What's everyone cooking for Thanksgiving?

Still struggling with what to do. Because of the pandemic we may do Thanksgiving in the spring and just do a brunch. Looking to minimizing risk. To be honest when our kids were young, Thanksgiving was a nice family event. Now that they are adults, no biggie. Our Granddaughter is only one so it will be a few years that she will old enough to enjoy Thanksgiving.
 
Well, not going to my cousin's house as usual due to Covid. So just going to be my parents and I. We will do the traditional though. My Dad loves his turkey so he would be unhappy if we did not do the traditional meal.

Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
red cabbage
pumpkin pie
 
Since the parade is not happening, we're already losing a little bit of "normal", so I'm gonna make my normal spread. My kids love my turkey (not sure why...but then again, I love my turkey compared to my childhood, so maybe it is good - I steal Michael Ciarello and Giada De Laurentis's recipes and put them together dairy free:)...so, we'll have...

Breakfast
Dairy free cinnamon rolls, coffee, oj

Lunch Tray
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Dip
Sliced Apples, Pears, Grapes, Baked Pie Crust or Graham Crackers (depending if I want no work)
Sliced Cheeses (3 types) and Salami/Pepperoni
Crackers
Dairy-free salmon and "cream cheese" spread (for me)

Dinner
Turkey
Homemade Giblet Gravy with Citrus and Herbs
Stovetop Stuffing
Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Fruit (every year, I pick a different fruit to go in)
Green Bean Casserole - Dairy Free and Fresh-based - Roasted Mushrooms, Roasted Onions, and Roasted Green Beans 1/3 each - but you do get the Fried Onions just on top
Sometimes, I make a pumpkin muffin or apple muffin or banana muffin - we'll see on the size of the turkey
White Wine and Sparkling Apple Cider

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie "Ice Cream" Pie (Dairy free and tree nut free) with Decaf Coffee
 


Turkey with normal sides.

Someone wrote in a thread here they sre going to serve on Thanksgiving meals other weekends leading up to Thanksgiving. I like that idea so this weekend I’m serving turkey breast and gravy. Potatoes. Rolls. Corn. Pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

I wanted to reply on that thread but I lost it
 


We'll do the usual. I have a sweet potato recipe with a pecan streusel topping that's my favorite. There's only 5 of us, so I'll aim for a smaller turkey. DH would like to smoke it this year (he just got a new smoker for his birthday).

BTW, no real sales on turkeys yet, but Aldi's had a 3 lb frozen boneless turkey breast for $8.99. Not a real bargain, but maybe a good choice for smaller groups, or the OP's parents
 
We'll do the usual. I have a sweet potato recipe with a pecan streusel topping that's my favorite. There's only 5 of us, so I'll aim for a smaller turkey. DH would like to smoke it this year (he just got a new smoker for his birthday).

BTW, no real sales on turkeys yet, but Aldi's had a 3 lb frozen boneless turkey breast for $8.99. Not a real bargain, but maybe a good choice for smaller groups, or the OP's parents

Is your sweet potato recipe similar to this?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21261/yummy-sweet-potato-casserole/
I have this recipe saved but I know in the past I have grabbed elements from another recipe because I like an oatmeal streusel topping. I also add cinnamon and nutmeg to the base.

Edit. I love the egg in this casserole vs recipes with no eggs. It’s more rich and creamy.
 
We’re taking our 2 3/4 year old DGD to WDW, staying in our camper at Ft Wilderness while DS and DDIL have a quick getaway for their 10th anniversary. I’m still not doing indoor dining so I’ll be cooking. Right now I’m thinking:

Honey Baked turkey breast
Sweet potatoes
Peas
Cornbread dressing

I’ll make/freeze and everything but the turkey ahead of time. It’s a much simpler menu but it will just be the three of us and DH and DGD are both kinda picky.
 
Since the parade is not happening, we're already losing a little bit of "normal", so I'm gonna make my normal spread. My kids love my turkey (not sure why...but then again, I love my turkey compared to my childhood, so maybe it is good - I steal Michael Ciarello and Giada De Laurentis's recipes and put them together dairy free:)...so, we'll have...

