Thanksgiving is upon us...

I'm not American and I am not in America but I have somehow been persuaded to cook a thanksgiving dinner for some cullinary challenged American friends here.... Any tips to make it uniquely American?

I live in NYC... in a word ---- "TAKE-OUT"

haha - its a take out culture here too - hence "Sheena, would you like to cook a nice home cooked dinner for us?" {flutter eyelashes}

I'm not American and I am not in America but I have somehow been persuaded to cook a thanksgiving dinner for some cullinary challenged American friends here.... Any tips to make it uniquely American?

Don't know if it's unique to America, but one of the "standards" for our special Thanksgiving meal includes having more food on the table than an Army platoon can possibly eat, with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams (with marshmallows), cranberries, hot bread, 3 vegetables, 5 kinds of pie, beer, parades and football on TV, napping after the meal, then going back for more. We're gluttons on this day!

LLDN pretty much nailed it for you Sheena. Keep in mind the grocery companies took this holiday over generations ago, so many of us long for grandma's cooking, but some of our grandmothers used recipes from the side of a can or box. Or just use the contents of the can or box

But basically, don't skimp on the turkey, that is the centerpiece of the over-indulgence. You must get whole one if you can (not just a turkey breast) and do not think about how much turkey your guests can eat-- half MUST be left over for sandwiches! For leftovers, later on, any guests still at your place after all the TV sports must share a simpler evening snack with you, Wonder Bread (white bread), Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise, turkey (cold or warm), black pepper and some of the leftover stuffing.

Oh BTW, for the cranberry sauce don't struggle to get cranberries. Probably about 1/3 of us will miss not having the canned goop, uhhh, I mean the Jellied Cranberry Sauce. A good 1/3 never touch either the fresh or the jellied stuff, so the cranberry tends to be a big leftover item too.

Don't forget the gravy. Make your own, or yes, they sell canned stuff of that too!

Have fun!

I'm not American and I am not in America but I have somehow been persuaded to cook a thanksgiving dinner for some cullinary challenged American friends here.... Any tips to make it uniquely American?

Don't know if it's unique to America, but one of the "standards" for our special Thanksgiving meal includes having more food on the table than an Army platoon can possibly eat, with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams (with marshmallows), cranberries, hot bread, 3 vegetables, 5 kinds of pie, beer, parades and football on TV, napping after the meal, then going back for more. We're gluttons on this day!

LLDN pretty much nailed it for you Sheena. Keep in mind the grocery companies took this holiday over generations ago, so many of us long for grandma's cooking, but some of our grandmothers used recipes from the side of a can or box. Or just use the contents of the can or box

But basically, don't skimp on the turkey, that is the centerpiece of the over-indulgence. You must get whole one if you can (not just a turkey breast) and do not think about how much turkey your guests can eat-- half MUST be left over for sandwiches! For leftovers, later on, any guests still at your place after all the TV sports must share a simpler evening snack with you, Wonder Bread (white bread), Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise, turkey (cold or warm), black pepper and some of the leftover stuffing.

Oh BTW, for the cranberry sauce don't struggle to get cranberries. Probably about 1/3 of us will miss not having the canned goop, uhhh, I mean the Jellied Cranberry Sauce. A good 1/3 never touch either the fresh or the jellied stuff, so the cranberry tends to be a big leftover item too.

Don't forget the gravy. Make your own, or yes, they sell canned stuff of that too!

Have fun!

oooh - thanks for all the tips and links!!! I am off out to get the shopping shortly! But as for 5 pies - I think 4 of them might be off the shelves of Lulu - "where the (third) world goes to shop".....

well I would offer my $.02 worth but alas I'm another one of those workaholics so I'll be slaving away lol

PUMPKIN PIE... you can't have Thanksgiving without it!

But as for 5 pies - I think 4 of them might be off the shelves of Lulu - "where the (third) world goes to shop".....

Fair enough, the host does not always bake desserts, unless that is her specialty. Guests often bring a pie and a favorite recipe (vegetable) side dish -- that makes up the misc side dishes and 5 pies that LLDN listed. For pie, pumpkin and apple are the mandatory ones (based upon the traditional October harvest). Other regional favorites may be mincemeat, pecan, cherry, blueberry, peach...

So maybe you have a great mince recipe? That would be great-- make it the traditional way, or like us yanks (in a large pie shell just like an apple pie). And make sure to pick up some pumpkin pie, apple pie, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Heat up the apple pie and a bit of a rich vanilla ice cream.... mmmmm

Ok I think she has already gone shopping....but just in case...the core of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is as said TUREKY usually with stuffing inside the bird to keep it soft and moist (so you don't need extra gravy to get it moist if cooked outside the bird....just remember to remove it all after the bird has cooled for health safety purposes) You'll need gravy as mentioned made from the drippings of the bird so when you cook it you need to 'catch' those drippings. You'll need mashed potatoes and well the rest is accessories...

Bread
Veggie or Veggies
Cranberry salad or the whole berries cooked ( I like the latter cuz the canned stuff is nasty and if you want a great EASY recipie for cooking the berries if you can find them there I'll send it to you)
Some have a salad of some sort (our family has a cranberry orange relish jello type of salad in a long 13x9 pan that you cut into squares and serve)
Pie (usually Pecan or Pumpkin or Lemon or Lime pie or some other delicacy)


Yep...that will feed an army ensure plenty of leftovers. I have some killer recipies for leftover turkey if you think you are interested including soup from the bones and a dish with Curry that you will love!

