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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 21, 2016 9:19:35 GMT -5
One of the things I love about this time of year is how my kitchen gradually starts to seem weightless. Last weekend all the bags of tomatoes were gone from the floor. On Wednesday the big jar of kimuchi got taken off the counter. This morning the big jar of fermenting hot peppers went into the fridge. Next week the pumpkins on the counter and floor will be roasted. Piece by piece, calm and order are restored.
JUST IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING!
Yep, I'm already starting to think about my annual tradition of subtly needling my horrible brother-in-law with my menu choices for Thanksgiving. There was some serious discussion earlier this year that we could go to a restaurant instead of cooking at home, actually, because I spend most of my year on the "hate" side of my love/hate relationship with cooking Thanksgiving. But cooler heads prevailed, and the turkey has already been ordered from the farmer, and the celery is already chopped and in the freezer. (I kind of can't believe I've already started prepping Thanksgiving. Where has this year gone??)
Anyway, my focus at the moment is on pickled beets. You see, I've been hearing for years about how B-I-L's family has a tradition at holiday meals to have an appetizer platter that includes pickled beets, so when the beets started to pile up from my farm share I contacted non-Hugs to get more info on this platter. I thought it would be a gracious hostess effort to present B-I-L with a Dick n Hisses version of his favorite holiday food tradition, and I very seriously meant this without malice. Believe it or not. I knew whatever I made wouldn't be exactly what he wanted, but it still seemed like a nice thing to do, right?
Apparently wrong. Not-Hugs told me he would rather not have the platter at all than have to eat a "bastardized" version of it. Which... honestly. SIGH.
It turns out this platter includes four things: pickled beets, black olives, deviled eggs, and cocktail shrimp. You know what? I'm making a grazing platter for Thanksgiving, and it's going to have my homemade pickled beets (the recipe is VERY old-skool midwestern, maybe even bordering on candied), the nice black olives from the swanky grocery store around here (they're just like the black olives from a can, but bigger, meatier, and don't have that metal taste), and deviled eggs that include a relish made of my own sweet gherkins. Since no one at stately Dick n Hisses Manor eats shrimp, maybe I'll do a retro sweet-and-sour cocktail meatball as the fourth option, and the one that gives me plausible deniability. "What a coincidence! Your family ALSO has beets, olives, and deviled eggs? Huh. Well, no shrimp here, so clearly this is a different beast altogether."
(Seriously, though, I can't figure out what to make of not-Hugs insisting that it would be a bad idea to put out my own plate of beets, olives, and eggs. Like, is B-I-L really incapable of appreciating that kind of gesture from his in-laws? I mean, doesn't it seem like a nice thing to be like, "Hey, you make this effort to spend the holiday with us instead of your family, so let me try to incorporate something familiar for you?" I've softened a bit on B-I-L in the last year, after having some fairly pleasant visits with him, and I am sort of suspecting not-Hugs is being a jerk here.)
