Thanksgiving Dinner for two

[Brat]

I ordered our dinner for 2 from an upscale deli in the neighborhood last week. Today we went to Costco only to find Thanksgiving dinners at a fraction of the price. Ah well, I supported a local restaurant.

 

[Montecfo]

If I can find some Alaskan King Crab, that's what I'm having this year. It'll make me feel good that I won't have to share, taking the sting out of sheltering in place.

That's living!!

 

[Montecfo]

There's nothing better than smoked turkey with a delicious zinfandel wine. One of my very favorite tastes of all time. No sides necessary. Ha!

Heck...no turkey necessary

 

[CardsFan]

Let's see, in the freezer we have a whole 15# turkey and a whole turkey breast. In the fridge, we have a whole tenderloin.

Decisions, decisions! But I think we will end up with Beef Wellington using the tenderloin. Already made some liver pate to coat it, and bought some puff pastry.

 

[TrvlBug]

Just DH and me this year. On the menu is rib eye or rib eye caps if available, baked potato, sauteed green beans & mushrooms, Costco cheesecake and a nice chilled bottle of Veuve Cliequot.

 

[Walt34]

On a whim, DW went out and got a couple of Filet Mignon steaks so it appears that's what we're having. The butcher suggested to her that the edges be wrapped in bacon while cooking. Sounds like a plan to me to have Porky make his contribution!

 

[Sunset]

......
It will be traditional with a few twists: brined roasted turkey breast with a bit of Morrocan lemon flavoring; mashed potatoes; dressing (out of box, alas); home made gravy; either roasted broccoli with walnuts or roasted brussel sprouts with onion and bacon; a savory pumpkin tart/pie; and a home made regular pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream (looking at souffle like recipe with whipped egg base). Best part will be lots of leftovers. Will probably also have a few glasses on champagne.

.....

DW has me improve boxed dressing by adding cut celery, onions, green peppers, to the pot.
Either cook the vegies slightly in butter for say 2 min, then add the water to bring to boil, then dump in the dressing cover and wait off the heat.
Or
Put the vegies in the pot with water, bring to boil, then dump in the dressing cover and wait off the heat.

It's quite a bit better than simply boxed dressing.

(reading below, I might add chopped apples as well next time).

 

[kgtest]

Gobble, Gobble - The 2020 Spread Thread - SHARE ur feast

I know RobbieB will likely take the cake, but imma start out my fav forum with it's first official "Spread Thread" where you share your Turkey Day Feast!

We may be physically distanced but that doesn't mean we can't all be glutton with glory!

I'll post what DW and I cook up verrry soon, for those with early festivities, share away!

 

[plex]

Trader Joe's Turkey pot pie (it requires much more cook time than they say), green bean casserole, and air-fried seasoned sweet potatoes. If you like apple salad, try out chicken curry salad, which has most of the same ingredients, but a deeper taste.

 

[Gumby]

We just picked up our fresh chicken from the farm this afternoon. It's only 6-3/4 lbs, but since there are only the two of us, that should still give us plenty of leftovers. The young wife is currently cutting up and roasting the small sugar pumpkins to make the filling for the pie that she'll bake tomorrow. She will also make the savory cranberry sauce tomorrow (it is whole cranberries and various fresh herbs and just a smidge of sugar). I expect that she'll bake a sourdough boule tomorrow as well. On Thursday, she'll stuff the chicken with lemons and herbs and roast it. She's making the sausage stuffing in the crockpot. She'll also saute green beans with bacon and shallots, and make garlic mashed potatoes.

My job is to set the table, pour the wine and clean the kitchen often.

 

[Ally]

I’m cooking a miniature traditional Thanksgiving meal, and will freeze part of it. It’s one of our favorite meals.

 

[W2R]

I ordered our dinner for 2 from an upscale deli in the neighborhood last week. Today we went to Costco only to find Thanksgiving dinners at a fraction of the price. Ah well, I supported a local restaurant.

Complete dinners from a local restaurant (curbside pickup) this year. No need to make 2020 any more complex than it’s already been!

I keep thinking about Bing Crosby’s Thanksgiving dinner in the movie Holiday Inn!

Same here! Well, from a local sports bar, in our case, instead of a deli or restaurant. Here's what I posted about it on another thread. Should have posted on this thread, but oh well, for me perfect posting is an amazingly slippery and elusive goal.

We determined that a nearby sports bar is serving food from its usual menu on Thanksgiving, so we are tentatively thinking of getting food to go for just the two of us, from there, to eat at home. Probably shrimp tacos, gumbo, or a club sandwich. Their shrimp tacos and gumbo are "to die for", but also I never had a club sandwich that I didn't like. Anyway, something like that. Not the traditional Thanksgiving feast, no turkey or pumpkin pie, but we can do that another year when everyone can get together.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Seems like this thread should be folded into the Thanksgiving For 2 thread. No?

 

[kgtest]

Missed that one. Merge away!

 

[Gumby]

Missed that one. Merge away!

I forgot about it as well. The two threads are now merged.

