American Thanksgiving.

[Coidzor]

Welcome to Thanksgiving, everyone in the U.S. And for those of you outside the U.S., have some turkey today.

I'm currently stuck in a motel room about to hit the hay and wake up for the last 3 hours of the drive to the family reunion/turkey massacre. I think we're frying the buggers this year, but we might be doing halfsies between roast and fried.

[valadil]

Has anyone tried grilling a Turkey? I suggested it to my GF and she looked at me with a disgust usually reserved for Baconnaise (http://www.baconnaise.com/).

[arguskos]

Heh, I'm having a frozen pizza, since my family is too far away, and my friends are all with their families or busy (read: studying on Thanks-frikkin-giving), so I can only say "Happy Thanksgiving" in a general sense. :smallwink:

Also, valadil, as for grilling a turkey, yeah, it's pretty decent, assuming you flavor it well (turkey dries out rather easily, as you may know, so you'll want to prevent that with good amounts of your favorite glaze/spices/whatever).

EDIT: On that note, is anyone else spending the holiday alone? Just curious if anyone actually does that other than me. :smallsigh:

[Coidzor]

Has anyone tried grilling a Turkey? I suggested it to my GF and she looked at me with a disgust usually reserved for Baconnaise (http://www.baconnaise.com/).

I think there's something about getting to carve the turkey up afterwards that people enjoy/think is traditional.

Not sure what happens to the taste, but most people, I think, associate grilled turkey with sammiches and don't really feel sammiches measure up to the glorious debauchery that is thanksgiving dinner. One of the few dinners which can actually occur during the midday and be comprehended outside of the american south. I've had like, grilled turkey subs and such, but never around thanksgiving.

I think one of the main issues is that the easiest way to get the amounts of turkey is to get the roasters/friers, and so deboning and cutting into grilling strips/sections would become an issue for the amount of work put into preparation. Thankfully dressing/stuffing no longer has to be cooked inside the bird anymore and can actually just be cooked underneath the bird to catch the drippings.

Hmm, this leads me to ask, when do you all have your thanksgiving dinner? Midday or evening?

[thubby]

Has anyone tried grilling a Turkey? I suggested it to my GF and she looked at me with a disgust usually reserved for Baconnaise (http://www.baconnaise.com/).

turkeys are probably too big to begin with, you'd likely burn parts before the insides get done.
or we'd end up with yet another way to botch making a turkey (see: deep frying)

[Coidzor]

turkeys are probably too big to begin with, you'd likely burn parts before the insides get done.
or we'd end up with yet another way to botch making a turkey (see: deep frying)

Hey... they only explode when you put them in while still frozen.

I don't see what the problem is with deep frying, I mean, yeah, is a bit of fattiness added, but mostly it just seemed to go in a little bit and then just lock in the juices, ish, so that it was a bit less dry than the usual amount of dryness that seaps in.

I didn't really notice much of a difference other than the fact that less seasoning could be used on the fried turkey. What's botched about frying 'em?

[Thanatos 51-50]

EDIT: On that note, is anyone else spending the holiday alone? Just curious if anyone actually does that other than me. :smallsigh:

I haven't spent a holiday NOT alone since Christmas '06.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Deep fired...

I don't know what is staggering me more, deep fried turkey, or the fact that you can get deep fat fryers for the home big enough.

[thubby]

I didn't really notice much of a difference other than the fact that less seasoning could be used on the fried turkey. What's botched about frying 'em?

besides the enormous safety hazard :smallconfused:
if i recall, it's in the top 5 (or was it 10?) causes of injury and damage during the holidays

[Quincunx]

Happy early Thanksgiving. . .

I don't even remember what I seasoned my turkey drumsticks with, other than the mustard powder, the only spice still in a bag instead of a jar. My seasoning method is as follows:
Open spice container.
Sniff spice.
Is spice suitable for that food?
Y: season food, go to N
N: close spice container.

The poultry butcher shops here sell turkey roughly quartered, which would make grilling it more feasible, but wouldn't you use a liquid marinade to combat the dryness?

What I'm missing this year is the candied sweet potato. I can't seem to get it non-burnt when I start from raw sweet potatoes.

[potatocubed]

My seasoning method is as follows:
Open spice container.
Sniff spice.
Is spice suitable for that food?
Y: season food, go to N
N: close spice container.