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Oct 21, 2016 9:50:06 GMT -5
I love your passive-aggressive Thanksgivings.  I don't know how this Thanksgiving will go. I don't think my BIL and his girlfriend will be coming, and Grampa died this year, so it will be a small affair - me, husband, his parents and the 12 year old brother. And yet I suspect my MIL will make the same huge amount of food she always does? A turkey, mashed potatoes, massive amounts of corn casserole, stuffing, the works? Starch city? They're also going to be on vacation the weekend before Thanksgiving... maybe I should ask her next time we see her what she's thinking and if I can take over a dish or two - there's no longer a need to cater to the grandparents' bland tastes (I loved them dearly, but they were the reason I couldn't make "fancy" mashed potatoes and there had to be "normal" stuffing). |
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Post by pairesta on Oct 21, 2016 10:06:01 GMT -5
One of the things I love about this time of year is how my kitchen gradually starts to seem weightless. Last weekend all the bags of tomatoes were gone from the floor. On Wednesday the big jar of kimuchi got taken off the counter. This morning the big jar of fermenting hot peppers went into the fridge. Next week the pumpkins on the counter and floor will be roasted. Piece by piece, calm and order are restored. JUST IN TIME FOR THANKSGIVING! Yep, I'm already starting to think about my annual tradition of subtly needling my horrible brother-in-law with my menu choices for Thanksgiving. There was some serious discussion earlier this year that we could go to a restaurant instead of cooking at home, actually, because I spend most of my year on the "hate" side of my love/hate relationship with cooking Thanksgiving. But cooler heads prevailed, and the turkey has already been ordered from the farmer, and the celery is already chopped and in the freezer. (I kind of can't believe I've already started prepping Thanksgiving. Where has this year gone??) Anyway, my focus at the moment is on pickled beets. You see, I've been hearing for years about how B-I-L's family has a tradition at holiday meals to have an appetizer platter that includes pickled beets, so when the beets started to pile up from my farm share I contacted non-Hugs to get more info on this platter. I thought it would be a gracious hostess effort to present B-I-L with a Dick n Hisses version of his favorite holiday food tradition, and I very seriously meant this without malice. Believe it or not. I knew whatever I made wouldn't be exactly what he wanted, but it still seemed like a nice thing to do, right? Apparently wrong. Not-Hugs told me he would rather not have the platter at all than have to eat a "bastardized" version of it. Which... honestly. SIGH. It turns out this platter includes four things: pickled beets, black olives, deviled eggs, and cocktail shrimp. You know what? I'm making a grazing platter for Thanksgiving, and it's going to have my homemade pickled beets (the recipe is VERY old-skool midwestern, maybe even bordering on candied), the nice black olives from the swanky grocery store around here (they're just like the black olives from a can, but bigger, meatier, and don't have that metal taste), and deviled eggs that include a relish made of my own sweet gherkins. Since no one at stately Dick n Hisses Manor eats shrimp, maybe I'll do a retro sweet-and-sour cocktail meatball as the fourth option, and the one that gives me plausible deniability. "What a coincidence! Your family ALSO has beets, olives, and deviled eggs? Huh. Well, no shrimp here, so clearly this is a different beast altogether." (Seriously, though, I can't figure out what to make of not-Hugs insisting that it would be a bad idea to put out my own plate of beets, olives, and eggs. Like, is B-I-L really incapable of appreciating that kind of gesture from his in-laws? I mean, doesn't it seem like a nice thing to be like, "Hey, you make this effort to spend the holiday with us instead of your family, so let me try to incorporate something familiar for you?" I've softened a bit on B-I-L in the last year, after having some fairly pleasant visits with him, and I am sort of suspecting not-Hugs is being a jerk here.) Both the food and the passive-aggression are absolutely delicious in this. |
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Post by pairesta on Oct 21, 2016 10:10:29 GMT -5
On our side, it's two Thanksgivings: one the weekend before, when my in-laws come down. (See SLOW's Mother Thread for some anecdotes. Um, by the way, where is SLOW?) Then there's Thanksgiving proper later that week. We are absolutely planning a real-deal old school T-giving that weekend before, made like my wife and her sister remember growing up. I'm in charge of the turkey and they are doing the rest. That leaves what to do for Thanksgiving itself a few days later, which will be with my parents. We don't think my brother and his family are coming this year (that will be Christmas), so it's a question of what to do, instead. I don't want to cook or eat that whole feast right over again, so I'm kind of stuck on what to make. There's an Italian version I do, with tortellini soup, and a roasted capon, which is always a possibility. |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 21, 2016 10:10:42 GMT -5
