# Share Your Thanksgiving Menus? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896 "2010-11-16T19:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/41 "2010-11-17T20:50:43Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > We’ve spent the last 26 Thanksgivings camping in the desert with friends, so the menu is pretty consistant: > > Turkey (sometimes deep-fried, this year I think we are goint to bury it and pit-cook it) > Cornbread Dressing > Gravy > Cranberry Sauce > Green Bean Casserole > Hot Pea Salad with bacon > Sweet Potatoes > Wines > several pies for dessert (store bought) > > All prepared over or under a campfire and several Coleman stoves. Silenus- I have spent many a Thanksgiving in Glamis! A tradition I miss dearly! We usually deep fry as well, but have done the pit too. Its awesome! There’s just nothing that smells more like thanksgiving to me than the aromas of Turkey and 2 stroke fuel! 😉 Unfortunately its been a few years since ive been out… but I think we’re due to go soon enough! ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/42 "2010-11-17T20:53:16Z")
I once slept in a tent in my parents’ back yard. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/43 "2010-11-17T21:06:57Z")
Ours will be: Turkey breast roulade (filled with a wild rice/mushroom/bacon/onion mix. I detest regular stuffing) Beef roast with spicy tomato sauce Sweet potato souffle \<=== quite possibly the only savory sweet potato side dish in existence, and quite awesome. green beans amandine scalloped potatoes homemade bread apple pie with caramel ice cream Champagne ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/44 "2010-11-17T21:24:37Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > Two of my favorite sides: > > [whipped chipotle sweet potatoes](http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Whipped-Chipotle-Sweet-Potatoes-10795) - I’m not a fan of the super sweet, marshmallow-y sweet potatoes, so these, with butter and a bit of smoky chipotle heat are like crack. I usually throw one yam in there with the sweet potatoes to throw just a touch more sweet in there, but there’s no added sugar. Perfect! Thanks for posting this. I’ve spent hours of my life searching for sweet potato dishes that don’t contain any added sugar or sweet spices and until now only had one recipe for my efforts. You’ve doubled my list! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/45 "2010-11-17T21:24:57Z")
Cornbread stuffing. If you hate mushy stuffing then you want cornbread stuffing. Actually, no matter what you think you want, you actually want cornbread stuffing. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/46 "2010-11-17T21:34:07Z")
For the marshallows/sweet potato combo haters: Last year, the Other Shoe and I brought bacon sweet potatoes, and they were a monster hit. Peel sweets and cut into big chunks, season thoroughly, then roast on a sheet pan in a decent amount of bacon fat. About halfway through, stir/flip, and add quartered onions. No sweetness needed, and I assume based on last year’s reception that we’ll be bringing this again this year. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/47 "2010-11-17T21:39:41Z")
\ Well, heck, **romans** , I didn’t even see your post until I already posted. Enjoy! But if you just want non-sweetened sweet potato recipes, try baking them in the oven like a regular baked potato, and then halve, and smother the insides with shredded cheese and (I kid you not) barbecue sauce. Delicious! \ We now return you to your Thanksgiving conversation, since baked potatoes are kind of an everyday thing and not holiday food … ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/48 "2010-11-17T21:58:51Z")
For the last three years, I’ve been shopping, transporting, prepping, cooking, washing up, putting away for TWO Thanksgiving dinners. The Big Day one at my mother’s (she has a hard time even with a microwave oven at this point), drag husband and daughter over, and there we sit staring at each other wishing it was all over. The next day, I cook OUR Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Enough! Enough! I put my foot down and this year Mr. Sali is going to stay home Thanksgiving day with a pizza and wings, and me, mom, and daughter and disabled brother are off to the Chinese buffet. My heart is soaring like a hawk! (If Mr. Sali wants turkey, etc. I will cook a turkey breast and he can make turkey sandwiches on marble rye till they come out of his ears.) ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/49 "2010-11-17T22:58:20Z")
My sweet potato recipe is from [epicurious.com](http://epicurious.com) and it’s absolutely addictive – I’m appalled by the idea of adding sugar to sweet potatoes, and these are just so tasty and savory. I’m going to change the recipe only by cutting them into bite-sized chunks instead of wedges so that they cook more quickly and can be served more easily. Ladies and gentlemen of the Dope, I give you: [Roasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes](http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Spiced-Sweet-Potatoes-106070) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/50 "2010-11-18T16:58:02Z")
Yay (not so) sweet potato recipes!! ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/51 "2010-11-18T18:14:00Z")
