# Thanksgiving Menus 2014



## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

I did several searches and couldn't find a current thread.

Thanksgiving is the most important of Holidays for me, I always have so very much to be thankful for.

This year at the cottage the Thanksgiving Feast menu will be ....
roast turkey with thyme, onion and pepper
wheat and quinoa sage dressing with mushrooms and walnuts
green beans with onion and bacon
mashed potatoes with butter and fresh cracked pepper
raw cranberry salad with mandarins, clove and fresh ginger
fresh corn flour rolls 
honey lemon balm iced tea
apple cider
carrot spice cake with walnuts
pumpkin pie
fresh goat's milk & organic vanilla bean ice cream 
and the most important dish .... Gratitude

What's on your menu?

Here are some Thanksgiving menus from the past and more on the website 
http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodthanksgiving.html

[1779]
"This menu for a New England Thanksgiving dinner is taken from a letter written in 1779 by Juliana Smith to her 'Dear Cousing Betsey.'

Haunch of Venison Roast Chine of Pork
Roast Turkey Pigeon Pasties Roast Goose
Onions in Cream Cauliflower Squash
Potatoes Raw Celery
Mincemeat Pie Pumpkin Pie Apple Pie
Indian Pudding Plum Pudding
Cider

[1845]
"Thanksgiving Dinner.
Roast Turkey, stuffed.
A Pair of Chickens stuffed, and boiled, with cabbage-and a piece of lean pork.
A Chicken Pie.
Potatoes; turnip sauce, squash; onions; gravy and gravy sauce; apple and cranberry sauce; oyster sauce; brown and white bread.
Plum and Plain Pudding, with Sweet sauce.
Mince, Pumpkin and Apple Pies.
Cheese."
---The New England Economical Housekeeper, and Family Receipt Book, Mrs. E.A. Howland, stereotyped edition [E.P. Walton and Sons:Montpelier VT] 1845 (p. 72)

[1897: vegetarian Thanksgiving]
"Menu of the Vegetarians.
Amont the most novel celebrations planned for Thanksgiving day is the banquet of the Vegetarian club of the University of Chicago. It might puzzle the ordinary citizen to figure out a way for a vegetarian club to do justice to the day sacred to roast turkey and stuffed pig, and a Thanksgiving day without turkey might seem like the play of 'Hamlet' with the part of Hamlet left out, but he Vegetarian club seems to have solved the problem to the entire satisfaction of the members, as the following menu will show:

Mock turtle soup with quenelles
Salted almonds. Olives
Potatoes en pyramide with mushrooms
Nut croquettes. Haricot verts.
Farced tomates with spaghetti a la Milnaise.
Orange gueseurs.
Maraschino jelly. Chartreuse of cranberries.
Whole wheat bread.
Pineapple bavaoris with carmine cream.
Pistachio cake, Kisses.
Melange of fresh nuts.
Mixed nuts with raisins.
Cheese. Zephyrettes.
Cafe noir. Milk. Calpilaire.
---"For a Royal Feast," Chicago Daily Tribune, November 21, 1897 (p. 46)

[1905]
"Thanksgiving Dinner. 
Like Christmas, Thanskgiving has its own bill of fare which has not been varied for many generations. Roasted turkey, pumpkin, mince and apple custard pies are served in almost all parts of the United States. A heavy breakfast, with chicken pie, and a late dinner are common rules. If shell-fish are in good condition, serve oysters on the half-shell or oyster cocktails as first course; if not, serve a clear soup. The turkey may be stuffed with oysters, or oyster sauce may be used in place of giblet sauce, or scalloped oysters may be served as a side dish. Oysters seem to be a part of the Thanksgiving dinner. Pumpkins, corn, nuts, fruits and bitter-sweet are the choice decorations.

Oysters on the Half-shell
Consomme a la Royal
Celery, Olives
Roasted Turkey, Oyster Sauce
Cranberry Jelly
Potato Croquettes, Cauliflower
Chicken Pie, Scalloped Oysters
Lettuce and Apple Salad, Water Thins
Toasted Crackers, Cheese
Coffee."
---Mrs. Rorer's Every Day Menu Book, Sarah Tyson Rorer [Arnold and Companyhiladelphia] 1905 (p. 244)


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## lovetogrow (Jan 25, 2011)

Well we've already celebrated TG here Jewel, but cheers to your gratefulness and a great Thanksgiving Day at your end :flower:

Your menu sounds delish - here's one of our TG menus that we are thankful for:

