“What are you making for Thanksgiving dinner?” seems to be the question of the week. I don’t know why. I don’t recall hearing that question so often in the past. I wonder: are folks expecting that I’ll be making something so unusual? Do they think that I have suddenly developed a new sense of culinary creativity? Um, well, that would be a big, fat: NO. Really, my Thanksgiving menu plans are not too different from everyone else’s.
I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house, for the very first time. So for me this year, the big deal is that I’ll be making my first turkey. Of course, I have enlisted Tiger (as my fiance is known around here)’s help. We’re following Alton Brown’s recipe for roast turkey (note the 2 short videos showing how he does it, too). Wish me luck!
Since this is my first Thanksgiving with Tiger, I asked him if there were any foods that make Thanksgiving feel like, well, Thanksgiving. I mean, I would hate find out after the fact that without Swiss Chard, Almond & Buttermilk Dip his Turkey Day just wouldn’t be the same. (Luckily, that didn’t actually come up!) It turns out that his list was quite similar to my own, with only the addition of a side dish of peas and pearl onions. Easy peasy. [Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.]
The only thing that makes our meal somewhat unusual is that the entire meal (with the possible exception of some of the desserts) will be non-dairy. In the main, our menu is quite traditional. I’m sure the food will be good, and mostly I look forward to hanging out with friends and family and having a relaxed day.
But after all that thought and effort around getting ready for the big meal, I always wonder what people are having for dinner … tonight! After all the planning and organizing and getting ready for tomorrow’s meal, how much effort do you put into tonight’s? Since you know that tomorrow you are going to eat very well, what are you eating tonight?
I’m planning a simple meal of fish, rice, and broccoli. Easy and quick, and light, in preparation for tomorrow!
Have a wonderful holiday, everyone.
[Apologies to my non-U.S. readers. I know that our “Thanksgiving” holiday is completely U.S.-centric. For anyone who is not celebrating this week, I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing week! ]
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Last night, I canned 7 quarts of stuffed pepper soup and one jar didn’t seal. My kids are with their Dad tonight, so that’s my dinner tonight – yum!
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of ‘stuffed pepper soup.’ I love soup and I love stuffed peppers, so it sounds great to me. I looked it up on Cooks.com, and it sounds delicious. Do you make it very tomato-y? Or more like beef soup w/ onions? I’m completely intrigued!
My kids are at their dad’s tonight as well. Which, for me, means that I can make a much smaller meal. My 14-year-old son eats, well, a lot (the way that growing kids do). Tonight’s meal will be small and simple.
We are going to friends which won’t start until 6pm. We’ve got the entire day to play and hang out (cooking was completed yesterday!). I love a national holiday where most get to take the day off.
Molly, you are so right! It’s not just the fact that it’s a holiday, it’s that nearly EVERYONE has the day off. I never thought about it that way.
I’ve got a house filled with two of my brothers, friends, and of course Tiger is here, too. Puzzles and watching football and smelling the turkey in the oven… a wonderful day.
It’s my first turkey roasting day today too. My grandmother always did it, or my sister and brother-in-law, but this year we’re home…and I’m going to tackle this thing 🙂 I’m a pretty decent cook, and don’t know why on Earth I’m intimidated by this hunk o’bird!
Good luck to you! I mean, really, how hard can it be? It’s just poultry, afterall… Happy Thanksgiving!