I love your passive-aggressive Thanksgivings. I don't know how this Thanksgiving will go. I don't think my BIL and his girlfriend will be coming, and Grampa died this year, so it will be a small affair - me, husband, his parents and the 12 year old brother. And yet I suspect my MIL will make the same huge amount of food she always does? A turkey, mashed potatoes, massive amounts of corn casserole, stuffing, the works? Starch city? They're also going to be on vacation the weekend before Thanksgiving... maybe I should ask her next time we see her what she's thinking and if I can take over a dish or two - there's no longer a need to cater to the grandparents' bland tastes (I loved them dearly, but they were the reason I couldn't make "fancy" mashed potatoes and there had to be "normal" stuffing). The prospect of throwing off the shackles of blandness is so delightful!! I hope you get to really flex your muscles with the meal this year. I have to confess that I am as much responsible for the "normal" stuffing on my table as anyone else in my family, but man, it's sometimes really nice to look through all the food magazines this time of year and think about stuff like cornbread and sausage and pecans... |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 21, 2016 10:16:36 GMT -5
On our side, it's two Thanksgivings: one the weekend before, when my in-laws come down. (See SLOW's Mother Thread for some anecdotes. Um, by the way, where is SLOW ?) Then there's Thanksgiving proper later that week. We are absolutely planning a real-deal old school T-giving that weekend before, made like my wife and her sister remember growing up. I'm in charge of the turkey and they are doing the rest. That leaves what to do for Thanksgiving itself a few days later, which will be with my parents. We don't think my brother and his family are coming this year (that will be Christmas), so it's a question of what to do, instead. I don't want to cook or eat that whole feast right over again, so I'm kind of stuck on what to make. There's an Italian version I do, with tortellini soup, and a roasted capon, which is always a possibility. Yeah, where is SLOW, anyway?? I love the idea of being able to chill out for the traditional Thanksgiving meal, and just do the turkey up right, and then do something fun and different for a second holiday. Especially when "fun and different" includes tortellini soup. This is like the best of both worlds. Hm... ::suddenly starts thinking deep thoughts about tortellini soup:: |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Oct 21, 2016 10:31:19 GMT -5
I love your passive-aggressive Thanksgivings. I don't know how this Thanksgiving will go. I don't think my BIL and his girlfriend will be coming, and Grampa died this year, so it will be a small affair - me, husband, his parents and the 12 year old brother. And yet I suspect my MIL will make the same huge amount of food she always does? A turkey, mashed potatoes, massive amounts of corn casserole, stuffing, the works? Starch city? They're also going to be on vacation the weekend before Thanksgiving... maybe I should ask her next time we see her what she's thinking and if I can take over a dish or two - there's no longer a need to cater to the grandparents' bland tastes (I loved them dearly, but they were the reason I couldn't make "fancy" mashed potatoes and there had to be "normal" stuffing). The prospect of throwing off the shackles of blandness is so delightful!! I hope you get to really flex your muscles with the meal this year. I have to confess that I am as much responsible for the "normal" stuffing on my table as anyone else in my family, but man, it's sometimes really nice to look through all the food magazines this time of year and think about stuff like cornbread and sausage and pecans... I am sloooowly going to worm my way into holiday meals ... I've gotta start thinking about Christmas breakfast this year  My tamale cornbread stuffing was pretty delicious, so I'd happily make that again, but mmm, sausage and pecans.... and honestly, I don't want to make crazy wasabi-ginger mashed sweet potato or anything, but how about some roasted garlic, chive and white cheddar mashed potatoes? |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 21, 2016 10:41:28 GMT -5
but how about some roasted garlic, chive and white cheddar mashed potatoes? ::gets in car:: ::starts driving to PET's house for Thanksgiving:: |
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Post by pairesta on Oct 21, 2016 10:43:06 GMT -5
One new tradition I am definitely adding to the mix though is to make a gumbo from the leftover turkey, using the carcass for the broth, and then some meat for the gumbo itself. I think it'll fit in well to that time of year, the stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
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Post by 🔪 silly buns on Oct 21, 2016 11:10:18 GMT -5
(Seriously, though, I can't figure out what to make of not-Hugs insisting that it would be a bad idea to put out my own plate of beets, olives, and eggs. Like, is B-I-L really incapable of appreciating that kind of gesture from his in-laws? I mean, doesn't it seem like a nice thing to be like, "Hey, you make this effort to spend the holiday with us instead of your family, so let me try to incorporate something familiar for you?" I've softened a bit on B-I-L in the last year, after having some fairly pleasant visits with him, and I am sort of suspecting not-Hugs is being a jerk here.) Maybe non-Hiss hates this platter and is trying ot steer you into making something she would like. I find that's usually true in similar situations. |
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on Oct 21, 2016 11:41:32 GMT -5
I just realized that we can have deviled oyster casserole or even oyster stuffing this year because my brother will likely not be joining us for Thanksgiving. He does not like most shellfish, and my parents went down to Cambridge, MD (on the Eastern Shore) yesterday specifically to buy a bushel of Chesapeake Bay oysters. They'll keep for a good long while in the fridge. I had half a dozen last night with a dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - so clean and fresh tasting. Not very salty, but that's okay. God invented Tabasco sauce for a reason.