Mine is similar.

Open spice container.
Sniff spice.
Cough, sneeze, choke, spice up nose.
Is spice garlic, pepper, mustard, or something I haven't used in a while?
Y: season food, go to N
N: roll a six-sided die - on a 5+, season food.
Close spice container.

Surprisingly, I'm actually a pretty good cook. :smalltongue:

[Red Sock]

It isn't American Thanksgiving. It's The Real Thanksgiving. Calling it American acknowledges that silly imitation holiday that the Canadians have. :smalltongue:

[happyturtle]

I am thankful for the internet. It's where all my friends live. :smallsmile:

[Tirian]

besides the enormous safety hazard :smallconfused:
if i recall, it's in the top 5 (or was it 10?) causes of injury and damage during the holidays

I agree with The King of Town (http://www.homestarrunner.com/thanks07.html) -- the much greater risk is the unhappiness of families who don't eat deep-fried turkey.

Anyway, hope everyone out there has a Thanksgiving dinner that can't be beat!

[Zar Peter]

It isn't American Thanksgiving. It's The Real Thanksgiving. Calling it American acknowledges that silly imitation holiday that the Canadians have. :smalltongue:

Happy Thanksgiving to all United Staters! :smallbiggrin: And to all other Americans, too.

(Don't have this holiday here, but we have about 15 holidays in Austria so one more or less isn't that important)

[Jack Squat]

Has anyone tried grilling a Turkey? I suggested it to my GF and she looked at me with a disgust usually reserved for Baconnaise (http://www.baconnaise.com/).

We did one year. It wasn't bad, but a little dry if I remember.

What I'd really like to try is rotisserie. Smoked would be good too.

[Mauve Shirt]

Sweet potatoes and stuffing and turkey! And pie!
We're eating Thanksgiving Dinner with friends instead of family this year, and it's crazy, 'cause they have completely different traditions from ours. They apparently have this chocolate custard pie every year, which doesn't seem Thanksgivingy to me. But then we told them about my grandmother's sweet potatoes and marshmallows in oranges, and they were like WHAAAAAAAAT?! And this is just one of our differences! But we're hosting the thing, so they can suck it up and cry inside. :smallbiggrin:
My job is to clean the floors. When people get out of my way!

[TwoBitWriter]

I am spending it in half days. One half with my family, the other with hers. So I will have to eat two Thanksgiving Dinners. :smallsigh:

My poor tummy will not be able to handle it, I think...

But, I'm thankful for my wonderful wife, my great job, and all my friends here in the Playground. Even if you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I wanted to say I appreciate your friendship all the same! :smallbiggrin:

[Evil DM Mark3]

Happy thanksgiving all you Americans! I always find it amusing how America seems to have a practice Christmas, but the sentiment is an admirable one. I am thankful for being alive and having my health. Everything else is trimmings.

[Krytha]

Thanksgiving... well, I missed the last round, and I'll be flying solo for this one too. Oh if only I could waddle to the door and get some chocolate cake.

[afroakuma]

Happy Thanksgiving, neighbors!

You're late, of course, but we won't fault you for that.

[Red Sock]

Happy Thanksgiving, neighbors!

You're late, of course, but we won't fault you for that.

Stop trying to validate your cheap imitation Thanksgiving. :smallbiggrin:

[KnightDisciple]

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

[BizzaroStormy]

Family pretty much disowned me so I don't really have thanksgiving dinner anymore. In its place, I'm having Thanksgaming and playing videogames till my eyes bleed and my thumbs falls off.

[afroakuma]

Stop trying to validate your cheap imitation Thanksgiving. :smallbiggrin:

Stop making excuses for tardiness! :smallamused:

[charl]

Thanksthewhatnow?

You crazy colonials with your quaint little holidays and poultry substitutes. I've never even had any of this "turkey" you speak of. Turkey is a country to the south east to me.

[Setra]

I'll be leaving to drive over to my Grandmother's (on my father's side) for half of the day to spend time with my Father's family. Then I'll drive to my Aunt's (Mother's sister) to spend the rest of the day with my mother's family.

[SilentNight]

My extended family is actually coming here for the first time ever.

