Thanksgiving Menus?

[fatfutures]

Ours is going to be a small meal. We are having our first, just us, Thanksgiving since we got married and since we bought this house. It will just be Craig, Megan and myself. The ONLY downside I see to this is that I am the only one who likes stuffing. Hmmmmm....stuffing for one??? I think stuffing freezes fairly well. I hope? I dunno, don't care,

Here's a rough draft of our menu:

Small Turkey (cooked using the Chambers "cook with the gas off" method)
Mashed taters w/gravy
Smashed Sweet Taters with Apples (recipe below)
Stuffing (for one?)
Broccoli
Green Salad
Homemade rolls

Apple Cider Pie
Pumpkin Pie
(Craig insists on both)

Smashed Sweet Taters with Apples-I got this recipe from O Magazine (stop laughing... this recipe ROCKS!) It was a Turkey Day hit!

INGREDIENTS
8 pounds (about 12 large) sweet potatoes
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup heavy cream
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
6 McIntosh or Macoun apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
6 tablespoons light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375?. Scrub potatoes, then ***** several times with a knife or fork. Bake 1 hour, or until very soft when pierced with a knife. Combine orange juice, cream, butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.

Remove potatoes from oven. Once cooled, scoop out the insides with a spoon. Place 1/2 of sweet potato meat into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add 1/2 of juice-and-cream mixture, blend until combined but not smooth, and pour into a large baking dish. Repeat with remaining potatoes and juice-and-cream mixture, and add to baking dish.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple wedges and brown sugar; cook about 10 minutes, turning apples occasionally, until lightly browned on both sides. Place on top of sweet potatoes and bake 30 minutes, until heated through. (Note: If refrigerating before baking, cook 45 minutes, or until heated through.)

This recipe serves 15-20, I'll be cutting it in half this year [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[fatfutures]

Gee, no one else is having Thanksgiving Dinner? [img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

[treatmaker]

Your menu sounds great. Stuffing for one is easy, just make a small batch put in a round baking dish and cook in thermowell.

Your recipe sounds great. I might give it a try. I haven't even made up a menu yet, just had the last of the contractors leave today after doing some fine tuning on the Kitchen. THE KITCHEN IS DONE! The only thing I've bought for the dinner is the bird.

I usually make The bird, stuffing, mashed white and sweets, turnips, creamed onions, and one other veggie.

Dessert is Lemon Merengue Pie, Pumpkin Pie and a Marzipan Pound cake. All three of these desserts are demanded every year.

I really have to get my rear in gear to pull off dinner this year.

Treatmaker

[fatfutures]

How awesome that your kitchen is done in time for the holiday!

Yes, we are all dying to see pictures but, I suppose we can wait til after T-day [img]wink.gif[/img]

I really like this recipes for sweet potatoes. The "traditional" oooey gooey stuff is just too much for me. This is a nice combo of flavors... The potatoes are kinda savory and then the crispy sweet apples.... YUMMMMMMMMMMM!

Enjoy the cooking festivities in your new and improved kitchen!

[RobbiQuest]

Treat, would love the recipe for your Marzipan Pound cake. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'll bet it will be a real "treat".

t.

[ha_asfan]

My purist genes are rising to the top, I'm maing the Chambers turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatos and biscuits. Peter is making five side dishes, not sure what they are. Sister inlaw is making three surprise pies and mother in law her incredible Waldorf salad. There will be photos!

[treatmaker]

robbiquest,

I can't take credit for the recipe it came off the back of the label for Solo brand almond filling. Look for it in your grocery store and try the recipe, it's out of this world. I've been making it for years. Solo also makes almond paste that comes in a can. It has to be almond filling. They call it almond pound cake, but I call it marzipan pound because it tastes like it. One thing I do differently is I glaze the cake with chocolate. I would post the recipe, but if you can't find the almond filling you won't be able to make it.

Treatmaker

[fatfutures]

(doing the Homer drool) Chocolate covered Marzipan Cake. GEEEEEEEEEEEZ! I meant to mention before that it sounded delicious. Then you go and add chocolate to the mix!

Hmmmmm... How decadent is 2 pies and a marzipan cake? For 3 people? Do I care? [img]graemlins/devil.gif[/img]

[kathie1k]

Ok Ok............the turkey in my new old roaster. The cornbred stuffing with lots of giblets in it and pecans. Giblet gravy and brown gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet patatoes, fruit salad, 1 9x13 cheese cake with 3 toppings on side.( blueberry, cherry and prelene ) and a pecan simisweet chocolate pie. Kathie k

[ha_asfan]

Why am I even bothering to cook? If y'all would each please send me a leftovers plate.....thanks in advance!