My Thanksgiving Menu comes together

[NulloModo]

Heya,

So today I went out grocery shopping with my father (I am heading out to my parents' place for Thanksgiving) and I think the menu is starting to come together. I am cooking some, they are cooking some, and our old neighbors (who still come to have Thanksgiving dinner with us, and in return we go to have Christmas dinner with them) are cooking some. Some will be low-carb, some high-carb, some traditional, some not-so much. Here is what it looks like for now:

Appetizers:

Relish Tray -

Italian Marinated Mushrooms
Italian Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Dill Pickle Spears
Pickled Okra
Hearts of Palm
Anchovy stuffed Hot Peppers
Peanuts
Pecans
Smoked Oysters

Tray of assorted Salumi and Hard Cheeses

Includes various dry-cured salamis, pepperoni, prociutto di parma, 3-year aged Gouda, Parmesan Reggiano, Gruyere, various aged cheddars (including one whiskey infused and one washed with port wine), Marinated balls of fresh Mozerella, and whatever other things pop up. Crackers will also accompany this for the high-carb people.

Tray of fresh cut vegetables and soft spreads

Including Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Celery, Herb crusted Chevre, garlic-herb Boursin, sundried tomato and herb Boursin, various dressings.


Main Dishes:

Deep Fried whole turkey injected with a cajun marinade (this will be my first attempt at this, my father has placed me in charge of the bird... uh oh, no pressure there ).

Ham in an orange and coke glaze (my father is doing this one, the glaze is fairly high-carb, so I will imbibe this in extreme moderation).


Sides:

Squash casserole (involves yellow squash, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and fried asian-style onions on top. It is crispy, cheesey, and oh so decadent, my grandmother's recipe, lightly modified for low-carb duty).

Southern style green beans with ham-hocks.

Southern style collard greens with ham-hocks.

Oyster Bread Stuffing (high-carb, the neighbors always bring this).

Traditional corn-bread stuffing (also high-carb, my father is making this)

Low-Carb no-bread stuffing (based on a recipe from FoodTV's Low-carb and Loving it)

Candied yams (high-carb, with marshmallows on top, this will be hard to resist, but I will be strong. This used to be my favorite Thanksgiving dish).

Faux Candied-yams (canned pumpkin, 'candied' pecan topping, maybe a meringue marshmallow topping as a stand in as was previously discussed).

Low-carb cranberry Relish

Fresh corn-bread (high-carb)

Fresh low-carb dinner rolls (if Honeyville gets me my order in time and my initial experiments work out)

Roasted assorted vegetables

Onion Confit

Creamed Onions

Brazilian Style fried rice dish (high-carb)

Low-carb creamy rissoto of cauliflower with saffron, cardamom, and chorizo.

Desserts:

Caramel Apple Pie (high-carb)

Low-carb dual layer cheesecake/pumpkin pie with macadamia nut crust.

Bourbon-molasses bread pudding (high-carb)

Bossa Nova (a Brazillan Dessert - high-carb)

Home-made ice cream (high-carb, although I might try to make a batch of LC ice cream if I can get ahold of the machine long enough)

Various Coffees/dessert wines.


So, while there will be plenty of high-carb temptations, I think I will be able to manage with the low-carb choices there as well. I am also looking forward to tons of leftovers and not having to cook for a bit.

[Desertthorn]

So, how many folks are we feeding and I'll need an address. (Sorry nurselady, I think I'm going to HIS house this year).

[pammie]

I love deep fried turkey! make sure you use peanut oil, eh...nothing else works quite as well.

and ask your father to glaze the ham with diet coke...it will save a lot of carbs (and calories) and won't be able to tell the difference...this is how I always do ham.

[not2late]

I'm beginning to prepare my contributions to the family Thanksgiving. It's done potluck style, so I don't have to worry about the salads, some vegetable sides, the turkey or the stuffed ham (Thank God for that, stuffed ham is a labor-intense two day operation!!!!).

Anyhow, one of my sisters is on Atkins too. So we're bringing stuff that will definitely be legal:

Cheesy spoonbread
Faux "candied" sweet potatoes (with sugar free meringues on top)
Some cheeses
Garlic sauteed Brussels sprouts (the family likes the way I cook them)
Scalloped turnip or kohlrabi

[Heidi3]

So, how many folks are we feeding and I'll need an address. (Sorry nurselady, I think I'm going to HIS house this year).

no kidding I want to go too the desserts sound way too good Nullo!!! that makes my menu look pretty sad!!!!

I actually am doing my menu directly from Sunset Magazine Southwest Thanksgiving (this months edition) with the edition of my enchiladas (an important tradition) and Dos Equis and Margaritas it is not entirely low carb but there are enough dishes that are that are and I am cooking for more than just myself...I will make a sugarless pie as well as a sugary one and the veggies are all good!!!...

[NulloModo]

There will be around 15 to 20 people at the dinner, give or take. Some years it is more, some years it is less. Friends, neighbors, and friends of neighbors tend to unexpectedly get thrown into the mix from time to time, so we tend to make more than we need just to account for and extras. It never hurts to have leftovers either.

Nurselady - A southwestern style Thanksgiving sounds interesting.

[Heidi3]

There will be around 15 to 20 people at the dinner, give or take. Some years it is more, some years it is less. Friends, neighbors, and friends of neighbors tend to unexpectedly get thrown into the mix from time to time, so we tend to make more than we need just to account for and extras. It never hurts to have leftovers either.

Nurselady - A southwestern style Thanksgiving sounds interesting.

