Ideas for Thanksgiving????

[disneytati]

Hey, guys!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (the favorite one in Christmas). I just have one problem: there's no Thanksgiving down here... people don't even know what it is. I usually try to celebrate my American holidays my own way, like.... I wear Halloween shirts (and make my students go trick or treating around the language school), wear red, white and blue and display my American flag on July 4th and September 11th... I normally try to be in the USA for Thanksgiving (and feel a bit of the Christmas chill as well), but this year I'll only be able to go up there in December, so I'll miss Thanksgiving. Do you have any ideas of how I should celebrate it here, by myself? It can be something little, as people usually think I'm an Americanized freak, so I'll celebrate it all by myself. Any easy traditional recipes... any decorations... anything online I could do???

[flinger]

im going to get a turkey

[disneytati]

im going to get a turkey

Yeah... maybe I can try to get some turkey for dinner.

[Gator Pam]

Do you have any ideas of how I should celebrate it here, by myself? It can be something little, as people usually think I'm an Americanized freak, so I'll celebrate it all by myself. Any easy traditional recipes... any decorations... anything online I could do???

:::waving at Tati:::

 

I greeted you in the announce yourself, or returning members thread. I hope you saw my reply.

 

For me, Thanksgiving is all about the leftovers, so even if you cook a small bone-in turkey breast, you'll have some leftovers to make some wonderful meals with.

 

Do you have an oval crockpot? I have a terrific stuffed turkey breast recipe for the crockpot is you want it.

 

Then, fix whichever side dishes you enjoy and have some pumpkin or sweet potato pie, and your meal is all set.

 

But, even if you can't do that, find the time to quietly contemplate all your reasons to be thankful. You can write them down, or just meditate on them. That is the true way to commemorate and celebrate this holiday.

[heavenlysshine]

Awwww, tati, I really feel for you. I wish I could just swoop you up here to be with my family for Thanksgiving! Just google "easy thanksgiving recipes" and you should find a lot to work with. Here's two to get you started and a few more you can google.

 

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ROAST TURKEY

Ingredients:

 

 

1 Turkey (9 1/2 lbs)

 

Marinade:

1/4 cup dry mustard (4T)

2 TBLsps. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar

2 1/2 TBLsps. olive oil

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Make more marinade if your turkey is larger than 9 1/2 lbs. Make marinade into a soft paste (more like a thick marinade) and paint it all over a well-thawed turkey, inside and out, a few hours before you're going to cook it, or the day before.

 

Using:

1 onion

1-2 celery stalks

some parsley

2 pieces of bacon

1 stick of butter

Inside, place onion, celery, parsley. Across the breast lay bacon and in the crevice between the drumstick and the body, tuck in chunks of butter. Soak a dish towel or piece of cheesecloth in olive oil and lay it over the turkey, which you put in an uncovered roaster. Add 1 to 2 cups stock from cooking the gizzard, neck, etc. or use canned chicken broth, for basting right through the cheesecloth the whole time only once or twice during the roasting. You, of course, can baste more if you like. Cook at 300 degrees for:

7-10 lb.-30 min. per lb.

10-15 lb.-20 min. per lb.

15-18 lb.-18 min. per lb.

18-20 lb.-15 min. per lb.

20-23 lb.-13 min per lb.

 

 

I did, however, cook my turkey 1 hour longer than the above scale shows. Don't worry the turkey will be the juicest ever.

 

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CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

Ingredients:

6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled

1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

2/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup butter

 

Slice potatoes into 1/2" slices. Layer potatoes in a buttered 1 1/2 qt. casserole dish with mixture of sugar, salt and butter on top. Continue until ending with sugar and butter. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until glazed. Add marshmallows in the last 5 minutes; brown lightly. Serves 6.

 

 

 

 

Google:

 

 

Easy Mashed Potatoes

Easy Macaroni and Cheese

Easy Pumpkin Pie

 

I like Italian Green Beans slow-cooked with country ham at Thanksgiving, too. I always bring the Squash Casserole to our dinner. We do a pot-luck Thanksgiving where everyone from my immediate family brings something to my Mom's and we have Thanksgiving there. Even if you just have the pumpkin pie, it would be something!

