# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  Thanksgiving Menu

## MIke R

its coming together..everything from scratch:


*Apps*

Cold sliced Lobster Tail Cocktail

Teriyaki Grilled Scallop ka bobs

Warm Spinach/Artichoke/Cheddar dip with chips

Warm Maine PickyToe Crab/Cheddar/CreamCheese dip with chips

Italian Appetizer Platter of marinated 
grilled Eggplant, Artichoke Hearts, Parma Proscuitto, Provolone, Roasted Reds, and Fresh Buffala Mozzerella and Olives

Veuve Clicquot Toast

*Dinner*

Roasted Organic Free Range Local Turkey with
Chestnut/Apple/Brandy stuffing

Green Bean and ****ake Mushroom casserole

Mixed Winter Squash casserole with a candied pecan topping

Grilled Asparagus with lobster butter/lemon

Cranberry Confit

Cranberry/Clementine Orange Relish

Lemon/Poppyseed Popovers

*Wines:*

Ladoucette Poully Fume
Cakebread Chardonnay
Layer Cake Primotivo
Alamosa Malbec


*Dessert*

Pumpkin Pie
Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Banana Foster
Maple/Walnut Bread Pudding 
Mostarda di Fruitta
Marron Chantilly Crepes


St Barts Blend Coffee with Baileys
Hot Spiced Mulled Apple Cider with Clement rhum
Vanilla Rhum
Cognac

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## andynap

My menu is as follows:

Wine:
Burgess Pinot Noir

Hors d' oeuvres:
Roasted peppers/anchovies/dill/garlic oil/on melbas
Spiced cashews
Hummus Tahini/pita

Soup:
Butternut Squash Bisque

Entree:

Roasted Brined Turkey
(Porterhouse steak for the non-turkey eater- oy)
Cornbread/sausage stuffing
Brussel Sprouts
Italian Torta
Hot sauteed peppers
Homemade Ciabatta

Dessert:

Pumpkin Cheesecake/ whipped cream

Coffee

English Breakfast Tea

Vanilla Rum


Bed

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## MIke R

I like it...I like the brussel sprouts which I love, but no one else here does....LOL
I love the Pumpkin Cheesecake, but we did that last week....

I opted out of the soup, but that's the one I would have done if I did one...

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## andynap

There is only one- my brother- who doesn't like Brussel sprouts too bad. I made the ricotta today for the Torta and the roasted peppers. My bread dough is rising.

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## MIke R

yeah we are both working in the kitchen right now on different things, which given the size of my kitchen, makes for some tense moments....LOL
but we are both drinking to cut the edge

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## andynap

When this house was built Phyllis made sure the kitchen was a centerpiece- but we still do the bump- we always seem to be going the same place at the same time.

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## MIke R

yeah ironically, with as much as we both love cooking..when we bought this house 3 years ago...we initially  replaced all the appliances, but we put the major renovations off to a later date, which I am told by the bookkeeper is next summer

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## Rosemary

Mike and Andy-your menus are inspiring and delicious.  And Mike, how nice that you have your mother joining you.  We have our "loaner" old folks.
This is what we will be sharing -

Cuttyhunk Island Oysters and Littlenecks on the Half Shell

Roast Turkey with Cornbread/Sausage/Apple stuffing

Brussel Sprouts from the garden

Mashed Turnip

Maple Roasted Butternut Squash

Creamed Onions

Wild Rice with Currants and Scallions

Cranberry Orange Ginger Chutney

Giblet Gravy

Pumpkin and Apple Pie

Pinot Noir
Chamard Chardonnay - our local
Whatever else anyone wants
I know I am forgetting something here...

A walk, throw the pill, football on tv, another walk...
I love the night before Thanksgiving as much as the day.
Happy Thanksgiving.