It looked to good and aside from the turducken my son wants to make (I will leave that to him I persoannaly am not thrilled but who knows) we are having a regular turkey and and the following menu ...beware this is all not low carb but I plan to eat around it..I am too close to my goal and the fun is in the cooking anyway for me! It is so nice that Sunset gives the carb/calorie ect count of each dish..here is the menu the only thing different is I am adding our traditional pan of Santa Fe red and green enchiladas

-Gualillo tamerind glazed Turkey (low carb)
- red and green enchiladas
-spicy pecans
-Chorizo cornbread stuffing (I made homemade chicken chorizo this weekend...I will post the recipe it is low carb and very good!...smells wonderful and nice and spicy!)
-Roasted Poblano gravy (I will make one according to the recipe and one low carb)
-chipoltle corn mashed potatoes
-cauliflower gratin with queso cotiga (low carb)
-garlic green beans with Manchego (I may make this into brussels sprouts as the green beans look like crap at the store this is also low carb)
-chile spiced sweet potato tamales (very NOT Atkins! but made the house smell really good last night it is worth it for the aroma!!! the sweet potato and the masa and the chile it was amazing! Tamale air freshener!)
-cauiflower gratin with queson cotija (low carb)
-ancho chile pumpkin pie (am making 4 with the actual recipe and one crustless with out sugar..I ate almost the entire practice pie this weekend it was absolutely wonderful...pumpkin and chile are a perfect combo! amazing!!!)
- Mexican wedding cake

we love chile can you tell!!! it is good this year with the acception of the dried chipoltle they are kind of flat!....

Tonight I make the enchiladas so the house will smell wonderful as I go to bed...it is funny I love to eat but when I am cooking the act of it is enough!...the prep the cooking the smell ..I never taste..that is what I have family for!!!....rarely at the end of the cooking I will taste for salt but I think after all these years I just get to a point where it looks and smells and feels done!....Dessert can tell you however I am pretty lame with salt..I like adding my own at the table!...chile is another story! I believe more is more!!!

Nullo I am afraid to ask but what is a bossa nova? the name sounds yum!

[NulloModo]

I don't know how traditional it is, or even if the dish perhaps has a different name in Brazil, but Bossa Nova is sort of a layered frozen dessert involving layers of caramel, condensed milk, ice cream, and whipped cream. Very not Atkins friendly .

I am a little bit afraid of the dessert I will be attempting. I am trying to do this dual layer pumpkin pie on top of a cheesecake thing, so I guess I will have to see how it comes together.

[Heidi3]

I don't know how traditional it is, or even if the dish perhaps has a different name in Brazil, but Bossa Nova is sort of a layered frozen dessert involving layers of caramel, condensed milk, ice cream, and whipped cream. Very not Atkins friendly .

I am a little bit afraid of the dessert I will be attempting. I am trying to do this dual layer pumpkin pie on top of a cheesecake thing, so I guess I will have to see how it comes together.

are you making it in a pie tin or a cheesecake pan? I have done a cheese cake with a pumpkin swirl that was wondeful! will you put cream cheese in the pumpkin part? is this your own recipe?

[Desertthorn]

That sounds really good. Layer of almonds on the bottom, then the cheese cake and then the pumpkin. My mouth is squirting. Nurselady, since I don't get Sunset until after the holidays, what is your menu.

[Heidi3]

That sounds really good. Layer of almonds on the bottom, then the cheese cake and then the pumpkin. My mouth is squirting. Nurselady, since I don't get Sunset until after the holidays, what is your menu.

It is above scroll up!...

[2big4mysize]

Nullo have you tried to make low carb marshmellows?

Will you be partially prebaking the cheese cake so the pumpkin stays on top? Ive seen it in the store with nut crust like thing between the layers sort of like a 2 layer cobbler.
If you fon't have one you need a thermometer for the oil and the turkey. makes the cooking sooooooo much easier. Have fun with it and be safe remember don't do it on a wooden deck or any other flooring that could burn should somebody tip it over.

Oh and if you set up some chairs you'd be surprised how many folks will actually sit and watch the bird frying.

[NulloModo]

Yes, the fryer kit we bought came with a thermometer, so we are all set there. I need to call my dad tomorrow to make sure he has obtained the propane though.

The dessert will be a two layer thing. I made a pumpkin cheesecake last year and I was dissapointed with the results. I am thinking I will make a dense bourbon-cheesecake for the bottom later, bake it partially to solidify, then add another layer of ground nuts, then the pumpkin pie layer, bake it again to finish.

[Heidi3]

Yes, the fryer kit we bought came with a thermometer, so we are all set there. I need to call my dad tomorrow to make sure he has obtained the propane though.

The dessert will be a two layer thing. I made a pumpkin cheesecake last year and I was dissapointed with the results. I am thinking I will make a dense bourbon-cheesecake for the bottom later, bake it partially to solidify, then add another layer of ground nuts, then the pumpkin pie layer, bake it again to finish.

I made the pumpkin swirl cheese cake with half double cream cheese and half chevre (the regular white with out herbs of course) ...it was fantastic and usually desserts are not my thing.....the chevre really gave it an awesome texture and flavor...I am not sure why you have to prebake the cheesecake part mine is usually thick enough to put a topping on it while baking and keep it separate...

[kpoll19]

Re: My Thanksgiving Menu comes together

I would really like the following recipe if someone has it:

Low-carb dual layer cheesecake/pumpkin pie with macadamia nut crust.

Thanks,
Kelly