Thanksgiving feast questions from a Canadian to my American friends...

[Beerfish]

So up here in Canada we have our thanksgiving a good month or more before the 'real' thanksgiving.  (Why this is I do not know.)

It appears to be a much bigger deal in the USA, here we have a day off and the feast but it seems a bit more low key.

So a few feast related questions:

- Is green bean casserole as vile as it sounds?  I mean I am a meat and potatoes kind of guy, potatoes and gravy, stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce, even love ham if it is on the menu for a feast.  I do not want to use valuable 'plate space' on a green bean casserole.  I mean if you are going to force me to eat a veggie other than taters at least make it one of the good veggies.  The worst is if you have to be polite and try the stuff if someone has made it.  (I fully expect to be scolded on this and told how ya'lls aunts, wife's, mothers green bean casserole is divine.)

- I know we have a LOT of Italians on this site....(yeah....tomato gravy instead of tomato sauce).  Is there any traditional Italian dishes you prepare and have at thanksgiving?   I love Italian food but have rarely had the 'real thing' as opposed to simulated stuff.

- Who mostly prepares the feast?  Do you?  The wife?  Mother or mother in law?  Or have you finally trained your adult kids to invite you over so you can sit in the easy chair drink wine watch football and let everyone else do the work?

(And yes I do have friends don't be mean suggesting otherwise!)

[Ron Rico]

You can't go wrong with green beans and mushroom sauce/gravy.

[Sperm Edwards]

Men who drink wine are insufferable.

[T0mShane]

I’m in an Irish family. We meet at a restaurant where we’re in and out in 90 minutes or less. It’s perfect. 

[Ron Rico]

3 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Men who drink wine are insufferable.

And suffer punishing hangovers.

[Seibelt]

Green bean casserole is good but only when there is enough fried onions on top.

I’m an Italian from Jersey and the only Italian like tradition was the homemade Mac and Cheese. Not sure if it was Italian but my Grandmother made it every Thanksgiving.

100 x better than any green bean casserole.

My wife now makes everything except the turkey, I make the Gordon Ramsay Xmas Turkey I found on YouTube. The greatest Turkey I’ve ever had!

 

[Sperm Edwards]

4 minutes ago, Ron Rico said:

And suffer punishing hangovers.

Those are menstrual cramps and/or headaches.

[Green Ghost]

Not that my family is too Italian or anything, but this year my niece decided that instead of an antipasto before the turkey dinner, she was going to make stuffed shells with a meat sauce instead. I asked, “why can’t we have both?”

After that it’s Turkey, ham, a sweet potato casserole, and an Italian mashed potato type thing we call potato pie made with mozzarella and salami covered with bread crumbs baked in a lasagna pan. Two types of stuffing, one in the turkey and one with sausage and cranberries baked in a pan, American style Mac and cheese, Italian style broccoli, a homemade cranberry thing, mushrooms, and candied carrots, followed by an apple crumb and a pecan pie and ice cream along with Italian pastries.

As we have dessert, the women will all talk about how “we made too much, next year we need to cut back.” They never do…

[Ron Rico]

Just now, Green Ghost said:

Not that my family is too Italian or anything

But have you ever eaten Ricatta cheese right out of the container, with a spoon, like it was yogurt?

[Trotter]

1 minute ago, Ron Rico said:

But have you ever eaten Ricatta cheese right out of the container, with a spoon, like it was yogurt?

My brother would put away a 3lb container over the course if a week

[Green Ghost]

6 minutes ago, Ron Rico said:

But have you ever eaten Ricatta cheese right out of the container, with a spoon, like it was yogurt?

Duh… hasn’t everyone?

[Ron Rico]

3 minutes ago, Trotter said:

My brother would put away a 3lb container over the course if a week

Growing up, I never knew you could eat it raw. I always assumed it had to be cooked. 

[Trotter]

I’m the cook so we start with antipasto - prosciutto roasted pork about 6 types of cheeses olives roasted red peppers (on the grill) pepperoni no and grapes

followed by lasagna meatballs and sausage

then stuffed rolled boneless turkey breast

various home made cookies ( pignolli are a must) for dessert

[Green Ghost]

5 minutes ago, Trotter said:

My brother would put away a 3lb container over the course if a week

My dad would add a ricotta to his cereal in the morning if they let him.

[Larz]

I’m blessed to have a family of great cooks. Over the years I learned not to waste space on my plate with anything but bird, stuffing, mashed and gravy and biscuits/ dinner rolls. 
 

Italian food? lol 

 

go easy on the snacks and appetizers and Hors d'oeuvres, I like to be ravenous at dinner 

 

 

[Sperm Edwards]

6 minutes ago, Trotter said:

My brother would put away a 3lb container over the course if a week

And then spend the entire following week on the can?

[Green Ghost]

Just now, Trotter said:

I’m the cook so we start with antipasto - prosciutto roasted pork about 6 types of cheeses olives roasted red peppers (on the grill) pepperoni no and grapes

followed by lasagna meatballs and sausage

then stuffed rolled boneless turkey breast

various home made cookies ( pignolli are a must) for dessert

I’m guessing you go all out on Christmas Eve also with the Seven Fish?

