Holidays Thread

[Gulf Coast Girl]

Would y'all be interested in using this thread for all things holiday related? Food/Stress/Family/Parties/whatever?

I have a turkey question and want to ask it here with the JUDDD buds where it's 'safe'/friendly/peaceful. It occurred to me that others might like that too.

Since it's not strictly JUDDD related I understand if the mods don't want this here or if nobody else has anything to add but I'm going to go ahead and ask my turkey question.

Have any of y'all ever made a Boneless dark and white meat turkey? What is it exactly? Does it have skin?

I'm having a much smaller Thanksgiving than usual but still want to do a traditional meal and saw these in the store today. The size seems perfect. I can't just do a breast because I've got some people who won't touch white meat poultry.

Also I'm kind of bored with my usual corn dish (Succotash) anybody have any good corn centric suggestions? Anything except Corn Pudding. I know being from the south I'm probably breaking some kind of unwritten law but I can't stand the texture.

[cici52]

Hmm. About the only corn ever seen at our holiday tables is cornbread stuffing which DD has adopted for the inlaws sake. It is very good but seems odd after so many years with a different tradition.

[gotsomeold]

I usually avoid the whole turkey thing and prepare a turkey breast and a few drumsticks (why yes, one year I did tie them together to make the strangest looking, multi-legged turkey ever). We usually brine them in something exotic then smoke them on the grill.

My fave corn recipe:
Cut the kernels off the cob
Slowly heat butter, salt, pepper, and sugar in a deep sided frying pan (make a kind of buttery caramel)
Dump the kernels into the caramel, stir to cover (add more butter if needed)
Raise the heat
Keep stirring while the kernels 'fry' in caramel
Taste, add salt, pepper or sugar as desired
Spill the corn into a serving bowl and start soaking the frying pan

You can add other veggies according to taste. Green/red/yellow bell peppers, jalapenos, the list is endless

[KeirasMom]

I don't cook much, so I'm afraid I'm limited to reheating the pre-cooked turkey, and dumping the can of corn in a dish and nuking it. I'm interested to see replies though.

[Carly]

We usually do roast veggies- assorted, but we rarely have corn so no help there. I'm not familiar with a boneless turkey...

[calichris]

I haven't heard of a boneless turkey ... sounds interesting, and sounds like it would solve your problem of needing some dark meat!

I just realized Thanksgiving and my birthday both fall on a down day ... looks like I'm going to need to use my second MD ever to change that rotation.

[handbells]

My first thought was corn pudding! lol!

Pioneer Woman has a fantastic recipe for a Fresh Corn Casserole.

Ingredients

8 ears Of Corn (Still In The Husk)
2/3 cups Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Butter (salted)
1/2 teaspoon Salt To Taste
Ground Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Remove the corn from the husks. In a large, deep bowl, slice off the kernels of corn. With the dull side of the knife (or a regular dinner knife), press and scrape the cob all the way down to remove all the bits of kernel and creamy milk inside.

Add heavy cream, salt to taste, a generous amount of ground pepper and butter; mix well. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Bake at 350Fº for 30 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly warmed through.

I have made this with fresh corn, frozen corn, and canned corn. Fresh is best and what I recommend, but frozen will work too. Canned, not so much! This is a little creamy from the heavy cream, but it's not custardy like corn pudding, if that makes sense.

[Gulf Coast Girl]

Thanks, y'all.

We've always done some kind of corn on both sides of my family. But there's never been one go to dish. It was always different depending on who brought it that year. I took over most of the holidays about 5 years ago because I enjoy it and my Mom really does not. She just likes to come and eat/socialize and not have to worry about anything. I've just always done the Succotash because it's simple and I don't know just seems to fit the Thanksgiving theme.

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

My fave corn recipe:
Cut the kernels off the cob
Slowly heat butter, salt, pepper, and sugar in a deep sided frying pan (make a kind of buttery caramel)
Dump the kernels into the caramel, stir to cover (add more butter if needed)
Raise the heat
Keep stirring while the kernels 'fry' in caramel
Taste, add salt, pepper or sugar as desired
Spill the corn into a serving bowl and start soaking the frying pan

You can add other veggies according to taste. Green/red/yellow bell peppers, jalapenos, the list is endless

This one sounds good to me. I'm definitely saving it but I can't do it for Thanksgiving because my Dad hates when anything savory has sugar all over it. Seriously he would talk about how I put sugar on the corn all year. And probably ask if it was something I found in France.

