Thanksgiving cooking suggestions please....

[Jester]

Here's the deal. My friend Photo Dude and his lovely girlfriend are having a Thanksgiving get-together on Thursday, and Little Red and I will be attending. I work during the day, so I won't get there till about 2 hours after they start, but these things happen.

In any case, I did want to bring a dish (in addition to booze, as it's a byo event). I normally would make cranberry sauce (because I kick ass at it, and it's easy, and it's something I could keep at work in the cooler while I'm working), but they already have that lined up.

So I need some suggestions for a dish I can bring, other than what they will have, which according to PD includes: turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, and bread.

So....what other dish can I do? Suggestions, please! (Keeping in mind that while I cook, I Do Not Bake.)

[Mishi]

The only dish that's not on the list appears to be soup. Is soup a Thanksgiving dish? I've got a great recipe for a (lazy) Butternut Squash Soup that reheats very well, if you'd like it.

[AdminAssistant]

Green beans? I love green beans.

[Akasa]

Lets see... traditional green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with marshmallows toasted on top, sweet peas with butter

[Mytical]

So no Pumpkin Pie? But, but it's Pumpkin Pie!!! Could offer a meat alternative. Ie if there is Turkey, bring Ham. If there is Ham, bring Turkey.

[Jester]

So no Pumpkin Pie? But, but it's Pumpkin Pie!!!

As I said, I don't bake. Additionally, I am one of those odd people that just don't like pumpkin pie. Never have, probably never will.

Good idea, though. Just not for me.

And other good ideas coming in so far. Thanks, and keep them coming!

[jnd4rusty]

Watergate salad is quite yummy and can be a dessert.
Ingredients (depending on how much you want to make, I usually double it because I love the stuff)
1 can crushed pineapple
1 box pistashio pudding
1 container of whipped cream (cool whip)
1/2 bag of mini marshmallows
crushed walnuts (as many as you want, I usually buy blue damond because they have small bags that are already crushed)

Mix all ingredients together (don't mix the pudding up, just pour it in, the other ingredients will moisten it) and enjoy! It tastes even better after it has chilled for awhile but you can eat it right away if you want.

Another alternative to the pies (since you don't bake), you could buy some that are pre-made at your local bakery.

Fresh Veggie tray with ranch dip would be yummy and light in comparison to the heavy foods normally served at Thanksgiving or a fruit and cheese tray which would also be refreshing.

Hope it goes well for ya!!

[AccountingDrone]

A cheese lump and selection of crackers.

Rye Whisky Brie

Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) round Brie cheese
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans
* 1 tablespoon rye whiskey

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Cut slits about 1/4-inch deep in a crossing pattern across the top and along the sides of the Brie wheel. Place the brie in a baking dish.
3. Bake the Brie in the preheated oven until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. While the Brie bakes, stir the brown sugar, pecans, and whiskey in a small bowl; pour onto the top of the Brie and return to the oven another 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information open nutritional information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 251 | Total Fat: 15.7g | Cholesterol: 57mg

I would recommend a stone ground wheat cracker, something sort of coarse and rich flavor, not a mingy water biscuit.

[MaggieTheCat]

I second bringing a fruit salad. I'll throw out my mom's traditional Thanksgiving fruit salad recipe...although the dressing is supposed to set for 8 hours in the fridge before assembling, so depending on when you see this and how much time you have, you may or may not have time to make it. You could always make the dressing tonight, let it set in the fridge overnight, assemble it in the morning, and keep it in a cooler/fridge at work.

Ingredients:
A variety of fruit. Suggestions:
(Canned) Mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, pineapple chunks, peach slices, any variety of fruit cocktail you like
(Fresh) Grapes, bananas, fresh cherries
Make sure to drain any canned fruit you use. You should have approx. 5 cups of fruit total.
2-3 cups mini marshmallows -- use more or less depending on how much dressing you have, to fill the salad out.
You could also use nuts in place of, or along with, the marshmallows.

