Thanksgiving Menu – 2010

I like having a gameplan, and a list of “todos” that help me get ready to have a great Thanksiving.  Doing some things ahead of time makes the day less stressful and more fun for everyone involved.

So – I’ll share my menu – and what I’ll be able to do ahead of time to prepare for the day.  I’d love to hear your “do ahead” tips from your holiday meals also.  Wherever I can I’ll share links to my recipes at Food.com.

• Brined Roasted Turkey – I use Alton Brown’s Good Eats brine – with a couple of omissions.  I cant get allspice berries here so i leave them out – and i felt the candied ginger didn’t add much – and its also hard to find here – so i leave that one out also.
• Wild Rice Stuffing – This has been used in my family for years.  I dont have a written recipe, but should put it in Food.com this year so my daughter has access to it as she grows.  I think this recipe is a Minnesota thing, as wild rice is very popular there.  Its pretty simple w/ cubed dried bread, onion, celery, butter, poultry seasoning and chicken stock.  My mom used to boil the giblets and dice and add, but i’m not an “innards” fan – so i skip that step.
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce – I use the recipe on the oceanspray bag – its easy, simple and tastes great.  You’ll be spoiled and never open another can of cranberries again.
• Mashed potatoes – pretty simple thing to make – nothing fancy – but I do boil the potatoes a few days ahead of time, then heat them up in a steamer the day of and mash them with milk, butter, salt & pepper
• Sweet Potato Casserole – Mashed sweet potatoes – mixed with butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon and a pinch of salt – top with a few tablespoons of brown sugar and chopped pecans & bake.
• Green Bean Casserole – its cliche – but so awesome – holidays arent complete without it!
• Overnight Salad – this is a recipe from my mom – I just love it and so do the kids.
• Gravy – I’m a good gravy maker – but even the best ends up with lumps sometime – its okay – have a fine mesh sieve handy and strain it – its all good
• Pies are Apple & Pumpkin – and the whip cream is made from whipping cream…not from a can or a freezer section container…that’s a new tradition I started, my dad loves Cool Whip – i think its foul.

What are your favorite holiday goodies?  Is there something you make that is tradition in your family – but sounds odd to others?  What about a spouses favorite that you cannot stand?  My husband’s family boils and mashes turnip – its freaking disgusting and luckily he doesn’t expect me to do it when I cook the holiday meal……