Breakfast
Dairy free cinnamon rolls, coffee, oj

Lunch Tray
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Dip
Sliced Apples, Pears, Grapes, Baked Pie Crust or Graham Crackers (depending if I want no work)
Sliced Cheeses (3 types) and Salami/Pepperoni
Crackers
Dairy-free salmon and "cream cheese" spread (for me)

Dinner
Turkey
Homemade Giblet Gravy with Citrus and Herbs
Stovetop Stuffing
Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Fruit (every year, I pick a different fruit to go in)
Green Bean Casserole - Dairy Free and Fresh-based - Roasted Mushrooms, Roasted Onions, and Roasted Green Beans 1/3 each - but you do get the Fried Onions just on top
Sometimes, I make a pumpkin muffin or apple muffin or banana muffin - we'll see on the size of the turkey
White Wine and Sparkling Apple Cider

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie "Ice Cream" Pie (Dairy free and tree nut free) with Decaf Coffee

Sounds delicious. Curious about dairy free cinnamon rolls and dairy-free mashed potatoes - Would you share your recipes?
 
Sounds delicious. Curious about dairy free cinnamon rolls and dairy-free mashed potatoes - Would you share your recipes?

I buy the dairy free cinnamon rolls:)...breakfast is my "no work" meal:)...(I use Annie's Organic, which I have never reacted to even though they "may" have the allergen. I tend to be okay with the "may" products, although there are a few products I steadfastly avoid with "may" on the label b/c from singular product experience, I know "may" seems to actually be "will" or enough "will" that I react strongly, and if a product fails once, it's off my list forever)...

But I posted the dairy free mashed potatoes above - it's really just russet potatoes boiled til very soft, then drained, mashed with a hand masher with equal parts vegan butter and olive oil, plenty of salt, and enough rice milk to get a creamy texture (you'll know it when you see it - this ingredient I add a little and then a little more as I go - and don't forget to shake the rice milk container before use - you only make that mistake once):)...they are so good and so easy. Taste when you finish the see if you need more salt or more butter flavor or more fat:)...

I peel and quarter the potatoes in the morning and leave them in salted water in the pot all day and just turn it on to boil 45 minutes before dinner - it's easy:)...

PS - I use the Organic Rice Dream Original Rice Milk...and the Melt Organic vegan butter sticks (since I can't have tree nuts, either, so it's one of the few vegan butters I can use)...and Aldi's olive oil and salt...
 
Last edited:
Is your sweet potato recipe similar to this?

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/21261/yummy-sweet-potato-casserole/
I have this recipe saved but I know in the past I have grabbed elements from another recipe because I like an oatmeal streusel topping. I also add cinnamon and nutmeg to the base.

Edit. I love the egg in this casserole vs recipes with no eggs. It’s more rich and creamy.

If that's not it, it's darn close. I don't have mine handy, but it did have eggs in it. I also put cinnamon in my sweet potatoes--we love cinnamon in our house. I just can't eat candied sweet potatoes or the ones with marshmallows on top--Blech! I find this recipe to be not so overly sweet. I'll save "sweet" for the many pies at dessert time!
 
This year we are keeping it to just our family (me, husband and kids) due to Covid. Our older parents are high risk.

I work Wednesday and Thursday night so we are going to go to Cracker Barrel. I thought my kids (16 and up) would be upset but they are actually excited. And I’m excited not to have to cook!
 
DH has requested whole, roast chicken with sides, so (if this request does not change over the next few weeks) I'm thinking of making two chickens with sides. Then we'll drop one boxed up dinner at my parents' house. There is a local bakery that does lovely pies -- maybe we'll order desserts from them to support local business and make life a little easier. Holidays are so weird this year! This many months into it and everything still feels so strange...
 
I haven't seen one sale on turkeys yet this year....

OP here,

In my area too...

Normally by now I have already picked up a Turkey... That's why I am thinking about a beef roast or just Turkey parts... Last year I got a free Turkey at BJ, because of some sale... you know if you buy certain items you get a Turkey for free, and that's what we did, and it was really a nice bird.
 
Since the parade is not happening, we're already losing a little bit of "normal", so I'm gonna make my normal spread. My kids love my turkey (not sure why...but then again, I love my turkey compared to my childhood, so maybe it is good - I steal Michael Ciarello and Giada De Laurentis's recipes and put them together dairy free:)...so, we'll have...