**salinqmind** , you do so much for your family - I’m glad you’re cutting back for your sake 🙂 Whole Foods has yukon golds for $1/pound, woohoo! ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/52 "2010-11-18T18:37:06Z")
I’m doing the assist on Thanksgiving, not the main meal. I am, however, making a soup. Sort of a cross between vegetable noodle and fasolada. I want to use the flavor profile of the fasolada without using the beans (since we’re already having beans). The rest of it is standard for our family–baked spaghetti, green beans, ham, baked beans, mashed potatoes, and cheesecake for dessert. For Christmas, though, I’m taking a more substantial role. I’m going to do a lamb roast, probably with some sort of orange/rosemary/maybe-mint marinade or glaze, lemon-dill squash, and kourabiedes for dessert. My mom’s going to do spanakopita, twice-baked potatoes, and coconut pie. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/53 "2010-11-19T08:30:44Z")
I think we’ll be going like this: Turkey stuffed with bread stuffing Cornbread stuffing made on the side Mashed sweet potatoes Two or three hot vegetable dishes, likely corn, carrots, and green beans Rolls and butter if I’m feeling ambitious Pumpkin pie Shoo-fly pie Apple pie Blueberry buckle Vanilla ice cream The “two kinds of stuffing” is because I’ve promised one of my sons, who does not care for sweet potatoes nor regular bread stuffing, that I’d try cornbread stuffing this year, as he loves stuffing. But then the other son protested that stuffing cooked inside the bird is the Very Best Part Of Thanksgiving, and I could hear every capital letter, so this seemed like a reasonable compromise. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/54 "2010-11-19T20:39:11Z")
Does anyone know when it’s possible to buy a fresh turkey? Can I buy it as early as Sunday? Last year I went to pick up a turkey and they were out of fresh, just had frozen. I was going to go with a Trader Joe’s all natural bird which is fresh. Sunday or Monday - last year on Tuesday they were definitely out of all the fresh birds. It just strikes me as odd to buy meat and not use or freeze it within two days. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/55 "2010-11-19T21:34:36Z")
> [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](#): > > For Christmas, though, I’m taking a more substantial role. I’m going to do a lamb roast, probably with some sort of orange/rosemary/maybe-mint marinade or glaze, lemon-dill squash, and kourabiedes for dessert. My mom’s going to do spanakopita, twice-baked potatoes, and coconut pie. Argh, Christmas dinner. _That_ one I have to do. Last year I did it with strep throat and a sinus infection. No, no one else got sick from it, grrrr. I’m torn between asking my mom to help me make her traditional holiday spread, because I don’t get her cornbread stuffing at Thanksgiving anymore and really miss it… or doing something more different and interesting, which I think my parents would appreciate. My idea for “different and interesting” last year was a full-on English roast dinner, with Yorkshire pudding and everything. This year I think I’d go for a more Middle Eastern theme… pulled lamb with mint leaves and pomegranate seeds (oooh! seasonal colors!), I don’t know what for veg and sides (saffron rice seems called for), syllabub and pastries for dessert. Hmmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/56 "2010-11-19T22:00:51Z")
If I bought a fresh turkey on Sunday with the plan to roast it on Thursday, I would not worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/57 "2010-11-20T00:24:05Z")
i’ve heard a ton about cornbread stuffing but i have never seen it in person, much less tasted it (and i grew up in the South too). is it good? i worry that it’d be too sweet for my liking. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/58 "2010-11-20T02:49:29Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > i’ve heard a ton about cornbread stuffing but i have never seen it in person, much less tasted it (and i grew up in the South too). > > is it good? i worry that it’d be too sweet for my liking. Whether cornbread stuffing is sweet depends on a number of factors. One is the cornbread you start with. I’ve had cornbread that was really more like cake without frosting, but I’ve had cornbread that was barely sweet at all, certainly no sweeter than most white breads. You can make your own or you can get it at a bakery. Also, if you’re worried about it being too sweet, you can always add “savories” to it, like plenty of onions, celery, peppers, even some browned bacon is good in cornbread stuffing! If you go with bacon (or browned up bits of salty ham), brown some extra to sprinkle over the top. Mmmmm. I like ham or bacon in the Thanksgiving stuffing, because both meats pair so well with turkey! ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/59 "2010-11-20T03:06:54Z")
Turkey+Gravy Mashed Potatoes Turnip Squash Stuffing Broccoli Apple Pie ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896/60 "2010-11-20T03:56:40Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > i’ve heard a ton about cornbread stuffing but i have never seen it in person, much less tasted it (and i grew up in the South too). > > is it good? i worry that it’d be too sweet for my liking. It makes me sad that there are people in the world who don’t know these things. To whit: cornbread isn’t supposed to be sweet. My family’s recipe is: 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup flour 1 T baking powder 1/2 t salt 2 eggs 1/2 c oil 1 c milk Mix everything together, pour into a greased pie plate, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. It makes a rich, crumbly stuffing that _can’t_ be pasty because the bread has such a robust structure to start with. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/share-your-thanksgiving-menus/560896.md?page=2)