[QUOTE=tashabot]
A big-ass bowl of yummy mashed potatoes
[/QUOTE]
Try Yukon Gold Potatoes. Yum. Healthful, too.
[QUOTE=BiblioCat]
This sounds wonderful! Are you willing to share the receipe or is it one of those deep dark family secrets?
[/QUOTE]
Absolutely! I will bring in the recipe tomorrow.
[QUOTE=N9IWP]
I’m making pumpkin cheescake (there will be other desserts)
[/QUOTE]
My mom makes an incredible one of these too. With sour cream icing. Drool.
[QUOTE=Ceejaytee]
Would they let you get away with butternut squash? It looks kind of like sweet potatoes. 
[/QUOTE]
No. That’s just wrong. There is absolutely nothing worse at Thanksgiving dinner than taking a huge bite of what you think is sweet potatoes and getting squash instead. People who try to masquerade squash as sweet potatoes ought to be spanked.
[QUOTE=gigi]
My mom makes an incredible one of these too. With sour cream icing. Drool.
[/QUOTE]
Do you think she’d share that recipe with us?
If we’re divvying up roles as per usual, I’ll be bringing a pie (probably honey pumpkin with candied pecans, but possibly a pecan pie instead), the mashed potatoes, and garlic-rosemary rolls. Hubby will probably do my mom’s sweet potato casserole, with the marshmallows on top – I’ve never liked sweet potatoes.
Not taking anything but rather having four kringles delivered from Racine.
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher]
Not taking anything but rather having four kringles delivered from Racine.
[/QUOTE]
“kringles” ? 
These things, Doc.
[QUOTE=Lute Skywatcher]
These things, Doc.
[/QUOTE]
Ah. Thanks. Out here, we just call them a “danish” or perhaps a “ring danish”. Never heard “kringle”. They are tasty, and great for breakfast, I’ll admit.
[QUOTE=Cowgirl Jules]
Do you think she’d share that recipe with us?
[/QUOTE]
Sure, I’ll pass it along.
[QUOTE=Taters]
Christmas is MY gig. I do all the main dishes, prime rib roast, mashed taters, gravy with red wine and chanterelle mushrooms, plenty of sides (haven’t decided yet what they’ll be).
[/QUOTE]
What time should I show up with the shrimp cocktail platter from WalMart?
Woo Hoo! I just talked my mom into brining the turkey this year!
Now, does anyone have a recipe for brine that doesn’t include sugar? Dad’s diabetic so sugar = satan in their house. Is sugar necessary? Can you use fake or will it screw up the saltwatery goodness?
I’m bring my credit card. Mr. S and I will be dining out at the local swanky restaurant. (My sister will be moving that weekend – and has plenty of help without us; the folks are in TX and holidays with them were always dodgy anyway.)
But every year we have an open house all day Christmas Eve for friends and family. It’s my one chance to make a bunch of fancy nibblies and get out the good dishes. Some people stop in on their way to somewhere else; others stay all day. Some years we’ve had lots of people, other times it’s been quiet. But it’s always fun.
I’m hauling my sweet ass up to Boston. 
(Seriously, taking food on a plane is a pain, and my cooking. . . the less said about that, the better.)
[QUOTE=Taters]
Christmas is MY gig. I do all the main dishes, prime rib roast, mashed taters, gravy with red wine and chanterelle mushrooms, plenty of sides (haven’t decided yet what they’ll be). I’ll ask the others to bring appetizers, and desserts.
[/QUOTE]
I’ll bring one of those Xmas log cakes. Yum, prime rib.
We’ll just be bringing our suitcases. We’re spending Thanksgiving Week at Disneyland.
[QUOTE=DeVena]
Now, does anyone have a recipe for brine that doesn’t include sugar? Dad’s diabetic so sugar = satan in their house. Is sugar necessary? Can you use fake or will it screw up the saltwatery goodness?
[/QUOTE]
Google to the rescue!
This year my sister is hosting for the first time, rather than my mom, which means there is some hope of dinner actually happening within 2 hours of the appointed time. We haven’t arranged the specifics yet, but I usually end up bringing Derby pie, maybe another dessert depending on how many people we’re having, some kind of green veggie side dish, sweet potatoes, and maybe homemade rosemary/dill/onion bread if I’m feeling ambitious.
And wine. Thanksgiving with Mom is much more fun if she’s sloshed. Luckily it’s not difficult to get her sloshed - it takes about 2 glasses of wine, depending on whether she’s eaten anything before she starts the wine.
My uncle (mom’s side) is picking up Thanksgiving dinner at FoodTown. Yep, turkey, stuffing, cranberry, the whole schmeer, no effort required on our part. Meom and I are meeting said uncle at my grandparents (again, mom’s side) place in Southern NJ. A good time, hopefully, will be had by all.