So, after much discussion, I have decided to make a Thanksgiving dinner for The Husband and I. We were invited a lot of places, but... kind of just wanted to do our own thing this year. He has a lot of work to do, we've been traveling a lot lately, and we just wanted to actually relax!
And, after we decided to go it alone, I asked him (Monday night... I'm ever so prepared) if he actually wanted a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, which I would be happy to make if it was wanted, or if he wanted P.F.Chang's. He opted for Thanksgiving, and I think that the list below is what I'm making.
1) Turkey Breasts with Gravy. Apparently the gravy is very important. Not having really eaten gravy in 8 years or so, I don't remember. But dealing with a whole bird, with the skin and the bones and the YUCK, I just couldn't do it. Plus, there are two of us. And I don't eat all that much in general, and none of the turkey.
2) Dressing. With nothing in it. Butter, bread crumbs, and herbs. In a wide pan, so there's lots of crunchy edges. Because those are the best. No veggies. It's how my mom's always done it, and I love it, and if any one has an opinion as to how to make it better, you can make it yourself. But I won't eat it.
3) Mashed Potatoes. With lots garlic. And butter. (Wow, I really like butter.) Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite foods ever.
4) Canned Cranberry Sauce. My family generally makes this delicious homemade cranberry sauce that looks very Martha, and is so easy - cranberries, sugar, and VSOP, mix and bake, but... There's no way to cut it down to a reasonable size. And... one can only do so much with cranberry sauce leftovers. And I actually like the canned kind. I used to try to get it out in 1 big blob, and cut it into perfect circle slices.... I was a strange kid.
5) Green Bean Casserole. Easy, yummy, and I'm going to make it in a wide pan, so there's lots of those good onion things every where. I really like those onion things. If it were socially acceptable, I'd put them out in a dish, like nuts, and snack on them.
6) This green jell-o salad that randomly his family and my family both make. Because I like it. I'm still looking for the recipe. But... I think it's lime jell-o, marshmellows, nuts, coconut... something like that.
7) My family usually does rigatoni. Because we're Italian. Or at least, that's the fraction of heritage that my dad's side of the family embraces. We'll see how industrious I get in the kitchen. And I make delicious meat balls. Even though I don't eat them. But I learned from my Italian grandma, so how can they be bad???
8) Apple pie with egg nog ice cream. A friend of mine said that their family does this, and I think I like it more than pumpkin. I really like apple pie. And egg nog ice cream.
Wow this is looking like a lot of food. I'm getting excited.
And I need to go to the store. Badly.
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12 comments:
I just found out I am making Thanksgiving on Thursday also. I love it! Use Wondra flour for the gravy and it will turn out fine. If you are industrious, take the celery and onion you roast with the turkey breast and run them through the Cuisinart, add the defatted turkay drippings a splash of Wondra, stir vigourously and voila!!!
We always have gravy and I have never been a fan. I think there is a reason all of that stuff dripped out of the turkey and is not still with the stuff you eat, but I'm also a bit touched in the head. We also have fried wontons as an appetizer thanks to my Japanese aunt. Yum!
you're making me hungry!
mom - what's wondra?
e-liz - I love wontons. I don't have a Japanese aunt, but I want to serve them anyway.
markus - me too! when's lunch?
taylor - if I had T-Day at your house, I'd have to make my own stuffing. Sorry.
I google so you and Mom don't have to:
In May, Gold Medal Wondra Instantized Flour was introduced. It was an all-purpose flour in a revolutionary new granular form. It was made by a process of agglomeration of small flour particles to make a more uniform instantized product. There were no chemical additions in the processing and the baking characteristics of all-purpose flour were not changed. Wondra had the same nutritional food value as any other enriched flour and was made of a specially selected blend of wheats to make it suitable for all types of baking. Wondra. was particularly useful for making lump-free sauces and gravies because it dispersed instantly in cold liquids. It poured freely and evenly and measured the same, cup after cup, because of its controlled uniformity. Wondra was also dust-free. (The name was later changed to Wondra Quick- Mixing Flour.)
http://www.gmflour.com/gmflour/ourheritage.asp
Grandma is going to be disapointed that you are only doing one type of Jello salad.
The East Coast contingent is waiting for you to get to New York so that we can come over for dinner.
Vegetarianism is like masturbation. In the end, you're only screwing yourself.
Can-shaped cranberries are the hotness! I am a big fan of them, and I think that any family/holiday dinner is totally incomplete without them!!
wow. I just found the recipe for the green jello. That shit has cottage cheese and GROSSNESS in it. I'm so not making it. Besides. There's so much food, something has to go. And unfortunately, it's the green jello and the rigatoni. To pacify everyone, I'll make rigatoni next weekend. Everyone's invited. My grandmother's meatballs and sausages will be included. Just bring wine.
I'm totally coming over for rigatoni. I'm just going to show-up at the MB's front door.
My mom makes the green Jello pistachio salad thing. No cottage cheese--just Jello, Cool Whip, marshmallows, pineapple, and flair in the form of maraschino cherries placed lovingly (!) around the edge of the bowl. I think she calls it Watergate. You know, because it's scandalous.
I tend to eat it until my pants fly open. And then the games can begin.
Gravy=Goodness
We are having Rigatoni for Thanksgiving Eve this year since there are only four of of for T-day. Grandma is making the turkey, Cindy's cranberry sauce and a pumpkin pie and no salads!!! I consider this a major coup. I am making the dressing (as described by Marcia, Green bean casserole (with all the onions on top and non stirred in to get mushy and gross) and mashed potatoes.
You will love the Wondra--never any lumps (the gravy will never need "seiving". Thanks to Mbbjr for the explanation.
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