Hugs my dear...have fun and call me if you need any help. I'm trying to get my skype going asap. kamala

Just have to put in my $.02...

Since you're in the UAE...do the best with what you can get.... (I lived in China over one Thanksgiving...I know even a simple pumpkin pie can be a challenge)

Cranberries...unless you can walk out your door and pick them RIPE....not the dry things we see...I wouldn't bother with cranberry sauce....but take that from someone who is forever spoiled since I could do just that as a child - eating JUICY cranberries straight from the plant.

Just a thought, but would this UAE feast (and perhaps impromptu shindig) qualify as an SD HH? Any place two or more SD members gather is a quorum in my book. Since you are the designated feast preparer Sheena, that puts you IN CHARGE . I suggest you in turn delegate the responsibility of event photographer! *Yes, still shamelessly lobbying for SD Gallery input*

*edited to change "more than two" to "two or more"*

Edited by dive_sail_etc, 25 November 2008 - 10:37 AM.

Well I am doing the "Work" thing myself. BUT we will be cooking at work!! We have a guy from Louisiana on our shift and he is going to make a pot of Seafood Gumbo!!! Of course this will have chicken and sausage in it as well. We will top it off with Jalapeno and Cheese Cornbread. If you have never tried that you need to. Maybe not for Thanksgiving, but another day will do!!! I love it when the men cook!!!

Just a thought, but would this UAE feast (and perhaps impromptu shindig) qualify as an SD HH? Any place two or more SD members gather is a quorum in my book. Since you are the designated feast preparer Sheena, that puts you IN CHARGE . I suggest you in turn delegate the responsibility of event photographer! *Yes, still shamelessly lobbying for SD Gallery input*

*edited to change "more than two" to "two or more"*

You are too funny but you are also correct! Sheena please make sure that you recruit one or more of your YANK friends to join SingleDivers.com also friendly to snorklers too!

As for gallery input...pm me your requests...I just might be in a generous mood!

PUMPKIN PIE... you can't have Thanksgiving without it!

But as for 5 pies - I think 4 of them might be off the shelves of Lulu - "where the (third) world goes to shop".....

Fair enough, the host does not always bake desserts, unless that is her specialty. It is... For pie, pumpkin and apple are the mandatory ones (based upon the traditional October harvest). Other regional favorites may be mincemeat, pecan, cherry, blueberry, peach...

So maybe you have a great mince recipe? That would be great-- make it the traditional way, or like us yanks (in a large pie shell just like an apple pie). And make sure to pick up some pumpkin pie, apple pie, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Heat up the apple pie and a bit of a rich vanilla ice cream.... mmmmm

Pie (usually Pecan or Pumpkin or Lemon or Lime pie or some other delicacy)


call me if you need any help. I'm trying to get my skype going asap. kamala

Just have to put in my $.02...

Since you're in the UAE...do the best with what you can get.... (I lived in China over one Thanksgiving...I know even a simple pumpkin pie can be a challenge)

Cranberries...unless you can walk out your door and pick them RIPE....not the dry things we see...I wouldn't bother with cranberry sauce....but take that from someone who is forever spoiled since I could do just that as a child - eating a JUICY cranberries straight from the plant.

Just a thought, but would this UAE feast (and perhaps impromptu shindig) qualify as an SD HH? Any place two or more SD members gather is a quorum in my book. Since you are the designated feast preparer Sheena, that puts you IN CHARGE . I suggest you in turn delegate the responsibility of event photographer! *Yes, still shamelessly lobbying for SD Gallery input*

*edited to change "more than two" to "two or more"*

Just a thought, but would this UAE feast (and perhaps impromptu shindig) qualify as an SD HH? Any place two or more SD members gather is a quorum in my book. Since you are the designated feast preparer Sheena, that puts you IN CHARGE . I suggest you in turn delegate the responsibility of event photographer! *Yes, still shamelessly lobbying for SD Gallery input*

*edited to change "more than two" to "two or more"*

You are too funny but you are also correct! Sheena please make sure that you recruit one or more of your YANK friends to join SingleDivers.com also friendly to snorklers too!

As for gallery input...pm me your requests...I just might be in a generous mood!

thanks for all your sugestions and tips - just back and astonished at so few turkeys left in the "international" supermarket. But I did get some Libbys pumpkin pie filling hurrah! But helpfully there is a big sticky import lable in arabic over the recipie and no carnation milk {humph} so I will improvise (got recipie of website".

And yes, there are now two SD members in AD and I am working on recruiting a third (American!). Sue and I regularly have happy hours - hic - and next week we're going on the SD Middle East mini-trip/SD recce to the Maldives --- and they do serve long island iced tea - i checked! so I have a lot to be thankful for this week! Happy Thanksgiving to all and again. appreciate the advice!

I'll be driving 400 miles, to western NY, to see Mom and my siblings for Thanksgiving. That's when I get to break the news to her that I will be leaving for Grenada the day after Christmas! Hopefully she won't disown me before the weekend!

drinking mojitos with good friends on the Big Island. As for traditional dinner, can it be blended and added to my mojito? It's been a long past two weeks.

drinking mojitos with good friends on the Big Island. As for traditional dinner, can it blended and added to my mojito? It's been a long past two weeks.

If you're on the Big Island, it must be SPAM for dinner!