See you later! Off to start Thanksgiving dinner

[crandc]

Off all next week to prepare meal.

In past years I have sent guests a list of 4 turkey/dressing/gravy combinations (vote for one) and 8 desserts (vote for 2). Last year I got a late start so had to say fuck democracy, I'm making what I want. This year I tried a new twist. Guests voted on what region's cusine they preferred, and a meal planned around it. Options were: New England, Midwest, South, Southwest, California, Pacific Northwest.

Winner was: South. I guess most people figured New England and Midwest sounded boring, Soutwestern and California cuisine are widely available, and most Californians' knowledge of Northwest cuisine starts and ends with salmon.

So I have a menu:
Nibbles (since guests don't all arrive at once): Glazed andouille sausage, crackers with cream cheese and red pepper jelly, bittersweet chocolate truffles (a gift)
Salad: Greens from garden with roasted butternut squash, pomegranate, kumquats and mimosa dressing
Entree: Cajun spiced turkey and gray, Cajun dressing (two pans, one with chicken stock and andouille for carnivores, one with vegetable stock and mushrooms for vegetarians)
Sides: Mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, braised greens with mustard, sauteed corn with onion and red bell peppers, skillet cornbread, salt and pepper biscuits, cranraspberry sauce
Dessert: Chocolate pecan pie, bruleed bourbon pumpkin pie with bourbon whipped cream

wine and sparkling cider

Alka Seltzer

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Yum! What time should I be there and what can I bring?

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

crandc hookin' up the vittlez!

 

[Denny Crane]

Cooking the turkey for 6 days could make it dry out a tad.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

We're going to have like 20 people over. Parents are doing most of the cooking, I'm doing a few things. Few people are bringing things like dessert.

So far:

Pulled Pork in lettuce wraps
Mini-lobster tacos

25lb turkey
Mashed Potatoes (I use a shitload of butter in them and use a ricer)
Beecher's Mac and Cheese
Penne Pasta with shrimp
Gravy
Cranberry

My brother has a sous vide machine and a torch so he's going to be using that on a few dishes. Not sure what though. I think he's sous viding the pork.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

We do the traditional dinner- turkey, stuffing, mashed spuds w/gravey, sweet spuds, green beans, salad, rolls (homemade), apple, pumpkin, pecan pies. To keep the turkey moist, we soak cheesecolth in melted butter and drape it over the turkey breast.

 

[crandc]

I do a dry brine of my turkey. Much easier than wet brine, since I don't have to find a container large enough for turkey and ice, then find room in refrigerator.