Lasagna and maybe a vegetarian manicotti too and a nice salad with crusty garlic bread. Ham would be good with al gratin potatoes too.

Sounds like Thanksgiving day will be busy for you. I would bake the pie tonight. I am going to make a apple-blackberry crumb topping pie tonight. I want to enjoy the little time I have tomorrow with coffee and a nice sweet bread I am baking tomorrow morning. Your pie should be good and cool to transport too.

Hi,
I know I have read somewhere that Pumpkin Pie should be refrigerated as a food safety measure. It has eggs/milk. I would make room in the fridge to be on the safe side.

Sound like they will be just fine. I agree with the suggestion of whipped cream will hide any imperfections. Remember, never apologize. Say nothing, and no one will ever know. Except us Chowhounds.

Yes, you are correct! I was attempting dulce de leche for banoffee pie. Not even a hint of caramel was present in the opened cans after four hours of simmering in bath in hot water. It worked before in 3 hours. ????

Pan was full of water covering cans at all times. I still failed.

Fail. Submerged two cans of condensed milk in water on stove top this morning. Simmered for 4 hours (fell asleep). Opened cans to find original contents of condensed milk and, no carmelization at all. Still shaking my head. Have successfully accomplished this in past.

Oh no! Don't throw away the drippings.They are the best part of the flavor of the turkey. Buy a turkey breast or dark meat thigh and make turkey tetrazzini, open face turkey sandwiches, turkey and noodle casserole,turkey meatballs and rice or noodles, cream of turkey and wild rice soup, turkey bits and gravy over mashed potatoes.. I make a brown rice casserole with turkey, or chicken, leftover gravy, carrots, onions, zucchini, green beans, and thin down with chicken or turkey stock.

This one sounds yummy. I love dutch apple pie. It is a bit easier with the topping than a crust. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/dutch-ap...

Yes Paula Deen has a recipe with eggs in her gravy. First time I heard of adding eggs to gravy. My family is from Kentucky and never had it. Here it is http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/pa...

I would go with pumpkin pie, apple pie, and Banoffee pie. A British friend make it a few weeks ago for a dinner we had. It was brilliant and everyone loved it. http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes.... Buy the pumpkin, apple pie, and make the Banoffee pie. It's easy, no baking and I used chocolate covered biscuits from Trader Joe's. A fruit tray would be great too as someone suggested.

Sounds heavenly.

Hi Querencia,

I have made angel-food cake dessert made with strawberry jello, berries, and everyone having the dessert was licking their plates. Here is one I found with orange jello.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Or...

Eggs. I like scrambled eggs not runny or raw at all, not over done and brown, and cooked in butter.

They took me out to a little roadside country restaurant called Clarence's Drive In,TN. Biscuits & gravy, chicken fried steak kinda place. Real down home country I would say. I asked for a meal that would represent the area, and said it did not necessary need to be fancy. They laughed and said, "This is not fancy". They were correct in that definition.

Hi guys,

Anyone know of a good American inexpensive "hole in the wall" but good food restaurant in the area around the Rose Bowl. One that is still open? It's kinda a joke I am playing on relatives who took me to a hole in the wall in Tennessee. Need to get them back. Mexican 2nd choice. Thanks, you guys are the best!

We just had one for Christmas and it was dry. I did not cook it, and it was cooked in a roaster, and it was dry, dry, dry.

Make the best of it. Roast yourself a Cornish game hen, and make yourself a nice baked potato, and a salad. Try making a dish that reminds you of home but a small version. The day before go pick up a nice slice of dessert from a bakery. Get some movies, and good books, and popcorn. Helping serve meals at a local church will chase away any loneliness, while you become more more thankful.

Put it in the freezer, then skim off the fat. When you reheat it on low on Thanksgiving, whisk it and put a little water, and a splash of half and half or whole cream. if that does not work make a new roux, and add some finely chopped onions in your roux too helps the flavor bunches add the new roux to your gravy mix just a bit at a time. It hard to diagnose without seeing it.

It's the same old dishes that have gotten a bit boring. Imagine twice overcooked dried out sweet potatoes swimming in off brand imitation brown sugar, margarine, and burnt marshmallows, the can green bean casserole lathered in can mushroom soup topped with can of fried stale onions, store bought pumpkin pie with cool whip.
This year I am bringing my own fresh cooked yams, and fresh green beans, and a green salad. I would just like a little creativity, a spin on a recipe, a little something different, updated and fresh.

Congratulations on your first Thanksgiving dinner. Since the in-laws will be there, I would prep as much as possible the day before. Bake your pie, and your bars the day before. I believe it was Michael Chiarello's show that introduced me to making the gravy early. Go to the store and get a turkey wing, bake it, and make your gravy the day before. Try this for an easy quick recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gr.... and add about 1/2 cup of chopped fine onion to your roux and get the roux a golden brown . You can reheat gravy on Thanksgiving on a low flame with a bit of water, and add a couple of tablespoons of half and half and use a whisk and whip it good. Cut your veggies for your dressing and put it in a zip lock bag, break up your bread, or make your cornbread for your dressing, peel potatoes and put in a pan of water in your fridge the night before. I don't know where you are but Trader Joe's has good cranberry sauce, and Costco good rolls if you run short on time. Get all your dishes out that you are using, your set your table. Yes, make a schedule for the big day. The Thanksgiving morning goes fast, and it's your Thanksgiving too. I have been doing this for years, and it always is a lot of prep work. There are many good suggestions from others too. Get the beverages and some h'ordreves ready for your guest 1/2 hour before they arrive and have fun.

I am planning a dinner party/business dinner for guest that only eat fish. I am thinking about BBQ shrimp w/garlic & butter ,rice pilaf, fresh green beans, and salad. Since my husband does not eat fish I have no experience buying or preparing. Can you please suggest if I should by farm raised, or fresh. What kind of shrimp do I buy, how many do I serve? Does this menu sound good ?
Thanks a bunch.

Sounds delicious! My mom would make fried corn when I was a kid. I sometimes cut the corn off the cob and fryi it up with butter. Very good, and sweet.

Hmmm, how sure are you about this butcher in Chinatown?

What ever you do don't risk food poisoning for $10.00. Your nose and instincts are most likely correct. Throw it away. I know it's disappointing, but don't take a chance. I always look at the date of meat which will often explain the freeze by date, or have a three day and no more in the fridge rule before I cook, or put in the freezer.

Oh gosh, I love toasted coconut marshmallows.