Thanksgiving Dinner

[Tenderloin]

In additional to the typical Thanksgiving spread (which includes ham and turkey at our house) every year we have pastitsio.

 

 

My grandpa used to make it, but now my sister or my parents do the honors.

 

 

MMMMM....kefelotiri cheese

 

I think pasticcio deserves its own thread

[Wendy]

My favorite part is always the oyster stuffing

 

... and the "turkey cookies" which are turkey-shaped sugar cookies with sort of ugly brown food coloring frosting. Man, we need an artist in this family.

[PigSooie]

[theashtraysays]

Cranberries. It's all about the cranberries.

[ZenLunatic]

Because it's not like a vegetarian hates the flavor and experience of meat. It's where it comes from.

 

This could be a whole other thread.

So you prevent yourself from eating something you like because its the killing of animals? What if an animal died accidentally?

I guess I always thought vegetarians just naturally lost the liking of meat.

[Sir Stewart]

Don't even think about it, you'll be fine.

[PigSooie]

Don't even think about it, you'll be fine.

 

[Sir Stewart]

I mean, jeez.

[ZenLunatic]

Don't even think about it, you'll be fine.

 

I just dont know any vegetarians that seek out meat flavored food that isnt meat. Vegetarians I know dislike meat.

[gogo]

I just dont know any vegetarians that seek out meat flavored food that isnt meat. Vegetarians I know dislike meat.

Seriously?

 

fakon

soysages

chicken pretenders

shamburger

 

It's a whole game in my house, coming up with the best names for all the fake meat!

[cryptique]

In additional to the typical Thanksgiving spread (which includes ham and turkey at our house) every year we have pastitsio.

 

 

My grandpa used to make it, but now my sister or my parents do the honors.

Pastitsio is one of my favorite things. I doubt we'll ever have it at Thanksgiving, however (and I don't think my parents have ever tried to make it -- I've only ever had it at restaurants).

[Analogman]

I just dont know any vegetarians that seek out meat flavored food that isnt meat. Vegetarians I know dislike meat.

 

I don't really recall what it tastes like - it has been almost 18 years - but I don't think the veggie burgers I eat taste like meat.

 

Some people are ok with the so-called fake meat products - while others I know would never eat such a thing, let alone food from a box or can or whatever.

[cryptique]

I just dont know any vegetarians that seek out meat flavored food that isnt meat. Vegetarians I know dislike meat.

I live with one, and she doesn't eat much fake meat stuff any more, but when we first met she ate a lot of it. I think it has a lot to do with being accustomed to old ways of eating and trying to maintain those ways without actual meat. To that end, you start using stuff like veggie sausage, fake ground beef, or fake bacon, so you can cook some of the same recipes you liked before and have a somewhat similar experience.

 

Eventually Melissa decided that she wanted to make a wholesale change in what she ate, rather than trying to adapt old favorites, and she pretty much dropped faux meats from her diet ... but there are still a few things she likes and eats once in a while.

 

As for me, though I'm a carnivore, there are some faux meats I'll eat because they're healthier and I don't notice much of a difference in certain recipes. There's a fake ground beef I often use for tacos and stuff, and I use it even if Melissa's not eating with me.

 

It's this stuff:

 

[ZenLunatic]

Seriously?

 

fakon

soysages

chicken pretenders

shamburger

 

It's a whole game in my house, coming up with the best names for all the fake meat!

 

Yeah. I understand if certain fake meat items taste good then eat it. But some things come off like people are just sepressing a craving, like dieting. I thought vegetarianism was more natural, maybe not in all cases. Ok, back to thanksgiving.

[gogo]

Yeah. I understand if certain fake meat items taste good then eat it. But some things come off like people are just sepressing a craving, like dieting. I thought vegetarianism was more natural, maybe not in all cases. Ok, back to thanksgiving.

As cryptique pointed out above, the fake stuff, while certainly not natural, is often healthier than real meat. And it has the advantage of not actually being a dead animal. I'm not a vegetarian, but I very rarely eat real meat.

 

One of the times that I will though, is Thanksgiving.

 

As Anya put it on a Thanksgiving episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "It's a ritual sacrifice. With pie."

[ZenLunatic]

As cryptique pointed out above, the fake stuff, while certainly not natural, is often healthier than real meat. And it has the advantage of not actually being a dead animal. I'm not a vegetarian, but I very rarely eat real meat.

 

One of the times that I will though, is Thanksgiving.

 

As Anya put it on a Thanksgiving episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: "It's a ritual sacrifice. With pie."

 

I try to stay healthy and eat alot of those items too. I do like the Boca burger, but like Analogman said it taste nothing like meat, just in the shape of a burger. I love meat though. Maybe one day I'll be a vegetarian, but I think it will come naturally if I do. hmmm, cant see it happening soon.

[Lammycat]

I cooked close to a 29 lb. bird last Sunday and have been eating leftovers all week. I won't be let down come Thanksgiving, though, as someone else is cooking another bird.

 

I usually use an oven bag when I cook a turkey. It cuts down on cooking time and always keeps the bird moist. The on;y drawback is it doesn't leave the brown cook-off in the bottom of the pan that is grwat for cscraping when doing the gravy. You can still do a nice gravy with the juices from the bag, but the little brown scrapings aren't there.

[embiggen]

TURDUCKEN!

[Twisted Acres]

TURDUCKEN!

 

aww, yeah! That's our Super Bowl tradition.

[Preferred B]

Feel free to scoff, but, we do this.

You really only do it because their URL is McPies.com, don't you?

[embiggen]

I haven't had a fried turkey in a very long time.

[cryptique]

TURDUCKEN!

I try not to eat anything with the word "turd" in it.

 

My mom really rolls out the feast, without fail, every Thanksgiving. She does a massive turkey, makes fantastic homemade stuffing and gravy, and surrounds that with an endless supply of delicious side dishes, some of which reappear (due to popular demand) but many of which are test-drives (she's never been shy about using us as guinea pigs). There's a great dish she makes involving broccoli and cashews (kind of a casserole) that we request every year.

 

The turkey is always done using a lower-temperature method that requires it to be cooked overnight. It's always perfect.

 

My dad makes the World's Best Mashed Potatoes.

 

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of the year.

[ZenLunatic]

I haven't had a fried turkey in a very long time.

 

I never had a fried turkey, sounds super yummy. I did have a wild turkey, it was great.

[tongue-tied lightning]

Feel free to scoff, but, we do this. We don't cook (ah, the joy of living in the best take-out neighborhood in the city...), and we'll have anywhere from 30 to 50 people for Thanksgiving, depending on who shows up and who brings along friends. This way, it's all in the fridge, we re-heat as necessary (and if necessary, we run down the street and using Grandma's oven for overflow heating-up, whatever doesn't fit into ours) and the left-overs are already in nice containers to send home with folks when they're leaving.

 

you're living my dream

[gogo]

you're living my dream

We'd love to have you there. C'mon over!