Roast turkey with rosemary, sage and seasoning
Onion sage bread dressing
Garlic mashed potatoes
Candied Carrots
Baked butternut squash 
Spinach mandarin toasted nut salad
Baked Rolls
Pumpkin pie squares and pumkin pie
Grandma Mae's Coconut cream pie
Lemon marengue pie
and an assortment of red and white wine, coffees (especially espresso) and teas

Enjoy your site BTW :2thumb:


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

Our Thanksgiving Day menu (pretty consistent throughout the years):


Roasted turkey (fresh bird coated thick in butter and seasonings)
Stuffing made with dark rye and 9 grain breads (onion, garlic, celery, sage, etc.)
Green bean casserole made from fresh homemade mushroom & onion soup
Mashed potatoes & thick turkey gravy 
Fresh baked dinner rolls 
Relish tray (black olives, spicy pickles, pickled beats, cranberries, etc.)
Pumpkin Pie with fresh whipped heavy cream
Caramel Apple Pie w/ caramel drizzled vanilla ice cream 
Coca Cola & Coke Zero (plus other lesser beverages)


Elastic waistband pants
Polar Fleece NFL blanket
Soft over-sized chair and ottoman 
120" grey scale optimized screen
1080p LCD digital Projector
7.1 THX dolby digital surround sound
FOOTBALL 
Power Nap
FOOTBALL
Leftovers
FOOTBALL


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Ours is fairly simple this year as it's just my dad, us, and my two sisters and their significant others. 

Smoked turkey (our big tom)
Boxed stuffing (had it in our pantry already)
Mashed potatoes and giblet gravy
Broccoli - cauliflower salad
Relish tray
Pasta salad
Hawaiian rolls
Green bean casserole
Pumpkin chiffon pie
Chocolate pie
Captain's Whipped Cream

And we have one dish that's standard, but nobody has a name for it. We just refer to it as cream cheese and shrimp and chili sauce with wheat thins. It's one of those dishes that has been around forever and ever. Mostly, we are eating family favorites with a few little tweaks.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Hummus--Garlic, Black bean, Black Eye Pea
Veggie tray
Banana Pepper Boats with Garlic Cream Cheese Mixture
Fruit Tray in the shape of a turkey
Ham
Turkey
Dressing & gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Croissant rolls
Green salad with dried cranberries & walnuts
Green Beans
Collards
Baked Beans
Macaroni & Cheese
Corn Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Blueberry, Pumpkin, Apple Pies
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Sweet Potato souffle'
Southern Sweet Tea
Fresh Homemade Lemonade

We are expecting about 16-20 people this year.
I know Hummus is not traditional, but everyone love DW hummus.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

Its just hubby and me like always so:

breaded lamb chops
roasted white and sweet potatoes
stuffing w/ apples and cranberries ( cuz I want it lol)
broccoli w/garlic butter
warm crusty rolls

no desserts. we don't do them *shrugs*

after that I'll be reading a book and hubby will probably be watching a war movie/documentary


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

Me, my Wife, and 92 year old Dad!

5 lb free range Chicken covered in olive oil, salt, pepper and blackened seasoning stuffed with an orange and a lemon
Homemade chicken gravy
White bread dressing with sage, sausage, onion, chicken stock and celery
Fresh cranberries made with sugar and orange juice
Mashed red potato's 
Green Beans in butter/salt/pepper
Fresh baked pumpkin pie that includes my free range chicken eggs!

My Blessings to all you all!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

WOW! Sounds like some good eats to be had! The puppy and I are searching emails for invitations.

With just the two of us, and me being the only one who gets 'people food', I'll search through storage for whatever I have canned, and have a regular dinner. I did get a bag of 'mini pretzels' today so we will share them tomorrow... Pretzels are not really people food, just treats. For a couple of them, I can get "best behavior "ALLLLLL day out of the puppy!!!

Since it was a rainy day and the day before a major holiday, we went and did some monthly shopping trips, ABC, bank... I'm a people watcher so love to hit stores before a storm or holiday. I noticed this year there were fewer folks doing all their shopping, grocery wise, today. In years past, more than 50% of folks were filling carts with the whole feast. This year was more folks doing regular grocery shopping or just picking up last minute items. There were still a lot of frozen turkeys in the displays. Lots of taters and greens too. I always remember them being sparse on the day before. Maybe I didn't go at the right time, I went between 11 am and 2 pm. Maybe I should have gone yesterday, but it was nice out so we went to the lake instead.