Originally Posted by calichris

I just realized Thanksgiving and my birthday both fall on a down day ... looks like I'm going to need to use my second MD ever to change that rotation.

Hey now one of my favorite JUDDD 'gurus' (Beeb) told us that birthdays and holidays are always Up Days. I hope she wasn't lying to us.

Originally Posted by handbells

My first thought was corn pudding! lol!

Pioneer Woman has a fantastic recipe for a Fresh Corn Casserole.

Ingredients

8 ears Of Corn (Still In The Husk)
2/3 cups Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Butter (salted)
1/2 teaspoon Salt To Taste
Ground Pepper To Taste

That sounds good and simple. AND I have a couple big ziploc bags of fresh corn on the cob from this summer. This would be a perfect way to use that up. Thank you. (That's pretty much the Succotash recipe minus the Lima Beans and Peppers.)

[Debrat3]

Originally Posted by calichris

I haven't heard of a boneless turkey ... sounds interesting, and sounds like it would solve your problem of needing some dark meat!

I just realized Thanksgiving and my birthday both fall on a down day ... looks like I'm going to need to use my second MD ever to change that rotation.

Chris same here. I already switched it up on Halloween because I wanted to rotate right into thanksgiving on an up day. Dec. 3 my birthday i think is on a DD also. Maybe I can have a Birthday dinner night before and call it good.

[leonak]

I bought a frozen thing of turkey a year or so back, it was in a box in the freezer section! Mine may have been called turkey roll. I would never buy it again as it was more like sandwich meat, i think it said it was pre-cooked not sure on that!

I would ask in the store if it is raw and never cooked before I would maybe try it.

How about a nice big roasting chicken! Even Wal - Mart sell those and theirs are vey good, not as dry as a turkey, excellent the next day too!

Good Luck with your bird!

What are the rest of you guys making this year?

I'm planning on a duck! Been years since I made one, they are very rich, but on JUDDD I can have rich!!

Thanks for starting this thread, should be a good one!

Leona

[Gulf Coast Girl]

Originally Posted by leonak

I bought a frozen thing of turkey a year or so back, it was in a box in the freezer section! Mine may have been called turkey roll. I would never buy it again as it was more like sandwich meat, i think it said it was pre-cooked not sure on that!

This is the one I saw (after some web surfing it looks like Butterball has one too)



Here's the description from their site:


Frozen Boneless Turkey Roast with Gravy (contains white and dark meat)

Product Description
For an easy, healthy dinner tonight place one of our Frozen Boneless Roasts in the oven. It has white and dark meat and is boneless. It also features a gravy packet for added convenience.

From what I can tell it's raw. All the instructions have 'make sure a thermometer reaches 170' and hand washing reminders which they wouldn't need for a precooked turkey.

My Mom says I should just do chicken but I like the tradition of it all. I haven't made up my mind yet but I'm leaning toward trying the boneless.

I'm also doing:

My grandmas Cornbread Dressing

Gravy - my own not whatever they're calling gravy that's included with the turkey

A Green Bean casserole (people in my family couldn't care less about the turkey but I would never hear the end of it if this wasn't on the menu)

A corn dish

Homemade rolls

Cranberries (nothing fancy just the recipe on the package)

Pecan/Chocolate and Chess Pies (somebody else will probably bring a Pumpkin one too)

I'm doing all of the main meal and others are just bringing the chips/dips/drink type stuff for the football watchers.


I've never had duck but yay for JUDDD and being able to have whatever we want on holidays.

[gotsomeold]

In my book, holidays are always UDs! (and so is the day before and after them if the celebration works out that way.)

Succotash is a wonderful cold weather side dish! If you poke around on the internet, you will find many variations. Many baked with apples or pears. Oh dang, your Dad probably would not like those either - even if the fruit kind of cooked into a sauce. Hmm...I may need to get me a bit of that.