 

[imnontrad]

I am cooking a HUGE turkey (lots of leftovers for the freezer and great stock too). Plus steamed broccoli, either acorn squash or sweet potato with a gingerbread crumble, possible some corn with dill, cranberries, and a made from scratch pie. But I may make the pie and the sweet potato on Wednesday to make Thursday a relaxing day and to end the day with the house cleaner than when I started.

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

Cornish hens—the saddest turkey ever! But we are stuffing w Boudin having Gumbo, corn macque choux and pecan pie.

 

[Sanstar]

We’ll have an all vegan meal with a small piece of turkey for DH and DIL. I made the stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy today. Tomorrow will prep mushroom Wellington, Brussels sprouts, potatoes. DS is making bread and pumpkin pie. We’ll eat outside on the patio (S. Texas) with toddler grandson. Same family members we are with almost daily. Goal is no leftovers. Quite a change from last year’s repast of 35 extended family and friends.

 

[pacergal]

Hmm, I'm skipping the apples in my stuffing this year but love the thought of "apple salad". Would you care to share the recipe?

(Its my take on traditional Waldorf Salad)
I use whatever sounds good, or what I have on hand.

Chopped apples- I like crisp, more sweet/tart so use honey crisp, or Ice Apples (I can only get at a local garden center here in Nov/Dec-- they are basically fuji apples left on the tree until frost--makes them very sweet and crisp)

chopped celery

grapes (or raisins, have used dried cranberries too--prefer grapes)

chopped pecans or walnuts, (have used unsalted macadamia nuts also)

mini marshmallows (leave out if just DH and I, add if kids/grands are here)

bottled poppyseed dressing is easiest or I will make a mix of mayo, lemon juice, a bit of sugar or honey)
Mix and serve.

Simple to make.

 

[rk911]

it’s been just us for the last 6-7 yrs now. we keep it simple. we get a half, cooked breast from the deli, baked potstoes, veggies, jellied cranberries and rolls. we split a piece of peach pie from the bakery. my BIL will be in from CA for Christmas.

 

[Rambler]

We had planned to have us plus my parents, my sis and her husband and two of their kids over. Dad got sick on Sunday...doesnt seem like Covid, but we’re postponing for a while. Meanwhile, I put a brisket on the smoker tonight, as I do every few months. I’ll wrap it around 10-11 pm and finish it inside in the oven and rest it in the ice chest all day. We already have dinner for tomorrow, so the brisket will be sliced and vacuum sealed in single meals, and we’ll freeze it (all but enough for Thursday). We’ll have some for dinner on Thursday with some green beans, salad, and pumpkin pie. Neither of us like turkey, and we’ve put our normal fare (ham) in the freezer until dad feels better.

 

[ziggy29]

We're going all out this year. I've basically been hibernating this year because it's been so terrible. But we are going to go full out this year, for three of us -- DW and me, plus her dad who lives with us downstairs. We have a 15 pound turkey, and we are even going to make our own whipped cream with *heavy* whipped cream (sorry, Doc). And on Friday, we are going to start doing Christmas like we haven't done in a long time. We need something to make us feel almost normal.

 

[W2R]

We're going all out this year. I've basically been hibernating this year because it's been so terrible. But we are going to go full out this year, for three of us -- DW and me, plus her dad who lives with us downstairs. We have a 15 pound turkey, and we are even going to make our own whipped cream with *heavy* whipped cream (sorry, Doc). And on Friday, we are going to start doing Christmas like we haven't done in a long time. We need something to make us feel almost normal.

Good to see you posting again, Ziggy! It's been such a tough, terrible year for everyone and I'm glad to see you back here again.

 

[ziggy29]

Good to see you posting again, Ziggy! It's been such a tough, terrible year for everyone and I'm glad to see you back here again.

Thanks. I've had a lot of stuff going on. Not only the usual 2020 fatigue, let alone wanting to avoid all the online politics, but also, as many of you know, DW is the pastor of our church. I have been so buried in church IT and audio-visual projects that it made my head spin. I had to lead our move to livestreaming worship services, AND recommending build-out of a permanent solution. And then, yeah, configuring all the equipment and software and all the testing. Seriously, "w*rking" for pay was less taxing than this. But last month I think we finally nailed it all down and got to a place where we are in good shape. But then I had to start "producing" for Advent and Christmas services. I've learned more about A/V equipment and using audio mixers than I ever thought I would!

 

[W2R]

Thanks. I've had a lot of stuff going on. Not only the usual 2020 fatigue, let alone wanting to avoid all the online politics, but also, as many of you know, DW is the pastor of our church. I have been so buried in church IT and audio-visual projects that it made my head spin. I had to lead our move to livestreaming worship services, AND recommending build-out of a permanent solution. And then, yeah, configuring all the equipment and software and all the testing. Seriously, "w*rking" for pay was less taxing than this. But last month I think we finally nailed it all down and got to a place where we are in good shape. But then I had to start "producing" for Advent and Christmas.

Eek, makes me tired just reading about it! Glad you are making some headway in the project though. Advent and Christmas will be behind us soon, but then of course there's Palm Sunday and Easter.... You have a lot of responsibilities on your plate, that's for sure.