Thanksgiving Ideas!

[GigiBowman]

I'm seriously wondering if I can afford this year. Unlike the past, it's like 15, nevertheless...

Oh, I agree with you. I'm having Thanksgiving for the first time in like 20 years...and I'm scared. Number one, I'm so poor right now. I'm a real estate rental agent and every year it dies this time of year so i'm used to that but this year it died sooner and deader. I supplement being a Substitute Teacher...but even the teachers are not calling in sick like they used to!

My husband works for the phone company, has a computer business and is also a Real Estate agent.....

so between us we have a lot of jobs and we don't see each other much...we keep working and working and getting nowhere! Never mind that we have one in college and two that need to go into college next year and one in graduate school. (five daughters, one in heaven)...

Food is so damned expensive! and I'm feeling it....feeling the economy giving way and feeling myself being on the losing end. I just need to make it through the winter but will I? And will the spring be the spring I usually look forward to when Rentals kick back up and I can pay my bills again?

All I can be grateful for right now is the price of Gas going down has helped to keep me afloat. In July I spent $1,000 on gas.....if it was that way now I would not be able to go to work.

So Thanksgiving.....it's going to be a very old fashioned plain one. No fancy cheesecakes and multifaceted courses. No siree. It's turkey and cranberry sauce and stuffing. Take it or leave it lol.

And lots of prayers this year too!

(oh and Christmas is canceled. I told my kids this already. Bah Humbug lol)

 

[Annie]

Oh, I agree with you. I'm having Thanksgiving for the first time in like 20 years...and I'm scared. Number one, I'm so poor right now. I'm a real estate rental agent and every year it dies this time of year so i'm used to that but this year it died sooner and deader. I supplement being a Substitute Teacher...but even the teachers are not calling in sick like they used to!

My husband works for the phone company, has a computer business and is also a Real Estate agent.....

so between us we have a lot of jobs and we don't see each other much...we keep working and working and getting nowhere! Never mind that we have one in college and two that need to go into college next year and one in graduate school. (five daughters, one in heaven)...

Food is so damned expensive! and I'm feeling it....feeling the economy giving way and feeling myself being on the losing end. I just need to make it through the winter but will I? And will the spring be the spring I usually look forward to when Rentals kick back up and I can pay my bills again?

All I can be grateful for right now is the price of Gas going down has helped to keep me afloat. In July I spent $1,000 on gas.....if it was that way now I would not be able to go to work.

So Thanksgiving.....it's going to be a very old fashioned plain one. No fancy cheesecakes and multifaceted courses. No siree. It's turkey and cranberry sauce and stuffing. Take it or leave it lol.

And lots of prayers this year too!

(oh and Christmas is canceled. I told my kids this already. Bah Humbug lol)

I hear you! Thanksgiving this year, well don't ask. My brother and his wife usually do. Hell, I'm going to copy and paste.

This year it's just not hitting me. Oh I know they are coming, used to be my favorite time of year. Last year my dad died in August, then my nephew had the brain tumor. Surgery and his wedding followed, but the concern was raw at Thanksgiving, which is the day he told me it was returning. Surgery again this past July, now going for 5 weeks of radiation at Mayo.

So Thanksgiving will be sort of an 'on wheels' one, with family from my brother and SIL helping out. For awhile it looked like even that couldn't come together and with my SIL having to work and my brother staying with my nephew, then bringing him to Madison for his wife's family's Thanksgiving, then driving to IL for ours, then back to Madison and Rochester, my house is too far for me to host.

I've had Christmas at my home for the past 30 years, we're trying to figure out if I will have it, Jay should be home on the 23 or 24th.

Then there is the economy. I really am concerned about my school remaining open, so many of the parents of students are in or connected to the trades. If they lose their jobs?

Anyhow, I'm working on making the house look Christmasy, as we're all cutting way back on gifting. I'm finished with my own children, cut the cost by 2/3's at least. I'm having my friends over, no gifts, just a small party.

How's everyone else feeling, celebrating?

 

[GigiBowman]

Prayers for you and your family Kathianne*

Life is getting harder and harder. When is the fun part?

 

[Annie]

Prayers for you and your family Kathianne*

Life is getting harder and harder. When is the fun part?

Gigi, I'm really trying to deal with. The 'fun' part may not be so much fun, as
camaraderie. We're all in this, whatever this is, together.

 

[random3434]

No Italians here? Christmas Eve is Pasta & Seafood (fried Calamari, Shrimp, Scungili) and at midnight you open all the presents (except for those that Santa brings for the kids which are opened in the morning) and then have big desserts and stay up till about 2 or 3am and just keep on eating. . Christmas day you lay around in your pajamas all day and eat leftovers from the night before.

When I married my Irishman it worked out because apparently they didn't really do anything on Christmas eve and Christmas day was the big holiday

so Christmas Eve is my family and Christmas Day is his.

My sister in law was 100% Italian. We spent every Christmas Eve at my brother ans sil's house, it was a feast for millions! The homemade spagetti sauce she took days to make, and all the other wonderful Italian dishes. She always made me a special vegetarian sauce. She had tons of different meats and fish, and veggies and bread. Tons of desserts. Lots of laughs and fun!

I cherish those times. She died of lupus a few years ago. She married my brother when I was 9, and she was my 9th grade English teacher too! She was like my sister, and Christmas Eve we miss her so much, because that was her holiday to shine, so to speak.

 

[Grismonda]

My sister in law was 100% Italian. We spent every Christmas Eve at my brother ans sil's house, it was a feast for millions! The homemade spagetti sauce she took days to make, and all the other wonderful Italian dishes. She always made me a special vegetarian sauce. She had tons of different meats and fish, and veggies and bread. Tons of desserts. Lots of laughs and fun!

