Happy Thanksgiving 2021 to all who participate on this Forum!

[rkacruiser]

After another challenging year, I am thankful to get to this Thanksgiving Eve.    

 

What's on your Thanksgiving Day dinner menu?  Do you have any special Thanksgiving Eve dinner menu?  Are there any Thanksgivings on which you have cruised that are memorable?

 

My Thanksgiving Eve dinner will be a family tradition of Oyster Stew, freshly prepared with East Coast Select Oysters.  

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  

[shipgeeks]

Happy Thanksgiving to you, RK, and to all the rest of the group.

At the start of November, I was inspired offer thanks for something every day.  It has not been difficult, in spite of all the bad things going on in the world.  Even things we take for granted, such as safe water, indoor plumbing, a roof over our heads, a variety of foods:  I am grateful for all of these and so much more.

Well, to the menu in our house.  After many years of turkeys, this week we bought a small ham for just the two of us, instead.  We will have scalloped potatoes, a few vegetables, and a pecan pie.

I do have a good (true) turkey story.  Twenty or so years ago, we spent a month in Spain with a nephew, who is an Air Force officer, and his Spanish wife.  We offered to make a turkey dinner for them and her extended family.  She went to the market and bought a turkey.  Early on the morning of the big dinner, we unwrapped the turkey.....and discovered that Tom still had all his parts.  Head, feathers, tail, innards.  The rest of the morning was spent, not too happily, in the back yard doing our best to convert him to a Butterball.  Eventually he was roastable, and the dinner was a success.  The item that got the most raves, though, was DH's mashed potatoes, a novel item to the family.

[rkacruiser]

13 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

I do have a good (true) turkey story.  Twenty or so years ago, we spent a month in Spain with a nephew, who is an Air Force officer, and his Spanish wife.  We offered to make a turkey dinner for them and her extended family.  She went to the market and bought a turkey.  Early on the morning of the big dinner, we unwrapped the turkey.....and discovered that Tom still had all his parts.  Head, feathers, tail, innards.  The rest of the morning was spent, not too happily, in the back yard doing our best to convert him to a Butterball.  Eventually he was roastable, and the dinner was a success.  The item that got the most raves, though, was DH's mashed potatoes, a novel item to the family.

 

What a great story!  May I offer mine?

 

A family Thanksgiving Dinner with my Brother and his family:  his wife was an excellent cook, making creative dishes, baking their bread of different varieties, my first encounter  on Christmas Day with a multi-colored layered Birthday Cake for Jesus, etc.  Our dinner on that Thanksgiving Day had been prepared.  All of the fixings were ready; table set; mouths watering.  Removing the Turkey from the oven, Rosemary discovered that the oven had malfunctioned.  The top half of the bird was cooked; the bottom half was not.  We ate from the properly cooked bird and the bottom was discarded.  Yet, it was a very good--and obviously--memorable Thanksgiving Day dinner for me.  

Edited November 25, 2021 by rkacruiser

[BklynBoy8]

Happy Thanksgiving to RKA & All,

 

Have a Happy and Healthy Day with all your Family and Friends. Due to the loss of my DM this year, laying low and making things simple with Myself & DW..

 

Herbed Buttermilk Biscuits

Artisan Salad Greens, Homemade Dill Croutons, My Sherry Shallot Dressing

 Oven Stuffed Garden Herb Roasted Chicken

Natural Pan Au Jus Gravy 

Cornbread Stuffing

Carrots & Sauteed Onions

Simple String Beans

Sauteed Brown Sugar Yams

(Brown Sugar from Barbados)

Some Goodies from Our Local Italian Bakery

 

Enjoy All...

 

 

Edited November 25, 2021 by BklynBoy8

[Lois R]

Thanks for the holiday wishes and I want to send that same greeting back to all of you as well🙂

 

[Lois R]

19 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Happy Thanksgiving to RKA & All,

 

Have a Happy and Healthy Day with all your Family and Friends. Due to the loss of my DM this year, laying low and making things simple with Myself & DW..

