Comments on: Thanksgiving Thoughts #1

By: missm

missm — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:31:57 +0000

I was a bit nervous the first time I did a turkey for Thanksgiving. Then I remembered it’s just a big chicken, and I make a MEAN roast chicken and then I wasn’t worried anymore. And it was delicious, just as expected.
Also if Cousin Becky asks if she can bring something always say YES and then tell her what that thing is. And then be happy and grateful. Maybe the way she makes Nana’s famous sweet potatoes is different than how you would do it (and you’re pretty sure it’s definitely different than how Nana did), and she’s going to bring it in some ugly container that doesn’t go with the rest of the table setting and she didn’t even include a garnish, for cryin’ out loud, but that’s not really the point, now, is it?

By: Cat

Cat — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:11:01 +0000

Mmmmm, Mrs. Hendricks, I had a butternut squash ravioli with sage, brown butter, pine nuts, shaved Parmesan, and fresh nutmeg at a restaurant recently. It was absolutely divine.

By: Kimks

Kimks — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:51:21 +0000

Twistie- This is a great list- I am adding it to my personal file of Party tips & tricks. We host lots of dinner parties and just plain parties and always have a lot of fun with them- the key is preperation, kowing well what you can and cannot do and remembering that if it all goes to hades, most people are fine with eating pizza or random sandwiches you can throw together= if you laugh your guests will laugh too…

By: Twistie

Twistie — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:53:08 +0000

Mrs. Hendicks, I will go look up that recipe today! It sounds beyond scrumptious. Of course, I’m a complete sucker for both butternut squash and hazelnuts.

By: Mrs. Hendricks

Mrs. Hendricks — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:38:25 +0000

Good tips. I might just add to start making a few things now that won’t suffer from the do-ahead. Piecrust can be made into disks and popped into the freezer; then all you have to do is thaw it out in the fridge the night before you make pie. I also make cranberry sauce way ahead of time, and it’s fine.

Alexis put me in mind of another wonderful lasagna made with butternut squash, sage and hazelnuts. However, it’s not a do-head project, and leftovers don’t keep so well because of the nuts. But it is absolutely delicious and can be found on Epicurious.

By: Nomie

Nomie — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:44:58 +0000

#6 is the absolute key, in my mind. For Thanksgiving we always drive down to the next state to spend the holiday with my dad’s cousin and her family, and we always bring the cranberry sauce and at least one pie. Sometimes we bring other stuff too, and it definitely makes the prep on their end easier to have just a couple of things less to worry about.

Oh, we also bring wine. Wine is important.

By: Twistie

Twistie — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:42:12 +0000

Mmmm…that lasagna sounds beyond delish! I’m not a vegetarian, but I would be well satisfied by that as a main dish. There’s nothing at all wrong with untraditional.

By: Alexis

Alexis — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:33:44 +0000

Excellent advice! I am thinking of trying something really untraditional this year. Nigella has a recipe for a pumpkin goat cheese lasagna in her Christmas cookbook that looks to be to die for. And you can make the whole thing in advance and reheat! It would be so perfect with vegetarians, although I will probably offer meat elsewhere in the meal, maybe in the form of another easy-peasy Nigella recipe: prosciutto-wrapped figs!