[CMOTDibbler]

I'm watching the Thanksgiving day parade, and just got Rick rolled by the Foster's Home of Imaginary friends. Rick Astley was on the float! I couldn't stop laughing. :smallbiggrin:

[Jack Squat]

I'm watching the Thanksgiving day parade, and just got Rick rolled by the Foster's Home of Imaginary friends. Rick Astley was on the float! I couldn't stop laughing. :smallbiggrin:

That was truely awesome. I'm not sure how we can top rickrolling all of America on national television.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Here is somthing to make you americans groan. Apparently an american friend of mine overheard the following amoung a group of about 8 school children (about 8 years old, not the future of America I think).

Child 1:So what you gunna do for the assignment?
Child 2:What, the one about tanks? Why is there a holiday about tanks?
Child 3:Nah its some old folkey holiday, thanksgiving.
Child 4::smallfurious: Thanksgiving, what the :smallfurious: do I care about :smallfurious: hebrews, why can't we do about :smallfurious: Turkey day, thats a real holiday.

I would normaly doubt this, it sounds too stupid, but Josh is not prone to exageration.

[Flame of Anor]

I haven't spent a holiday NOT alone since Christmas '06.

:smallfrown::smallfrown::smallfrown:


My seasoning method is as follows:
Open spice container.
Sniff spice.
Is spice suitable for that food?
Y: season food, go to N
N: close spice container.

What I'm missing this year is the candied sweet potato. I can't seem to get it non-burnt when I start from raw sweet potatoes.

Ha ha, yeah, I often season like that.

And have you tried cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave? For non-candied, at least, it works like a charm. Just put them in for several minutes, take them out, pull off the loosened skin, and HAVE YOUR WAY WITH THEM MUA-HA-HA-HA.


Here is somthing to make you americans groan. Apparently an american friend of mine overheard the following amoung a group of about 8 school children (about 8 years old, not the future of America I think).

Child 1:So what you gunna do for the assignment?
Child 2:What, the one about tanks? Why is there a holiday about tanks?
Child 3:Nah its some old folkey holiday, thanksgiving.
Child 4::smallfurious: Thanksgiving, what the :smallfurious: do I care about :smallfurious: hebrews, why can't we do about :smallfurious: Turkey day, thats a real holiday.

I would normaly doubt this, it sounds too stupid, but Josh is not prone to exageration.

Man, today's youth are idiots. (Me and my friends and present company excepted.)

[SnowballMan]

Heh, I'm having a frozen pizza, since my family is too far away, and my friends are all with their families or busy...

EDIT: On that note, is anyone else spending the holiday alone? Just curious if anyone actually does that other than me. :smallsigh:

Pretty much in the same boat here. The really annoying thing is, I need to go shopping and every things closed. And of course tomorrow will be a nightmare.

Yeah, not thankful for much right now.

[Red Sock]

Stop making excuses for tardiness! :smallamused:

*checks date*

Hmmm, it's the last Thursday of November. That's when Thanksgiving is supposed to be, so we're on time. Now stop compensating for the fact that your holiday is a cheap imitation. Besides, what do Canadians have to be thankful for?

[d'Bwobsling]

My entire family is vegetarians, so thanksgiving isn't as special for me.

[afroakuma]

*checks date*

Hmmm, it's the last Thursday of November. That's when Thanksgiving is supposed to be, so we're on time. Now stop compensating for the fact that your holiday is a cheap imitation. Besides, what do Canadians have to be thankful for?

Oh, so many possible jokes...

Sadly, political jokes are frowned upon, so I'll stick to:

Not having our version tarnished by a national Rickroll?

[adanedhel9]

Unfortunately, I'm not heading home (ie the parents' place) for Thanksgiving, for a couple reasons.

1) I'm on call the entire four-day weekend. A three-hour car trip while on call is not exactly the best idea.

2) My parents are working anyway and aren't planning on doing anything.

3) My sister's not going to be there either.

I think this might actually be the longest I've ever been since going home - last time was around Memorial Day. Definitely looking forward to Christmas/New Years vacation.

So, I'm going to go celebrate stuff-your-gut day with my one bit of family that lives in the area. Among the extended relations there will be a deaf couple, which has me intrigued; I convinced one of my coworkers to give me a crash course in ASL. Should be interesting.

[detrevnisisiht]

My entire family is vegetarians, so thanksgiving isn't as special for me.

