Please explain Thanksgiving food to me

missfire · November 2010

I've got to bust my butt tonight to get packed up and ready for our long drive to visit family tomorrow. It will be hours in the car with a toddler, then 3-4 hours in a non-childproofed home for dinner, then driving home.

But the part that kills me is that Thanksgiving food is so gross! Dry, plain turkey (unless you douse it in gravy that just tastes like grossly salty turkey), cranberries from a can, sticky-sweet yams drowning in brown sugar, flavorless stuffing from a box, canned pumpkin baked in a plain pie shell. I make really good homemade stuffing, but won't have time to make it this year. Pretty much all I eat at Thanksgiving dinner is mashed potatoes and dinner rolls, so I'll be eating protein bars during the car ride to make up for my doctor-ordered protein quota for the day. Yum. Sad

Tell me what your Thanksgiving dinner is like and why it's yummy! Do you think my family just makes horrible food?

SarahTx5701 · November 2010

I dont get it either, I'm not a huge fan either!

Give me a cheeseburger instead. LOL

I hate turkey, dressing, yams.

I only really like the pumpkin pie...haha

I dont get the big fuss either....

yourmom5309 · November 2010

Mama, sadly it sounds like the chef in your family stinks. Dry turkey, canned cranberries, and box stuffing is not the best. We have homemade mac n cheese, homemade mashed potatoes, creamed spinach (my favorite), homemade sweet potatoes with a pecan praline brown sugar topping (to die for), baked ham, oyster dressing, and a few other odds and ends. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!

princessvespa1 · November 2010

I could have totally written this post! I agree, and usually only eat the potatoes and the buns. I very much dislike gravy, but I usually put ketchup on my meat (I know, you will think that's gross, but I mean real CANADIAN HEINZ ketchup).

Good luck with your protein quota!

kpmd1 · November 2010

Well, when you put it like that...it doesn't sound so good.

This is what we're having this year and I think it sounds pretty good:

Butternut Squash Soup

Wild Rice with cranberries and pecans

Roasted Root Vegetables

Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Turkey Breast (not the whole turkey, just the breast)

Plus pecan and pumpkin pie

LucyGoosey81 · November 2010

Ooh, our turkey is nice and moist, homemade stuffing, homemade cranberries, fresh potatoes, nothing out of a can or a box

Heavenly, delightful, wonderful Thanksgiving food. Oh, and no canned pumpkin thrown into a crust, either. It's all scratch stuff. And pecan pie. And homemade whip cream. I can't freaking wait!

Ivana_Stolichnaya · November 2010

I think it depends on the chef.

BalancingJane · November 2010

I'm with you on the turkey. But I love sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, oh and the pies! I know that pumpkin is supposed to be the go-to pie, but I love blackberry and raspberry.

krisdi78 · November 2010

I have to agree with the poster who says it sounds like you may just have some bad cooks around. We make everything from scratch, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, yeast rolls and brine our turkey so it's not dry. Then to spice up the dessert I usually don't make just pumpkin pie. Last year it was pumpkin cheesecake that was delicious and this year it will be a carmel pecan apple cheesecake pie - YUM!!

spursgirl10 · November 2010

kpmd1:

Well, when you put it like that...it doesn't sound so good.

This is what we're having this year and I think it sounds pretty good:

Butternut Squash Soup

Wild Rice with cranberries and pecans

Roasted Root Vegetables

Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Turkey Breast (not the whole turkey, just the breast)

Plus pecan and pumpkin pie

Expect a surprise visit from me! That sounds perfect!

pugsgum · November 2010

The first part of your post sounds like my day, long drive for a few hours stay and then turning around and driving back.... but my husbands fam, who we celebrate with does.............. take out chinese!!!!!!!!!!!!! seriously gross.

JerkStore213 · November 2010

I feel bad for you OP, my parents are awesome cooks! I can't wait for tomorrow. I used to hate Thanksgiving too. We used to go to my gross 2nd cousins' house for Tgiving dinner, and her meal was exactly like what you described. Nothing is grosser to me than that can-shaped cranberry blob. YUCK! Now that my parents do it I'm all over it.