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Post by Return of the Thin Olive Duke on Oct 21, 2016 12:12:45 GMT -5
Once again, my mother is refusing to participate in Thanksgiving in a theatrical show of melancholy because she refuses to accept that anyone else is capable of suffering (this is a woman who once proclaimed "I'm going to be one of those mothers who drinks now!"). The last time that happened, my 90-something grandma made enough Thanksgiving dinner for three 90-something grandmas, and this scared my mom straight. That isn't happening now.
I meanwhile affirm that Thanksgiving is a holiday that must be celebrated and celebrated properly, but I won't have Minnie to help me. What can I do?
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Post by Ben Grimm on Oct 21, 2016 12:22:29 GMT -5
We're probably doing Thanksgiving here this year, and, if my wife's sisters family isn't joining us for whatever reason, may suggest we commit heresy by getting Peking Duck, especially if it's just me, my wife, my parents, and my wife's father. I'm think if it's more than that, I'll probably be pulling for ribs.
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Post by pairesta on Oct 21, 2016 12:52:19 GMT -5
I had half a dozen last night with a dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - I misread this as: I had half a dozen dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - And was all DAMN, GIRL |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 21, 2016 13:28:26 GMT -5
I had half a dozen last night with a dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - I misread this as: I had half a dozen dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - And was all DAMN, GIRL Life goals! |
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on Oct 21, 2016 13:35:25 GMT -5
I had half a dozen last night with a dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - I misread this as: I had half a dozen dirty vodka martini and they were delicious - And was all DAMN, GIRL Good god. If I'd consumed half a dozen vodka martinis, I'd probably be communicating from my autopsy right now. I can't drink like that! I am home sick today because it turned out I picked up a stomach bug unrelated to anything I ate, but sheesh. |
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GumTurkeyles
AV Clubber 
$10 down, $10 a month, don't you be a turkey
Posts: 3,065 
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Post by GumTurkeyles on Oct 21, 2016 14:01:13 GMT -5
Normally I'm in charge of making 4 or 5 sides, since people like my cooking and they won't make stuff that's vegetarian. This year, though, I'm going to make a bunch of quesadillas (I posted the recipe in the family recipes thread) and vegetarian empanadas, which is another recipe I got from my grandmother years ago. I'm hoping it'll make everyone a bit happier.
I'm also going to a Piesgiving event that evening. Friends without family nearby do a get together for thanksgiving, and this year's theme is things in pie form. Empanadas are hand pies, so I think that'll work.
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Post by ganews on Oct 21, 2016 19:53:58 GMT -5
I doubt we'll be doing anything for Thanksgiving this year unless we get invited to a friend's house again, which was nice to do last year. On such occasions is convenient to bring vegetables from my garden/freezer because it's easy to make and impresses everybody. Besides, we have the Philly marathon the weekend before, and I don't care to make another big car trip to relatives so soon after.
Also we made a turkey for Thanksgiving-lite while my in-laws were here two months ago.
