Entertaining Ideas
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Thanksgiving Time
It's Nov 1st...I have an official T-giving request!
Anyone who's hosting, could you share your menu with me? I'm hosting (second time) but I'm looking for some new inspiration.
Anyone who's not hosting, but has a suggestion, I'll take it!
FYI: No one is allergic to anything, but there are vegetarians. It's small; for 6 people this year. :-)
TIA!
Re: Thanksgiving Time
This year its just DH and I, and one friend who has no family near by either.
For appetizers I always make a relish tray: devlied eggs, mini sweet pickles, black olives, and some cheeses and meats w/ crackers.
We'll be having a turkey breast rather than a whole bird, candied yams, mashed or baked potatoes, corn bread or cresent rolls, and a fresh steamed veggie of some sort. I may or may not try my hand at stuffing, depending on what sounds good to me the week of [:-)].
For dessert we make a pumpkin parfait, rather than pie, and our guest is bringing a pecan pie and ice cream.
Won't be hosting this year but we usually do the following:
Appetizers:
Cold italian meat platter (supresota, salami, roast beef, ham, motzerella)
Sausage Bread
Italian Bread
Stuffed Mushrooms (Regular Breadcrumb stuffing)
Toasted Ravioli
Roasted Red Peppers, Olive Platter, Mini Tomatos with Motzerella in the middle
Fresh Garden Salad
Stuffed Artichokes
Shrimp Cocktail
Entrees:
Turkey
Sausage Stuffing
Sweet Potato Casorole W/ Brown Sugar and Marshmallow OR Mashed Potatos
Green Bean Caserole
Creamed Spinach
Corn
Cranberry Sauce
Pillsbury Biscuits
Desserts:
Canolli
Assorted Cookies
Pumpkin Pie
Usually some type of Chocolate
Sure! I'm hosting for the second time. I LOVE having everyone over! Our menu includes:
I'm hungry now!!
We've hosted a couple of years in a row now- it's my favorite holiday. Usually I start the day before and make everything but the roast:
- Tray of veggies/dip, chips, olives, pickles, celery stuffed with cream cheese, dates, and walnuts
- Green mixed salad with garlic lemon vinaigrette and a strawberry spinach salad with toasted pine nuts and mustard vinaigrette, along with some waldorf salad
- Mashed potatoes, green beans almondine, roasted brussel sprouts, asparagus, gravy, cranberry sauce (jelly and sauce), sweet potato casserole, Pumpernickel apple walnut stuffing, and a roast
- Rolls (potato and whole wheat)
- Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Apple Pie
I think that's it - I have most of the recipes readily available. The pumpernickel apple walnut stuffing is a huge hit every year. Since it's made outside of the turkey, it would be good for the vegetarians (all of the above items are vegan)
They really are. Probably my favorite Thanksgiving dish!
my menu at this time (although it's totally a work in progress! ha)
turkey
ham
rolls
cranberry sauce
stuffing
mashed potatoes
candied sweet potatoes
green bean casserole
mac and cheese
whiskey-glazed carrots
bacon-wrapped brussels sprouts
and either corn or applesauce (mostly for the kids)
plus an assortment of pies and cookies for dessert.
we generally have 20-25 people, and it's partially pot luck.
im hosting a potluck dinner for 40-50ish
im making Turkey, Stuffing, and Green bean casserole, and possibly mini pumpkin cheesecakes.
the Turkey is pretty simple. i make herbed butter into medalions: a week before the day, fine chop herbs, (usually rosemary thyme sage) and mix with butter or margarine, let sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours, then squish in to the bottom of a ziplock baggie, so it forms a log, then freeze. after rinsing/drying off the bird, pull back the skin, slipping hand underneith to seperate, cut the butter log into 1/3 inch medalions and slide them under the skin. inside the bird goes 1 onion quartered, 2 small oranges, cut in half, chunks of celery and carrot, and more of the herbed butter. i bake in a roasting bag, no basting. (the medalions end up as cooked herb polka dots under the skin, when its done)
for the stuffing, i brown italian sausage, drain and set aside, in the drippings + some EVOO, i sautee carrots, celery, garlic and sliced mushrooms. mix that with store bought bread cubes, the sausage, and store bought(or homemade) stock until very moist, gently mix in several lightly beaten eggs for binding, cook (in a casserole, not stuffed in the bird) covered until hot through, remove cover and bake until tops are crisp.
my greenbean casserole is dolled up from the Frenches fried onion canister. i used fresh or frozen green beans, blanched, i sautee fresh sliced mushrooms (save a few slices raw for garnish) with garlic and evoo, add in cream of mushroom soup, half the fried onions, soy sauce and pepper and a bunch of fresh parmesan cheese. bake covered, when almost finished baking to heat through, add rest of onions/sliced mushrooms then bake a few mins longer, uncovered
another recipe ive used before and people love is: Sweet Potato Balls only i use toasted coconut marshmellows if i can find them, i tried it with small marshmellos one year and although they tasted great, the marshmellow middle was completely dissolved.
i also love Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Pecan Crust and I make mini cheesecakes for easier serving
i also always serve hot apple cider, from a jug, but with cinnamon sticks and whole cloves floating in it.
the rest of the meal is potluck, mashed potatoes/gravy (my mom makes gravy with my turkey drippings), sometimes ham, hot veggies of the guest's choice, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce from a can, fruit salad, and various desserts.
I'm having 13 people for dinner and here's my what I'm planning.
Apps:
cocktail weiners in mustard grape sauce (everyone always requests this every time I have a party)
shrimp cocktail
cheese and cracker tray with olives and pickles
Dinner:
sea salt and citrus glazed turkey
cornbread dressing
oyster and sausage stuffing
green bean casserole
sweet potato casserole with praline topping
baked mac and cheese
English peas
mashed potatoes with parmesan and chives
yeast rolls
cranberry sauce
fruit salad with champagne dressing
Dessert:
Dh's chocolate trifle
pumpkin pie
Turkey
Greenbean casserole
Sweet potato casserole
mirliton and shrimp casserole http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/shrimp-and-mirliton-casserole-recipe/index.html
Baked Macaroni
cornbread dressing
various pies (pumpkin, pecan)
rolls