I'm a vegan in a (huge)family of voracious carnivores, how do you think I feel sitting at that table. (we have over 60 lbs of food in turkey alone:smalleek:)

[Mauve Shirt]

Our table is going to be a starch extravaganza, with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing and bread. And turkey and a salad, I guess. Probably beans of some kind.

[Raiser Blade]

I'm a vegan in a (huge)family of voracious carnivores, how do you think I feel sitting at that table. (we have over 60 lbs of food in turkey alone:smalleek:)

Eat meat. The turkey's are dead. You can honor their short miserable existances by chomping dow on a leg or two. :smallwink:


My family always comes over for thaksgiving and christmas. There is much food and laughter. I'm one of the lucky ones I guess.

[The Glyphstone]

This is the first Thanksgiving I've spent alone since I was born. I'm stuck at college, and my family is off on a cruise in the Carribean.

[RTGoodman]

EDIT: On that note, is anyone else spending the holiday alone? Just curious if anyone actually does that other than me. :smallsigh:

Man, I'm almost to the point that I WISH I was. We've got a whole host of almost 30 people on their way here today, including punks who like to steal stuff (up to and including cars), alcoholics, people who hate each other and refuse to acknowledge each other, and all sorts of other folks.

That said, I am glad to see a good deal of my family I haven't seen in a while, and once everyone else is gone the 7 of us (my parents, grandma, brother, cousin, aunt, and I) that all live right here together will at least be able to have our post-Thanksgiving meal - left-over turkey (sauteed in a little butter) on sandwiches! (We do our main meal early in the afternoon, around 3:00ish, and then have the post-dinner meal late, like 9:00 or later.)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[Trebuchet]

My entire family is vegetarians, so thanksgiving isn't as special for me.

I was vegetarian for about 14 years and had lots of fun on Thanksgiving. One year I shaped an enormous pile of mashed potatoes into a turkey and put an orange construction paper turkey head on it. Sick, I know, but funny. Once we had an big pile of veggie samosas, which aren't turkey or especially American, but are certainly delicious. Laughing is better than turkey.

Hello everyone across the Atlantic!

[Red Sock]

Oh, so many possible jokes...

Sadly, political jokes are frowned upon, so I'll stick to:

Not having our version tarnished by a national Rickroll?

You're thankful for having a worse sense of humor?

[Recaiden]

*checks date*

Hmmm, it's the last Thursday of November. That's when Thanksgiving is supposed to be, so we're on time. Now stop compensating for the fact that your holiday is a cheap imitation. Besides, what do Canadians have to be thankful for?

What don't you have to be thankful for?
And hello to Trebuchet and everyone else outside of the US

[Tirian]

This is the first Thanksgiving I've spent alone since I was born. I'm stuck at college, and my family is off on a cruise in the Carribean.

That is teh suck. In my college, our supercool Physics 101 professor opened his house every Thanksgiving because to him it was unacceptable for long-distance students to be alone.

[afroakuma]

You're thankful for having a worse sense of humor?

Blasphemy.

[Red Sock]

Blasphemy.

I'm speaking out against the Canadian propaganda machine! Fight the power!

[Kneenibble]

Speaking for at least Prairie Canadians, it would be silly to hold a harvest-time feast when we're already getting nocturnal cold snaps in the C -20s and with a foot of snow on the ground. No... six weeks ago when the temperatures were still above freezing was juuust fine to celebrate agricultural bounty.

[Alarra]

I'm a vegan in a (huge)family of voracious carnivores, how do you think I feel sitting at that table. (we have over 60 lbs of food in turkey alone:smalleek:)

I'm not remotely vegetarian or vegan....I just don't like turkey, and I always wind up stuffed beyond belief, even when I don't have any meat.

For my Thanksgiving, I'm home visiting the relatives....it's nice. I've missed them. Personally, my favorite Thanksgiving tradition is Black Friday and I am quite looking forward to a whirlwind morning of shopping...yes, I will be standing in line somewhere at 3:45 am, shopping furiously until about 10:30, by which time I will probably have hit 6 or 7 stores. Then we shall have a lovely breakfast at Perkins and head home for a nap. :smallsmile:

[Raiser Blade]

Speaking of Black Friday I have two friends who work retail at an electronics store friday morning at 4:00 am.

I do not envy them. :smalleek:

[Fawkes]

Mmm... food coma...

