So ... is everyone working up a good appetite for tomorrow?
I figured I'd rouse afew folks with some artistry skills in the kitchen (ehem ... Kimberly?) and invite them to pipe up with some of the goodies they'll be shaking it up with this Thanksgiving.
What's on the menu at your house?
I'm not going to be cooking this year, but rather we are the invited guests this time around. I will be bringing along some homemade Cranberry Pecan Bars for dessert tho. Once I get the recipe typed out, I'll post it for anyone interested.
Any special traditions to share with us? Those of you outside of the US ... please join in with some cooking ideas too!
Bon Appetit to everyone ... and here's a toast to counting all of our blessings. Nettie
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
With so much family and obligations, it will be an ongoing four day open house, friends and family stopping by for three days since everyone must be in several places. A wedding this Friday, what a perfect time, my sister and hubby's niece's daughter. What a perfect time to get everyone in from New Mexico and such. Making many things but two of the desserts are such: banana bread with nuts and also Kahlua frozen popsicles (but those are for the adults). Kimberly, you have been on my mind this time of year, surely I love those culinary tips you send me all the time!
You will love my culinary set my Dad had for me, before he passed away. I got it last week along with the book on veggie sculptures and stuff. He knew I loved being a salad chef at the country clubs all those years.
[ November 27, 2002, 08:04 PM: Message edited by: Deb Fowler ]
Posted by Terry Whynott (Member # 1622) on :
Kraft Dinner.
Just another regular day up here. Wife's out of town.
I'd love to have a good punkin pie with Cool Whip though!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Enjoy Posted by Alan Ackerson (Member # 3224) on :
Hey Terry,
We can FedEx a plate north of the border if you would like. Have it by sat.
I think the mellow enhancers of the turkey and a good nap could be just what the doctor ordered around here.
Have a safe holiday everyone!
And it is all about the pies.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Just like every year, my husband (the chef) has to work. He'll get there early, early, early and probably work until about 8pm. My daughter and I and some of our friends will go to the hotel to have dinner with him around 1pm.
Then on Sunday, we'll have those same friends over and make the "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner. I just got back from grocery shopping for Sunday's dinner.
Saturday I'll make two apple pies for dessert.
BTW, just a reminder...if you have any culinary questions - feel free to email me anytime of the year.
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
Kimberly, Do you make Capanata or Cablidina?
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
I have a great recipe for Caponata if you'd like it. Have to admit I've never heard of the other thing...what is it?
Posted by Amy Brown (Member # 1963) on :
Having Thanksgiving here this year. Tired of going to everyone elses house!!
I'll be roasting the turkey and stuffing, homemade mashed potatoes and opening the can of cranberry gelatin (tradition).
We will have tons of food and spirits with everyone else that's coming and bringing dishes.
Here's some of it:
baked ham, Mac & Cheese, collard greens, corn casserole, green bean casserole, pumpkin pies, a mystery dessert, Corona's, home grown wine and Smirnoff coolers, etc. etc. etc.
Have a great one everybody!
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Caponata
2 Large tomatoes, red ripe -- peeled, seeded & chopped 1 Medium eggplant -- peeled, 1/2" dice salt 1 Large red bell peppers -- diced 1 Medium onion -- chopped 2 Large garlic clove -- minced 1 Tablespoons raisins 1 bay leaf 1 Teaspoon thyme, fresh 1/4 Cup white vinegar 1 Teaspoon sugar 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 baguette
Sprinkle eggplant with salt and let sit for one hour. Rinse & dry eggplant. Transfer to an oiled baking dish.
Combine tomatoes & a pinch of salt in a pan and cook over low heat, stirring, for 15 minutes. Mash with a fork and set aside.
Add to egplant dish the tomatoes, all vegatables, garlic, raisins, bay leaf, thyme & salt & pepper to taste. Mix together.
Combine vinegar & sugar in a saucepan and heat through until the sugar just dissolves. Pour over the vegetables. Add olive oil & toss together.
Cover baking dish tightly and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes until the vegatables are tender and very fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve warm over crostini.
***Note: If you don't like raisins...leave 'em out! Many recipes for caponata include capers - I despise them so I leave them out but feel free to add some to the vegetables before baking.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Well, I already miss having the huge family get togethers with 50 and more family members, but it looks like everyone is growing up and going their own ways.
On the otherhand I've got my granny's recipes for home made banana bread (mmmmmm), cranberry sauce, sausage stuffing for the turkey, and my absolute favorite - canoli (Italian dessert, mammy makes the best) so I should be good to go.
