Who's cooking for Thanksgiving? Making anything new?

[so lucky]

Regarding turning the turkey over after an hour--that would be a disaster waiting to happen at my house. What do you hold on to, to turn it over? You don't want to stick forks in it. too hot to handle without baking mitts, and mine are way to dirty to hold a bird. anyway....(I know...wash them!)

I'm kind of bummed this year. My kid #1 married a very nice gal whose religion is way different from ours, and they don't celebrate any holidays. In the past, we have sometimes been able to get her to attend family functions if it is not held on the actual holiday. With family spread out over many miles, it is rare for us to be able to get together, and we really went out of our way to not make a big deal out of the "holiday" aspect. Didn't exchange gifts when she and my son were around, actually had to be kind of furtive. I know this type gathering will be different with my mom's passing, as she was the glue. And my DH is so paranoid and withdrawn, he would rather no one come to our house--ever. But that's not new.

Well, this Thanksgiving, my kid#2's girlfriend/mate/sig. other has Thanksgiving off work, for a change, so we are having dinner at my house. Now kid#1's wife doesn't want to come. And maybe not any of their family.
I think I am tired of trying to accommodate.
So I get to make the entire dinner. Not doing anything new or exciting. This is just one more holiday that I will be glad when it's over. If I didn't love dressing and pumpkin pie so much, I would say "to heck with the whole thing!"

 

[ninnymary]

so lucky, I know what type of religion you are talking about. I once had a little boy who couldn' t participate in anything festive celebrations. I celebrate children's birthdays here and he always got picked up early before the very low key event. I love giving gifts to the children at Christmas time and I finally convinced his mother to let me give him one, wrapped in brown paper, and give it to him a day before I gave the other kids there's. I told him I loved him and showed him that it was the same shape as the others. His face lit up because he knew he was being included and was getting the same thing as the other children.

Mary

 

[digitS']

I think that my DD is observing the "holiday" in the current sense of the word. Retail sales all night either before or after. She has asked for a delay so that she can get some sleep.

DS is hundreds of miles away.

I think T day will be π day. Usually, we would make pies today. I'm hoping for a festive mood on Thursday but with just me and DW, there needs to be a movie on the tube after the Macy's parade and while the pies are cooling. Yes, we will throw together a planned 3.14159 of them ... just so I can make it to Christmas, well-rounded.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

Oh Mary, that made me cry. Poor little guy.

So Lucky, that sounds so tough. I guess all you can do is run the flag up and see who salutes. I hope you're able to enjoy the day in spite of the obstacles.

The very first turkey I ever made was as a fairly new bride. We had done a lot of work on our old fixer-upper and wanted to invite my husbands entire family. When I pulled the bird proudly out of the oven my mom-in-law stared at it for a moment before exclaiming "You roasted it upside down!?"
I hadn't realized it was "wrong". But I didn't skip a beat and said, "Well, yeah." She then said she had read about roasting turkeys that way in one of her cooking magazines. It makes the breast meat really moist. She thought I was pretty clever. It wasn't until she got to know me better that she realized the error of that.

 

[ninnymary]

Haha Thistle, that sounds like something you would do. I admire your fast thinking on your feet!

Mary

 

[Smart Red]

I'm kind of bummed this year. My kid #1 married a very nice gal whose religion is way different from ours, and they don't celebrate any holidays. ......................If I didn't love dressing and pumpkin pie so much, I would say "to heck with the whole thing!"

@so lucky, prayers and positive thoughts for a better than normal family get-together this Thanksgiving. Wish I could be there to help.

I am having son and his family (4), DIL's parents, DH and myself. Not a crowd, but we've done this for the past half dozen years so I guess it is a tradition.
Nothing really different. I keep things pretty basic and everyone seems to enjoy (or at least eat) what's on the table.
Turkey will be done in the Nesco. Never tried that before, but I'm aiming to keep the kitchen clean and tidy so I can enjoy the time. Garden spuds -- mashed, my (mother's) tweaked dressing/stuffing, rolls, cranberry relish and a veggie. Like @Nyboy, I will open a can or two for dinner, but most of it is made from scratch. DIL brings a salad and I believe her mom is bringing "GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE" and some surprise. At least that was the impression I got after mentioning I'd never eaten green bean casserole before.

My Gypsy (11 yo) just finished making the lemon pie and her pumpkin pie is in the oven. Tomorrow we will try adding meringue. Never made meringue before, but lemon meringue pie is a favorite when others bring it. Gypsy's pie crust looks great and she's so proud of being the family baker for Thanksgiving. We baked the rolls this morning. I don't want to be toiling all Thanksgiving Day so spuds will be peeled and sweet potatoes will be prebaked. Stuffing is ready for adding breadcrumbs -- just add and put into the oven tomorrow.

I even expect to have the table set tonight. Easy-peasy day tomorrow if I have any say.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm doing the same Red. Making everything possible ahead of time, even baking my turkey today and will just rewarm it before dinner tomorrow. I've never done that before, so I guess I just threw dh's advice out the window. It'll be fine. Everybody coming is fun and laid back, so if anything is a disaster we can all have a good laugh.
Just to be clear- I'm not expecting any disasters.

 

[ninnymary]

Thistle, you should be fine as long as you didn't invite Nyboy you shouldn't have any disasters.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

Thistle, you should be fine as long as you didn't invite Nyboy you shouldn't have any disasters.

Mary

I invited him. But I forgot to give him directions.

 

[Carol Dee]

Poor @Nyboy I wonder if we are related. It is the same kind of luck my family always seems to have! We call it getting *Gertz'ed* ... Maiden Name. Maybe I should invite him. He would fit right in.