What's your Thanksgiving timetable?

I might be able to do it from memory though...

From memory, the standard pie recipe has 1 big can of pumpkin (28 oz maybe?), 4 well-beaten (foamy) large eggs, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp mace, 1/2 tsp allspice. Mix together well, then stir in 1/2 cup flour, sifted.

A few years ago, Cooks Illustrated did some research on pumpkin pie, in which they dewatered the pumpkin on a thick layer of white paper towels spread on a baking sheet. Pumpkin has this great property of not sticking to the paper. I put down 5 or 6 layers of towels and spoon/smear the canned pumpkin over them. Lay a couple more thicknesses of towel on top and press. Change the top layer of towels several times. It doesn't have to be bone dry, but you want to take out a good quantity of moisture. When you're done sopping up the top layer, carefully lift one end of the bottom layer of toweling and flip that half of the pumpkin over on top of the other half, to make it easier to get into the bowl. When I make it this year, we'll do a photo session of the process :)

After nearly setting the cabinets on fire three years ago because my giant stainless bowl/bundt pan combo didn't actually fit in the oven, I switched to making the same amount of pudding divided into 2 4 cup ceramic ramekins and using my big oval roasting pan for the bain marie. The water needs to come all the way to the top of the mix in the mold, and I add more at the 1/2 way point of baking. I also start the baking/steaming with hot water in the bain marie, to speed things up a little bit. The 2 ramekins cook in 3 - 4 hours at 315 - 325 deg F. I don't bother greasing/flouring because I don't unmold it, just scoop it out instead.

Over the years I've tried straight baking vs. steaming - the results were not good. Higher heat/shorter time is also bad. Eating it hot is bad - the texture is all wrong until it has cooled. Warm is good, cold is better. It's not terribly sweet and it's delicious for breakfast.

I am looking forward to this! This technique sounds very interesting.

Oh, wait, now I remember last year! Holy crap, that was weird. I haven't seen any of the people I ate Thanksgiving with again.

Anyway I will be making breads and pies. My apple cranberry pie will make its turn. And maybe I'll try out Jaq's pumpkin madness. (Unless you want to come down for our Sunday-before-Tgiving orphan's Tgiving party/house show?)

if you google for nut roast recipes, you'll probably turn up a bunch of stuff. they have a reputation (in the uk, anyway) for being the ultimate humorless (and tasteless) vegetarian dish, but that rep is pretty outdated and i'm quite fond of them.

The pumpkin challah is just challah with pumpkin. Let's see...

One envelope instant yeast, 1/2 tsp cardamom, 1/2 tsp ginger, 2/3 c (90g) bread flour, 2/3 c (140g) hot water. 20 minutes until bubbling. Then add 1/3 c (70g) sugar, 1/4 c (55g) oil, 1 1/2 tsp (8g) salt, an egg, 1/2 c (115g) pumpkin. Then the remaining 3c+2tbsp (410g) bread flour. Knead, let rise, shape, let rise again. Makes two 1 lb loaves or 1 1.5 lb loaf and 3 rolls. Glaze with egg wash and add sesame seeds. Cook (rolls 25, 1 lb for 40, 1.5 lb for 45 minute) at 350/180C/mark 4.

(sorry to piss on anyone's chips here, but when I was veggie I stopped eating it)

(yes yes, I once was veggie)

(yes, yes, I was a veggie as well)

Quorn's uptake in the vegetarian market was hampered by the use of battery eggs in its production process, a practice opposed on ethical grounds by many vegetarians. For this reason, the Vegetarian Society initially did not approve these products. Working with the Vegetarian Society, Marlow began phasing out battery eggs in 2000, and by 2004 all Quorn products sold in the UK were produced without battery eggs, earning the seal of approval of the UK branch of the Vegetarian Society.

Note all the UK qualifiers.

It's time to REVIVE!

My current T'day schedule: hope and pray I get to go home on Tuesday 11/20.

research paper due monday 11/19. everything thanksgiving to occur after that.

Yeah, I'm thinking t'day might get pushed back a bit later in the month this year.

Although, Mr. Jaq is picking up the turkey today. I went for a small one this year, after the fiasco of the giant bird last year.

1 pm - go to chinese restaraunt and order $50 of food
2 pm - get home and get down

I didn't invite anybody this year because of this goddamn job and the high probability of it fucking up my life. But when I get home, those cranberries better WATCH OUT.

our menu per my host: pumpkin fritters to start, then pumpkin and pea soup, lemon-honey glazed turkey and pumpkin cupcakes with vanilla cinnamon icing

i have changed the dessert to rosewater napoleon and added green beans. i think he chose too many pumpkin dishes.

anyway, i don't know what his recipe is for the turkey, but the other stuff seems not too labor/time-intensive, right?

Will the fritters be fried? (Can you bake them? I don't know the options.) That might be a bit labor intensive, if they can't be done much in advance. Pumpkin and pea soup sounds yummy, btw. But I think 2 pumpkin focused things are plenty in one meal. Also, green beans = yes please.