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few things in the link below from familyfun.com that I found for you to do.

 

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf118pilgrim/famf118pilgrim.html

[Gator Pam]

Here's the crockpot stuffed turkey breast recipe i mentioned earlier.

 

Crockpot Stuffed Turkey Breast

Yield: 8 Servings

 

1/4 c Butter; melted

1 sm Onion; finely chopped

1/2 c Celery; finely chopped

2 1/2 oz Bacon croutons

1 c Chicken bouillon

1 tb Parsley, fresh; minced

1/2 ts Poultry seasoning

1 Turkey breast, whole

-uncooked

Salt; to taste

Pepper; to taste

Cheesecloth (about 24x36"

-for each turkey breast)

Wine, white, dry

 

Combine butter, onion, celery, croutons, bouillon,

parsley, and poultry seasoning. Cut turkey breast in thick slices,

from breastbone to rib cage, leaving slices attached to bone.

Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Soak cheesecloth in wine.

Set turkey on cheesecloth. Stuff bread mixture into slits of turkey.

Fold one end of cheesecloth over other to cover meat.

Place on metal rack or trivet in slow-cooking pot. Cover

pot and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or until tender. Pour additional

wine over turkey during cooking. Remove from pot and take

cheesecloth off immediately. If browner breast is preferred, remove from pot and brown in 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 10 min.

Drippings may be thickened for gravy if desired.

Serve each person one or more thick slices of turkey with dressing in

between. This recipe designed for 4 1/2 qt or larger slow cooking pot.

[Cecilliadb]

I don't eat turkey but I LOVE some good ol' mashed potatos and cranberry sauce :)

[cotinkandy1]

We usually have a big family get together. I wish you could do the same!! But its great to hear you still acknowledge and remember all out OUR holidays!! Happy Thanksgiving to you!!

[disneytati]

WOW!!!!!! Thank you very much for the replies!!!!

 

Gator Pam - Sorry, I haven't seen your reply... But I'll check that thread again. And thanks a lot for the recipe! But well... can it be done in a regular pan, or in the oven? There are no slow cookers here... no crockpots.... This recipe sounds delicious!!!!!

 

heavenlysshine - Thanks for the kind words. I'm planning a Thanksgiving trip for next year. I've never spent Thanksgiving with an American family. I actually would like to go up there in the end of October, spend Halloween (which they don't really have down here), Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas season. That would be just perfect! Yum...... awesome potato recipe... and thanks for the link. It's so cool!!!!!!!!

 

cotinkandy1 - Well, these are MY holidays too..... lol Let me see if I can explain: I was born down here, I've never spent more than 15 days in the USA, I have no American ancestors (not that I know of), but... I'm American! Well, my soul is. So, if people say "my country", the USA is what immediately comes to my mind. And I just can't explain how I can speak English so well... I'm the only one in my family who speaks English! Anyways... thanks for the nice words!

[lilac100]

I see alot of recipe replies and such but the biggest thing we do is go around the table and list what we are thankful for. The food the weather the kids the new dishwasher, anything that you are thankful for.

[disneytati]

I see alot of recipe replies and such but the biggest thing we do is go around the table and list what we are thankful for. The food the weather the kids the new dishwasher, anything that you are thankful for.

Oh, yes. I'm gonna do that, for sure!

[Gator Pam]

WOW!!!!!! Thank you very much for the replies!!!!

 

Gator Pam - Sorry, I haven't seen your reply... But I'll check that thread again. And thanks a lot for the recipe! But well... can it be done in a regular pan, or in the oven? There are no slow cookers here... no crockpots.... This recipe sounds delicious!!!!!

Tati, thankfully we have a month before Thanksgivng. I'm pretty positive the recipe can be adapted, but let me ask on the cooking boards I frequent and I'll let you know.

[disneytati]

Tati, thankfully we have a month before Thanksgivng. I'm pretty positive the recipe can be adapted, but let me ask on the cooking boards I frequent and I'll let you know.

Thanks a lot, Pam! And by the way, I've replied to your post in the "I'm Back" thread. Check it out!:)