Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

For Thanksgiving this year, my household and I are getting together with my mom and my brothers family. And that's it. That's just 8 people (my oldest nephew is training to become a police officer so can't join us), and I feel good about that number. We all see each other pretty regularly anyway. But it's very different from the number that we usually have, which is closer to 20.

My contribution this year are the rolls, as usual. This year instead of a turkey we are doing a beef tenderloin. If you have recipe ideas for marinating and cooking, I'd love your input. I've used a really nice recipe before that usd a knife to cut little holes in the tenderloin where you would insert garlic cloves. And the marinade has red wine and soy sauce, I believe. Obviously, this isn't my thing, b/c I can't even recall how I cooked it the last time.

I'm also going to make a tray of rolls (I do love a good homemade roll) and this pecan bar. And perhaps something else....

Photo courtesy of Half Baked Harvest

Do you have your Thanksgiving meal already planned? I'm buying up things now that I'll need b/c I'm a bit concerned about things being available in a few weeks. Already I can't find things like boxed yellow cake mix and the good cottage cheese.  Is there a recipe that impresses everyone every year and you couldn't do without? Do tell!

 

Comments

[mellenknits]

My family has decided to do dinner with immediate family only, then meet my parents and sisters' family for a socially distant / semi-outdoor dessert buffet.
It doesn't make sense to me to cook a big turkey for just 3 of us, so I think we're going to do butternut squash lasagna instead (this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/squash-and-spinach-lasagna-recipe-2112101)
We'll probably still make some of the traditional sides to go with it though!

[Megan]

This year, there won’t be a big family Thanksgiving. We all live far apart, and flying and quarantining is just not in the cards. So we’re each going to have our individual meals, but do a family Zoom call as we eat so we can all at least talk. And most importantly, be thankful we’re all safe and sound, and that if we have to live through a pandemic, at least we have technology to connect us.

When we do gather, my contributions always include the sweet potatoes, which my family love but all agree don’t need added sweetness in the form of marshmallows. I used to make a variety of different recipes, but a few years ago came across a gratin with caramelized onions, fresh sage, and a little chipotle pepper that managed to convert the lone two sweet potato haters, so now it’s become the tradition: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-sweet-po-1-18999 (but do more than 2 onions if you like caramelized onions)

[Judy]

Pumpkin pie. Old recipe from a Farm Journal cookbook. I used to bake pie pumpkins for it and that flavor is amazing. However, they don't seem to be available in the south; everyone looks at me quite oddly when I ask for them, so I used canned:(

[DIane]

Oh, which Farm Journal cookbook? I have a bunch of them! From early married years. Love them.

[Mari]

Delicata squash. I cut in half and baste with olive oil and salt & pepper, roast face down for about 30 minutes and then turn over and roast until browned. It carmelizes and is delicious, and so easy to prepare while making other dishes.

[Judy]

Diane - I do also. It's interesting to compare those recipes with today's versions.
Pumpkin pie is "Tawny Pumpkin Pie" from Farm Journal's Best Ever Recipes. If you don't have that one let me know and I'll send to you.

[Diane]

Judy, Thanks for letting me know - I found the recipe, I have that cookbook! And several others.. My husband gave me that one as a newlywed when I pointed it out and said I wanted to get some “novel” cookbooks other than just the basic Betty Crocker cookbook I was given at my bridal shower. Yes, it is interesting to see the differences in recipes these days. Happy cooking.

[Allison]

OMG, I totally want that pie recipe!
Mari, I'm surprised more people don't make delicata squash. It's our favorite- so small that it cooks fast and has a wonderful creamy texture and superb flavor. Butter, salt and pepper is all that's needed to make it amazing.

[Jessica]

Our household is me, my husband and our three school age kids. My kids aren't into traditional Thanksgiving food. I have a restricted diet because of my autoimmune disease. My husband is picky. So my plan is to make the free turkey I got last month, plus mashed potatoes (two of the kids will complain about those) and gravy (the kids won't eat gravy), roasted sweet potatoes with onions (for me; no sugar or marshmallows because of my dietary restrictions), a vegetable (plain because again picky eaters) and I'll buy Hawaiian rolls (their favorite; I can't have them). I'll make a no-bake cheesecake for dessert. It has a graham cracker crust. The filling is 8oz cream cheese, 1/4 to 1/3 cup white sugar, 1 tsp vanilla (I like Penzey's vanilla) and 16 oz whipped cream. Just blend all that together and smooth into the crust, chill for two hours. I can't have the dessert either, but my kids love it. My son and I have asthma, and I have the autoimmune disease, so we're neither inviting people over nor going anywhere to eat with people. If we go anywhere, maybe a park for a hike if it's nice outside. A few years ago, we hiked around a local reservoir on Thanksgiving.

[Susan]

Beef tenderloin - no marinade. Few slices of garlic poked into the roast, sprinkle with sale and pepper, rub with oil, make sure you've some rosemary or thyme to tuck in. Roast at high temp (475-500) for 15 minutes then reduce to 300 for 20 minutes. Allow roast to sit for at least 15 minutes (we always do longer). Slice and enjoy. Beef tenderloin is one of the most simple and delectable entrees; simpler the better. Consider a sour cream/horseradish sauce on the side. A very sophisticated meal (add au gratin potatoes as a side! or simple masheds!).

[Barb]

Apple Cranberry Raspberry Pie is just too delicious to do without. I also make Pumpkin Pie and a lot of the traditional dishes, the mashed potatoes and gravy and steamed sweet potatoes. We're having some turkey (not the whole bird) and some salmon.
It will be my husband and three sons and one girl friend. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.