I’m planning out my Thanksgiving dinner, and I’ve picked out two new things. I’m going to deep fry a turkey breast (in addition to my regular turkey recipes) and I’m going to do the Green Bean Casserole, which I didn’t even know was a thing, except that it was mentioned here on the SDMB last year. How is everyone else, mixing it up, recipe-wise, this year?
Oh, I thought you meant how we don’t have to go to my inlaws’ for Thanksgiving which is the one good thing that’s come out of this election.
I’m thinking I might do stuffed pumpkins again.
Smith’s sent me a recipe for Oyster Stuffing that sounds like it would be pretty good.
My wife, who is otherwise no great shakes in the culinary department, makes a smoked oyster stuffing that is out of this world!
New for us this year is an actual wild turkey. We have had your standard supermarket turkeys, and heritage-breed turkeys that we raised ourselves, but his year was the first time I’ve successfully hunted a wild turkey in the fall season. So we will have a Broad-breasted Bronze from another local farmer and Eastern Wild Turkey on the table.
That’s funny you say that. I thought the same thing about the thread before reading the OP (about changing the venue due to politics), AND then after reading the OP, I was going to say that I might do stuffed pumpkins. I have made them before, but never for Thanksgiving because we go to my cousin’s and it is a hassle to transport the pumpkins. But then it occurred to me that I could simply put the insides in a regular casserole dish and bring that. Not as picturesque, but it works.
Well, my husband is in the process of having his ruined teeth pulled so he can get full dentures. Today was round two; he now has no back teeth at all, and his remaining front teeth are in terrible shape. Thanksgiving at our house will probably consist of mashed potatoes, turkey soup, and crustless sweet potato pie. And yogurt; lots and lots of yogurt.
New for us this year (I hope) is that we will skip the “8 hours of cooking, 20 minutes of eating” annual ritual and either buy a cooked turkey and sides or go to a restaurant.
I need a new and interesting veggie dish for Thanksgiving to go with the usual turkey and stuffing. We will have candied sweet potatoes, but I am not crazy about them and need a veggie that isn’t sugary and soft. Anyone have a good recipe to share?
It will be the first one without my MIL. 
We’ll have ham, turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing. I’m making three things out of the Outlander Cookbook, the maple pudding, the brown buns, and the buttermilk drop biscuits. Add molasses cookies and whatever the SILs bring, and we’ll have a feast.
Nothing new food wise. But Dana, my parents’ 6-month old (!!!) great dane puppy(!!!) will be home and I can finally meet and play with her for the first time!
The simplest way to cook n orange vegetable is: olive oil, plenty of chopped fresh sage, and sprinkle on Parmesan cheese before baking. Maybe pepper and some light salt. Very grownup, very delicious. The vegetable roasts and dries, and is actually worth chewing and eating.
Roasted brussels sprouts with bacon and caramelized onions are a perennial favorite at our place.
If your only experience with brussels sprouts is mushy, overcooked fart bombs, these are a revelation.
We’re doing a Cajun-themed Thanksgiving this year, hosted at our house. Any recipe ideas are appreciated.
maque choux
I’ll give you two. I serve one or the other, together with one or two somethings green, at most of my Thanksgiving dinners.
I’d strongly urge you to try the first one, even if you think it sounds horrible. It’s delicious, and the acid nicely cuts through all the other super-rich foods one usually serves at Thanksgiving.
Carrots Glazed in Orange Juice with Garlic and Dill
Slice 2 cups peeled carrots into coins about 1/8" thick or maybe a little thicker. Place in saucepan.
Mince 1-2 cloves of garlic and add to carrots. Stir in enough fresh orange juice to not quite cover. Simmer over medium heat until orange juice is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Add 1-2 tsp. dried dill or chopped fresh dill to taste. Reduce heat and cook, stirring more frequently, until orange juice becomes a glaze and carrot coins are crisp-tender.
Here’s another acid veggie dish that’s festive and tasty:
Sweet and Sour Cabbage
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 TB brown sugar
6 whole cloves
6 Juniper berries
1 ea. 2 lb. head of red cabbage, finely shredded
2 TB dark unsulfured molasses
salt and ground pepper
Melt butter in a heavy large skillet over medium neat. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add vinegar, sugar, cloves and juniper berries. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Mix in cabbage. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until cabbage is very tender and almost no liquid remains in the skillet, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Mix in molasses. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
You can make this one a day ahead. Refrigerate and rewarm over low heat before serving.
Hope one or the other of these suits!
Thanks Arkcon, August West and Aspen Glow for all the great ideas. I don’t know if I can use them for Thanksgiving, but I do look forward to trying them. (Forgot to mention that one of the folks in attendance can’t eat garlic, onion or bacon so that already eliminates a few of the dishes for her.)
Don’t know where to find juniper berries though. Don’t think that I’ve ever seen them at the grocery. Are they fresh or dried?
Thanks, that sounds great!
I think most more upscale markets have them. They’re a dried product and they last forever. I’m not sure where you’re located, but we have Market of Choice, World Market and Whole Foods. I’d wager one or any of them carry juniper berries.
They’re also considered medicinal, so perhaps a health food store would carry them, too.
If all else fails, as with almost anything, you can always order them online. 
I did forget to add it’s best to fish them out of your finished cabbage dish before serving, along with the cloves. Neither is much fun to bite into unexpectedly!
I’ve deep-fried turkeys before and they turn out great. And very quick.
New this year? I think it is part Thai, it’s called a whatThePhuqen. Here is a picture of one.
Mushrooms stuffed with spinach and chopped mushroom stems and onions and Parmesan and sherry and bread crumbs and a bit of sour cream! The original recipe is from the original NYT Cookbook, but these days I just improvise.