Favorite Thanksgiving Foods

theartistformerlyknownas · November 2014

Threadjack - do ya'll call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing even though we never stuff the bird. Dressing goes on salads.

amelisha · November 2014

lolo883 said:

Threadjack - do ya'll call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing even though we never stuff the bird. Dressing goes on salads.

Stuffing. I've never heard "dressing" IRL.

lurkergirl · November 2014

Dressing. To me stuffing means it was stuffed in the bird. I think it's a regional thing, though. Southerners definitely call it dressing. Cornbread dressing is the only kind for me. I also can't stand fruit, nuts, or oysters in my dressing.

paperpusher · November 2014

lolo883 said:

Threadjack - do ya'll call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing even though we never stuff the bird. Dressing goes on salads.

I've heard both, but mainly use the term "stuffing" regardless if it was in the bird or not.

chibiyui · November 2014

lolo883 said:
Threadjack - do ya'll call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing even though we never stuff the bird. Dressing goes on salads.

Heard both, generally we call it stuffing.

[Deleted User] · November 2014

ashley8918 · November 2014

chibiyui said:

Threadjack - do ya'll call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing even though we never stuff the bird. Dressing goes on salads.
Heard both, generally we call it stuffing.

I'm with lolo. Stuffing is stuffing, regardless if it has been shoved up a bird's ass (PLS NO). Dressing is for salads.

Aray82 · November 2014

My favorite, easiest thing to make (thought it is "traditional") is my mom's cranberry relish. 1 bag of cranberries, 1 golden delicious apple, 1 cup of sugar. Adjust to taste/number of cranberry fiends you need to feed. Throw into a blender or food processor, get it to a little bit more textured than a plain puree. I like mine a little more tart with less sugar.

The best part is you can put the leftovers into oatmeal, muffins, and/or pancakes the next week. Not that there's anything wrong with continuing to eat it straight-up. Solves your dry turkey/not enough gravy problems too.

And...dressing?? Nope, never heard of it.Just stuffing here. And plenty of it

beethery · November 2014

My mom makes two batches of stuffing. One for in the bird, and the other made stove top and then baked to crisp the top in it's own container.

Stuffing is my favorite. She also likes cornbread dressing but I am noooot into that. I also don't like sausage so when I see it in stuffing I get sad.

themosthappy91 · November 2014

lurkergirl said:

Dressing. To me stuffing means it was stuffed in the bird. I think it's a regional thing, though. Southerners definitely call it dressing. Cornbread dressing is the only kind for me. I also can't stand fruit, nuts, or oysters in my dressing.

Yep, dressing all the way. Though I do like "traditional" and cornbread dressing equally.

arrippa · November 2014

We call it both ways. If it's cooked in the bird, it's stuffing. If it's cooked by itself, it's dressing.

ohannabelle · November 2014

My grandma does the Ambrosia thing. And honestly, I just don't get it. Why, why, why would anybody use "cool whip" when there is whipped cream in the world? I just don't understand.

We don't do turkey. We do herb crusted prime rib roast. Because prime rib. Because I'm the mom, and I want to. And damn, I'm thankful.

I don't dislike turkey. There's one in the oven right now, because such great deals on turkey this week. But I don't looooove turkey. I do love rib roasts. Passionately.

Nymeru · November 2014

@littlemushroom

Brown sugar cheesecake? That sounds amazing! Do you have the recipe for it?

Blergbot · November 2014

My two favorites are sweet potato cassarole (mashed with pecans, brown sugar and melted butter on top) and spinach and artichoke cassarole (spinach, cream cheese, lemon juice and artichokes topped with bread crumbs).

We went to a Friendsgiving party last night and were assigned stuffing, which we'd never made before. We used epicurious's "Simple is Best" stuffing receipe, and many said it was the best stuffing they'd ever had. It was very good. H's cousin makes my favorite, which is a cornbread stuffing.

The turkey last night was also amazing. The host made Alton Brown's brined turkey, and it was super moist and delicious. The only disappointment was that they don't do gravy, they do a cranberry sauce, which is good, but it's not gravy.

The mashed potatoes were garlic mashed potatoes, which were a little much for me. And again, no gravy!

