Black Friday Thanksgiving Menu 2010



It is always my job to host Thanksgiving. That's just the way it is.
It is also my favorite holiday to cook for, and my menu is basically the same every year.

A family tradition started 3 years ago, when I got a miserable migraine headache the day of Thanksgiving and I had to cancel the holiday.
We postponed it to the next day, Black Friday, and everyone said how nice it was.

Not as much pressure on family members to visit inlaws, cousins and me all in one day. They could stay for the whole meal and relax.



So, after that year, we adopted a Black Friday Thanksgiving.
I like to be different.

This year I am changing up my menu a bit.

I am making this insane sounding stuffing (some people call it dressing) from Saveur Magazine, with apricots, apples, chicken livers, onions, 2 sticks of butter and heavy cream. The photo looked so enticing that I wanted to frame it and hang it on my wall.



I will be roasting Brussels sprouts w/ grapes and pecans (recipe to follow).

There would be mutiny if I didn't serve my Sweet Potato & Orange Gratin & Cranberry Orange Relish.

I am going to try that mouth watering recipe on Food52 for Spinach Gratin (I had better fast the week before).



Roasted Herb Turkey Breasts, so much easier than cooking the whole bird (sorry, no dark meat).

For appetizers this year I am serving a little Smörgåsbord (which I just learned means "small open faced sandwiches with buttered bread" in Swedish), with smoked fishes with pickled vegetables from the new edition of Canal House Cooking.

image

And for dessert, my usual Walnut & Candied Orange Tart & Marie Helene's Apple Cake.

As always, click on the links for the recipes and last years Thanksgiving.

What is your "GO TO" Thanksgiving dish?
Inquiring minds want to know.

Comments

Claudia said…
I know the spinach gratin will find its way to my table. For Thanksgiving... well, first I start with ravioli....
Anonymous said…
Stacey, we're doing this too! No migraines, but my sister is recently divorced, and my brother-in-law, ex brother-in-law, has my nieces this year, and we don't want to celebrate w/o them. But please, we're in a jam, tell me what you DO on the actual day of Thanksgiving? We don't want to eat turkey, and EVERYTHING'S closed. Any hints on how to spend the day, please?
Dinetonite said…
wow! That was looking Delicious
Dewi said…
Sounds like you have the perfect plan Stacey ! Your dressing sounds delicious.
feedyoursister said…
In my family we always have pumpkin pie and brussels spouts. I plan on making my maple brussels sprouts and this amazing dairy-free pumpkin pie tart! HEre are the links to the recipes from my blog!
http://feedyoursister.blogspot.com/2010/09/sweet-brussel-sprouts.html
http://feedyoursister.blogspot.com/2010/10/dairy-free-pumpkin-pie.html
and here's a link to pumpkin bread pudding with spiced whipped cream!!
http://feedyoursister.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-bread-pudding.html
Angela said…
I love your Dutch door and seeing inside your house!
I am making your sweet potato gratin w/ oranges from last year. It was SO GOOD!
Angela
Looks like you cook for rather large group. Hope your family is grateful for all your hard work.

I think Black Friday Thanksgiving is a great idea. Even having a little get together the day after with all the people who couldn't make it Thursday and pull out all the leftovers would be a good idea. Of course for me - that would have to be after I get home from shopping early in the morning. *wink*
Lisa in Delaware said…
Ditto on the 'Wow'!!! And on your very lovely Dutch door welcoming us, Stacey. I can just smell the wonderful cooking in your kitchen. We always had the traditional Turkey, etc. including my father getting up at 5AM to put the bird in the oven. Bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, homemade gravy, etc., minced meat and pumpkin pies. And we could never forget sliding the jellied cranberry sauce out of the can. No dishwasher so it took us the rest of the afternoon to wash the china, crystal and silver. And the tradition of my mom making turkey broth from the bones. Save me from turkey soup and turkey tettrazini! When I was married and living in Georgia, we had a ham, cooked to death green beans, instant mashed potatoes and cornbread dressing, which was yummy as long as you leave out the hard boiled egg chunks. The last 2 Thanksgivings I had were shared with others and their menagerie of dogs, circling the table like hungry sharks. And licking the food off the dishes in the open dish-washer. I had to endure eating my dinner with the hosts' monster Doberman resting his head on my forearm, hoping for a treat. "Isn't that cute?", they said. Doggie Thanksgivings are not a tradition I care to continue! Bon Appetit for your wonderful day, Stacey!
I remember your terrible migraine you had that year, poor thing! You always put out a spread, your thanksgiving will be as wonderful as always girlfriend!
Food Thief said…
Our Thanksgiving must haves are pecan pie and mashed potatoes!
Mary Connor said…
It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce from a can! My dad insists on it, and will NOT eat the real stuff! He says it isn't really cranberry sauce unless it comes from a can! How funny. Can't teach an old dog new tricks!
Anonymous said…
You're Thanksgiving menu sounds wonderful, Stacy! This is my favorite holiday and it just wouldn't be the same without my mother's olives. It's an Italian recipe that's quite time consuming, but delicious. The recipe has been modified over the years to be a little less labor intensive, but still takes several hours (my cousin, her husband, my mother, father and me just made them today). The recipe includes chicken cutlets, veal roast, pork roast, celery, parsely and onion that are browned and cooked through in olive oil. Pepper is added to taste and the pan is deglazed with white wine. The meat and pan juices are then placed in the food processor and pulsed until fine. Prosciutto is then processed and added to the meat. Green queen olives are processed and added to the bowl. To this beaten eggs, minced garlic, fresh parsley and nutmeg are added. Freshly grated parmiggiano cheese and unseasoned bread crumbs are added. With each addition to the bowl, the ingredients are mixed together (clean hands seem to work best for this). Once everything is fully incorporated, the mixture is formed into croquette shapes about 2 inches in size, dipped in beaten egg and seasoned bread crumbs and then fried in vegetable oil until golden brown. They are best served at room temperature. A platter is placed on the counter so that when family arrives on Thanksgiving day, they can snack on these until dinner is ready. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Black Friday holidays!
Anna from Cedar Knolls, NJ
Foodiewife said…
I've been told that my cornbread stuffing made with heavy cream, caramelized onion, pecans, cranberries and whatever herbs I use is a "must". However, this year, I'm going OUT. The Oktoberfest wiped me out physically and I need to be rested enough for Christmas Eve. Then again, maybe I can catch a flight to New Jersey. I love the Black Friday dinner. I'm having Fakesgiving all month long. Making one recipe at a time, as I see fit. Like on the weekends, as you say. :)
descartesmum said…
This year it's just me so I'll do a sweet potato, a wonderful brazil nut stuffing that I got decades ago from a 'Good Housekeeping' magazine here in England, brussel sprouts with chestnuts. No pumpkin pies though.
On Decenber it's the first night of Hanukkah so my son will be over for that and I'll do my pies then.
Lori Lynn said…
Thanks for the inspiration to get moving on my Thanksgiving menu. We have been so busy, I have not even thought about it. I decided months ago that the soup will be celeriac, that's it so far. I read about that apricot stuffing too, and ripped out the photo...it is in a pile on my table. Ha! Maybe that will be on the menu here!
LL
The JR said…
That Smörgåsbord is beautiful.
Success said…
These are really awesome dishes, especially for the holidays. Thanks for sharing the ideas and inspiration :)