One of my favorite family traditions comes after the meal, where everyone gets a glass of wine (even the young kids, liberal family), roasted chestnuts (fresh off the tree, not storebought) while granny and mom, aunts, and uncles all share embarrassing stories about each other with *their* kids. Posted by JoAnna Nouis (Member # 2838) on :
We do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner every year with Robert's family, cause my families idea of tradition is going to the deer lease to hunt for Thanksgiving (I might be a redneck!).
Lucky for us Rob's mom is an awesome cook! Turkey, ham, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy, corn, homemade rolls, pecan pie, pumpkin pie and some nifty chocolate pudding layer thing. I get to make the brocolli rice casserole every year!
Hope every one has a happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
JoAnna, Your Thanksgiving menu looks exactly like ours. The only difference is that we call the stuffing "dressin'" and ours is made from cornmeal. My Mother-in-law makes "stuffing" and I guess hers is made with bread??. It's all good anyway. My son just "harvested" a buck last week and we'll be enjoying some venison too.
Can't wait for some of that giblet gravy.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
[ November 27, 2002, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
My cousin and I are going to guzzle a few beers and a coupla Turkey Subs and watch reruns of the SOPRANOS! Posted by John Deaton III (Member # 925) on :
We go to my moms every year for thanksgiving. On the menu will be of course, TURKEY, ham, like wayne said, Dressin', candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, shuck beans(shucks them is good), fresh fried corn, homemade rolls. On the dessert dish we have, Apple stack cake, chocolate pound cake, cream cheese pie, red velvet cake, banana split pie, and, oh man, Im drooling on my keyboard. Yall have a happy thanksgiving no matter what you eat or where you are at. Ill think of you whilst Im munching. Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
Bob Burns has the BEST idea!!!!
Thats what we did..smallish party..drank beer..munched on munchies...no turkey..no ham.. just sat out in the shop (all cleaned up of course) and yacked.
[ November 27, 2002, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: Dave Grundy ]
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Bob definitely has the idea!!!
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
I'm making ambrosia...(fruit salad with oranges, coconut, grapes, apple, banana), tonight, to take to a friends house tomorrow. Small gathering, her and her husband, me, and whoever else wanders in. They also have a small sign business at home, but are leaving next week to spend 3 months in California so she can be there when her daughter has a baby. I will probably be minding her shop while they're gone, so we'll spend part of the day going over things. Then an easy meal ( just doing turkey breasts....simple menu), then maybe a little guitar pickin' if the mood is right. Another day in the country for which I am truly thankful!!! Will stop and see stepson and grandkids on the way home...they're doing a thing with their neighbors this year...I see them all the time anyway, so missing their meal is no big deal. Actually, I'll probably get to eat twice if I don't watch out !
Posted by Chris Bryant (Member # 64) on :
Hi Nettie! Great post. Gettin hungry just reading. We are staying home for a Great NorthWest dinner of smoked turkey and my grandmas cranberry relish,MMMMmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!! This will get pounded down with apple/ cranberry pie. We don't stop there cause I have a half gallon of fresh Oysters waiting for the day after.
Let's eat! Chris
Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :
Mmmmmmmm cooking. No thanksgiving here but I couldnt resist the topic of food. Wetting the baby's head next weekend early in the morning and I put my hand up to cater. Bear in mind that this is 9:30am
French rolls with ham, lettuce, prawns (shrimp), avocado and home made mayonaise cut into 1.5" slices. Kidneys and bacon sauted in onions, mushrooms and dill with cream added at the last moment to pick up the colour from the pan, served with door-stop sized slabs of buttered toast. Pita bread mock pizzas. Oh yeah, and for some reason there seems to be an obligation to have fruit so there'll probably be some of that, dunno exactly why. Later on around sunset the bbq and wok burner will be fired up next to the pool to make a chicken lhaksa (slightly spicey noodle soupy kinda thing) and to cook up a marinated rib fillet sliced into nice thick slabs to be served with taters cooked in their jackets, corn rolled in foil with butter and cooked in the weber, bean salad and coleslaw. Add lashings of good company and beer. Menu subject to change pending the cooks mood. David
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Honeyed ham is done, turkey in the oven - stuffed with cornbread, sauase, wanut dressing, candied sweet taters, smashed taters, Mexi Corn, peas Almandine, mushrooms, tossed salad, rolls and 2 kinds of pies with ice cream! Whew! I'm tired already!
Hope everybody has a GREAT Thanksgiving!