The pumpkin pie was really good. It had an extra spicy kick to it. I looove me some pumpkin pie!

theartistformerlyknownas · November 2014

Blergbot said:

My two favorites are sweet potato cassarole (mashed with pecans, brown sugar and melted butter on top) and spinach and artichoke cassarole (spinach, cream cheese, lemon juice and artichokes topped with bread crumbs).

We went to a Friendsgiving party last night and were assigned stuffing, which we'd never made before. We used epicurious's "Simple is Best" stuffing receipe, and many said it was the best stuffing they'd ever had. It was very good. H's cousin makes my favorite, which is a cornbread stuffing.

The turkey last night was also amazing. The host made Alton Brown's brined turkey, and it was super moist and delicious. The only disappointment was that they don't do gravy, they do a cranberry sauce, which is good, but it's not gravy.

The mashed potatoes were garlic mashed potatoes, which were a little much for me. And again, no gravy!

The pumpkin pie was really good. It had an extra spicy kick to it. I looove me some pumpkin pie!

OMGGGGG you reminded me of my sister's creamed spinach. It's somewhat criminal to make a vegetable that unhealthy but good God is it delicious. SO MUCH PARMESAN!

I'm sad for you that they didn't make gravy.

climbingsingle · November 2014

My grandma used to make ambrosia every year, but always with fresh homemade whipped cream. So good.

theartistformerlyknownas · November 2014

ClimbingBrideNY said:

My grandma used to make ambrosia every year, but always with fresh homemade whipped cream. So good.

Know what's really rude? Waldorf salad. It masquerades as ambrosia but uses MAYONNAISE instead of whipped cream. Barf.

paperpusher · November 2014

lolo883 said:

ClimbingBrideNY said:

My grandma used to make ambrosia every year, but always with fresh homemade whipped cream. So good.

Know what's really rude? Waldorf salad. It masquerades as ambrosia but uses MAYONNAISE instead of whipped cream. Barf.

I enjoy mayo every now and again for sandwiches and in small amounts in recipes, but omg, I just threw up in my mouth a little.

ChristinaS85 · November 2014

I love the dressing recipe my mom and dad have. They used to be members of a club and got it from them. I can't help but eat the crap out of that! My future MIL makes oyster dressing for Thanksgiving every year, and it is delicious.

Mashed potatoes are always a favorite of mine, especially if it is homemade. Then having Pumpkin and Pecan pie for dessert, along with a nice glass of wine to drink with it all. Makes for a perfect Thanksgiving dinner.

littlemushroom · November 2014

Nymeru said:

@littlemushroom

Brown sugar cheesecake? That sounds amazing! Do you have the recipe for it?

This is the recipe that I use: http://southernfood.about.com/od/cheesecakes/r/r80112a.htm

I honestly don't make my own crust because I don't own a spring form pan. I buy storebought graham cracker crusts at the store. The filling is exactly enough to fill two of them. I also have never made the topping because it is just SO GOOD all by itself, and I was trying to duplicate something I had at some restaurant in Chicago.

I adjust the cooking time, but I just keep checking on it. When it is mostly set, I turn the oven off like in the directions and let it sit. They always come out perfect. No cracks on top, not over cooked, and the consistency is amazing.

abbyj700 · November 2014

As a vegetarian I have an amazing love affair with Thanksgiving. Yeah, I can't eat the turkey but both my family and FI's make entirely too many sides - so I don't go hungry!

Stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, asparagus casserole (if you've never had it it's amazing!!), deviled eggs, coleslaw, mmmm....salavating wanting lunch already...

cupcait927 · November 2014

@abbyj700 please share the asparagus casserole recipe! I may have to bring something to thanksgiving at H's aunt's house and I don't want to make stuffing again.

abbyj700 · November 2014

I'll check my mothers recipe book she made me tonight - but the parts I remember off hand include cream of mushroom soup, asparagus and hard boiled eggs. It's really a rather sinful vegetable...

esstee33 · November 2014

lolo883 said:

ClimbingBrideNY said:

My grandma used to make ambrosia every year, but always with fresh homemade whipped cream. So good.

Know what's really rude? Waldorf salad. It masquerades as ambrosia but uses MAYONNAISE instead of whipped cream. Barf.

