Thanksgiving!

mjszos · Nov 25, 2024

We're skipping the turkey this year as well, and making homemade pizzas instead. Following our honeymoon in Italy, we purchased a pizza oven and have been learning how to make doughs. This year will be a great test to how well my recipe has turned out as I'll be firing probably 24 pizzas!

Thanksgiving this year also falls on my birthday, so there will likely be a pizza with 30 candles on it for me.

AlyciaMarie · Nov 25, 2024

PharmrJohn said:
Wife also makes these KILLER rolls!

I thought about making homemade rolls this year. If it's not a family-secret recipe, I'd love to try it out! Sharing is caring, John.

exnisstech · Nov 25, 2024

Gumbies R Us said:
I wish I liked fried turkey. I have tried for years to like it but have never been a fan of it. Maybe this year will be different???

My Dad didn't care for it either. I would ussualy roast a small bird or breast in the oven for him. I you probably won't like it again lol.

Gumbies R Us · Nov 25, 2024

exnisstech said:
My Dad didn't care for it either. I would ussualy roast a small bird or breast in the oven for him. I you probably won't like it again lol.

Well, one of my wife's uncles is doing a smoked turkey with a cherry mango habanero seasoning. Maybe I will like it since it is smoked, but we will see

exnisstech · Nov 25, 2024

Gumbies R Us said:
Well, one of my wife's uncles is doing a smoked turkey with a cherry mango habanero seasoning. Maybe I will like it since it is smoked, but we will see

That sounds Yummy. It's been so long since I smoked a turkey I'd forgotten about them. Now that I think about it when I started deep frying them I did hear a few family members say they preferred the smoked birds. I had an electric smoker which didn't really work very well here in the cold.

rhitee93 · Nov 25, 2024

We have a fairly large gather at my in-laws house. Now that the kids have gown and are bringing significant others, it'll be 14-15 people, and we all share bringing food. The turkey is always my responsibility, and my wife and I share the mashed potatoes work. Pretty standard fare, although I ended up with a larger than usual bird this year, so I'm considering disassembling it and smoking it.

Now, if you want unusual, may family has had rabbit on easter more than once

PharmrJohn · Nov 25, 2024

AlyciaMarie said:
I thought about making homemade rolls this year. If it's not a family-secret recipe, I'd love to try it out! Sharing is caring, John.

I'll ask. I AM NOT a believer of secret recipes. It's a big poopy stupid. I also have a GREAT Alfredo recipe. Best I've ever had. Also a pork chop recipe. Same thing. Best I've ever had. Anywhere. About 25 years ago, I started cooking due to my Fiancé turning to alcohol in a BIG way! Yep! That relationship didn't survive! So I've become quite proficient over the decades. I tend to take recipes given to me and modifying them to my standard. LOL, my grandma had this excellent spaghetti recipe, and I lost it. And my Mom had passed so that was out. I remembered what was in it but didn't remember proportions. So I took about four recipes online and modified all of them into one. And that one, I had to experiment and make 5 times before I nailed it down. I was REALLY proud of myself!!!!

PharmrJohn · Nov 25, 2024

fish farmer said:
I get in trouble if I serve fish...I made oyster stuffing one year and only one year.

I've been hosting for several years now. We only cook the turkey, stuffing and gravy. Every one else brings stuff, my mom is the creative cook so interesting squash dish, orange cranberry sauce, salad, maybe a traditional green bean casserole. My wife's family brings mashed potatoes, carrots, rolls and several desserts. All bring beverages of choice.

This will be the largest gathering so far, 10 adults and a newborn I've yet to meet. Folks will likely be eating on the couch this year...running out of tables.

Last year's table settings...my house was running on electric space heaters last year. My furnace crapped out exactly a year ago and didn't get a replacement until mid December. Something to be thankful for this year.

My Stuffing recipe is based on an Oyster Stuffing recipe. I just leave out the Oysters and increase the spices by 50 to 75%. I make my own (garlic heavy) chicken broth and Croutons. I generally use Duck Eggs but this year I'm out of luck.

Gumbies R Us · Nov 25, 2024

PharmrJohn said:
I'll ask. I AM NOT a believer of secret recipes. It's a big poopy stupid. I also have a GREAT Alfredo recipe. Best I've ever had. Also a pork chop recipe. Same thing. Best I've ever had. Anywhere. About 25 years ago, I started cooking due to my Fiancé turning to alcohol in a BIG way! Yep! That relationship didn't survive! So I've become quite proficient over the decades. I tend to take recipes given to me and modifying them to my standard. LOL, my grandma had this excellent spaghetti recipe, and I lost it. And my Mom had passed so that was out. I remembered what was in it but didn't remember proportions. So I took about four recipes online and modified all of them into one. And that one, I had to experiment and make 5 times before I nailed it down. I was REALLY proud of myself!!!!