 

Herbed Buttermilk Biscuits

Artisan Salad Greens, Homemade Dill Croutons, My Sherry Shallot Dressing

 Oven Stuffed Garden Herb Roasted Chicken

Natural Pan Au Jus Gravy 

Cornbread Stuffing

Carrots & Sauteed Onions

Simple String Beans

Sauteed Brown Sugar Yams

(Brown Sugar from Barbados)

Some Goodies from Our Local Italian Bakery

 

Enjoy All...

 

 

Hi BB,  OMG.......it all sounds delicious.🙂  It is just me here and I made a Cornish game hen with sweet potatoes, acorn squash and creamed spinach.  And I bought a mini Mrs Callender's apple pie for dessert.

[Lois R]

21 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

Happy Thanksgiving to you, RK, and to all the rest of the group.

At the start of November, I was inspired offer thanks for something every day.  It has not been difficult, in spite of all the bad things going on in the world.  Even things we take for granted, such as safe water, indoor plumbing, a roof over our heads, a variety of foods:  I am grateful for all of these and so much more.

Well, to the menu in our house.  After many years of turkeys, this week we bought a small ham for just the two of us, instead.  We will have scalloped potatoes, a few vegetables, and a pecan pie.

I do have a good (true) turkey story.  Twenty or so years ago, we spent a month in Spain with a nephew, who is an Air Force officer, and his Spanish wife.  We offered to make a turkey dinner for them and her extended family.  She went to the market and bought a turkey.  Early on the morning of the big dinner, we unwrapped the turkey.....and discovered that Tom still had all his parts.  Head, feathers, tail, innards.  The rest of the morning was spent, not too happily, in the back yard doing our best to convert him to a Butterball.  Eventually he was roastable, and the dinner was a success.  The item that got the most raves, though, was DH's mashed potatoes, a novel item to the family.

I echo the others........what a great story🙂

[BklynBoy8]

5 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi BB,  OMG.......it all sounds delicious.🙂  It is just me here and I made a Cornish game hen with sweet potatoes, acorn squash and creamed spinach.  And I bought a mini Mrs Callender's apple pie for dessert.

Hi LR,

Sounds good too!

 

Ours was outstanding too!

 

Acorn Squash is one of our favorites this time of year. Baked it in the oven half open and after scored inside, I use Vermont Maple Syrup to bath it during the baking. It really candies it with flavor.

 

Since I use her crust, I make my own apple pie with NY Hudson Valley Honeycrisp apples.

 

[CGTNORMANDIE]

On 11/24/2021 at 5:44 PM, rkacruiser said:

After another challenging year, I am thankful to get to this Thanksgiving Eve.    

 

What's on your Thanksgiving Day dinner menu?  Do you have any special Thanksgiving Eve dinner menu?  Are there any Thanksgivings on which you have cruised that are memorable?

 

My Thanksgiving Eve dinner will be a family tradition of Oyster Stew, freshly prepared with East Coast Select Oysters.  

 

Happy Thanksgiving!  

Happy Thanksgiving to you RK and all assembled here.  Ours was quiet with all the traditional fixings.  My homemade cranberry sauce is always a hit…cranberries, raspberries, raspberry jelly, orange rind and juice.  

Edited November 26, 2021 by CGTNORMANDIE

[BklynBoy8]

On 11/25/2021 at 10:09 PM, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Happy Thanksgiving to you RK and all assembled here.  Ours was quiet with all the traditional fixings.  My homemade cranberry sauce is always a hit…cranberries, raspberries, raspberry jelly, orange rind and juice.  

CGT,

Belated Happy Thanksgiving..

 

I too use to make the homemade cranberry sauce with cranberries and orange sections w sugar and lemon juice.

 

This year I just wanted the OS Cranberry Jelly in the little can to return to tradition.

 

It still tasted like I remembered it.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

4 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

CGT,

Belated Happy Thanksgiving..

 

I too use to make the homemade cranberry sauce with cranberries and orange sections w sugar and lemon juice.

 

This year I just wanted the OS Cranberry Jelly in the little can to return to tradition.

 

It still tasted like I remembered it.