Mr. Jaq advised he got "a nice" turkey - 9.8 lbs of standard bronze heritage goodness. Much more manageable than last year's 25 lb behemoth.

10-11am - everybody starts showing up at the farmhouse hauling foil-covered casseroles, crock pots, and various other serving dishes full of dumplings, roasts, cakes, casseroles (indeed), macaroni & cheese, greens, and ambrosia

noon - bell rings. uncle jerry says grace at the head of a long line of people I am ostensibly related to one way or another

2pm - everyone more fatter, thinking about seconds, wondering why aunt sally has such a thing about no booze at thanksgiving, 'cause a beer would be sweet

Mmmm, ambrosia.

The thing to try to get around the no-booze rule: rum balls, or a rum cake absolutely dripping with dark rum. Not the same as a beer, but not bad.

This morning: Wake up extra early, run to store, get eggs and various other ingredients, run home, make molasses cookies and peanut dip for today's pre-Tgiving "orphan's Thanksgiving" style party. All of which I have done with like an hour to spare.

well, i bought the wine and rosewater tonight, but it looks like everything else shopping- and prep-wise is happening on wednesday! eee the thought of the lines is not appealing considering how insane they were today.

omg! Tonight, I found out I actually get to go home for a few days tomorrow. Will be going to visit my MIL for t'day apparently, which I'm sure is the right thing to do, but I would so much rather just sit in my own apartment with my feet up, thinking about what I COULD cook if only I had the energy. I'll have 4 days in Seattle to be thankful for, at least, before I am returned to this sunny hellhole for as long as it takes to finish this fucking project.

Today I'm making pumpkin dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, maybe some mashed turnips and some similarly mashed potatoes. Some of which I'll have tonight and some of which I'll hopefully be sharing with someone tomorrow night.

But this is my 21st Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and I still haven't figured out a main dish that makes me happy.

Oh! And some brussels sprouts.

Happy Canadian T-day! Are you going to have a US one as well? I'm very interested in your pumpkin dinner rolls.

I never did roast last year's turkey ;_;

I hope it is not too freezer-burnt for this year.

I am planning to have a US one as well. We'll see how the pumpkin dinner rolls turn out, they are rising very slowly.

What sorts of things have you tried as main dishes? I'm generally stymied by what makes a good holiday vegetarian main, and hate falling into the gigantic cheese-bomb casserole trap.

i am going to a vegetarian/vegan thanksgiving this year at my boyfriend's parents' house. my first ever thanksgiving!

Does anyone know what that non-Tofurkey veg turkey recipe was? J0hn D had it on his site way back when, I forgot to bookmark and have completely forgotten the name.

Was it quorn? They make a turkey roast.

I've tried tofurkey, pasta/lasagna, nut loafs, and so on. I was thinking some sort of squash-and-tofu-on-rice dish might work.

The pumpkin rolls were ok, but something was a little off on them. Stupid internet recipes. But one of the comments said she added rosemary, which might have balanced it a bit more. Also they might taste better in the morning.

Good morning!

Yams roasted yesterday. Chicken this year as the main protein. Sides of brussel sprouts, cranberries, yams, dinner rolls. Cheesecake for dessert.

Made cherry pie yesterday, today it’s gumbo* butter rolls w herb butter, lightly sautéed green beans then pie w ice cream for dessert. Cooking for 4.

* I’ve done this for about 15 years bc it’s easy to procure ingreds, I’d never make a dark roux on a normal day, and it’s the only thing my dad ever cooked and he passed away in May. It’ll maybe taste different today.

<3 sounds delicious

cheesecake made last night
mr veg smoking turkey breast on bbq
i’ll make sides later: braised brussel sprouts w cream; roasted cauliflower w smoked paprika; and green beans w lemon & parsley
they’re all pretty easy-do

we got a super fancy takeout meal, gonna start heating things up around 3 pm

Spiced Nuts
Marinated Olives
Onion Dip, Smoked Trout Roe & Housemade Chips
Brie & Quince Turnovers

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast & Confit Leg
turkey gravy & cranberry orange chutney

Mashed Potatoes

Wild Mushroom & Leek Stuffing
chanterelles & thyme

Green Beans
onion soubise & crispy shallots

Roasted Fall Vegetables
spicy maple & rosemary

Chicory Salad
beets, apple, hazelnut vinaigrette

Pumpkin Pie
chantilly cream

just the two of us, for the first time I can remember

wow that sounds amazing

yours sounds great too! mmm smoked turkey

my faaaaaavorite

The turkey went in the oven at 1pm; should be ready and resting at 4:30. At that point I start the potatoes (peeled and in water on the stove top) and put the fish (for my sister) in the oven. The asparagus is also ready for a quick steaming.

My guests are scheduled to arrive around 4pm; my mother's stuffing goes into the oven to warm up.

Officially everything is planned for 5pm, but my guests have not been fussy in the past. And a good thing; while I've done this before, so much of this has to be done at the last minute.