I cherish those times. She died of lupus a few years ago. She married my brother when I was 9, and she was my 9th grade English teacher too! She was like my sister, and Christmas Eve we miss her so much, because that was her holiday to shine, so to speak.

I bet it was a lot better than Paul Newman's?

There is nothing like homemade Italian cooking. I have been only lucky to experience it a few times...in homes of friends.

I'm sorry she isn't with you this year, but you can still make a sauce... Can you make hers? If not, try out your own and experiment! It should be fun.

If I were to make spaghetti sauce for Christmas, I would sprinkle it with green peas!

 

[random3434]

I bet it was a lot better than Paul Newman's?

There is nothing like homemade Italian cooking. I have been only lucky to experience it a few times...in homes of friends.

I'm sorry she isn't with you this year, but you can still make a sauce... Can you make hers? If not, try out your own and experiment! It should be fun.

If I were to make spaghetti sauce for Christmas, I would sprinkle it with green peas!

I tried a few times to make her sauce, it's just not the same....


Green Peas in the Red Sauce,,,,,shaped as a pine tree perhaps?

 

[Grismonda]

I tried a few times to make her sauce, it's just not the same....


Green Peas in the Red Sauce,,,,,shaped as a pine tree perhaps?

Well now you know how special she was... Create your own! She would be proud of you! Yes...add that Christmas Tree shapped out of peas on top!

 

[GigiBowman]

I'll think of all of you on Christmas Eve*

 

[OohRah Mama]

Personally, I love turkey. I'd make it twice a month if I had my druthers.

The thing is, there are so many different ways to prepare the bird, and it's often hard for the beginner cook to get the turkey done, yet not too dry.

Here's a wonderful recipe that never fails. This recipe includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing.

8 - 15 lb. turkey
1 cup melted butter
1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is good)
1 cup uncooked popcorn (ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT)
Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter salt, and pepper. Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan with the neck end toward the back of the oven.

Listen for the popping sounds.

When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the bird flies across the room, it's done.



Hope that helps y'all to plan your own menu.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Can you say: "To die for." ?

Alex Patout - Louisiana Restaurant

Ingredients:
5 large sweet potatoes or yams, 1/3 cup milk, 1/2 cup (1/4 pound) softened butter, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 eggs beaten, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Scrub the sweet potatoes or yams well and place them in the oven. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes, and remove. When they are cool enough to handle, halve them and scoop out the insides into a large mixing bowl. Mash well. You should have about 3 cups.

Mix the softened butter into the mashed yams or sweet potatoes along with the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Pour the mixture into a baking pan or casserole dish.

Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it reaches the soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat in the butter and the chopped pecans. Pour this mixture over the yams. Bake until very hot and beginning to brown.

Serves: Serves 6-8.

 

[strollingbones]

okay the big gatherings that are gonna break your budget....have a covered dish gathering...you supply the turkey and a couple of sides...and have the others bring dishes....you will end up with an endless variety...you need a little structure...like who brings sides or desserts...but other than that..its wide open...i always figure on the single guys for the booze....the single guys who have kids..for paper goods...the families will make food...and people dont mind pitching in

 

[Shogun]

Im not a big fan of turkey for both thanksgiving and xmas. I'll usually have a mexican fiesta instead for one of em. Thanksgiving Tacos rule. As does my infamous xmas chilli.

 

[catzmeow]

OMG, Skull pilot, you da man. You totally just granted my wish before I asked.

My favorite is the "after Thanksgiving" gumbo with the leftover turkey, and the lima bean soup with the leftover hambone. YUM.

 

[catzmeow]

So Thanksgiving.....it's going to be a very old fashioned plain one. No fancy cheesecakes and multifaceted courses. No siree. It's turkey and cranberry sauce and stuffing. Take it or leave it lol.

And lots of prayers this year too!

(oh and Christmas is canceled. I told my kids this already. Bah Humbug lol)

Same at my house. I don't think the kids really "get it" about the economy and everything else. I may even have to break down and buy the Thanksgiving food at Walmart. I'm aghast at myself. But, god, they are so much cheaper.

 

[strollingbones]

Same at my house. I don't think the kids really "get it" about the economy and everything else. I may even have to break down and buy the Thanksgiving food at Walmart. I'm aghast at myself. But, god, they are so much cheaper.

chinese shit with unknown chemicals...i am real careful what i buy at walmart but you are right they can be 2 bucks cheaper on a lot of items

 

[catzmeow]

chinese shit with unknown chemicals...i am real careful what i buy at walmart but you are right they can be 2 bucks cheaper on a lot of items

Exactly. I HATE shopping there. I really shop at Publix whenever I can because I think they treat their employees much, much better, and have better produce/etc. But damn, walmart is cheap.

 

[GigiBowman]

ok, we went to the supermarket yesterday and spent $289.00 for NOTHING! I swear to you that was for a turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and some vegetables and essentials. That's it. No more shopping for the rest of the year. Toilet paper is a luxury now! My husband bought a box of Graham Crackers....I was looking at the bill and the Graham Crackers cost $4.89???????

I give up! How the hell are we supposed to live?

 

[catzmeow]

I'm happy, we went to the grocery store and got out of there with everything for the meal (including the all-important beer) for around $220. And, that was a ham AND a turkey.

 

[Annie]

I'm happy, we went to the grocery store and got out of there with everything for the meal (including the all-important beer) for around $220. And, that was a ham AND a turkey.

As I think I posted elsewhere, I came out of Costco today at $175. 5 bottles of Korbel, 4 quarts of OJ., (yes we are speaking of mimosas). 2 boxes of appetizers for non-Thanksgiving, but prior to Christmas, holidayish if that makes sense? All the necessities for breakfast tomorrow for my family of 4. Bacon, eggs, turkey sausage, bagels, said oj, coffee, milk, etc.