[Gulf Coast Girl]

Originally Posted by gotsomeold

In my book, holidays are always UDs! (and so is the day before and after them if the celebration works out that way.)

Succotash is a wonderful cold weather side dish! If you poke around on the internet, you will find many variations. Many baked with apples or pears. Oh dang, your Dad probably would not like those either - even if the fruit kind of cooked into a sauce. Hmm...I may need to get me a bit of that.

Same here with UDs and special occasions. Since I'll be doing so much prep work on Wed and then with Black Friday there's no way I'm trying to fit a DD into that madness. With JUDDD just pick up on Sat and all will be fine.

Yeah, he would not like that. I love him to pieces but he's a challenge when it comes to food. When I graduated from grad school 15 years ago they gave me a summer in Europe. Partied and shopped a lot but also did some cooking classes in France/Italy/Spain. All this time later with anything that's not simple southern type food he asks me if I got that in France. Yes Daddy, everything that isn't steak/potatoes/bread is French.

But the apple suggestion is great. I need to do something apple-y for November.

Someone gave me a cookbook from the NYC restaurant Serendipity. There's a recipe in there that uses Cheddar Cheese in the crust of an apple pie. Sounds interesting.

[Scotty]

Someone gave me a cookbook from the NYC restaurant Serendipity. There's a recipe in there that uses Cheddar Cheese in the crust of an apple pie. Sounds interesting.

Apple pie and cheddar cheese, with it, on it, and in the crust is a very New England sort of thing to do. Thought I'd mention it, for conversation purposes when/if you serve it...

[cici52]

Originally Posted by Scotty

Apple pie and cheddar cheese, with it, on it, and in the crust is a very New England sort of thing to do. Thought I'd mention it, for conversation purposes when/if you serve it...

Oh, how I love, love, love apples and cheese, any way you marry them!

Okay, I'm not a big ice cream eater and when I do it would be haagen das. However, as I was in the mall throwing resumes to the wind, I spotted a sign that said pumpkin pie blizzard. Yes, DQ has come to our mall. I had a mini with whipped cream and sat down in a comfy chair and practically wept it was so good. Now, I'm sure it was an overreaction to some extent. First pumpkin of the season or something, but somewhere around here I have been reading about pumpkin something or other on a regular basis and just have to try whatever it is. Please steer me to the pumpkin recipes if you know what I am talking about.

[KeirasMom]

Cici, I think they're spread throughout various threads. Yesterday, on my DD, I had 1/2 C nonfat Greek yogurt, with 1/2 C pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spice for a little over 100 calories. It was

[cici52]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

Cici, I think they're spread throughout various threads. Yesterday, on my DD, I had 1/2 C nonfat Greek yogurt, with 1/2 C pumpkin and some pumpkin pie spice for a little over 100 calories. It was

I could die happy just thinking about this. Guess what is on my shopping list? PUMPKIN!!!!

[Kissa]

Of course we don't do Thanksgiving, but for a few Xmas dinners I ordered a 'Three Bird Roast' from my butcher. Delicious. Mine were Pheasant inside a Chicken inside a Goose. All boned of course and with great dressing in there too. They were very expensive but a lot of meat. Of course you need to had Turkey on Turkey Day.

Interestingly I am not keen on sweet and savoury together although I do love apple sauce with a pork roast and cheese and apple. Surely he eats cranberry sauce?

We don't sweeten our vegetables as a rule and I am lost at the thought of marshmallows in food such as sweet potatoes. I did eat it when I lived in the States but never since.

I love how different we all are.

[ArmyWife88]

Everything sounds so yummy! We will have a turkey cooked in our set it and forget it and I definitely want to try a homemade stuffing/dressing this year. We always do an apple crisp pie and corn. We may also have green beans or green bean casserole this year. And of course rolls!
Hubby invited over some of his guys that are alone this holiday season and one requested a sweet potato pie. Anyone have a good recipe? I know they sell the mix in the can but I'd prefer homemade.

