Thanksgiving Dinner

So what does everyone do for Thanksgiving?

I've started Thanksgiving as "my" holiday to host. This will be my second year.
I have 18 people coming over for Thanksgiving Dinner in the afternoon. It usually goes pretty fast. People come and eat and leave right away. Some have to work, and my BIL goes hunting.
I have to borrow 6 foot tables, chairs and flatware from work. Nothing more noticable than the secretary cramming tables and chairs into her van :lol:

I don't have dd this year. She's going to my X-inlaws for an early Christmas seeing as their going to AZ for the holiday.

I'll spend DAYS cleaning my house for 3 hours of entertainment, hours cooking then hours cleaning up again. I'm so Thankful.

We're a long ways from either of our homes, so we're cooking a modest(yeah right) lunch. His mom is flying that afternoon which is cool. My menu is:

Cajun Fried Turkey(He He Nika, but it will be homemade)
Mac n Cheese
Cornbread and Sausage Turkey Dressing
Fresh Corn on the Cob
Candied Yams
Crescent Rolls
Peach Cobbler
Sweet Potato Pie
Rum Cake
Pecan Pie

Sounds good Cherry,any chance you have an extra space at your table?teehee...I'll help with the dishes!

Since it's just us, we have plentyyyyyy of space. LOL!

Nika,
I want the cajun flavor, but not all the "hot". Believe it or not, although I'm from Louisiana, I sometimes have a hard time with eating the spicy food. You can't taste the food because it's too spicy. Oh, and a tip, just in case you're ever faced with spicy food on the spot, don't chase it with soda, it makes it WORSE!!!!!! :lol:

Well,we will probably/certainly be going over to our the in laws for TG,We will most likely have a turkey and all the trimmings,they make it nice usually!I don;t like a lot of the foods but thats because I am picky! LOL

I do love turkey and I will make the most of it because we don't have it at xmas here.Hubby and MIL decided that since we have it for TG they dont want it again so soon for xmas,they would both rather have steak or pork **rolls eyes**

We'll be with hubby's family. Last year MIL hosted as usual but she was ill (pre-liver transplant) so older SIL did most of the cooking. Other SIL and I helped. I'm not sure if MIL is up to all the cooking this year (post transplant) but it'll still probably be at her house.

My dad is having hip replacement surgery the day before Thanksgiving, great timing, huh? We'll go see my folks on that Sunday when he's home again.

I have never ever hosted the family for anything. My house is small and crappy. I want a dining room in my new house so that I can finally host holidays.


Oh here's a Thanksgiving story for ya.....I made a homemade apple pie to take to hubby's family one year. Totally from scratch, crust and all. I like to bake so I don't mind the work. Hubby always commented that I didn't put sugar on the crust. I told him that I don't do that -- that's not the way my mom taught me. Anyway Grandma, dear irritating hard-of-hearing Grandma, says "IT NEEDS SOME SUGAR ON THE CRUST." I don't do it that way Grandma. "IT NEEDS SUGAR. YOU GOTTA PUT SUGAR ON THE CRUST." I don't do it that way Grandma "YOU GOTTA....." You get the picture. I never made another apple pie for his family again. Hubby mentions the whole story to my mom. Mom just looked at him and said "Well I didn't teach her that way." HA! Told you!

awh, Beth! You make me laugh out loud!!!!

We have lunch with my parents and then dinner with DH's parents..... so naturally we are stuffed and exhausted by the end of the day!
I always make squash casserole. It's sorta my specialty!!!!!

We have:
Turkey or Honey Baked Ham
Cornbread Dressing
Cranberry Salad
Sweet Potato Casserole
Squash Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Dirty Rice
Cornbread
Pumpkin Pie
Sweet Potato Pie (yum!)

Wow! When I look at it all - no wonder we are sick at the end of the day! haha!
We usually have about 20 people at both meals and it's a fun day for us all.

At my mom's we end the day by drawing names (adult children - if that makes sense) for Christmas presents!

eeeeeeeeeewwwwwww!Why would you eat dirty rice???????? Why don't you just wash it first ? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ahhahahahaha I am so funny !

:lol:
That reminds me of a story. One year Jadah went to Louisiana(I think she just turned 3). My mom and she were cooking for Thanksgiving, and my mom told her that they were going to go and cook some dirty rice. So, they cooked it together. Well, when it came time to eat it, she started crying, saying she didn't want any of the nasty rice. It took my mom a few minutes to realize what she was talking about. Oh, she laughed and laughed. And finally explained why they call it "dirty rice". Then she got her to try it and Jadah liked it. She still remembers it, and it's our little joke every year at Thanksgiving. :lol:

um....so why IS it called that?

We always celebrate Thanksgiving with our friends, a couple with 3 boys (the oldest is 12, the youngest 3) and one or two couples of mutual friends. This year it will be quite a drive for us since we just moved away in the summer. Anyway, we usually have:

Roast turkey
mashed potatoes
candied yams
stuffing
corn bread
peas
carrot cake
gravy
kugel
salad
rolls / baguette
homemade cranberry sauce
pumpkin pie
keylime pie
pecan pie

I hope I didn't forget anything. :lol: DH and I usually make the mashed potatoes and some stuffing on the side.

Dirty Rice is white rice made with french onion soup instead of water. You bake it at 350 for 30 minutes and all the onion pieces float up so it makes an onion topping. My mom used to put mushrooms in it too until my little brother decided he hates mushrooms. It's sooo easy and it looks like you put forth a little more effort. I don't know why they call it "dirty" unless it's because the soup makes it look brown.

Our dirty rice down in Louisiana has ground meat and chopped onions, and bell peppers in it, which is why I thought we call it dirty rice.

Lou Lou wrote:Dirty Rice is white rice made with french onion soup instead of water. You bake it at 350 for 30 minutes and all the onion pieces float up so it makes an onion topping. My mom used to put mushrooms in it too until my little brother decided he hates mushrooms. It's sooo easy and it looks like you put forth a little more effort. I don't know why they call it "dirty" unless it's because the soup makes it look brown.

That sounds really tasty Lou Lou, I'm gonna try that!
I use FOSoup for slow-cooker roasts. Gives it a good flavor.

I use that soup in my roast too! I always have a can of that and cream of mushroom soup in my cabinets! You can put them on just about anything! haha!

By the way - you don't have to cook the rice first. Just put it uncooked in the oven - I usually cover it and that helps keep it moist.