Who are you spending Thanksgiving with?

Well, I'm not - we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in the UK!

My wife gets a free turkey from her employer every year. For years, I didn't look forward to it taking up so much space in the refridgerator, and the long time it took to defrost. The stuffing never really tasted as good as when I was young and my uncle made it, even though I have his recipe.

But a few years ago, I started deboning the raw breasts off the thawed turkey (thaws better in the garage, where the temperature is about 40F).

I pounded them out and made a bacon, two types of mushroom, panko, rosemary, fennel stuffing, and made roulades out of the flattened breasts.

After the roulades were browned in a skillet, I put them in a large pot and added turkey stock, and cooked to the proper internal temperature. We ate that for our Thanksgiving dinner. Going on 4 years in a row.

Meanwhile, the rest of the raw turkey goes in and bakes until done.

Let it cool a bit, and the wife pulls off all the edible meat from the wings, legs, carcass. We vacuum seal that in small batches with the Foodsaver. ALl year long she makes turkey salad sandwiches with it.

Then after shes picked off all the meat, the carcass and bones go back in the oven, and later I add some mirepoix. Once everything is really browned, into the stock pot. Then after simmering 4-5 hours, we can it and that serves as a substitute all year long for chicken stock, or as turkey stock.

Never made turkey demi-glace, but I suppose it can be done.

Anyway, by the time we're done, we've used every available part of the turkey and we're feeling mighty GREEN!!

So to answer your question, I look forward to the long weekend with my wife for Thanksgiving!

doc

ill be at my inlaws on thanksgiving and with my family on the weekend.

no one likes turkey so we're planning on doing a ribroast and some sort of shellfish-crabs or lobsters. we'll probably eat the same thing for christmas. :lips:

I think the food service industry attracts more than its fair share of workaholics. All of the people I know will be working. I'll be home with my cats which is fine. I'll braise a couple of turkey legs in a crockpot and will share my modest dinner with the two cats who like people food. Since I'll have four days off, I plan to spend part of this time catching up on paperwork.

The DW gets a turkey from her employer too but she changed jobs (and employers) this week so I didn't figure on getting one. Then tonight, while we were at the DD's play, I was talking to her about what we wanted for the meal and she tells me that she's getting one from her new employer.....after I just bought a 33.00 fresh bird! Arrggghhhh!!!!!:crazy: Looks like I get to smoke a turkey this year too! Yippee!!!!

Anyhow we have my Cousin and his family coming over for dinner. They live on the other-side of town from us. We're the only family each of us have in the area so......just makes it easy.

Anyhow simple dinner this year, Turkey, yams, taters, stuffing, pies (pumpkin and Caramel Apple) and ice cream. Just made the ice cream tonight. :bounce:

With friends as guest chef like normal :lol: 3 of us this year so just a 12 pound bird. I have a 10 pound bird thawing for myself so I have leftovers to take to school (campus food is not only nasty it is way overpriced, like $3.79 for 3 tablespoons of tuna mixed in mayo on whole wheat).

Thanksgiving day is a big day for us. We spend it at our daughter's house, 60+ miles from us. This year I'll be going down early on Wednesday to babysit with her boys, and hopefully I'll also be able to get a jumpstart on some of the dishes. I'll stay overnight. DH and my brother will arrive on Thursday. We plan for a fairly large crowd, and also for good leftovers. There will be DH and myself, our son, and my brother. Our DD and her hubby, and their boys...twins almost 2, and the older boy almost 4. There will also be her FiL & at least 1 BiL for dinner, and heaven only knows how many will arrive later on for dessert. I am in charge of the turkeys. I do 2 small in stead of 1 big. Quite often our son also brings a deep fried turkey too. A friend of his has a fryer, and on Thanksgiving he fries turkeys for his friends. I'll make the yams (from fresh, not canned, thank you very much), the dressing and the pies. DD will do the potatoes, vegetables, salad and another dessert or two. DH keeps the dishes done, although he often gets in the way too. :) We all relax and have a good time. I look forward to it every year, although I have to admit I'm also glad when it's over too.

I will more then likely be in the kitchen at work, while my family celebrates together 50 miles away, and my fiance celebrates with her family 50 miles the other direction. Being a cook blows sometimes, but I still love it.

I'll be in Israel, recovering from jet lag. :eek: No turkey is in the plan.

Thanksgiving is at my place this year..16 people total..and my oven died 2 days ago..so a little bit of scrambling..neice is gonna cook the turkey..had to order my pies intead of baking them..means no special cookies for 3 little ones...but I will be with my family and some friends, so it's all good.

The real meaning of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving: The official first weekend of the ski season. Oh yes, and something about a turkey.

This year is going to be busy for us, since I am out of work and don't have to work on T-Day. On Thanksgiving we head down to the MIL, about half way between us and Chicago. Eat and spend the night there, then down to Chicago for the day after Thanksgiving madness in downtown. There we will meet up with my parents, my brother and his fiance. That night out to the burbs, to the FIL. On Saturday there is a get together there with about 10-12 people. On Sunday we drive back up to Wisconsin and hopefully relax!!!! It will be crazy busy, but I am really looking forward to it!

It's just the four of us on Thanksgiving as it is most holidays. We do make the most of it. I cook a meal that would probably feed 16. We eat a lot of leftovers and freeze what we can for later. We watch the Macy's parade and lots of football. Weather permitting, we go out and toss the football around with the kids.