[Gulf Coast Girl]

Originally Posted by Scotty

Apple pie and cheddar cheese, with it, on it, and in the crust is a very New England sort of thing to do. Thought I'd mention it, for conversation purposes when/if you serve it...

That's good to know. I'm going to make it sometime this month. I was also thinking the cheese crust minus the sugar would make a good Pot Pie base for Chicken or even left over Turkey.

Originally Posted by cici52

Please steer me to the pumpkin recipes if you know what I am talking about.

I'm no help with pumpkin recipes but I did see some Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses the other day. If you're into that.

Originally Posted by Kissa

Interestingly I am not keen on sweet and savoury together although I do love apple sauce with a pork roast and cheese and apple. Surely he eats cranberry sauce?

...

I love how different we all are.

He'll eat it at the end of the meal - on a roll with some butter - like it's thinned preserves. I don't want anyone to think I'm being disrespectful. I'm playfully making fun of his eating habits (we all do) but I absolutely adore him. I see him at least once a day - make him breakfast every morning so my Mom can sleep.


Me too Re: our differences. I love seeing how others across the miles celebrate.

[Gulf Coast Girl]

Originally Posted by ArmyWife88

Everything sounds so yummy! We will have a turkey cooked in our set it and forget it and I definitely want to try a homemade stuffing/dressing this year. We always do an apple crisp pie and corn. We may also have green beans or green bean casserole this year. And of course rolls!
Hubby invited over some of his guys that are alone this holiday season and one requested a sweet potato pie. Anyone have a good recipe? I know they sell the mix in the can but I'd prefer homemade.

That's so sweet of you and your husband.

This is the Sweet Potato Pie recipe I use:

1/2 stick of softened butter

2 C room temp mashed sweet potatoes

2 C sugar (the recipe calls for all white sugar but I do half white half brown)

1/2 C cream (you can use milk)

1 tsp vanilla

3 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I usally use apple pie spice because I like the mixture of spices)

1 Deep Dish Pie Shell

Mix butter, potatoes, sugar and cream.
Add vanilla, eggs, and cinnamon.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake at 350° for about 1 hour.

If you've never worked with mashed sweet potatoes sometimes they have stringy bits. If you use your mixer to mash them the stringy bits will wrap around the paddle/beaters and you can just pull them off as you're mixing. It'll make the pie silkier/smoother.

(I have no idea where this recipe came from but I've used it many times. I wrote it down so probably out of a magazine at the Dr's office.)

[LoCarbGal]

Originally Posted by Kissa

Of course we don't do Thanksgiving, but for a few Xmas dinners I ordered a 'Three Bird Roast' from my butcher. Delicious. Mine were Pheasant inside a Chicken inside a Goose. All boned of course and with great dressing in there too. They were very expensive but a lot of meat. Of course you need to had Turkey on Turkey Day.

We don't sweeten our vegetables as a rule and I am lost at the thought of marshmallows in food such as sweet potatoes. I did eat it when I lived in the States but never since.

I love how different we all are.

I do too, Cindy! I'm with you on the sweet veggies, except for the marshmallows on yams/sweet potatoes. Gramma's special, and it's now mine!
Your three bird roast sounds like our "turducken". Never had it but it sounds good.

Originally Posted by ArmyWife88

Hubby invited over some of his guys that are alone this holiday season and one requested a sweet potato pie.

How wonderful of you guys! And especially to want to make him a homemade pie. Good people.

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Girl

I'm no help with pumpkin recipes but I did see some Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses the other day. If you're into that.

Are you kidding me?!? I have to have those! I can justify it, because if I only have one or two at a time....totally doable!

[handbells]

The Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses are *very* good!

[NoWeigh]

I will probably be joining the ranks of multiple UDs around Thanksgiving.

This is the first year in several that I will have a working kitchen and a brand new oven! It’s been years since I’ve made a Thanksgiving spread. I’m really looking forward to it. I pulled out autumn decorations that haven’t been out in quite awhile and decided to get some new dishes for the occasion! I’m even planning individual pies for desert – cute and fun! Today I’m making a table runner for the table. Now all that remains is hoping that I actually remember HOW to cook!

