# Thanksgiving tips **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-tips/603285 "2011-11-17T23:28:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-tips/603285/21 "2011-11-24T01:14:03Z")
I love that link, **Dr. Righteous**! The one **Implicit** posted looks good too, but I don’t have OJ and am not willing to try to hunt it down at this point. Thanks, all! ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-tips/603285/22 "2011-11-24T01:48:34Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I asked this in the Menu Thread, but I’ll ask here too. > > Does anyone have any suggestions to doctor up some Stove Top to make it a little bit more special for Thanksgiving? We’re not stuffing the bird and will just be making Turkey flavored Stove Top per the box in a casserole as a side since we all like our stuffing pretty basic, but I was thinking about ways to spruce it up a little. > > I’m going to simmer some stock with the giblets for gravy while the turkey cooks and I could use that instead of water for the Stove Top but I’m a little concerned that that would leave me without enough stock for a copious amount of gravy. I usually do this when I roast a chicken: Using the butter called for on the box, I saute onion, celery, bell pepper and mushrooms until tender, then add water and/or stock and bring to a boil. Add mix and stir. Anyone new around here is always surprised as hell that it is boxed stuffing. That being said, I am making cornbread sausage stuffing for tomorrow. I always do the baking ahead of time, so the pies, cornbread, sweet potatoes (mashed with a brown sugar/pecan topping) and cranberry sauce are already done and the turkey is in the brine. I have an electric roaster, crockpot and rice cooker that all get pressed into service as warming devices tomorrow. Helps a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-tips/603285/23 "2011-11-24T03:25:29Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I asked this in the Menu Thread, but I’ll ask here too. > > Does anyone have any suggestions to doctor up some Stove Top to make it a little bit more special for Thanksgiving? We’re not stuffing the bird and will just be making Turkey flavored Stove Top per the box in a casserole as a side since we all like our stuffing pretty basic, but I was thinking about ways to spruce it up a little. > > I’m going to simmer some stock with the giblets for gravy while the turkey cooks and I could use that instead of water for the Stove Top but I’m a little concerned that that would leave me without enough stock for a copious amount of gravy. I always panfry some diced celery and onion in the butter called for on the box. About one rib of celery and half a medium onion is about right. You want them soft but not browned. I’ve tried bell pepper and mushroom, separately and together, and nobody particularly likes it that way. Just the onion and celery will make the boxed stuff a bit more interesting, and if you want some more umami flavor, you might try a bit of the broth, or some boxed broth. I like Better Than Bouillon flavor base, even though you have to keep it refrigerated, because it’s not nearly as salty, it tastes better, and it comes in a lot of different flavors. I ALWAYS have beef and chicken flavors in my fridge, and usually turkey as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-tips/603285.md?page=1)