Mjmksb04 · November 2010

Your family can't cook! Turkey should not be dry, but its a very difficult meat to cook perfectly. Slip your family a copy of Alton Brown's brined turkey recipe. Its awesome. Cranberries should never, ever come from a can. Stuffing should not come from a box. You need to have some real turkey day food.

lrhagy · November 2010

i cannot disagree more. i love thanksgiving food!!! it is my favorite holiday of the year. first of all our turkey isn't usually dry. there is usually 30 some people so we do two turkeys. one roasted and one fried. you can taste the difference and i am sure you know which one is considered better tasting. we always have ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, homemade sausage stuffing, pineapple casserole, green bean casserole, corn, and fresh cranberry sauce, oh, and biscuits. though pumpkin pie is always present, there is a pumpkin roll, apple pie and a homemade cheesecake that is the best i have ever had. and there is always several bottles of wine to choose from.

my mom used to host every year but she passed away over a year ago. my sisters and i still make all of the dishes just the way she taught us to, and they definitely have a way of transporting you back in time and maybe that is why i love it so much.

TG508 · November 2010

we have good food!

fried turkey, homemade lasagna and raviolli, homemade mac-n-cheese, cajun dressing, potatoe salad, sweet potatoe caserole with pecan topping, canned cranberry sauce (which i love and could prob eat by myself), green bean caserole, corn salad, squash caserole and alot more i just cant think of it all right now!

jlewis121186 · November 2010

our thanksgiving food is always so good! all the women in my family are great cooks, we have loads of good recipes...im so bummed that i dont get to do any of it this year!

missfire · November 2010

spursgirl10:
kpmd1:

Well, when you put it like that...it doesn't sound so good.

This is what we're having this year and I think it sounds pretty good:

Butternut Squash Soup

Wild Rice with cranberries and pecans

Roasted Root Vegetables

Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Turkey Breast (not the whole turkey, just the breast)

Plus pecan and pumpkin pie

Expect a surprise visit from me! That sounds perfect!

Me too - I'm on my way to your house!

Wow, and you even have VEGETABLES in your dinner! I swear, with the looks I've gotten from family when I bring vegetables, you'd think I were trying to poison them.

LucyGoosey81 · November 2010

Ohhhh, and pennies from heaven. How could I possibly forget about those?!

kpmd1 · November 2010

spursgirl10:
kpmd1:

Well, when you put it like that...it doesn't sound so good.

This is what we're having this year and I think it sounds pretty good:

Butternut Squash Soup

Wild Rice with cranberries and pecans

Roasted Root Vegetables

Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Turkey Breast (not the whole turkey, just the breast)

Plus pecan and pumpkin pie

Expect a surprise visit from me! That sounds perfect!

Come on over!

OliveBaby · November 2010

Yikes, it definitely sounds like your family can't cook! I'm sorry you don't get to partake in delicious Thanksgiving food.

princessvespa1 · November 2010

rah1218:

Agree with PP's, it sounds like there might be a bad cook in your family (and not you since you said you make your stuffing from scratch!).

Thanksgiving depends on the year - we switch every other, and my mom and MIL do things a little differently, but some things are the same.

A menu on any year could be:

Turkey or Pig Stomach for the meat

Cranberry jelly or homemade cranberry relish

Green Bean Casserole

Mashed Potatoes

Stuffing

Baked Corn or dried corn

Pickles & Olives

Dinner rolls

I'm sorry....WHAT??? Ick!

ETA: I'm not trying to be rude, it just doesn't sound like something I could get my brain wrapped around to ignore the name and eat....

kensbride08 · November 2010

Whoever is cooking your Thanksgiving is not doing a very good job then! I love thanksgiving dinner, but thats mostly because my mom is a fantastic cook and seriously makes everything from scratch and its absolutely delicious.

