1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Thanksgiving Prep/Planning

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by luck.ofthe.draw, Nov 12, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. luck.ofthe.draw

    luck.ofthe.draw VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2016
    Messages:
    7,669
    Location:
    Las Vegassss
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    55
    Thanksgiving is almost here, and it's one of my favorite times of the year!

    I love the planning, right up to the big meal, and figuring out what to make out of the leftovers. I could go on - but I've got spreadsheets, notebooks with different menus and recipes, and pages on what to prep, when.

    What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving dishes or food traditions?

    What were family Thanksgivings like growing up, compared to ones you've had as an adult? Were there food items you hated then, but enjoy now?

    Are there any must-have dishes that you recreate year after year?

    Favorite vegetable side?

    Favorite dessert?

    Have you always done turkey, or do you switch it up?

    Do you host or attend multiple dinners, or just do one dinner on the big day?

    :feedme:
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Love Love x 1
  2. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2003
    Messages:
    29,784
    Location:
    A nice place
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    110
    I would switch it up but I'm always vetoed.

    Just one bird this year, only four of us. Brined and grilled. Miles Standish dressing (mozz, pepperoni), Senator Russell potatoes (sweeeeeet potatoes from the southern branch of the family), roasted-garlic/goat cheese mashers, charred green beans, grilled artichokes, two cranberries. Gotta sort out dessert. Pinot or Grenache and Chardonnay. Might grill up some oysters for a starter. Gravy, of course.
     
    • Like Like x 4
  3. ReTriggerMe

    ReTriggerMe Stand Up to Jewish Hate!

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2020
    Messages:
    10,295
    Location:
    San Francisco East Bay
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    48
    I will start with my most controversial opinion.... one that has drawn the ire of relatives.

    I think the traditional green bean casserole is a crime against nature! Mushy canned beans, gloppy salty soup base and desicated battered onion things. Maybe that was the best possible in the 70s when it was invented. Today, there's no excuse to serve canned green beans.

    I make a simple fresh version. Fresh green beans, a very simple bechamel with mushrooms, and slice some shallots super thin and pan fry them for a few minutes. Sometimes also some slivered almonds.
     
    • Like Like x 9
    • Love Love x 1
  4. jpw711

    jpw711 Is that your cat?

    Joined:
    Mar 10, 2009
    Messages:
    10,928
    Location:
    Southwest Missouri
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    74
    Sweet potato pie and sage cornbread dressing. Enough said.
     
    No reason to go home yet.
    • Like Like x 3
    • Love Love x 2
  5. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2014
    Messages:
    13,085
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    I'm waiting until 3 days before to decide, Turkey or Prime Rib? Should be able to get a deal on a turkey that close to Turkey Day.

    Either way, it's be stuffing, potatoes, and gravy. Probably fried plantains for dessert. It's just me son and me.
     
    • Like Like x 3
  6. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2012
    Messages:
    10,844
    Location:
    Las Vegas, NV
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    35
    I... what?

    Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year, but now that I'm no longer on speaking terms with most of my immediate family (long story) I usually do Picasso. I'm a traditionalist, though -- brined turkey, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, and my late grandmother's sweet potato recipe. It's pretty simple, just canned yams, but with a little orange juice, and crushed pineapple. The pineapple really gives amazing texture and flavor. Add whole marshmallows on top, bake to golden brown, and you're good to go. I've been toying with a couple Instant Pot cranberry recipes but haven't really settled on anything I love yet. I don't even mind the canned stuff, as long as it's whole cranberry and not the jellied stuff. Same thing with stuffing, I love it but never have really come across anything great, especially since I want something with sausage and maybe some other meats (no oysters though).
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Love Love x 1
  7. Mudhen

    Mudhen Always in Dutch

    Joined:
    May 1, 2018
    Messages:
    1,229
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    1
    In a perfect world, turkey (of course), ham, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese (home made), and maybe green been casserole. Pecan pie for dessert.

    In reality, I'll probably have a bologna sandwich. :kill:
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Funny Funny x 1
  8. luck.ofthe.draw

    luck.ofthe.draw VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2016
    Messages:
    7,669
    Location:
    Las Vegassss
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    55
    THANK YOU! My father swears by having green bean casserole, and I hate it. I make him the homemade, 100% from scratch version.

    Which brings to mind, shit....I should go through my recipe bookmarks and make a separate Thanksgiving folder....

    I see you all skipped through the harder, more detailed questions ;)

    The past....shoot, quarter of my life, I've done some bigger family Thanksgivings, smaller Thanksgivings, and one Friendsgiving last year.
    I've cooked an entire turkey twice, using 2 different recipes. Other times, my father would insist on making the turkey and I'd bring ham. I always make at least half the sides!

    One of my favorite sides to make is a riff on Beau Bo's Brussels sprouts with port glaze and fresh Parm. Fantastic.

    I have a go-to pancetta stuffing recipe that I've made every Thanksgiving and people rave about it. This year I'm making it with my own focaccia for the breading.

    My go-to dessert to make and eat is either Milkbar's Crack Pie, or a smores pie with bruleed marshmallow top. I did make Thomas Keller's apple pie a couple years ago with homemade Pâte Sucre - go big or go home mofos. ;)
     
    • Like Like x 6
  9. luck.ofthe.draw

    luck.ofthe.draw VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2016
    Messages:
    7,669
    Location:
    Las Vegassss
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    55
    And 3yrs ago I made turkey stock. Haven't found a good butcher up in LA though, so hmmm...
    Screenshot_20201112-211904_Chrome.jpg
     
    • Like Like x 3
  10. gadgets19

    gadgets19 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2015
    Messages:
    1,458
    Location:
    Alberta
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    17
    Thanksgiving was in October. :trolls::D upload_2020-11-12_22-37-36.png
    Had traditional turkey. It was delish.
    traditional family dish - perogies
     
    • Like Like x 3
    • Funny Funny x 3
    • Love Love x 2
  11. luck.ofthe.draw

    luck.ofthe.draw VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2016
    Messages:
    7,669
    Location:
    Las Vegassss
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    55
    Oooh my exes family would make perogies for Easter! Sounds great @gadgets19 !
     