Breakfast
Dairy free cinnamon rolls, coffee, oj

Lunch Tray
Homemade Pumpkin Pie Dip
Sliced Apples, Pears, Grapes, Baked Pie Crust or Graham Crackers (depending if I want no work)
Sliced Cheeses (3 types) and Salami/Pepperoni
Crackers
Dairy-free salmon and "cream cheese" spread (for me)

Dinner
Turkey
Homemade Giblet Gravy with Citrus and Herbs
Stovetop Stuffing
Dairy Free Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Fruit (every year, I pick a different fruit to go in)
Green Bean Casserole - Dairy Free and Fresh-based - Roasted Mushrooms, Roasted Onions, and Roasted Green Beans 1/3 each - but you do get the Fried Onions just on top
Sometimes, I make a pumpkin muffin or apple muffin or banana muffin - we'll see on the size of the turkey
White Wine and Sparkling Apple Cider

Dessert
Pumpkin Pie "Ice Cream" Pie (Dairy free and tree nut free) with Decaf Coffee


Op here,

Your homemade Cranberry sauce with fruit, just made me remember a recipe that I have, you mix a can of jellied cranberry sauce, and can of whole cranberry sauce, with canned pears (2 cans) in fruit juice it all goes into the pot...there some spice's, and a bit of sugar added in with the sugar, I kind of taste it first or it will get to sweet.., along with some citrus.. (I like orange juice), then you warm it all up, and reduce it down to a nice consistency, then cool it completely.. chill over night...I have taken this to parties, during the holidays, with like a sliced turkey platter and Everyone is always surprised to learn its all canned... You can use it on sandwiches really good, or even dip with crackers. It a nice short cut, that taste homemade..
 
We'll do the usual. I have a sweet potato recipe with a pecan streusel topping that's my favorite. There's only 5 of us, so I'll aim for a smaller turkey. DH would like to smoke it this year (he just got a new smoker for his birthday).

BTW, no real sales on turkeys yet, but Aldi's had a 3 lb frozen boneless turkey breast for $8.99. Not a real bargain, but maybe a good choice for smaller groups, or the OP's parents


Thanks I am heading there this morning, to pick up produce... so I will take a peak for sure...
 
This year we are keeping it to just our family (me, husband and kids) due to Covid. Our older parents are high risk.

I work Wednesday and Thursday night so we are going to go to Cracker Barrel. I thought my kids (16 and up) would be upset but they are actually excited. And I’m excited not to have to cook!


Op here,

I totally understand where your coming from with my parents being at risk... very high risk...

That's why I am having to come up with a alternative meal for them.. I am fighting uphill battle, daily just to get them to eat high protein, higher calorie, nutritional meals...both have lost so much weight this year...and the doctors are really on them to eat better and gain weight... So I figured out if I make it, and/or take if over there, then they will eat better... If not they will eat the easiest, processed, junk that they can find to throw in the microwave, or toaster oven..

We have been moving before on Thanksgiving, and not even realized it once...Thankfully.. Cracker Barrel does a really great job...
 
Op here,

I totally understand where your coming from with my parents being at risk... very high risk...

That's why I am having to come up with a alternative meal for them.. I am fighting uphill battle, daily just to get them to eat high protein, higher calorie, nutritional meals...both have lost so much weight this year...and the doctors are really on them to eat better and gain weight... So I figured out if I make it, and/or take if over there, then they will eat better... If not they will eat the easiest, processed, junk that they can find to throw in the microwave, or toaster oven..

We have been moving before on Thanksgiving, and not even realized it once...Thankfully.. Cracker Barrel does a really great job...

I see your mom has dairy issues and your parents' weight issues...one thing to consider is they may also be experiencing separate digestive issues that makes them crave the "easier to digest" small microwave meals that are not keeping on weight.

I'd probably ask what they like eating most, and see how I could calorie/vitamin those meals up without making them digestively harder to eat, and see if that helped...

And hugs - with health issues of my own, and seeing my spouse react to them, I know it's hard to be the one watching someone else be less healthy and wanting to do all you can to help!
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!






Top