But yes I could understand how if its not good food, its too much effort to enjoy the day. My MIL makes a horrible T-dinner and I just flat out refuse to eat her food.

spursgirl10 · November 2010

pugsgum:
The first part of your post sounds like my day, long drive for a few hours stay and then turning around and driving back.... but my husbands fam, who we celebrate with does.............. take out chinese!!!!!!!!!!!!! seriously gross.

Oh I feel bad for you!!! Chinese take out? Is there a reason behind it?

DeansGirl0329 · November 2010

OP - I am so sad for you. Thanksgiving food can be wonderful. Your family must suck at cooking.

hollerjeepgirl · November 2010

I'm not a big fan of turkey or ham, it's too dry. My dad makes the best cornbread stuffing! He uses cornbread crumbled into tiny pieces, chicken stock, celery, boiled eggs, sage and some other stuff. It's addictive. Boxed dressing just isn't right. He also makes stuffed mushrooms made with crumbled crackers and imitation crab, slather some lemon juice on that and they're amazing too. They bring those to dinner parties and they're a huge hit.

NewFamily09 · November 2010

Wow, sounds like you need to start going to someone else's house for Thanksgiving. The food you describe does sound gross. Your family just might not do it right. One year, I went to someone's house for Easter and everything was out of a can. I think if you knew someone who could cook it better, you might like it more. I bought a Butterball turkey this year and they are DELICIOUS! So juicy and tender. I use cranberry sauce from a can, the jello type kind, but only because that's what I grew up being served and I like it and don't know how to make it any other way. I hate yams, no matter how they are made, so I agree with you there. My favorite food is probably dessert Big Smile

. I make pumpkin bread pudding every year. It's my favorite recipe.

lovemytannerman · November 2010

Thanksgiving is probably my least favorite holiday. Its so much work for a meal that everyone eats in about 30 minutes and then it's over. The cleanup is crazy! My mil is a pretty good cook but my fil is a total jerk. That is where we are going, but if he starts in with one of his stupid outbursts we are going to Hometown Buffet!

midnight*sun · November 2010

Indifferent I am truly astonished at just how many women have sh!tty cooks in their family. I have never in my life eaten stuffing from a box, never had a dry turkey and never had cranberries from a can.... I've never liked pumpkin pie, but I've never seen it made with the puree from the can.

locash · November 2010

My BIL is a really good cook. He deep fries our turkey and it is so good. No dry turkey on our table. He also does everything from scratch. My sister cuts the cheese for the cheese and cracker tray!

Otherwise, I'm a pretty picky eater, so I don't get too jazzed up about big meals. For Christmas, we do pork roasts and lasagna. Yum

jedrumwright · November 2010

Since it's just DH and me we're going to brunch at the doubletree. I'm super excited about not having to drive to 2 or 3 different places for the same Thanksgiving meal this year!

ang.ela23 · November 2010

i think thanksgiving food sucks too. but my MIL has some stuff i will eat so ill be having:

homemade stuffing, cheesy potatoes (bc im preggo & HATE that gross sweet potatoe crap she is making these instead) , green bean casarole and rolls. im good on the turkey & pumpkin pie. ill be eating a cinnabon at midnight while out black friday shopping! lol

yourmom5309 · November 2010

Jess&Jay1220:
rah1218:

Agree with PP's, it sounds like there might be a bad cook in your family (and not you since you said you make your stuffing from scratch!).

Thanksgiving depends on the year - we switch every other, and my mom and MIL do things a little differently, but some things are the same.

A menu on any year could be:

Turkey or Pig Stomach for the meat

Cranberry jelly or homemade cranberry relish

Green Bean Casserole

Mashed Potatoes

Stuffing

Baked Corn or dried corn

Pickles & Olives

Dinner rolls

I'm sorry....WHAT???

ETA: I'm not trying to be rude, it just doesn't sound like something I could get my brain wrapped around to ignore the name and eat....

Pork belly is delicious.

kpmd1 · November 2010

missfire:
spursgirl10:
kpmd1:

Well, when you put it like that...it doesn't sound so good.