I haven’t done anything like this in years because I have not had the freedom to eat on Thanksgiving, so I didn’t bother with any of it. Life is much happier now, and the JUDDD way of eating is enriching my life!

Happy Holidays to all!

[ArmyWife88]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Girl

That's so sweet of you and your husband.

This is the Sweet Potato Pie recipe I use:

1/2 stick of softened butter

2 C room temp mashed sweet potatoes

2 C sugar (the recipe calls for all white sugar but I do half white half brown)

1/2 C cream (you can use milk)

1 tsp vanilla

3 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (I usally use apple pie spice because I like the mixture of spices)

1 Deep Dish Pie Shell

Mix butter, potatoes, sugar and cream.
Add vanilla, eggs, and cinnamon.
Pour into pie shell.
Bake at 350° for about 1 hour.

If you've never worked with mashed sweet potatoes sometimes they have stringy bits. If you use your mixer to mash them the stringy bits will wrap around the paddle/beaters and you can just pull them off as you're mixing. It'll make the pie silkier/smoother.

(I have no idea where this recipe came from but I've used it many times. I wrote it down so probably out of a magazine at the Dr's office.)

Thanks so much for the recipe.

Originally Posted by LoCarbGal

How wonderful of you guys! And especially to want to make him a homemade pie. Good people.

Thanks I grew up a "military brat" and we always had my Dad's co workers that had no where to go for the holidays over. The tradition has lived on with my husband's soldiers. I hate the thought of any of our brave men and women eating alone during the holidays. We knew people in Germany whose plan was ramen noodles or a frozen dinner. I'm always like no way! You are more then welcome in our home.

[zipp2play]

Originally Posted by NoWeigh

I will probably be joining the ranks of multiple UDs around Thanksgiving.
Happy Holidays to all!

Me too, I am thinking THursday and Friday will be days to enjoy. Thursday/Thanksgiving day is my actual Up day...Friday will probably be an mid-day at best! For that matter, depending on what time we get off work Wednesday, Wed evening could be the start of the up day! I JUDDD!

[LoCarbGal]

Yup, I'll be doing two UDs in a row Thurs and Fri. There are usually tons of leftovers, so no problem. I can make turkey pot pie for Sunday after, and keep my Saturday DD. Nothing like a little turkey breast for low calorie! YAY - I can't wait.

I need to start plugging my family recipes into FD so I'll have some idea how many calories I consume. I would really like to keep Thanksgiving as true UDs, and not UUADs!

[b_lou_who]

never purchased a deboned turkey, but we prebutcher and partially debone one when we do turkey (thank you Jacques Pepin) and it roasts up beautifully. All the trimmings go in the crockpot with aromatics for a day before for stock for gravy. Throw OUT that nasty gravy packet that says it is included with that deboned turkey. Just use a good meat thermometer, never the pop up dealie that comes in the frozen turkey. Cooks Illustrated gives great foolproof roasting instructions. I make fresh sage butter with coarse salt and rub it all under and over the skin with perfect results every time. We only do organic cornbread/sausage/pecan stuffing as a corn product so no help there. My husband likes the dressing, turkey, gravy, enriched rolls, sweet potatoes and more gravy. Boys like mashers as well plus homemade cranberry sauce. I like buttery peas. And I make individual pumpkin custards (left over habit from lc days) unless my youngest makes pies. My boys love pies.

[LoCarbGal]

Originally Posted by Gulf Coast Girl

I'm no help with pumpkin recipes but I did see some Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses the other day. If you're into that.

Originally Posted by LoCarbGal

Are you kidding me?!? I have to have those! I can justify it, because if I only have one or two at a time....totally doable!

I found them! Finally! They were the last 2 packages left at the drugstore, and they were on sale! I asked the clerk if she'd seen them and she just went off on how WONDERFUL they are. Can't wait to try 'em. Tomorrow, on UD.

[jem51]

I will be working T-day but we'll will have dinner at work. I don't trust anyone w my turkey so just assume it will be overcooked.
Since I want some perfectly cooked turkey, I'll cook one on Wed and share it w the ex and FIL.

I have been wet brining and grilling for the past 10 yrs but decided to try the dry brine this year and then just pop it in the oven.