ok, it's that time again. there is no denying it--we are in November!

With Thanksgiving coming up, what are your worries, hopes, expectations, plans? who is coming? Who is travelling? What recipes are you trying? Anyone actually watching all those cooking shows demonstrating proper Turkey roasting?

Counting down to Thomas Turkey....what is up?

We'll be hosting this year, and so far it's just us and DH's parents. We may have a few other friends with no place else to go join us.

MIL and DH are such foodies and so fussy about their cooking that I just stay out of the way. I'm responsible for table setting and other such peripheral hosting duties.

I like to schedule some kind of activity for Thanksgiving morning -- gathering some of my team for a row, going for a hike, running a "Turkey Trot" race -- but some years, that's a hard sell. Haven't brought it up to DH yet. I guess his opinion will depend on how much cooking he has to do that day (vs. doing ahead).

Hard to believe it's so close!

TG has not been discussed with either my parents or my ILs yet. I have no idea. If I get my new double ovens by then, I may want to host it, but I may have to wait for Christmas. They are coming to measure today and if the demensions are correct it will be ordered. I don't think it is supposed to take long to come in once they are ordered.

With my parents we usually have pretty traditional TG fair, but made as low fat as possible. With my ILs, it is either traditional TG fair NOT made low-fat, or my MIL does crazy stuff like makes potato salad and cole slaw and other things that I would condsider more picnic food. (She does this at Christmas too.)

Dawn

but by golly, that will be the best darn jello salad ever!!!

i am also thinking--i don't get many days off. so i really want to relax and enjoy. that means--no family drama. a nice leisurely morning walk outside with nature. this is my aim for the TG holiday. i want to play some cards, laugh, pop in a good movie, walk around in my fuzzy house slippers. ahhh! these are the moments Hallmark must be writing about, right?

Well, now I'm off the hook. My aunt traded me for Christmas Eve so that is a much easier meal for me to deal with. Yeah! Now all I have to make is a jello salad.

Peg

We are doing hte usual - champagne and apps with the neighbors and then turkey dinner with my parents. I hope that my ankle will be much better by then and will be able to do a long walk before hand.

quote:

Originally posted by jillybean:
[...]My sisters and I always go shopping on Black Friday and I look forward to that day almost as much as TG!!
Jill

I stay as far away from stores as I can on that day . I worked at Rich's (now Macy's) on that day for many years. I was single so I would work a double shift (open to close) with a 2-3 hour "lunch" midway. Made great money those weekends

I'm hosting...probably around 10 people. Not at all organized. Have to figure that out. I have a little staycation planned for this weekend through Wednesday so I will be sitting down and figuring things out during that time. My brother is particularly wedded to the whole traditional meal. I could totally skip it but oh well. I'd rather have a good Italian dinner any day! LOL

I have no idea what is going on. I'm planning on running a 5k race early in the morning with a friend. After that, who knows. All of my immediate family is in FL, my aunt & uncle will probably head out of town to my cousin's and take my other cousin & her family with them. My grandparents may decide it's not worth bothering with eating out.

After years of crazy family holidays, I'm kind of hoping for a no holiday holiday. If that is what happens, dh and I will plan a nice dinner (whatever we want since neither of us is a huge turkey fan) and probably hang out on the couch with the dog.

Judy,
Here is a recipe for Cranberry Applesauce: http://simplyrecipes.com/recip...ranberry_applesauce/
I imagine that you could just cook it for a lot longer and it would turn in to Cranberry Apple Butter.

No exciting Turkey Day plans here. The aunts and uncles are coming in from out of town and my mom is hosting the dinner. We have already been asked to make the pies. I will probably host lunch on the big day. Our family tradition involves having a light lunch of Wild Rice Soup and a sandwich board, then the big dinner later in the evening. My mom likes to host the party, but she isn't particularly interested in the cooking part anymore, so I don't hold out much hope for all of the trimmings...

We are going to my sisters on Thanksgiving. She does the turkey, we all bring sides (i feel like I'm copying Judy's answer). I always love to try a new side dish recipe for TG. My sisters and I always go shopping on Black Friday and I look forward to that day almost as much as TG!!

Jill

I am hosting TG for the first time in a LONG time. Since I work fulltime, I decided I am not going to kill myself making everything from scratch. I have been very pelased with many of the desserts at Trader Joe's and Costo's, so wherever I can, i am going to buy pre-made. I will do one big turkey, and then probably roast several legs (because they are so popular) I have a hankering for pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread, so I will probably do something like that. Maybe little hor deuvres that are easily heated up in the oven. Lots of canned drinks on big coolers. Cornbread dressing, cranberry sauce. My SO's 2 kids live with us now, so it will be more folks to eat and more folks to help. We are doing an Open House starting around noon. All family and friends who want to come by---come on in! I want the focus to be more on people, and less on me slaving away in the kitchen, then washing all those dishes. Lots of music and laughter! That is on the menu for sure!
I am sure people will bring a dish to pass if they like but it is not required.

We are all going to my sister's (as usual) on the Saturday following TG. She will provide the place and the turkey and we all bring sides.

No idea what we are making yet but we may try to find a recipe similar to the Cranberry/Apple Butter spread they serve at The Flying Biscuit. YUM!
It is NOT in their cookbook

Then we will do the same thing for Christmas.