Thanksgiving turns out to about 150 people this year of close relatives.

Haha, seems crazy, I know. My close relatives are all of my dad's friends, friends that he has known for 30-something years. It takes a village to raise a child, they are my village. They have seen every moment of my life as aunts and uncles.

Every thanksgiving, we go out to one of their homes that has about 4 acres of property and set up camp. We have campfires and live music, 6 kitchens, a full bar, an industrial sized coffee maker, and food for at least double the number present.

Thanksgiving feast usually takes up 4 banquet tables. Everyone cooks a dish for the feast, and there's food 24/7 for the 5 days we're out there. Last year, we had a turkey come out at 3 in the morning, and was gone in 10 minutes. Lots of partying, lots of camping, lots of laughter, and infinite amounts of memories.

It's an okay holiday...I like christmas better

But we will be eating all the turkey and trimmings and the pumpkin pie with cool whip too! At my in laws this year. Last year we ate with my brother his family and my parents...had little turkey (gumdrops and toothpick) deco as place settings...my neices made (they are in 1sr and 2nd grades)...and got a kick out of making them.

Gummy that sounds like a blast. You know here at Cheftalk, we like to consider ourselves a family so......:lol:;):lol:

deltadoc, what a great idea, love the roulades and then using the whole bird. kudos to you!!!
I hope you will not mind, I am taking that method with me when I head back to work?

This will be my first Thanksgiving home for a few years, usually at work I make a traditional dinner, but it is still a work day.
Am going to a friend's house, who like myself, lives alone. She always cooks for a small gang of grown up orphans, I'll join them this year. Sounds like crown roast pork with Gran Manier stuffing and more, she is a great cook. I'm in charge of wines, a French Chablis with appys and an Oregon Pinot Noir with the piggy.

Wishing each and everyone of you guys a Very Happy Tahnksgiving!
Nan

Don't mind at all. The dried mushrooms, I use about 2-4 ozs, can't remember off hand as I do my cooking mostly by look, taste and feel! Anyway, per package, I think I boil them in 1 C of water. Save that water and use it to moisten the stuffing. Maybe I already said that. I'm at work right now, and looking forward to 5 days off.

May I inquire what part of Alaska you are? My dad was stationed in Anchorage during WWII as an Army Air Corp Corporal. I've always wanted to visit there.

You cook something nice for me if I make it there? :)

doc

thanks, I too, cook by looks, taste and feel. am looking forward to giving that a try. I keep several turkeys on hand and serve it throughout the year about once a month or so. Usually just do a dressing and serve it with the usual suspects. Did mole a couple of times (with Dona Maria), they like it, but a couple of the guys could not get around turkey without dressing and gravy. So this will should serve those guys fine.

I am in southeast Alaska, Ketchikan, here in the rain forest. And yes, if you guys are ever in the area, please check in. Always good to meet forum friends--just had a delighful lunch with an FK buddy in Seattle and then four days on the Oregon coast with another. The goal of that was to gather porcinis, but alas it was not a good year, so we got zip.
thanks again for the idea,
Nan

I made it a point from the start in my marriage that Holidays are celebrated at my home. We'll go visit over the holidays, but the main event is at home. I'm encouraging my kids to do it when they have families too. Have your own traditions.

Avoids the whole in-laws/parents issues and more. It's also a great way to dodge a lousy cook and family politics.

On rare occasions, I will relent for special large gatherings, but that hasn't happened in over 12 years.

Phil

Here's a thought for one to ponder. Which Thanksgiving will ya'll be celebrating? The one that is most well known and took place with the Pilgrims in 1620 or the other one by Colonists' from Berkley Parish, England in 1619?

I learned about this in a trip to Berkley Plantation this past summer when my family came to the area for a visit. Truly some interesting information about history around here. :smiles:

You can read a little about it here.
'A Very Berkeley Thanksgiving' in Main | Richmond.com / Richmond Virginia / Richmond VA - The Official Online City Portal

By the way.... I'm definitely not trying to stir any debate just sharing some knowledge that was shared with us. Not sure how many actually know this.:)

I'll be working.
Up at 3:30am, at work by 5.
Depending on business, I should be home by late afternoon, early evening.
I'll probably lay on the couch and watch football.
My wife and daughter will go to my in-laws, and hopefully bring me home a plate.
No matter how much I sample at work, or how tired I am of seeing turkey by the end of my day, I enjoy the plate that's brought to me.
Even if I feel I could've done a better job, nothing says love like food someone provides you, in my opinion.

I hope you all have a fun, drama free, turkey day.

It usually is a lot of fun but I got called into work for the weekend so I only got to stay last night and today. Brother is moving to Australia and won't see him for 2 years so we spent Thanksgiving night together with his other family.

I'm the youngest of my generation in the group, and am the only one still in the nest, so this year was fairly quiet. It's a lot like a family reunion, only I'm lucky enough to get it 4 times a year.

I am oh so thankful for my family, although one night with them and you know that there is not a chance at my being normal. Nothing like babysitting 50 drunk hippies around a campfire, good thing I'm maternal.

Happy Thanksgiving to my family at Cheftalk!

I wasn't at all excited about the holiday - never have been. This year I moved a couple of weeks before the day, and still haven't settled in.

I went to a well known chirch in the area and volunteered to prepare and serve meals for the more than 5000 who showed up for dinner. An amazingly large number of people showed up - more than ever in the 40-plus years that the Thanksgiving meal has been served. The number included more than 500 families.

Lance