[ November 28, 2002, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: Si Allen ]
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
ok..you axed....totally meatless....hennie makes a lentil loaf(really good) does a brown gravy with onions, mashed taters, sucotash, squash casarole, sweet taters, stuffing(dressing), collard greens, cucumber salad, pink eye, purple hull peas(say that 10 times), cranberry bread, pumkin pie, real whipped cream......and i wont be able to move...
Posted by Ed Williams (Member # 846) on :
I'm not sure what all is cooking, It's best I stay out of the kitchen, I tend to munch and get yeld at. It's actually safer to watch football. Posted by Cheryl Lucas (Member # 1656) on :
My family gathered at the local buffet... Nobody cooks, nobody cleans and no leftovers. We were stuffed! I plan to cook a turkey and some of the traditional odds and ends soon.
About the Caponata me and my girlies get together every year and make batches for gifts. Here's my recipe:
CAPONATA
1 large jar pitted green olives (without pimento) 1 bunch celery 2 small eggplant or one large 1 large onion 1 small jar capers 1 12oz can tomato paste 2 cans pitted black olives balsamic vinegar olive oil garlic cloves (optional)
Chop vege's in a diced fashion, press olives under a large knife, so they are no longer roundish.
We use a wok, but a large pot will work.
In olive oil, saute garlic, onion and celery, when tender, add eggplant, when tender reduce heat to low and add the remaining ingredients. The balsamic vineger should be added to taste remembering that everyting intensifies as it ages.
My girlfriend who gave me this recipe is Italian, she adds plenty of olive oil during cooking and knows when to add more afterwards.
We put the Caponata into canning jars and dress the lids with festive materials, tied with raffia (sp). Preparing Caponata is a holiday tradition for us and a wonderful day spent with friends and spirits!
Happy Holidays, Cher.
Posted by Cheryl Lucas (Member # 1656) on :
Ooops, double post...
[ November 29, 2002, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: Cheryl Lucas ]
Posted by Randy Campbell (Member # 2675) on :
Kimberly; how long has your husband been a chef?I left the business in 1985 after 11 years of working alllll holidays-weekends-anniversaries-birthdays and the first 10 years of my kids lives.Haddd enough-I know you will understand.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Randy, Boy do I ever. Clay was in Culinary school when we met in 1994. He went to work for Hyatt later that year as a Garde Manger, then became Chef de Cuisine, then Executive Sous Chef. He's now on his second property as Executive Chef. The biggest problem that we have is the constant moving. When Hyatt promotes you they move you to another hotel. He's been at 2 different hotels in San Francisco, one in LA (the old Riot House in West Hollywood)and now Palm Springs. We've been here for a year and a half which means we're about ready for another move.
After a while, you get used to the fact that he's going to be working every holiday, etc. The hard stuff is like the other night when he missed our kindergartener's music program at school. She was very understanding - she told him that Mommy would videotape it and he could watch it later but it broke my heart.
Since Clay was always working holidays, I used to volunteer to work holidays and give other people the day off. Worked out great, they'd have off and I'd get the double time. :-)
Randy, where did you work as a chef? A restaurant or a hotel?
I'm hoping that eventually Clay will take a job as an instructor in a Culinary school. He's a great teacher and is very patient (nothing like me the hot-headed little Italian). He'd be great at it and we could stop moving around so much. For now though, we really take advantage of the free hotel room benefits we get so we're not quite ready to give that up.
Posted by Donna in BC (Member # 130) on :
Thanksgiving here conjures up my mom's homemade pumpkin pie (no canned stuff) and real whipping cream. There simply isn't anything like it!
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
What a surprise thanksgiving I had. All the food was doing just fine, but one of the cows was trying to birth a calf that was upside down and backwards. Now, mind you, I know how to letter upside down and backwards, but turning a calf that big was not gonna work. We had multiple arms inside that cow feeling for feet, pulling and grabbing. We spent four hours on just that one calf. Later we enjoyed some dried out turkey almost as much as we enjoyed the stories of the day.
Posted by Randy Campbell (Member # 2675) on :
Kimberly;I worked in both,started out in a pancake house went to the Holiday inn over to an arena complex.One place was all french cusine-spent two years as sous chef at the Plainsman in Dundas Ontario,700 hundred seat dining room "buffet"-250 seat alacart with 4 banquet halls and 3 bars to service.When I started out with the Holiday Inn I was a first cook and finished a sous chef.It's really sad how many good chefs end up as alcoholics.One day I would like to open a soup and deli.
Posted by Santo (Member # 411) on :
Kimberly, They are both the same. Cablidina is just the name in another dialect. I used both not knowing which you used.
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