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## MIke R

> Cuttyhunk Island Oysters and Littlenecks on the Half Shell
> 
> 
> Brussel Sprouts from the garden






I love the shellfish choices......
Another one with the brussels sprouts....next year maybe   I make  statement....LOL

and yes the night before is magic.....I agree 100%..I am having a blast...Lena is watching Merry Madagascar on TV..Wendi and I are drinking, cooking, and fighting for space....does it get any better than this????..I think not

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## Rosemary

I wish we had done this sooner.  Marron Chantilly Crepes and the homemade ricotta Torta may make appearances here next year.

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## MIke R

oh and did I mention its about 25 degrees outside and blowing a gale, and the fire inside is thermonuclear hot and the chestnuts are roasting in it?

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## JEK

I'd rather be with Kevin :)

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## MIke R

I love K&K...but not for free

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## Rosemary

I can smell them from here!  Delicious.  We are good to go here.  One of the old folks just called to ask if we had bourbon and pie.  In that order.  Priorities.

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## JEK

Mrs. JEK has it all under control.
   
Table set yesterday.
Flowers arrived today.
Prep work done today.

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## Rosemary

You and Mrs. JEK set a beautiful table.  Happy Thanksgiving.

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## Grey

MikeR and Andynap, very much enjoyed reading your menus.  Both sound delicious.  Would be interested in hearing how you guys arrived at your stuffing recipes (my favorite part of the meal).

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## andynap

I have a bunch of stuffing recipes I have saved over the years. Making cornbread is a snap and I add celery, onion and butter and sauté the veggies. I add the cornbread and some herbs and spices and some Madeira wine and add the sausage which is out of the casing and already sautéed into a butter dish and bake for 1 hour.

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## amyb

Yum.

F amily
F riends
F ood and
F ootball mean
F un 

Hope you all enjoy this special day.

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## andynap

The torta is in, the soup is made, the turkey neck and giblets are simmering and now the stuffing. Onward.

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## MIke R

BURP......ugh....I hate being this full..LOL

sittin by the fire....snow is starting to fall...sippin my Navan....taking in the last waning moments of the day..finally quiet....life is good



8 A.M. hoops practice in the morning, followed by Black Friday in the shops....oh boy!...tomorrow evening will be a heavy Grey Goose evening...LOL

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## bto

I started cooking at noon on Wednesday....also tripped on the corner of the brick fireplace hearth and gouged a dime sized chunk out of my heel....OUCH and son of a gun!  (not what I really said)  LOL....been limping around trying not to put pressure on it.

Organic  roasted turkey with molasses apple cider glaze...bought it at Whole Foods...pre-brined...I was a bit worried since I'd never bought one like that but it was so juicy and fabulous!  
Classic bread dressing (i never stuff the birdy) with fennel and pancetta
Haricots verts avec pancetta and shallots

I tried a new pie recipe....Jamaican Spiced Pumkin Pie.....has Captain Morgan in it....so delish!

A nice Castello di Amorosa Merlot from our July trip to Napa...and a French Bordeaux that was way too dry : )

The rest of the menu was the usual...potatoes, salad, etc.

All good and enjoyed the blessing of family time.

Today is hubby's big 6-0!!!  Tonight we will be celebrating at a lovely resto called 'scape with all the kids.

Time to get out the Christmas decorations now!

Happy Holiday weekend to all.

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## amyb

Happy 60th to Bev's Hubby.....Enjoy your special day! Bev-I hope your heel heals!!

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## MIke R

Bev..ouch on the head

everything sounds scrumptious


lets have the pumpkin pie recipe please?


gee I wonder whats for dinner tonight???...LOL

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## andynap

The pie recipe for sure. No turkey tonight- we are all going out. Phyllis is finishing the Torta for lunch.

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## MIke R

its Black Friday..not only Turkey...but we don't get to actually chew it either....LOL

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## MIke R

BTW I tried that  high heat roasting method ( at 450 ).....its supposed to be so much better than slow roasting but I cannot say I saw a difference...it was certainly good and moist ( I do an overnight brining ) but not any better than slow roasting...although much quicker cooking time......other than that - not really

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## andynap

I did it at 400- breast side down for 1 hour and then flipped. A 14 lb took about 2 1/2 hours- not stuffed.