[Warfish]

38 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

So a few feast related questions:

- Is green bean casserole as vile as it sounds?

Is it vile? Not at all. When made right it’s awesome. When made cheaply it’s still ok.

38 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

- Is there any traditional Italian dishes you prepare and have at thanksgiving? 

Thanksgiving is a time for Thanksgiving food. Not ethnic food (and I LOVE ethnic food).  Plenty of other times to indulge is that, no need for it on Thanksgiving.

38 minutes ago, Beerfish said:

- Who mostly prepares the feast? 

Used to be a group effort, leaning on moms and grand moms and aunts.

Nowadays, just me and the wife, we get some restaurant to cater it. Not worth the cooking time/effort for just the two of us.

[Warfish]

3 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Men who drink wine are insufferable.

Port wine ftw. No younger than 20 years tho.

Aaaaaand I’m proving your point, aren’t I….

[Green Ghost]

2 minutes ago, Larz said:

I’m blessed to have a family of great cooks. Over the years I learned not to waste space on my plate with anything but bird, stuffing, mashed and gravy and biscuits/ dinner rolls. 
 

Italian food? lol 

 

go easy on the snacks and appetizers and Hors d'oeuvres, I like to be ravenous at dinner 

 

 

Turkey kinda sucks… it’s all about the sides on Thanksgiving.

[Joejet]

I’m cooking ribeyes on the grill and yes green bean casserole is as bad as you think.

[Ron Rico]

It's 2023 and somebody taught me it's ok to just eat it right out of that plastic container in the refrigerator. My whole life watching people make lasagna or egg shells--- I always assumed you had to cook it, first. 

I might switch from sour cream to Ricatta on my tacos. 

[Sperm Edwards]

Just now, Warfish said:

Port wine ftw. No younger than 20 years tho.

Aaaaaand I’m oroving your point, aren’t I….

Do you shove your nose in the glass and then swish it around your mouth for a few seconds or more so the whole room can see how much you’re enjoying it? If so, I must despise you now.

[Trotter]

3 minutes ago, Green Ghost said:

I’m guessing you go all out on Christmas Eve also with the Seven Fish?

You would think so but something happened to the gene pool - I do not like seafood so no 7 fishes or fish if any kind

[Green Ghost]

1 minute ago, Warfish said:

Is it vile? Not at all. When made right it’s awesome. When made cheaply it’s still plush.

Thanksgiving is a time for Thanksgiving food. Not ethnic food. Plenty of other times to indulge is that, no need for it on Thanksgiving.

Used to be a group effort, leaving on moms and grand moms. 

Nowadays, just me and the wife, we get some restaurant to cater it. Not worth the cooking time/effort for just the two of us.

😂😂😂😂 you’re not Italian, are you? To us, ethnic food is anything that’s not breaded, fried or covered in sauce, topped with mozzarella.

 

[Ron Rico]

2 minutes ago, Green Ghost said:

Turkey kinda sucks… it’s all about the sides on Thanksgiving.

Turkey sucks. It does. But the white meat with the right gravy with bread or rice makes a slamming meal.

[Trotter]

3 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Port wine ftw. No younger than 20 years tho.

Aaaaaand I’m oroving your point, aren’t I….

My uncle would drink paisano wine.

came in a gallon jug and he would drink it to chase down smelts

[T0mShane]

3 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Port wine ftw. No younger than 20 years tho.

Aaaaaand I’m oroving your point, aren’t I….

Port is a man’s wine. Pirate wine. Good on you. 

[T0mShane]

1 minute ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Do you shove your nose in the glass and then swish it around your mouth for a few seconds or more so the whole room can see how much you’re enjoying it? If so, I must despise you now.

Sir, we call that “taking the nose.” 

[Warfish]

1 minute ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Do you shove your nose in the glass and then swish it around your mouth for a few seconds or more so the whole room can see how much you’re enjoying it? If so, I must despise you now.

Yes, for both Scotch and for Port.

Sorry….

[Ron Rico]

1 minute ago, Green Ghost said:

😂😂😂😂 you’re not Italian, are you? To us, ethnic food is anything that’s not breaded, fried or covered in sauce, topped with mozzarella.

 

Fried Calimari with marinara sauce will be my Waterloo.

[Green Ghost]

2 minutes ago, Joejet said:

I’m cooking ribeyes on the grill and yes green bean casserole is as bad as you think.

You’re in the Carolinas also, have you had a deep fried Turkey yet? 

[Beerfish]

5 minutes ago, Green Ghost said:

Turkey kinda sucks… it’s all about the sides on Thanksgiving.

[Green Ghost]

4 minutes ago, Trotter said:

You would think so but something happened to the gene pool - I do not like seafood so no 7 fishes or fish if any kind

[Green Ghost]

5 minutes ago, Ron Rico said:

Fried Calimari with marinara sauce will be my Waterloo.

Ahhh… there’s nothing better than fried galamad!!

When I was up in NY I’d always get off the Belt at the Knapp St exit and hit up Randazzo’s for some calamari and scungilli.