Thanksgiving 2024

Thanksgiving 2024 - Cabin

DRAFT

To make or do ahead:

• 6 - 7 weeks before Thanksgiving - order Turkey from Borderland Specialty Meats, Foods & Smokehouse. NOTE: tell them you want the gizzards to use to make a stock for the gravy. They will also brine and season the turkey!!!!! Fabulous!
• 1 week prior. This year I purchased white bread for the stuffing and 3 different apple varieties from Pleasant View Orchard & Bakery
• 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.
• 2 days prior, make the pie crusts.
• One day before: make the pies. This year I made the pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving morning, not a good idea.

The Menu

Aperitif - The Art of the Aperitif  Bienvenue! Bienvenue!

• Kir Royale

Appetizers

• Three Cheese Walnut Spread. Serve with apple or pear slices and assorted crackers.
• Pumpkin Hummus Serve with pita bread, bell pepper strips, carrots, and celery
• Cranberry Salsa over cream cheese

Dressing

Cranberry, Sausage and Apple Stuffing. This year I purchased chestnuts from Golden Harvest in Rhinelander. I followed this recipe for roasting the chestnuts and then ground them. This was by far THE best dressing I have EVER made!!!! My mom always added chestnuts to her dressing, now I know why!

Cranberries (Yes, 3 kinds of cranberries)

• Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce (for Mike)
• Mama Parsley's Cranberry Compote
• Cranberry Salsa

Potatoes

• Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
• Mashed potatoes, use Yukon gold. Don't peel before boiling. The peels just about fall off after cooking.

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. 

Vegetable - I struggle with this one. 

• I made this one. It was good and great as a left over. Tangy Green Bean Salad.
• I want to make this next year, Gulliver's Corn. Ann Hughson use to make this when we celebrated Thanksgiving with the Hughson and Moran families
• 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).

Dessert

• There have been requests to change this up. Hmmm.. Maybe cherry pie?
• Pumpkin pie with  whipped cream. I am going to try this recipe. The Ultimate Pumpkin Pie from New York Cooking. I actually used my regular recipe but adjusted the spices and added 1 Tablespoon rum.

Leftover Ideas

• 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.