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LazBro
Prolific Poster 
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Post by LazBro on Oct 22, 2016 9:12:07 GMT -5
I expect my family will continue the tradition we've established over the past couple years of giving me Thanksgiving off, but then making me do damn near everything at Christmas. Still, as I did last year, I will probably nominate myself to make the mashed potatoes, because I'm great at it and everyone else sucks. These are my holiday potatoes: boiled in flavored milk, riced, whipped with butter and flavorings. A supreme pain in the ass and totally worth it.
I may also do dressing. No dressing I've made the last couple years has been a huge hit or anything, but I like making it for some reason.
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 24, 2016 9:36:38 GMT -5
I expect my family will continue the tradition we've established over the past couple years of giving me Thanksgiving off, but then making me do damn near everything at Christmas. Still, as I did last year, I will probably nominate myself to make the mashed potatoes, because I'm great at it and everyone else sucks. These are my holiday potatoes: boiled in flavored milk, riced, whipped with butter and flavorings. A supreme pain in the ass and totally worth it. I may also do dressing. No dressing I've made the last couple years has been a huge hit or anything, but I like making it for some reason. Ricing potatoes is definitely the key to superior holiday potatoes. Yes, it's an ENORMOUS pain in the ass, but it's so hard to go back once you've started at it. I mention it's hard to go back because I finally was like, "Christ, I have to do this entire meal, I am not wasting my time ricing potatoes, too," and now every year I sigh sadly when I look at my not-superior potatoes and think, "I should have riced them." Back in my ricing days, I used to follow a tip to use baking potatoes instead of boiling ones. You boil them whole, skins on, and then peel them fresh out of the pot (of course, so they're stupidly hot and annoying), then rice them piping hot. You get insanely fluffy perfect potatoes that are full of awesome baked-potato flavor, but holy fuck is it the most cranky-inducing way imaginable to make mashed potatoes. Took twice as long as it should, because you're boiling whole baking potatoes? CHECK! Burned your hands many times over? CHECK! Made a colossal mess of everything? CHECK! Entire holiday ruined for you because you feel like you'll never not be on your hair-trigger-temper point again? CHECK! Yup. It's the perfect Thanksgiving recipe. |
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 26, 2016 9:27:05 GMT -5
Contemplating my Thanksgiving staples, I woke up this morning thinking of getting kind of wild and crazy with the sweet potatoes and doing a streusel topping instead of the usual meringue. This could be both delicious, and vaguely off-putting to certain palates. A perfect combination! I'm also kicking myself now for not planting my own sage this year. Normally I get plenty of sage from my CSA, to dry ahead of time for my turkey and stuffing needs. But now I want to use fresh sage, to make a pesto with pecans and maybe a bit of warm spice to rub all over the turkey. Sort of do a flavor intensity upgrade from my standard super-boring dried sage compound butter rub. Now I won't be able to be all smug about my sourcing to my BIL, because my sage is going to have to come from the grocery store. This is a disaster!  |
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on Oct 26, 2016 9:43:11 GMT -5
I expect my family will continue the tradition we've established over the past couple years of giving me Thanksgiving off, but then making me do damn near everything at Christmas. Still, as I did last year, I will probably nominate myself to make the mashed potatoes, because I'm great at it and everyone else sucks. These are my holiday potatoes: boiled in flavored milk, riced, whipped with butter and flavorings. A supreme pain in the ass and totally worth it. I may also do dressing. No dressing I've made the last couple years has been a huge hit or anything, but I like making it for some reason. Ricing potatoes is definitely the key to superior holiday potatoes. Yes, it's an ENORMOUS pain in the ass, but it's so hard to go back once you've started at it. I mention it's hard to go back because I finally was like, "Christ, I have to do this entire meal, I am not wasting my time ricing potatoes, too," and now every year I sigh sadly when I look at my not-superior potatoes and think, "I should