We tend to make pasta at our house. We usually buy whatever noodles we are in the mood for and then make the sauce ourselves. This is just an example below!

PharmrJohn · Nov 25, 2024

Gumbies R Us said:
We tend to make pasta at our house. We usually buy whatever noodles we are in the mood for and then make the sauce ourselves. This is just an example below!

That's awesome! My Alfredo has cream cheese in it. A lot! I've had issues with cream cheese going into solution in soups and chicken chili, but when you put it into hot butter it goes into solution VERY easily.

Gumbies R Us · Nov 25, 2024

PharmrJohn said:
That's awesome! My Alfredo has cream cheese in it. A lot! I've had issues with cream cheese going into solution in soups and chicken chili, but when you put it into hot butter it goes into solution VERY easily.

Oh interesting! We sometimes use goat cheese if we are making a more peppery pasta! Cream cheese sounds good though!

vetteguy53081 · Nov 25, 2024

WalkerLovesTheOcean said:
I'm heading to Pennsylvania for a big family dinner with all the classic Thanksgiving food items. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Hey-
We too are going to Philly and then to New York for the weekend.

Lbrdsoxfan · Nov 25, 2024

Another holiday @ Work. You, "Joe public" now fly on Thanksgiving, we keep the planes flying.

Craptacular company sponsored food, which I won't touch. The end.

PharmrJohn · Nov 25, 2024

Gumbies R Us said:
Oh interesting! We sometimes use goat cheese if we are making a more peppery pasta! Cream cheese sounds good though!

Goat cheese?! How does that taste? When I was a kid, I worked in a Hospital Kitchen (to this day the BEST job I ever had (fun wise))!!! We found goat milk in the walk-in fridge. Tried it. BLAAAAAHHH! Ugh, NASTY stuff. So I embarked on a quest to get my friend to try it. After some convincing that it was SOOOOO good (haha), he tried it. And Gagged! We ALL got a good laugh outta that!

BubblesandSqueak · Nov 25, 2024

mjszos said:
We're skipping the turkey this year as well, and making homemade pizzas instead. Following our honeymoon in Italy, we purchased a pizza oven and have been learning how to make doughs. This year will be a great test to how well my recipe has turned out as I'll be firing probably 24 pizzas!

Thanksgiving this year also falls on my birthday, so there will likely be a pizza with 30 candles on it for me.

Poolish at 70% works great.

mjszos · Nov 25, 2024

BubblesandSqueak said:
Poolish at 70% works great.

I've been experimenting with a bunch of different options, big fan of cold fermenting but given the amount of dough (and lack of space in my fridge) I'll just be doing a super classic neapolitan style dough with a 2hr proof + 30ish minutes for the individual dough balls.

Jimbo327 · Nov 25, 2024

Hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner at my home. It's a lot of work, and I do most of the cooking. Smoked turkey, beef stew with carrot and potatoes, mash, roasted brussel sprouts, corn on the cob, gravy. For those who don't like turkey, I'm roasting a crispy pork belly for the first time ever. LOL. That'll be an adventure.

Mostly, I do it for my kids and family to have a Thanksgiving celebration because if I don't do it, we won't have one. And my daughter loves her turkey leg and the feeling of having a great meal with loved ones.

Growing up, we never had Thanksgiving dinner except 1 year where my family was invited to another family's Thanksgiving. It was eye opening for me to see what it was like. So I want to make sure that my kids get to feel that at home every year.

Friendsgiving on Saturday as well. But we grilling meats on that day. No turkey. LOL.

BubblesandSqueak · Nov 25, 2024

mjszos said:
I've been experimenting with a bunch of different options, big fan of cold fermenting but given the amount of dough (and lack of space in my fridge) I'll just be doing a super classic neapolitan style dough with a 2hr proof + 30ish minutes for the individual dough balls.

Poolish for when you get that extra oomph. Makes 7

800g Caputo flour
800g cold water
2.5g yeast

Day 1
Mix flour and yeast. Slowly add cold water and mix for 10 minutes.
Cover with Saran Wrap and let sit at room temp for 60 minutes.Then place in fridge for 18-24 hours.

Day 2
Remove from fridge and let sit for 60 minutes to get to room temp.
Place 360g flour directly on counter and add 30g sea salt (2 Tblsp). Mix together. Then pour poolish on top of flour and mix flour into top of wet dough for 20 minutes until all flour is mixed in.
Then mix/knead until it becomes strong and balled. Then add a few drops of olive oil to poolish and place dough back in same bowl. Cover with Saran Wrap and let rest for 60 minutes.
On lightly floured surface, keep top of dough on top and cut into 270g balls. Form balls keep top always on top and place into dough box. Refrigerate for 6 hours or use with 24 hours or freeze.