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## MIke R

stuffed....16 pounds.....1:55 to 170 degrees in the thigh...

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## MIke R

one of these days I may actually have to experiment and try the convection roast and convection bake settings on my oven.....LOL

I'v been curious about them

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## andynap

I have a convection oven and the rule is 25 degrees less for the same amount of time. Or less time at the same setting. I don't use it that much.

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## MIke R

I don't use it at all.....and I have assorted convection settings which are supposed to be all  different in what they do

so  why do we have them if we dont use them???....LOL

seems like a  waste  of money

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## JEK

Our first time to brine and we used the Martha Stewart method with the cheesecloth. Declared by the assembled multitudes the most beautiful and moist bird ever. Inside stuffing was in a cheesecloth "bag" too.
 

INGREDIENTS

Serves 12 to 14.

3 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning
5 cups sugar
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2 dried bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper
1 fresh whole turkey (18 to 20 pounds), rinsed and patted dry, giblets and neck reserved for gravy
Gravy
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
Chestnut Stuffing
Crab apples, fresh rosemary sprigs, and fresh sage, for garnish (optional)
DIRECTIONS

Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.
Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.
Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.
Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly. If making gravy, add giblets and neck to pan 1 1/2 hours after reducing temperature; roast 30 minutes, and reserve.
Discard cheesecloth; rotate pan. Baste turkey with pan juices. Roast, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees and stuffing reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. Transfer to a platter. Set pan with drippings aside for gravy. Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.
First published

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## MIke R

looks good


been using a cheesecloth bag  for decades....especially on pork roasts




turkey croquettes tomorrow night which I like better than anything turkey

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## andynap

I use Trader Joe's brined Kosher fresh turkey. Brush turkey with melted butter- 400 degrees- breast down for 1 hour- flip over- baste bird again. Finished when breast is 160 and thigh is 170. Easy. Perfect turkey.

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## MIke R

the farm informed me the other day my Christmas turkey I picked out when he  was about a pound in weight is currently 24 pounds....they call him a "freak bird"....so I either have to find somebody to trade with....or I have to get creative and split it and cook half!...LOL

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## bto

Freak bird is right!  You'd never get that thing to fit in the oven, lol.

Here's the pumpkin pie recipe....it's sweet and a heart attack waiting to happen but....delish.

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/j...mpkin-pie.aspx

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## andynap

I thought Obama pardoned that bird. If it's that large now how much in 1 month? It may not fit in your roasting pan or oven. You'll need a chain saw to cut him in half. LOL

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## andynap

That looks good Bev  but oh my- " coconut milk (full fat only"-

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## bto

I know, Andy, but my recipe says do not use the lite coconut milk....it's really good.  Just don't make more than one pie : )

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## MIke R

pie recipe looks great....we'll  it a go..we still have a ton of pumpkins in the root cellar

and yes there is no way I want this bird....I'll work a deal with somebody somehow I'm sure....

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## Voosh

My two cents. 

Had turkey day at a long-time SBH traveler's abode here. 30 some people and most of us brought a dish. I can't even start the analysis. Good food. Good fun. Good friends. 

Since kids have family and friends that "require" Thanksgiving obligations - we're doing a family T'Giving dinner for them on Sunday. Kathy just gave me the shopping list. Arrrngh! I thought she had got all the stuff already. Well, she did. It's those pesky details... 

At least there's a turkey in the cooler and a couple bags of potatos and sweet potatos ready to roll. Yeh, I'll be getting the last minute stuff tomorrow. No biggie. It'll be fun.

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## KevinS

> Cakebread Chardonnay




LOL, I thought that I snarfed the last case in NH.  You must have shopped farther upstate than I go.

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