This is what we're having this year and I think it sounds pretty good:

Butternut Squash Soup

Wild Rice with cranberries and pecans

Roasted Root Vegetables

Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Roasted Turkey Breast (not the whole turkey, just the breast)

Plus pecan and pumpkin pie

Expect a surprise visit from me! That sounds perfect!

Me too - I'm on my way to your house!

Wow, and you even have VEGETABLES in your dinner! I swear, with the looks I've gotten from family when I bring vegetables, you'd think I were trying to poison them.

Well, out of 8 people coming, 6 of us are vegetarians, so that's why all the veggies. Smile

vflipo · November 2010

My mom makes really good homemade stuffing. Everyone brings a side dish, and everyone in my family is really good at cooking. I also love pumpkin pie... And rolls. And mashed potatoes. The food is always good, so maybe your family just makes bad food Stick out tongue

Ber16 · November 2010

We have never had dry turkery in my house. The dressing my mom makes is amazing, we don't eat yams and our cranberry sauce is made from fresh cranberries. We also have ham and my mom's macaroni and cheese. It just sounds like your family isn't all that into cooking for the holidays. It's something I look forward to every year.

completelyundefinable · November 2010

We always have ham and turkey so that's what I eat. I also look forward to mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and baked macaroni and cheese. I like stuffing too, but it's not one of my favorite things. I don't care for the rest of the meal. Ohh, and lots of dessert and pie. Yum!

ReneeDear · November 2010

Sounds likes your family is in need of some cooking lessons.

Here are a few tips to combat the problems you mentioned:

Dry turkey - use a theromometer to check if it is cooked, don't just use the time chart from a cook book. Buy a fresh not frozen turkey.

Cranberry Sauce - make your own. Cranberries, the juice & zest of an orange and a little sugar.

Stuffing - make your own. 1lb pork sausage, mushrooms, onion, celery, cut up bread (not stale), poultry seasoning and pepper. It is pretty basic but it is a hit with my family.

missfire · November 2010

DeansGirl0329:
OP - I am so sad for you. Thanksgiving food can be wonderful. Your family must suck at cooking.

Yes, I think so! I remember when I was growing up, everybody raved about my grandma's pie - "Grandma makes the BEST pies!" So I thought I hated pie. And then one day I had this pecan pie at a friend's house to be polite, and OMG - PIE! It can be good! Who knew. And really, I've always thought turkey is just oversized, tasteless chicken.

columbiamommy · November 2010

My absolute favorite is stuffing, and my mom's homemade stuffing is the best! I don't like sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, or gravy, so my T-day meal consists of turkey (which is never dry at my parents' but usually is at DH's parents' house) stuffing, rolls, homemade cranberry sauce with mandarin oranges, and green beans.

This year I'm making cauliflower gratins, sugar cookies, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to take to each house. (I'm not a pie fan, unless it's my mom's apple pie).

I'm sorry your Thanksgiving meal sucks .

Mama_SAS · November 2010

I used to feel the same way but then I took over Thanksgiving. It used to be that all my most hated foods were served on Thanksgiving but it's better now.

I make a cranberry-apricot-clementine relish to completely drown the taste of the turkey. I make stuffing/dressing with walnuts, apples and pears so it's way more tasty. I make a baked potato so I don't have to touch mashed potatoes. I make broccoli with lemon butter. MIL brings a chocolate creme pie for dessert.

I don't touch anything with pumpkin, any gravy, any mashed potatoes and I hide my turkey in cranberry. I'm also allergic to cinnamon so that rules out a lot of stuff.

Then last year was a miracle. DH made a turkey that actually tasted good. It's injected with herb butter (or something like that) and it was so much better than any turkey I've ever eaten. He was going to try something different this year but I told him that he wasn't allowed.

stillbeaksgirl · November 2010

i love thanksgiving food. but, my real comment is that heinz ketchup is in no way canadian! sorry!

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