Traffic was as bad as in years past though. You had folks on the 8 lane zipping in the left lane and then, at the last minute, hitting an exit. Folks on the 2 lanes, almost stopping at every cross street. Big box stores looked to be packed, parking lots full! I didn't see near as many out of state plates as I remember, again, maybe just not the right time. We'll hit the loop Friday, after the lake, to check on traffic and parking lots. Maybe even park and wander a store or two! Wal Mart has a 50" TV for $218!!!! Damn! I could leave the storage room door open, put in there and watch TV from 20 feet away!!!!


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

Woody said:


> WOW! Sounds like some good eats to be had! The puppy and I are searching emails for invitations.
> 
> With just the two of us, and me being the only one who gets 'people food', I'll search through storage for whatever I have canned, and have a regular dinner. I did get a bag of 'mini pretzels' today so we will share them tomorrow... Pretzels are not really people food, just treats. For a couple of them, I can get "best behavior "ALLLLLL day out of the puppy!!!
> 
> ...


It is a 10 and a half hour drive from where you are to my house. I will gladly have you join us!


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

RevWC said:


> It is a 10 and a half hour drive from where you are to my house. I will gladly have you join us!


Thank ya kindly for the invite!

But, this year, if you are north of us, we'll stay here. Besides dealing with the puppy (See Buxton thread in hunting and fishing) for that long, I'm not all that good at long trips either. My last trip to Upstate NY for Turkey day turned into a 24 hour weather disaster. Trip before that was a kidney stone event just north of Henderson that sidelined me for almost that long before I could move again. I was eating the requested honey baked ham for a year after I got home!!! LOL!!!

Learned my lesson and stay close to home now. How about just a picture of the table? That way more of us could enjoy it with Y'all!!!


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## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

Woody said:


> WOW! Sounds like some good eats to be had! The puppy and I are searching emails for invitations.
> 
> With just the two of us, and me being the only one who gets 'people food', I'll search through storage for whatever I have canned, and have a regular dinner. I did get a bag of 'mini pretzels' today so we will share them tomorrow... Pretzels are not really people food, just treats. For a couple of them, I can get "best behavior "ALLLLLL day out of the puppy!!!
> 
> ...


You couldn't pay me to go anywhere near town near a holiday or bad weather.

I don't care for company more than once a decade but I've always had an open door for Thanksgiving. You would be welcomed and well fed and it's not a false invitation. No one should be without food and good cheer on Thanksgiving.

One of my greatest thanksgivings was cooking a turkey breast in a DO over a fire in the fireplace of an abandoned house. Or once when my son was little and all I had was bread and cheese. Cheese sandwiches are a wonderful thing when shared and appreciated 

A cracker can be a feast if the heart is joyful and the soul is appreciative.

edited to add... we won't be feasting until Saturday and puppies are always welcome.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

This thanksgiving will be the same as the last 10. We used to cook big elaborate meals but now it's just the 2 of us and 2 Golden Retrievers. 

This will be our day;

Toast with peanut butter for breakfast

Walk the dogs 4.5 miles at the park.

Later I'll be working the metal lathe making some parts for the Bronco.

Dinner will be whatever we find in the cabinets and the basement food storage room. No desert and we haven't had deserts for a looooong time.

This may sound depressing to some but we like it this way.

BTW we had turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes, roasted brussel sprouts and salad last week. It was very good.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Glad to hear I am not alone in enjoying a simplistic Turkey Day! I do know folks who LOVE to get up early, cook all day for the feast. I have been to many over the years and, to tell the truth, they really are great! I never had stretch pants though. Suspenders under a shirt is all it took for me.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Wholy cow, how did that post!!! I wasn't finished yet...

But to me, just having what family I have left, my 3 YO black lab, Sunshine, with her head on my lap (with the drool towel under it of course), a warm dry place to sit and a bag of mini pretzels, is pretty good to me.

I'm not knocking anyone who has the whole crew over for a huge feast though!!! I have enjoyed the heck out of my share of them over the years!!! I think never being married or raising children gives me a different prospective too. I enjoy a good get together once a year... Mike and Trish's Crawdad Berl in the summer... with their children, the grand kids and friends and all... A 4' x 8' piece of plywood on sawhorses, covered in newspaper, with a pile of stuff dumped on it several times over from a huge pot, is a great event. But, anymore... Just the puppy and I at home is more to my liking. Sorry.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

Tweto said:


> This thanksgiving will be the same as the last 10. We used to cook big elaborate meals but now it's just the 2 of us and 2 Golden Retrievers.
> 
> This will be our day;
> 
> ...


we like our quiet holidays too. I mean why go be with people you really don't enjoy being around? thats just plain silly. doesn't matter if they are supposed to be "family". I've had better "family" from friends over the years than from the "real" family.
why waste your time here on earth dealing with stuff that isn't necessary? if you think about it your time here isn't really that long and for it to be wasted doing things you really don't have to do is just sad.

