition of our holidays. God bless... Happy Thanksgiving to all. PS, Please do not forget our men and women in uniform that protect us and our great country, say a prayer of thanks for their service and the sacrifices of their families....
