GTKY: Thanksgiving Food

[♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪]

I CAN'T WAIT TO BRINE THE SHIT OUT OF MAH TURKEY.

[kayladawn91]

Thanksgiving with my family: Chocolate Pie, stuffing, maybe crockpot corn (the recipe I have is so yummy!!)

Thanksgiving with H's family: Pumpkin roll, cutout cookies, and probably a side dish of some sort

[ceejay]

We always go to MIL's house for Thanksgiving. Everyone chips in and helps cook part of the meal. My typical responsibilities are pumpkin bread, green bean casserole, and mashed potatoes. I took over mashed potatoes a few years ago because I didn't like the way MIL made them. I add butter, milk, cream, and cream cheese to the potatoes once they are mashed, and then bake them in the oven for a little while with melted butter on top. They are so creamy and delicious.

[rooskie]

I'm cooking everything over at my inlaws house for year two...

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, and sweet potatoes. I think SIL is making sweet potatoes.

We also have like ten kinds of pie for ten people. MIL and I are making the pumpkin ones on Sunday and FIL bought stuff to make like 12 of them.

Oh, and MIL decided that the turkey needed to start thawing like a week ago so if I get food poisoning there is that.

[BabyStandish]

I'm bringing the desserts so a pumpkin and apple pie.

[easilyunamused]

Nov 19, 2015 11:19:17 GMT -5 doodler said:

Nov 19, 2015 11:09:27 GMT -5 TheEleventhHour said:

It will just be me, DH, and DS this year. We still haven't decided what to make yet. I usually make a breakfast casserole to eat while cooking and watching the parade. I definitely won't be making as much food as I normally do though!

I am all about cranberry everything. I make homemade cranberry sauce every year but I also love the canned stuff. Same with stuffing. I freaking love stuffing. I will eat the boxed stuff and homemade and love them equally. Because stuffing.

I grew up eating Stove Top so anything else is not as good for me.  I know, I know.  My aunt makes homemade stuffing and I'm like eh, I'll take some stovetop.  In my defense, when I make it for Christmas, I use chicken broth instead of water and I brown a bunch of sausage and add that in too.  I could eat it for days!

MH is the same. Loves his stovetop. I change it up a bit by adding walnuts and baking it in a halved acorn squash.

[easilyunamused]

Since a it's usually only H and I, we make Cornish game hens instead of turkey. I was a vegetarian for most of our relationship, so he started that "tradition" our first thanksgiving alone.

[ohinvrtedworld]

Do you guys have any secret tips for mashed potatoes?

Here's the thing. I can brulee things. I can braise things. I can cook. But for some reason, when I make mashed potatoes, they ALWAYS get gummy and gluey. Why?!

[ohinvrtedworld]

Nov 19, 2015 15:54:17 GMT -5 easilyunamused said:

Nov 19, 2015 11:19:17 GMT -5 doodler said:

I grew up eating Stove Top so anything else is not as good for me.  I know, I know.  My aunt makes homemade stuffing and I'm like eh, I'll take some stovetop.  In my defense, when I make it for Christmas, I use chicken broth instead of water and I brown a bunch of sausage and add that in too.  I could eat it for days!

MH is the same. Loves his stovetop. I change it up a bit by adding walnuts and baking it in a halved acorn squash.

Omg. That sounds amaze. 

[easilyunamused]

Nov 19, 2015 16:47:17 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Do you guys have any secret tips for mashed potatoes?

Here's the thing. I can brulee things. I can braise things. I can cook. But for some reason, when I make mashed potatoes, they ALWAYS get gummy and gluey. Why?!

What do you add to them? My go to is butter and creamer (or milk). I add it gradually.

[ohinvrtedworld]

Nov 19, 2015 16:50:33 GMT -5 easilyunamused said:

Nov 19, 2015 16:47:17 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Do you guys have any secret tips for mashed potatoes?

Here's the thing. I can brulee things. I can braise things. I can cook. But for some reason, when I make mashed potatoes, they ALWAYS get gummy and gluey. Why?!

What do you add to them? My go to is butter and creamer (or milk). I add it gradually.

Butter and cream! I don't know if I'm just cooking them too long, or mashing them too much? I just can't figure it out.

[mosdub]

Nov 19, 2015 10:36:09 GMT -5 joy said:

Nov 19, 2015 10:21:51 GMT -5 ellabee said:

Maybe it's an UO, but if you like canned cranberry sauce, you can go home.

::going home::

Gimme the ridges.

I mean, it even comes with guidelines of how to slice it.


My Mom makes homemade cranberry sauce but I usually buy a can of it for traditions sake.  It's SO SUGARY. 

[mosdub]

Nov 19, 2015 14:21:17 GMT -5 ♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪ said:

I CAN'T WAIT TO BRINE THE SHIT OUT OF MAH TURKEY.

ME TOO! 

[♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪]

Nov 19, 2015 17:18:41 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Nov 19, 2015 16:50:33 GMT -5 easilyunamused said:

What do you add to them? My go to is butter and creamer (or milk). I add it gradually.

Butter and cream! I don't know if I'm just cooking them too long, or mashing them too much? I just can't figure it out.

Here is my go-to recipe:

5 lbs potatoes (9 or 10 large)
6 oz cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. butter/margarine
minced garlic to taste

I boil a 5lb bag of Yukon Gold potatoes. If there are big ones, I cut them in half. I usually boil for about 20-25 minutes.

I take them out with a strainer spoon and transfer them to my Kitchenaid mixer. I lightly mash with this, just to break them down and ensure that they are done:


I then add all of the other ingredients, all at the same time, and turn the mixer on, gradually increasing the speed. 

When I'm making them ahead of time, I put them in a greased Pyrex dish and refrigerate. If I do this, when it's time to heat them up, I dot with butter, cover and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 to 45 minutes until potatoes are heated throughout.

[ceejay]

Nov 19, 2015 16:47:17 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Do you guys have any secret tips for mashed potatoes?

Here's the thing. I can brulee things. I can braise things. I can cook. But for some reason, when I make mashed potatoes, they ALWAYS get gummy and gluey. Why?!

I add cream cheese as well as butter and cream, and then mix everything together with a hand mixer. They usually have a nice smooth texture!

[lgraceh]

Nov 19, 2015 16:47:17 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Do you guys have any secret tips for mashed potatoes?

Here's the thing. I can brulee things. I can braise things. I can cook. But for some reason, when I make mashed potatoes, they ALWAYS get gummy and gluey. Why?!

Gluey usually equals over mixing/mashing. Use a ricer or food mill. Melt the butter and milk (cream, etc.) separately. Add the butter first to the riced or milled potatoes , mix to coat and incorporate fully, then add and other dairy. Something with the way the fat binds to the starch in the potatoes. I don't know the science. Haha.

[wannabmama]

Nov 19, 2015 17:18:41 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Nov 19, 2015 16:50:33 GMT -5 easilyunamused said:

What do you add to them? My go to is butter and creamer (or milk). I add it gradually.

Butter and cream! I don't know if I'm just cooking them too long, or mashing them too much? I just can't figure it out.

In addition to all the good advice from others (awesome recipe ideas and don't over mash, etc.) I think it helps if you bring the butter and cream closer to room temp and mix them prior to adding to the potatoes. If they are too cold, I find the potatoes get glue-y. It might all be in my head...but I swear it works.

[adorebel]

ohinvrtedworld, What ♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪ and lgraceh said! Boil the pieces just until they are easy to stab with a fork, mash them up lightly with a pie-crust cutter, ricer, or potato masher until they're broken up, then add butter/milk/sour cream/spices and use a hand mixer to get them smooth and fluffy.

[rablissful]

My mom makes THE BEST homemade cranberry sauce. I do loved canned as well though.

We are at my ILs for Thanksgiving this year. I'm bringing baked brie en croute with crackers for an appetizer as well as maybe a side. I said I would but we haven't decided what yet. The brie is always a hit!

[gabride2010]

ohinvrtedworld I second what adorebel said. Once I drain my potatoes, I "mash" them by mixing them with a hand mixer. During that process, I add butter, milk, and sour cream. Then I add velveeta/cheddar cheese and chopped green onions. They are so good!

[gabride2010]

rablissful I love Brie! I found a recipe where you cut the Brie in half (to make two skinny full circles) and put sliced almonds in the middle. Wrap that in phyllo dough and bake until golden and bubbly. Delicious!

[lgraceh]

Nov 20, 2015 9:20:58 GMT -5 starbuck27 said:

lgraceh beat me to the potato stuff. Oh well.

The kitchn is where I learned it!

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[ohinvrtedworld]

Nov 20, 2015 9:17:48 GMT -5 starbuck27 said:

Nov 19, 2015 17:18:41 GMT -5 ohinvrtedworld said:

Butter and cream! I don't know if I'm just cooking them too long, or mashing them too much? I just can't figure it out.

You might be cooking them for too long. When you check them, I always use a fork and while the potato should easily break apart when poked, they should still be firm. Not mushy. If your water is full of little potato bits you wayyyyyy over cooked them.

I always add in my butter and mash that for a bit first. I stole this quote from The Kitchn (who borrowed it from America's Test Kitchen): It is important that your dairy is warmed up before adding it to your mash and, equally important, add the butter first. The amount of water in the half-and-half combines with the starch molecules which makes the potatoes gluey. When you add the butter first, it coats the starch and results in silkier potatoes. Then add the half-and-half.

HTH

ETA: Here's the full article and recipe from The Kitchn. I don't go as far as to use a ricer (mashing works fine) and I don't cook the potatoes whole, but you can get some good general tips.

Science makes sense!! Thank you so much!