  12. Valgal

    Valgal VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Aug 10, 2014
    Messages:
    5,299
    Location:
    South
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    20
    Thanksgiving is now at my son’s in laws. We just bring a dish. My DIL likes my corn/cornbread casserole. Recipe is on the Jiffy Cornbread box. My son is smoking a Turkey this year. Plus there is usually a big Spiral sliced Ham. There is always a ton of food and a ton of people. The amount and different dishes brought is insane. They go all out.

    Holidays are so much easier for me now.
     
    • Like Like x 4
  13. luck.ofthe.draw

    luck.ofthe.draw VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2016
    Messages:
    7,669
    Location:
    Las Vegassss
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    55
    Also - cranberries:

    Sauce?
    Relish?
    Something else?

    My late grandmother used to make a good cranberry orange relish, all fresh. Even as a kid, I was respectful and tried it because "Oma made it". Leftovers were always her famous turkey soup, and she'd always bring extra pumpkin pie. :feedme:

    I've read that you can make ahead cranberry sauce and freeze it, but would it alter the texture?
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2020
  14. MaryVegas

    MaryVegas Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2020
    Messages:
    124
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    60
    When I was a kid, we'd spend Thanksgiving every year with my grandparents in North Las Vegas.

    Now that I'm an adult and my grandparents long gone (RIP), I've been hosting Thanksgiving in Los Angeles at our home for usually 15-20 people every year.

    I have tried to convince my family to go to Vegas for Thanksgiving, but alas, I always lose that fight.

    And now COVID has killed all my dreams of a Thanksgiving buffet at the Aria or the Wynn.

    So as I always do, I will bake my homemade sweet rolls (7 dozen for people to take home as leftovers) and cheesy potato casserole while my mom brines a turkey, bakes the pies, and does everything else.

    I would love to hear about any family favorite recipes. Would love to make something new this year.

    xoxo
     
    • Love Love x 1
  15. Ten_On_The_End

    Ten_On_The_End VIP Whale

    Joined:
    May 15, 2018
    Messages:
    2,156
    Location:
    Portage County, OH
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    171
    Some years ago I heard about this cranberry relish on NPR and I make it every Thanksgiving. The horseradish makes it work.

    Recipe here.

    FWIW I love green been casserole but only make it once a year. Sort of a link to my youth when it was a real treat. I even eat it cold the next day.
     
    • Informative Informative x 3
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
  16. weas

    weas Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Vegas Deals

    Joined:
    May 27, 2009
    Messages:
    649
    Location:
    Waller
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    35
    Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, French Peas, candied carrots, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, chocolate cheese cake, Hawaiian sweet rolls.

    I tried having prime rib one


































    I tried making Prime Rib one year and was mad for a week because I didn;t have any leftovers.

    My signature side is French Peas. Peas made with pureed lettuce, onion, butter, flour, water, salt and pepper.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Wow! Wow! x 1
  17. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

    Joined:
    Feb 24, 2002
    Messages:
    26,507
    Location:
    North Carolina
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    16
    Husband and I will be having our 3rd annual bonfire duck roast. Started as a mistake 3 yrs ago - we planned to go to my mom's (4 hr drive, stay the weekend) but on Tues night she called to tell me their reservoir/water supply was closed because a guy fixing the drainage pipe got stuck (he was fine - trained rescue diver, had equipment he needed etc) but it took a couple days to get him free and fix the water, the area didn't have water for 3 or 4 days) Mom said we could come without water, they could come to us, or we'd skip for the year. We told them to come here, they later decided they didn't want to. It was Wed, I had no turkey (I usually buy a couple when they're on sale - I love to smoke them during the year) but I did have a duck in the freezer. It was a nice day, so we decided to try roasting it on the bonfire. It was delicious. So last year we did it again! And this year - we told all families we wouldn't be getting together, so I bought a couple ducks and we're ready to go.

    I don't remember Thanksgiving growing up - no huge family dinners for us most years - SO many divorces in my family AND we lived all over the country, would have been a mess. So as an adult, I often offer to cook (which I love!) but I'm not a traditionalist. I do usually do a turkey (because I'm one who actually enjoys turkey ;-) but will do whatever sides inspire me that year. I do keep a binder & files of what foods I've cooked when I host a holiday, because it's usually just 6 of us - my mom and her husband, my husband and his parents.

    Haven't decided on my sides yet this year.....
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Wow! Wow! x 2
  18. alanleroy

    alanleroy Click my avatar

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2010
    Messages:
    2,682
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    87
    • Like Like x 3
    • Love Love x 1
  19. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2003
    Messages:
    29,784
    Location:
    A nice place
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    110
    + Ground pork. Sage. Onions. Etc. It's an Alex Guarnaschelli recipe.
     
    • Wow! Wow! x 1
  20. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2003
    Messages:
    29,784
    Location:
    A nice place
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    110
    Green bean casserole? Canned cran relish? Gizzards or not? Love it or hate it, it doesn't matter. If one doesn't like something, don't make it. Let's not piss on someone else's lineup because it's not what we do.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.