[Sequinox]

That was me, circa 2 hours ago.

[BizzaroStormy]

Personally, I can't eat hot turkey, it always seems dry regardless of how juicy it is. However, it becomes amazing once it has gotten cold and has a little bit of mayo on it.

[Jack Squat]

Personally, I can't eat hot turkey, it always seems dry regardless of how juicy it is. However, it becomes amazing once it has gotten cold and has a little bit of mayo on it.

cold turkey is delicious. I prefer some cold gravy on it instead of mayo though.

[Coidzor]

We had turkey and dressing sammiches for the evening meal tonight, as usual, and rather than going the usual dressing+turkey+mayo, I added in some cranberry salsa which is a divine thing.

One of my aunts found the recipe and decided to try it out just last night before making enough to take to dinner today. It was awesome, and I am not normally a fan of cranberries.

Another interesting development was lemon meringue pie cake during the actual thanksgiving dinner around 1 PM. That is, lemon cake with a layer of lemon-pie filling and with meringue instead of frosting.

When did you ladies and gentlemen have your thanksgiving dinners? I'm from a southern family so we favor a more midday dinner with leftovers making the aforementioned sammiches.

[DraPrime]

Happy thanksgiving!

I had candy. :smallamused:

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

...

Man, I had my turkey last month! And my pumpkin pie to! Because that's when pumpkins are, you know, fresh.

Oh, and is it true that American cranberry sauce comes out of a tin and is like jelly, or is that just an old wives tale told to scare little children. :smallamused:

[Coidzor]

...

Man, I had my turkey last month! And my pumpkin pie to! Because that's when pumpkins are, you know, fresh.

Oh, and is it true that American cranberry sauce comes out of a tin and is like jelly, or is that just an old wives tale told to scare little children. :smallamused:

Only if you buy it from a store rather than taking 5 minutes to make it. And only if you buy the canned variety. There's non-jelly varieties available.

And is more of a jell-o like those jello casseroles with bits of fruit suspended in them.

[Jack Squat]

...

Man, I had my turkey last month! And my pumpkin pie to! Because that's when pumpkins are, you know, fresh.

Oh, and is it true that American cranberry sauce comes out of a tin and is like jelly, or is that just an old wives tale told to scare little children. :smallamused:

I've never liked pumpkin pie. Chocolate Pecan for me.

It's not jelly per se...more of really bad jello (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Cranberry_Sauce_from_can.jpg)

[PhallicWarrior]

Ugh. Just got back from cousins' house. Ate like a pig and managed to burn all of those calories in a single night chasing after those four. (Did I have a good time? WHAT DO YOU THINK?!) At least the food was good. Good turkey, good gravy, good mashed potatoes (Including the definitive diet-killer, cheesy twice-baked potatoes. Mmm.), good green beans (baked into an excellent quiche-like thing.) And of course, the sweet potatoes with apples. (And cranberry sauce on the side, but I wasn't getting anywhere near that stuff.)

[Vagnarok]

I usually don't like turkey, but it was pretty good this year. Every other year that we've actually had turkey (often we have steaks) we've bought a frozen one. This year though we found out that frozen turkeys are injected with tons of oil and fat to contain the moisture! gross! We bought a fresh one and it was awesome.

So happy thanksgiving all!

[SilentNight]

Food coma status reached. Cider obtained.

[Raging Gene Ray]

Happy Extended Thanksgiving! (http://www.weebls-stuff.com/testy/AdventCalendar/day23.html) Thanksgiving dinner should last at least three days.

[Coidzor]

Happy Extended Thanksgiving! (http://www.weebls-stuff.com/testy/AdventCalendar/day23.html) Thanksgiving dinner should last at least three days.

If it doesn't it means you're throwing out leftovers or just are doing it wrong.

[thubby]

If it doesn't it means you're throwing out leftovers or just are doing it wrong.

throwing out left overs isn't doing it wrong? :smallconfused:

[Coidzor]

throwing out left overs isn't doing it wrong? :smallconfused:

Throwing out the left overs is doing it wrong by throwing the baby out with the bathwater rather than, say, trying to do things to the bellybutton when attentions should be aimed lower.

Point taken. Conceded. God I hope we remember to grab some of that turkey and dressing before we vanish into the night after the 2 day visiting period ends....