Thank you BB.  We used to make the cranberry compote by grinding a whole naval orange with the fresh cranberries and then adding sugar.  Then let the mixture macerate in the fridge.  This proved to be too acidic for DW.  So I came up with my own concoction.  OS used to make a whole cranberry sauce with raspberries to which I was very partial.  Unfortunately they seemed to have stopped making it.  So I designed a new version that incorporated both fresh cranberries and fresh frozen raspberries…along with the orange rind, juice and pulp of the navel orange.  My version can be made as either a compote with one packet of gelatin or a jelly with two packets of gelatin.  DW approves and everyone else seems to love it.  BTW…I still use a can of OS whole cranberry sauce in my recipe…just to keep up the tradition.  

[shipgeeks]

We never saw Ocean Spray, nor any other brand of cranberry sauce, in any stores this year.  Did anyone else notice that?

[BklynBoy8]

4 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Thank you BB.  We used to make the cranberry compote by grinding a whole naval orange with the fresh cranberries and then adding sugar.  Then let the mixture macerate in the fridge.  This proved to be too acidic for DW.  So I came up with my own concoction.  OS used to make a whole cranberry sauce with raspberries to which I was very partial.  Unfortunately they seemed to have stopped making it.  So I designed a new version that incorporated both fresh cranberries and fresh frozen raspberries…along with the orange rind, juice and pulp of the navel orange.  My version can be made as either a compote with one packet of gelatin or a jelly with two packets of gelatin.  DW approves and everyone else seems to love it.  BTW…I still use a can of OS whole cranberry sauce in my recipe…just to keep up the tradition.  

Good Morning CGT,

You sound like an Iron Chef designing.... I like designing new recipes.. Your mix is really great!

The mix I make is only for me also since DW also not into it.

 

I don't think OS can will ever wither away... PS...I too use Navel oranges..

[BklynBoy8]

58 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

We never saw Ocean Spray, nor any other brand of cranberry sauce, in any stores this year.  Did anyone else notice that?

SG,

Tons on our shelves as always...Maybe because of this supply and demand to certain areas of the country.

[BklynBoy8]

Well we had our second meal of the TG feast and enjoyed it even more.

 

The gravy came out great. My favorite meal since I am of Polish decent is Fluffy Mashed Potatoes and a lake of gravy. Honestly real potatoes. Can't still understand how they make those boxes of flakes to call it mashed potatoes.

 

The SP were great with the Barbados Brown Sugar. Alternate would be powder maple sugar from the Vermont Country Store. Pan sauteed w a little butter and the sugar on top makes that delicious look. We got it on cruises (BS) from the Barbados cruise terminal building but now get it mail order.

 

The only thing I wish I thought of was to put shukai mushrooms also into the homemade stuffing. And also use shallots instead of regular onions.

 

Otherwise meal was great! Hope all yours were the same..

[shipgeeks]

Good to know about the Barbados brown sugar!

[BklynBoy8]

42 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

Good to know about the Barbados brown sugar!

There is a particular shop in the mall of the terminal that sells food products. The sugar is in a cloth bag. I use to have to wait till another Carib cruise to get more. But looked up on the internet if the store was online and yes. So when can't sailing south to the islands, online comes in handy. You see the fields on bus tours of sugar cane and where the sugar comes from. It is very tasty compared to the box US items.

[rkacruiser]

8 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

We never saw Ocean Spray, nor any other brand of cranberry sauce, in any stores this year.  Did anyone else notice that?

 

Lots of Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce--jellied as well as whole berry--in our grocery stores this year.  I like the whole berry the best.  

[Lois R]

When I was a kid mom  made a cranberry compote dish that was always a big hit🙂.......cranberries, pineapple (crushed), chopped celery and chopped nuts.....I think it was walnuts.  It was always delicious and goes so good with turkey and stuffing😃

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, Lois R said:

When I was a kid mom  made a cranberry compote dish that was always a big hit🙂.......cranberries, pineapple (crushed), chopped celery and chopped nuts.....I think it was walnuts.  It was always delicious and goes so good with turkey and stuffing😃

 

Kroger's Deli always sell a Cranberry Celebration Salad that is delicious.  Don't know what the ingredients are, but, what I taste may well be the same as your Mom's salad ingredients.  I did not have that this year.  When I did my shopping, they were sold out!  (It was on sale.)