have riced them." Back in my ricing days, I used to follow a tip to use baking potatoes instead of boiling ones. You boil them whole, skins on, and then peel them fresh out of the pot (of course, so they're stupidly hot and annoying), then rice them piping hot. You get insanely fluffy perfect potatoes that are full of awesome baked-potato flavor, but holy fuck is it the most cranky-inducing way imaginable to make mashed potatoes. Took twice as long as it should, because you're boiling whole baking potatoes? CHECK! Burned your hands many times over? CHECK! Made a colossal mess of everything? CHECK! Entire holiday ruined for you because you feel like you'll never not be on your hair-trigger-temper point again? CHECK! Yup. It's the perfect Thanksgiving recipe. My mom has always riced potatoes when she's made homemade mashed potatoes. It took me an absurdly long time as a kid to realize that most people don't. I just thought everyone had their great-grandmother's vintage ricer lying around! My parents got me my own ricer for whenever I eventually move out. It's almost as old and heavy as Nonna's and I love it. The new ones suck. We microwave our potatoes for mashed potatoes rather than boiling or baking them. Takes less time and fewer dishes. Still a pain in the ass to have to peel hot potatoes before sticking them in the ricer, though. |
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Baron von Costume
TI Forumite
Like an iron maiden made of pillows... the punishment is decadence!
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Post by Baron von Costume on Oct 28, 2016 10:56:02 GMT -5
I was pretty happy that due to various reasons thanksgiving monday meal this year was just dim sum. (My parents and I just did a small turkey thing the night before the three of us.)
In an odd quirk though, I'm actually going to be having an American thanksgiving dinner this year as cousin's daughter just went to a US college on a scholarship and this will be her first trip home. I may have to steal some ideas to bring something.
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Post by The Stuffingtacular She-Hulk on Oct 28, 2016 11:13:44 GMT -5
Floated the idea of savory bread pudding in lieu of stuffing for Thanksgiving and got shot down. Oh well, it was worth a shot!
Next weekend is Friendsgiving at my friends' Bri and Kenny's place. I'm bringing cranberry sauce and roasted brussels sprouts. I'm so excited for the upcoming holiday season. I actually have a social life!
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Post by songstarliner on Oct 28, 2016 18:22:00 GMT -5
I love savory bread pudding.
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Oct 29, 2016 10:11:26 GMT -5
I emailed my MIL last night and she approved the potatoes. She said my FIL loves his stuffing so, okay. She also said I could bring veggies or dessert, and I'm contemplating. Finding a veggie dish will be hard. There's usually corn pudding. I would do really good green beans but I'm not sure if anyone will eat them. Maybe a salad of some sort? Any ideas?
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 29, 2016 13:18:39 GMT -5
I emailed my MIL last night and she approved the potatoes. She said my FIL loves his stuffing so, okay. She also said I could bring veggies or dessert, and I'm contemplating. Finding a veggie dish will be hard. There's usually corn pudding. I would do really good green beans but I'm not sure if anyone will eat them. Maybe a salad of some sort? Any ideas? I always do beets and carrots in some combination. That's the traditional stately Dick n Hisses Manor Thanksgiving vegetable, and if you want something else, tough luck. I normally roast them together, but Bon Appetit this month has a recipe for stovetop honey-glazed root vegetables I might try. |
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Post by Pedantic Editor Type on Oct 30, 2016 13:24:53 GMT -5
Meh, I'm not much for beets. I came up with an idea, though. A fall spinach salad with toasted pecans, cranberry, apple, carrot. Maybe some other additions? I think roasted beets would go well if I liked beets but maybe parsnip? |
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Post by songstarliner on Oct 30, 2016 14:41:00 GMT -5
I just can't with parsnips. Wish I could. PET, you should do grilled sweet potatoes for your salad, preferably on an actual grill if possible.
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Post by Liz n Dicksgiving on Oct 31, 2016 9:44:24 GMT -5
I love parsnips, so I think that's a great idea!!
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