Dressing ingredients:
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup white sugar
Juice of one lemon (or approx 1/4 cup if using bottled)
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 pint whipping cream

In the top part of a double boiler, combine egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and half and half. If you don't have a double boiler, any heat proof bowl will be fine (metal or glass both work). Fill a sauce pan with about 1-2 inches of water and place on the stove over medium heat until it just comes to a simmer. Just make sure there isn't so much water in the pan that your bowl will touch it when place in the pan. Once the water is simmering, place your work bowl on top of the sauce pan and stir the dressing ingredients until thickened, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and remove the bowl from the sauce pan, setting aside to cool.

Meanwhile, whip 1/2 pint whipping cream to stiff peaks. When the lemon sauce is cool, fold the whipped cream into it, and chill overnight. To assemble, fold fruit, marshmallows, and nuts into the dressing.

My mom would always fold the bananas in last, right before serving, since I guess they get mushy (I am allergic...and now that I think about it, you are too, Jester, aren't you?) The rest of the fruit will be fine if it sits in the dressing for a while, and in fact, this salad holds up really well for several days when kept in the fridge.

If that sounds too complicated (it's really not, don't let cooking something in a double boiler deter you if you've never done it, as I said it can be done with a metal/glass bowl and a small sauce pan) then try a simple jell-o fruit salad. Jell-o gelatin with fruit mixed in. You could also do a pudding pie; if you buy a pre-made pie crust, there's no baking involved!

[draggar]

Butternut squash is easy and not on that list.

Just cook it like you were going to make mashed potatoes.

[Jester]

My mom would always fold the bananas in last, right before serving, since I guess they get mushy (I am allergic...and now that I think about it, you are too, Jester, aren't you?)

Yep! Not that I would let that stop me from making a dish for others (or myself, as long as I didn't eat the bananas, or too much of them, anyway).

If that sounds too complicated (it's really not, don't let cooking something in a double boiler deter you if you've never done it, as I said it can be done with a metal/glass bowl and a small sauce pan)

Not only doesn't it sound too complicated, cooking in a double boiler was one of the first things I did as a home cook. Besides, "complex" has never stopped me from trying something new in the kitchen.

[Treasure]

simple traditional fruit salad:
2-3 apples - cut up into bite size pieces
2-3 oranges - peeled, and same as above
2-3 tangerines - same
2 15oz(??) cans chunk pineapple - drained (save juice)
1 8oz jar maraschino cherries drained (save juice) and usually cut in 1/2
1/2 bag sweetened coconut
1/2 bag mini - marshmellows
1 tub Cool-Whip

combine all ingredients in LARGE bowl (think wedding punch bowl) chill and serve!

as for the cherry and pineapple juice - my family always combines them and serves with 7up (vodka or rum can be added at drinkers discretion)




a quick candy to make (no "baking" required!)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter
combine in GLASS bowl, and heat in microwave until smooth

add in appx 1/2 cup mini - marshmellows, return to microwave in 15 second bursts until marshmellows are melty and mixed with the melted chocolate

add in sweetened coconut flakes to "taste"

spoon onto wax paper and let set (use 2 spoons to form "canelles" and you don't have to worry so much about getting sticky-goo all over your hands)

[Sliceanddice]

jello salad.
jello with fruit in it and whipped cream

[ArcticChicken]

Additionally, I am one of those odd people that just don't like pumpkin pie. Never have, probably never will.

I'm not the only one?!


My step-mom makes an awesome apple squash curry soup. I'm sad to be missing it this year. I don't have the recipe, but I would be willing to bet that this is it, because she's a big fan of Ina Garten.

[AdminAssistant]

I'm not the only one?!

Nope! It's icky. Pecan pie all the way for Thanksgiving (chocolate pie for other occasions).

Since you're going to be there a bit later, I would highly recommend a dessert or a light snack. I've got a recipe for spiced pecans in the cookbook somewhere that I could dig out if you're interested.