A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Home for the Holidays Holiday Meal Ideas?

I'm rather curious what you all like to put on your Thanksgiving and Christmas tables! I know that some families prefer prime rib to a turkey or a ham, and the glorious sides can be almost too much to count... What do you like?

I always like to have Black Olives, Garlic Mashed potatoes, some kind of dinner rolls (really depends on what looks good in the moment).

If I'm having ham I like scalloped potatoes with it instead of garlic mashed potatoes.

And what about goose, has anyone eaten a goose? We have them everywhere and I've never even thought of eating one until I heard someone talking about a Christmas Goose, lol...

I have cooked one goose for Christmas. It was good and different. That was back in the mid-70's. I like duck too, bacon wrapped.
None of my kids much care for turkey and a whole one is too much for me. They also don't like ham. So we will do some kind of beef but that will depend on what I can find that looks good.
Sides I tend to cook all fall once the heat of summer leaves. I actually have been eating crustless pumpkin pie for breakfast a lot. Lots of potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Sides for Thanksgiving include both types of potatoes, black olives rolls of some type, Always real butter, Some type of fruit salad, and stuffing. Bread stuffing, not happy with cornbread or rice dressings.
I am getting hungry now and have not really planned much for dinner.

Tators
stuffing
turkey
gravy
couple salads
cranberry sauce
pumpkin pie
pumpkin roll
walnut cookies
Last 4 are musts to my appetite

My Grandmother would always cook Duck and Turkey for Thanksgiving. I love a good roasted duck or goose.

For Thanksgiving Day we most usually have:
Turkey, dressing, mashed white potatoes, gravy,
a sweet potato casserole,
either "the" green bean casserole or just green beans.
corn,
a green salad and of course
a cranberry salad that I have listed in recipes here.
Rolls, usually just brown n serve unless someone gets creative.
and any other dish that various people bring.

Desserts galore: at the very least a German Sweet Chocolate cake, pumpkin pie, and then whatever else people bring.

Then there is a "Dudley Thanksgiving" which is held on a Saturday surrounding turkey day and we have an Italian meal. The contents of that meal varies from year to year. This year it will be first & foremost lasagna & salad.

Christmas day is just about the same as Thanksgiving.
Then on the "Dudley Christmas Party Day" that is whatever people bring and then what the host offers. usually just lots of snacky things like dips, chips & veggies & specialty dishes like water chestnuts wrapped in bacon w/ a tomato based sauce, shrimp, many other appetizers and then cookies & candies, etc.
OH and did I mention wine--there is wine & other "beverages"

We usually have

Turkey, stuffing.
Mashed potatoes and Gravy
Green Bean Casserole
Corn Pudding
Fruit Salad
a veggie and dip plate
deviled eggs
Sweet potatoes
Rolls and Real butter


assorted drinks and beverages,, sometimes wine...

lemon pie.. pumpkin pie

When I was a kid and lived in Alaska we sometimes had bear, moose or caribou... and once we had Alaskan king Crab... fresh off the boat...
Nana

WOW< That is way too cool, lucky you !!!

Bear and caribou are things I have never tried.

Bear wasn't very good... was really gamey.. caribou we had a lot of .. my dad was a hunter.. and back then it wasn't regulated to much... we ate a lot of wild game and fresh fish.. really didn't have chicken or beef very much.... till we moved to Az or visited relatives in the lower 48... and the crab was wonderful.. it was normal for us at time so didn't appreciate it like I should have...LOl!

Nana

I've only eaten duck once and it was to heavy (not sure what to call it) for me. Never had bear but sure would like to try fresh Alaskan King Crab.

My children and I don't like turkey so we have either ham, steak and shrimp, beef roast, one year it was lasagna.

We're going to my mothers this Thanksgiving so a turkey will be cooked and probably ham. Amy is making us chicken puffs to take.

Seems we always have green beans, mashed potatoes (no garlic), gravy, deviled eggs, Parker House Style rolls, the best ever rolls, slaw, apple pie, pumpkin pie - not sure what else. We use Land O Lakes butter.

What is "The Best Ever Rolls, Sheri ??

parker house style rolls are the best rolls ever. I buy them in the frozen bread section and everyone loves them.

alrighty then---I bet I can do that !!

Funny thing , when we eat out or at sis place, No want eats rolls at all.. Just all the other stuff.
Funny huh?
I never reach for the bread if there is other stuff.

I do not often eat bread either. But if there are warm rolls to eat, I am there.

Tonight I found that we will not have dressing at my DD's this thanksgiving nor will we have regular potatoes or gravy. There will be a baked stuffed potato casserole instead....and guess he has been asked to make it. Good news is she sent me a recipe.