Thanksgiving 2022 - Cabin

 Thanksgiving 2022 - Cabin

To make ahead:

• Bread for the stuffing: I have a bread machine and love it for this purpose.
• Turkey or chicken stock. You will need this for the dressing and the gravy. I plan to try this recipe. Roasted Turkey Stock. This recipe is fantastic!!!
• The Cranberry Salsa and Cranberry Compote can also be made ahead. While you are at it, make this as well. Cranberry Barbeque Sauce. The link will take you to 2 fun things to do with left over turkey.
• NOTE: the dressing is VERY time consuming.
• One day before: make the pies.

The Menu

Wine: I love to start with Champagne. My family loves Cabernet Sauvignon so many will switch to Cab with appetizers. I am going to serve a Chateau du Moulin a Vent Moulin-a-Vent 2019 with dinner.

Appetizers:

• Lorraine also brought cheeses and sausage.
• Lorraine brought hard boiled eggs and we made Deviled Eggs.  They were a big hit!
• Tim & Judy will be bringing an appetizer. They brought shrimp, cheeses and crackers, potato chips and dip.
• CRANBERRY SALSA OVER CREAM CHEESE. NOTE: I love the Cranberry Salsa with leftovers. I did not serve this.

Turkey - from Borderland Specialty Meats, Foods and Smokehouse I order the turkey and they brine and season it for me. DELICIOUS!

Dressing - apparently chestnuts are hard to find. I could purchase 5# for $57.75. So can't make Mom's chestnut dressing. Cranberry, Sausage and Apple Stuffing. NOTE: make the bread chunks smaller.

Cranberries

• Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• Mama Parsley's Cranberry Compote

Potatoes

• Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
• Mashed potatoes

Gravy - John usually makes the gravy but just in case. Here is a recipe. I don't plan to make this ahead. I like to use the drippings from the turkey. My Mom also made a stock using the giblets from the turkey.

Make-Ahead Gravy NOTE: John added sliced fresh mushrooms, sliced onion and the can of cream of mushroom soup to the bottom of the roasting pan 1 hour into cooking.  I also added about 2 cups of red wine. We used 4 cups of the turkey stock thickened with cornstarch which was then added to the pan drippings plus. John's gravy was to die for.

Rolls/Biscuits - I discovered that many people like rolls or biscuits with dinner. I thought I would try this recipe. Sweet Potato Biscuits. John is in charge of rolls this year.

Vegetable - I struggle with this one. This is one of my favorites but not everyone likes this

• Raw Corn and Radish Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing. 
• I am thinking about trying this.  BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD or PEAR POMEGRANATE SALAD. (NOTE: Claire made the pear pomegranate salad for the McGlynn's and it was a big hit)
• Another option is Tangy Green Bean Salad. I made this but not sure if this is the right option.  Need something different next year. Another Tangy Bean Salad to try.
• Another option Gulliver's Corn. Ann Hughson use to make this when we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Hughson and Moran families.

Dessert

• Pumpkin pie with  whipped cream. I am going to try this recipe. The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie from New York Cooking
• Apple pie
• I have also served this Wine-Sherbet Finale Refreshing after a big meal.

The Next Day/Weekend

• I make a turkey stock and use that for soup. Roasted Turkey Stock
• I tried this Chicken Wild Rice Soup recipe this year. Yum! You need a lot of heavy cream and milk which I happened to have on hand.
• Cranberry Barbeque Turkey Pizza. I make the pizza crust in my bread machine but you can use premade pizza crust.