Oh my goddddd. Waldorf salad is INCREDIBLE. Apples have been known to cause me significant amounts of pain if I eat too much (and "too much" could be 1 slice, or 1 whole apple, or more, depending on the day), but I seriously cannot resist Waldorf salad. It has to have walnuts in it, though, or it's dead to me, and I prefer Miracle Whip over mayo, but I won't turn my nose up at either.

Also FI claims he's never had deviled eggs, which I'm not sure I believe, since his mom owns a deviled egg plate.

Also also my favorite Thanksgiving food is basically all of it. White meat turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes (with marshmallows), and ESPECIALLY green bean casserole. Stuffing is called stuffing, although the only thing I shove inside my bird is fruit (oranges and lemons) and rosemary.

And some cherry pie, not pumpkin.

[Deleted User] · November 2014

amelisha · November 2014

Most of these foods mentioned are unfamiliar to me. We're not much for casseroles or anything non-dessert with sugar added on our Thanksgiving menu in my family.

Growing up, my mom just made turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted vegetables, and a salad. Pretty straightforward.

I watch the Food Network waaaaay too much, so I make:

brined turkey
my mother's stuffing recipe, but I get fancy and bake my own bread and grind my own sausage for it)
straightforward mashed potatoes, except the one time I got crazy and made piped Duchesse ones from a pastry bag...huge pain in the butt to serve family-style from a platter and not recommended unless you're serving dinner already plated
roasted green vegetables (this year I did brussels sprouts, green beans, and whole garlic cloves in grilled lemon and truffle oil)
Grand Marnier cranberry sauce
spiced rum pumpkin pie with Baileys whipped cream or homemade Baileys ice cream and a second dessert, sometimes chocolate and sometimes a fruit crumble.

I like cooking with booze, clearly. I also usually do some kind of quick appetizer so that I can take my time in the kitchen with the main meal if anything goes wrong. This year I just did bacon-wrapped scallops, last year I did a bruschetta.

I'm kind of a snob but our families would revolt if I strayed too far from the traditional stuff, so I just put way too much effort into everything and, while they never notice the difference, I get to tell everyone "Yes, I churned the ice cream this morning," and "Yes, that's my own bread recipe I used for the stuffing," and feel like Ina Garten in my own mind.

wandajune6 · November 2014

We do a mix of traditional and non-traditional:

Roasted turkey breast. No one gets excited about turkey so we keep it small and add a ham.
Garlic mashed potatoes.
Roasted sweet potatoes (no adornments, we like simplicity)
Dressing with apples, celery, and Italian sausage
No green bean casserole or anything like that- my sister's making her 'famous' harissa-roasted brussel sprouts while I'm bringing a pickled cabbage salad I love (Smitten Kitchen)
Orange ginger cranberry sauce. It's chunky and delicious and pairs nicely with turkey gravy.

Skip the pies, instead we make pumpkin flan with cinnamon whipped cream. Although I now make a pecan tart for my boys. We also tend to have lots of fruit on the table to give a lighter option.

sophhabobopha · November 2014

lolo883 said:

Threadjack - do ya'll call it stuffing or dressing? I grew up calling it stuffing even though we never stuff the bird. Dressing goes on salads.

Stuffing all day. Never heard it called dressing.

dolewhipper · November 2014

amelisha how much GranMa do you add to the cranberry sauce? I usually just line the bottom of the saucepan with water and stick a bag of cranberries, cup of sugar, lemon and orange zest. GranMa sounds amazing.

I'm obsessed with Ina's sausage and herb stuffing. And everything else Ina makes. Now only if I had unlimited money and time....

amelisha · November 2014

dolewhipper said:

amelisha how much GranMa do you add to the cranberry sauce? I usually just line the bottom of the saucepan with water and stick a bag of cranberries, cup of sugar, lemon and orange zest. GranMa sounds amazing.

I'm obsessed with Ina's sausage and herb stuffing. And everything else Ina makes. Now only if I had unlimited money and time....

If you're using a whole bag of cranberries you can probably throw about an ounce in there - I only use about a cup of cranberries so I start with just a tablespoon (1/2 ounce). You can add more to taste if you want, but it tastes better if you do it early on in the cooking and let it simmer a longish time so you get the flavour but not the bite.

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