Thanksgiving 2014: what's on the menu?

[Noteddy]

That looks tasty, but tempeh wigs me out. I just found out that we've added a vegetarian to the list of Turkey day attendees. Any other vegetarian fare ideas? I'm a carnivore. Help me feed my friend... Please?

To minimize day-of tasks, I lean towards make-ahead as much as possible:

Vegetarian lasagna's - spinach, squash, etc.
Veggie shepherd's pie based on grain's, legumes, mushrooms and topped with a thoughtful veggie mash: potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips,etc.
Risottos can be great and hearty.
If dairy/eggs cheese are OK, quiche could be great made ahead and served room temp.
Stuffed veggies - acorn squash, onions, tomatoes, peppers stuffed with wild rice, legumes, seasonal veggies etc.
Vegetable curries over rice or pasta or potatoes

Apparently, I'm hungry.

[boxerboxer]

That looks tasty, but tempeh wigs me out. I just found out that we've added a vegetarian to the list of Turkey day attendees. Any other vegetarian fare ideas? I'm a carnivore. Help me feed my friend... Please?

Layers of cubed sweet potato, cubed apple, dried or fresh cranberries, cinnamon in a baking dish greased with coconut oil. Top with a bunch of little dabs of coconut oil. Cover with foil and bake until everything is nice and soft. Top with toasted walnuts. BALLER.

[Shinomaster]

That looks tasty, but tempeh wigs me out. I just found out that we've added a vegetarian to the list of Turkey day attendees. Any other vegetarian fare ideas? I'm a carnivore. Help me feed my friend... Please?

Quorn Website Quorn.com

[Too Tall]

Just a side note wrt Tempeh. When it comes from someone like Grown In Brooklyn Home and handled correctly it's just @#$'ing great food. Unfortunately the muck they sell at Whole Foods and supermarkets is the polar opposite. Feh.

Manahole - You are the best. Someday, someday.

[spopepro]

That looks tasty, but tempeh wigs me out. I just found out that we've added a vegetarian to the list of Turkey day attendees. Any other vegetarian fare ideas? I'm a carnivore. Help me feed my friend... Please?

How hard do you want to work for one (or two, some non-veggie always seems to make a choice for the veggie stuff everywhere I've been)? The easy way is to get a Field Roast celebration roast. They are very good, and you can get them in half lengths. They are even making a pastry wrapped hazelnut cranberry roast if you want to be fancy (but it will feed more than you have). If your pride can handle it, just buy the mushroom gravy from prep-food at Whole Foods. It's veggie, and also very good. This alone will not only be tasty, but will also make the veggies feel like they are participating the same way, instead of having something completely different, which can make you feel awkward.

[Too Tall]

Crisp sweet potato roast. My sister forwarded this to me and I know it's going to kill. Before pics. and after if I remember.

Recipe pasted here:
3 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin

Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat butter and oil together until butter has melted. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. (Mine is 9.5-by-12-inches, if that helps.) Sprinkle butter/oil puddle with some salt and pepper. Arrange your potato slices vertically in the dish. Add a sliver of shallot between every few slices of potato, if desired. Brush tops of potatoes with remaining butter/oil and season generously with more salt and pepper. Cover dish with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until potatoes are tender and almost fully cooked. Increase oven heat to 450æF (230°C), remove foil and let roast another 10 to 20 minutes, until tops of potatoes are nicely browned.

[boxerboxer]

Crisp sweet potato roast.

Lovely, TT. Not many know how to treat a sweet potato right.

You want a black eye and a stern talking-to? Add sugar to sweet potatoes in front of me.

[ElvisMerckx]

Homemade Apfelstrudel -- authentic German family recipe from way, way back.
Them Apples by ElvisMerckx, on Flickr
Apfelstrudel in the oven by ElvisMerckx, on Flickr
Apfel Strudel by ElvisMerckx, on Flickr
Fresh from Powder Coating by ElvisMerckx, on Flickr

[Matthew Strongin]

Elvis, I am not a sweets guy. Give me savory any day of the week. But that looks incredible.

[joosttx]

Joosttx menu:

Smoked Turkey breast w herbs and orange
Mom's corn bread stuffing
Pan fried Brussels sprouts w olive oil salt and pepper
Grilled baby artichokes
Mash potatoes with cream and butter
Wife's pecan pie.

[nrs5000]

We are bringing the pies.

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[boxerboxer]

I'm hijacking the this for leftover ideas. I just had a surprisingly good grilled cheese with white meat mixed with dragon sauce, toasted almonds, and green beans. What else?

[JoB]

smittkenkitchen for the win. i made the same thing although i mandolined the sweet potatoes more thinly. worked out very well, people loved it.

Crisp sweet potato roast. My sister forwarded this to me and I know it's going to kill. Before pics. and after if I remember.

Recipe pasted here:
3 tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes to taste
5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin

Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat butter and oil together until butter has melted. Pour 2 tablespoons of the mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. (Mine is 9.5-by-12-inches, if that helps.) Sprinkle butter/oil puddle with some salt and pepper. Arrange your potato slices vertically in the dish. Add a sliver of shallot between every few slices of potato, if desired. Brush tops of potatoes with remaining butter/oil and season generously with more salt and pepper. Cover dish with foil and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until potatoes are tender and almost fully cooked. Increase oven heat to 450æF (230°C), remove foil and let roast another 10 to 20 minutes, until tops of potatoes are nicely browned.

[Too Tall]

smittkenkitchen for the win. i made the same thing although i mandolined the sweet potatoes more thinly. worked out very well, people loved it.

I WAS going to use this as an excuse to buy one but I just sharpened my knives so....
It is as good as it looks. Easy to overcook them before uncovering and I'd like to mandoline these to make them even more crispy.
LOL sugar??? OMG no.
Boxer - Pan warmed turkey white meat warmed with a smidge of gravy + smashed sweet potatos on toasted bread with arugala and crisp ale. He!!s yes.

[JoB]

it was actually mrs. JoB who did the mandolining - i don't think they lend themselves to the job particularly well because they are so hard.

overcooking was definitely an issue but the bottom of the pan was basically very soft sweet potatoes - still very good, and I am so glad no more orange or sugar flavors in my sp's.

I WAS going to use this as an excuse to buy one but I just sharpened my knives so....
It is as good as it looks. Easy to overcook them before uncovering and I'd like to mandoline these to make them even more crispy.
LOL sugar??? OMG no.
Boxer - Pan warmed turkey white meat warmed with a smidge of gravy + smashed sweet potatos on toasted bread with arugala and crisp ale. He!!s yes.

[Britishbane]

Homemade Apfelstrudel -- authentic German family recipe from way, way back.
]

Willing to share the recipe?

[Noteddy]

Since I got a decent ride in, I might be able to justify this:

Leftover dressing crisped in the waffle iron or griddle. Reheat some gravy and shred some Gruyere into it. Reheat some turkey in the gravey and top it off with a fried or poached egg and some cranberries. Oh. And bacon. Throw some bacon in there somewhere.

Hey, you are gonna ride tomorrow, too right?