I'm watching movies and hubby is doing....something *shrugs* who knows lol
nobody to deal with but us and we like it like that. it's peaceful and it makes us happy


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## Jewel (Sep 6, 2014)

It's usually just my son and I and the feast feeds us for a week, at least. I consider all the cooking for Thanksgiving fast food for the rest of the week


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## Justaguy987 (Mar 2, 2013)

This is our holiday meal this year.







We will have turkey tomorrow when my wife is not working.


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## Lake Windsong (Nov 27, 2009)

Just me and the kids this year. I work nite shift last night and tonight, but when the kiddos woke up we had a brunch of eggs, biscuits, gravy, sausage and bacon (pork and vegetarian versions) and fresh fruit. Full plates and full stomachs. Simple and happy.


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## Genevieve (Sep 21, 2009)

Justaguy987 said:


> This is our holiday meal this year.
> View attachment 10587
> 
> We will have turkey tomorrow when my wife is not working.


reminds me of the hubby and I talking about other Thanksgivings and what we had for the meal 

there was spaghetti once
and roast chicken( which we had to pull apart because we didn't have a knife to do it lol)
hoagies (subs)
meatloaf
the Coronals chicken

just doesn't matter what you eat as long as you do it together


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

We tried a turduchen this year and it was a hit with the family.


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

We do it pretty big for holidays. Every year, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, The Lovely One schedules herself to be off work to spend the day baking with the grand daughters. (I schedule myself to work a little extra late to stay out of the way) They made a pumpkin roll, pumpkin cookies with caramel icing, monkey bread, pecan pie, 50 yeast rolls, chipped beef rolls with cream cheese and diced onion inside, and the broccoli & cheese for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving morning started at 6:30 Am. Several of us meet up and start cooking. We had eggs, sausage, deer sausage, goetta, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, French toast, pancakes, and ham. 39 of us ate breakfast together at 9 AM.
Many people went to church after breakfast. Then return to the party.

Lunch was just cold cuts. Lunchmeat and many different homemade meats that everyone makes out of deer and other critters. It's a way for every one to show off the summer sausage, bologna, jerky, trail bologna, and ALL KINDS of deserts that they have made.

People come and go all day long since some of them have to go to "The other sides" for a bit. Generally, there is at least 50 people there all day long.

Supper is at 6. Huge feast of baked turkey, smoked turkey, and whatever kind of turkey someone wants to try to make and bring it along. There is way too much food. Every side dish that is normally at Thanksgiving, along with ******* side dishes that we all have grown up eating and love. 
There were 78 of us for supper. After supper we all clean it up and move on to playing board games, cards or just sitting around chatting or watching the little kids play. (There are 19 kids under the age of 10 in our family) 

So, we play and chat until about 10 then start cleaning up and putting everything away. We got home at midnight, overstuffed and tired from a great day of family.


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## notyermomma (Feb 11, 2014)

What a wonderful thread! This brings back some great memories for me:

I was vegetarian for several years, and my first veggie year at my paternal grandparents' house was something I'll never forget. My grandmother's cooking skills were ... simple ... but everyone flocked to their house for special occasions because their conversational skills were off the charts. They were very socially progressive but vegetarianism was an alien concept to them. I found out later that my grandmother had a conversation with my parents to ask what to prepare for me. I'm really adventurous, but as with most people there are a few foods that I just can't tolerate. Somehow she zoomed right in on them with laser precision ... plain boiled brussels sprouts, plain boiled onions, stewed tomatoes, green olives, and lots of pickles. She was _so proud!!_ And I was really moved by her sincerity and hard work - I know she went out of her way to make a clear gesture of unconditional love and acceptance. Somehow I gagged down a couple bites of each and then loaded up on mashed potatoes and stuffing (to heck with the broth it was cooked in!) I praised her cooking to the skies and thanked her profusely.

Another favorite for me is a different branch of the family that rents a giant house on Atlantic Beach every year. It was a potluck format for the most part except for a few main dishes that one cousin is _very_ territorial about in the kitchen. So we're not even allowed in there for several hours on the big day, which is fine with us. Breakfast is always an informal fend-for-yourself. Lunch usually consists of alcohol and frolics on the beach. Dinner is the typical traditional meal, with a dance party and more alcohol afterwards. We'd usually do tacky tourist stuff on Friday.

Yesterday was a small family gathering since the younger generation had only just produced the youngest generation only a couple weeks ago and was _way_ too tired for a road trip. So we went to church, ate, and watched Blazing Saddles. It was perfect for us.


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