Hosting Thanksgiving - Need Ideas

TheDjsWife1020

I know that it's the middle of August but I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year and I was wondering if anyone else is starting to think about the their Thanksgiving menu. Please help me compile my menu by posting your fav dishes or something that you always make for Thanksgiving. Thanks  

HereToday09

For me, a green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and mashed sweet potatoes are a must.  These things just SCREAM Thanksgiving to me, and I get a little bummed when I don't see them in a spread (internally, of course).  I just cooked my first meal at my FILs this past year, and hope to do it again.  Good luck!! 

amaretto*sour

HereToday09:

mashed sweet potatoes are a must

I thought I was the only person who likes those!! I just made some last night. My mom made them all the time for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. 

Are you from the south/midwest, by chance? 

Mrs Acorn Blue

I have learned over 6+ years of hosting Thanksgiving that it's better to stick to the tried and true favorites.  I do a turkey breast, a small ham, gravy, mashed potatoes, salad, a vegetable dish, simple stuffing, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.  I change up dessert but it's usually something chocolate and something pumpkin.  

blu-eyedwife

We always have the same thing and it's always a ridiculous amount of food:

turkey

mashed potatoes

candied yams

baked potatoes

green veggies

salad

cranberry relish with nuts

cranberry relish without nuts

bread/rolls

wet stuffing

dry stuffing

gravy

 

and dessert is:

homemade ice cream

apple crisp

pumpkin pie

some other pie

brownies

20 lb cake

 

WA1215

Turkey, grandma's noodles, sage dressing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, country green beans, cole slaw, pickle and relish tray, rolls, pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream.

TheDjsWife1020

The below is what I've decided as my menu

Appetizers

Spinach & Artichoke Dip with White & Blue Corn Chips

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms Caps

Bacon & Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Mushroom Caps

 

Soup

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

 

Salad

Roman Lettuce: Tomatoes, Carrots, Cucumbers and Cranberries

Choice of Dressing: Ranch, Italian and or Raspberry Vinaigrette

 

Meats

Turkey with Herb Spices

Beef

 

Starch

Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Stuffing

Rolls

 

Vegetables

Honey Glazed Carrots

Green Beans with Sliced Carrots

 

Sides

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Mushroom Gravy

Turkey Gravy  

 

Dessert

Pies (2)

Sweet Pumpkin Soup (Cold)

Chocolate ?clair Cake

Thanks ladies for the ideas!

sinatragal

My newest must have menu item is cinnamon apples....

sinatragal

My newest must have menu item is cinnamon baked apples....

sinatragal

oops. sorry for posting that twice...the nest is being soooo slow, and now it won't let me delete my duplicate.  I guess that just means I really like cinnamon baked apples, lol!

tiff1783

I would like some of these recipes : ) What is a 20 lb cake?  Also what is the difference between wet and dry stuffing?  And las but not least that chocolate eclair cake...?  That sounds like something my husband would love!

blu-eyedwife

tiff1783:

I would like some of these recipes : ) What is a 20 lb cake?  Also what is the difference between wet and dry stuffing?  And las but not least that chocolate eclair cake...?  That sounds like something my husband would love!

I can help with some of this:

20 lb cake - this is a recipe that every woman in my family makes (aunts, cousins, my mom.....).  I think it was originally called a "black and white pound cake" or something similar, but the joke was that it used so much butter and sugar that it weighed like 20lbs and would make you gain that much.  It's a chocolate and vanilla pound cake, and quite possibly one of the reasons DH may have married me. 

Wet stuffing is made inside the bird (I know a lot of people are worried about bacteria and contamination, but my mom's been making it inside the bird for over 30 years, so I don't think she's going to stop any time soon - BUT because some people worry we also have:)

Dry stuffing - stuffing made separately from the turkey.

TheDjsWife1020

tiff1783:

I would like some of these recipes : ) What is a 20 lb cake?  Also what is the difference between wet and dry stuffing?  And las but not least that chocolate eclair cake...?  That sounds like something my husband would love!

Chocolate ?clair Cake

2 sm. pkg. instant French vanilla pudding
3 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

Beat pudding as directed with 3 cups milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold into Cool Whip.

In 13 x 9 inch pan layer as follows: 1) Whole graham crackers. 2) Pudding mixture. 3) Whole graham crackers. 4) Pudding mixture. 5) Whole graham crackers. 6) Frosting.

FROSTING:

2 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
3 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. white Karo syrup
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Milk to make easy spreading consistency

 

tiff1783

thank you for the recipes ladies : )

TheDjsWife1020

Your Welcome and if you try them be sure to post what you thought.

MrsBarkel2B

We always had a baked ziti at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Funny story. Our first Thanksgiving as a married couple I brought a small ziti and DH's family was horrified. His 8 year old cousin was like "Mom! There's a weird noodle thing at Thanksgiving!" but everyone ate it and I'm now *required* to make 5 pounds of it for both holidays!!

Ally

My grandma still cooks Thanksgiving dinner.  We have the traiditonal stuff: turkey, mashed potatos, stuffing, rolls, corn, apple & pumpkin pie.  But, the two things that have to be on the table for it to feel like Thanksgiving (and that are rarely, if ever, eaten throughout the year) are:

sweet potatos with marshmallows

cranberry jello salad w/walnuts, grapes & pineapple

 

BryelleSullivan

cant go wrong w/ green bean casserole or sweet potato souffle'

jaydrel

blu-eyedwife:

We always have the same thing and it's always a ridiculous amount of food:

turkey

mashed potatoes

candied yams

baked potatoes

green veggies

salad

cranberry relish with nuts

cranberry relish without nuts

bread/rolls

wet stuffing

dry stuffing

gravy

 

and dessert is:

homemade ice cream

apple crisp

pumpkin pie

some other pie

brownies

20 lb cake

 

 

That sounds like our spread!  We always have WAY too much food, but left overs is the best part!  

I'm hosting my first Thanksgiving too this year!  We just bought a house in October, so my family is coming up and hopefully DH's family will join us!

kellygraham17

I like everyone else's ideas, but I also challenge you to start your own traditions. Maybe make a side dish that you both like, that isn't a typical Thanksgiving food.  Last year was H and I's first married Thanksgiving, and when we were talking about food (it was his mom, him and I), we realized that neither one of us really like turkey.  I asked what he wanted, and he asked how I felt about doing stir fry instead.  We did it, and loved it!  I'm not saying you have to go that far, but just start your own tradition.  We told my MIL what we were eating, and she wasn't happy, but I said she could always make turkey for herself, but that H and I wanted to start our own traditions.  Eventually, she gave up and decided to eat the stir fry.

Katelynn86

My favorite thing is green beans wrapped in bacon with a brown sugar glaze.  It's sooooo delicious!

Nanner22

We have a pretty typical spread

Turkey w. real gravy
Stuffing (great grandma recipe)
Cheesy Veggie Dish (so bad for you, but tastes AMAZING)
Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole (w. yummy marshmallows)
Either Fresh Brocc or Asparagus
The canned jelly cranberry sauce
Yeast Rolls & Hawaiian Rolls
Pumpkin Pie
Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

This year I think we are going to add Matzo Ball Soup & a spinach salad

DH and I are planning to host Thanksgiving at our House this year for the 1st time.

spiritenergy

sweet potato biscuits

pumpkin cream cheese dip