Thanksgiving Side Dished - Ranked

My mother calls anything where you combine three things together “salad.”

pretzel salad, jello salad, apple salad.  

I’d never considered stuffing waffles before, I am ashamed.  

Missing from your list is roasted root veggies

Typically oven is so packed, that I don't do roasted root veggies, but agree they would be high on that list.  

Also forgot - Warm yourself a little maple syrup, throw in a bit of bourbon, and now top those stuffing waffles...

Sweet potato casserole...cranberry pie for 'zert.

Is wine a dish?

Spiked nog with dessert.

Wine is essential. Like oxygen. Not a "side" dish by any means, hence, not listed. 

I will be kicking off the festivities (for 16 adults + kids) with a Chatham Artillery Punch one of the oldest and most classic punches. This one is pretty great featuring Bourbon, Cognac, Rum, and Sparkling Wine. Then will be opening several bottles each of the 2015 St Innocent Shea Vineyard Pinot from Oregon and the 2014 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Riesling Brand Grand Cru from Alsace. Then opening several vintages of Inniskillin Vidal Icewine with dessert.

Then calling Lyfts for everyone. 

Wifey is making Rosemary infused stuffed 'shrooms - Perfect for any Vegan

LINK

Me? I'm deep frying a turkey  & drinking wine

CAPackFan95 posted:

1. Gravy A well made, home made, gravy can cover up almost any mistakes made cooking the meal. If you buy premade gravy, you are dead to me.

Yep, right there with you on the gravy. 
And just not any gravy, either. Giblet gravy is the only acceptable type, and must be the perfect consistency and color. Too thick/thin or too light/dark and...

And right behind the gravy and turkey (ya think I need to try spatchcocking CAPF95?) are mashed 'taters.
Rules apply here also. Too soft/runny is verboten, followed by too dry/sticky.
Smooth and creamy is the order o' the day, and they must be soft enough to conform to any shape, but firm enough to hold a boatload of gravy without collapsing.

Sidenote 1. Since no other 'tater variations are made better with gravy, I'll save 'em for another day.
Sidenote 2. Sweet 'taters can be considered on these other days, but ONLY roasted or fried. Baked sweets with that greasy oil oozing out is no way to enjoy 'taters.

CAPackFan95 posted:

Wine is essential. Like oxygen. Not a "side" dish by any means, hence, not listed. 

I will be kicking off the festivities (for 16 adults + kids) with a Chatham Artillery Punch one of the oldest and most classic punches. This one is pretty great featuring Bourbon, Cognac, Rum, and Sparkling Wine. Then will be opening several bottles each of the 2015 St Innocent Shea Vineyard Pinot from Oregon and the 2014 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Riesling Brand Grand Cru from Alsace. Then opening several vintages of Inniskillin Vidal Icewine with dessert.

Then calling Lyfts for everyone. 

You just humbled my box of Riunite.

There is nothing better than a top shelf meat and cheese board on Thanksgiving. Prosciutto, coppa, mortadella, pancetta, blue cheese, cheddar, smoked Gouda, goat, grapes, almonds, wine. 

Roasted garlic mashed potatoes. 

Happy Turkey Day All!

I'll add a nice aged Brie to that meat platter

Timmy! posted:

CAPackFan95 posted:

1. Gravy A well made, home made, gravy can cover up almost any mistakes made cooking the meal. If you buy premade gravy, you are dead to me.

Yep, right there with you on the gravy. 
And just not any gravy, either. Giblet gravy is the only acceptable type, and must be the perfect consistency and color. Too thick/thin or too light/dark and...

Kitchen Bouquet is the real deal.....I've been on the gravy detail for 45 yrs in my fam. A perfect record so far, no lumps, the correct thickness, color and no greasy mess.  A hint.....mix your flour thickener with warm water before mixing slowly in the hot drippings.

burp.....

After 45 years even Brett Hundley could make a good gravy.

No way.

He’d panic and add cold water.

So the gravy room isn't ok?

Brainwashed Boris posted:

Wifey is making Rosemary infused stuffed 'shrooms - Perfect for any Vegan

LINK

Me? I'm deep frying a turkey  & drinking wine

OMGOSH Boris.....I have been dying for deep fried turkey.  Had it once and never again....WANT IT NOW.  But, today my S-I-L did brine her turkey breasts and drumsticks, and OMGOSH......delicious.  Brining is a natural moistener for the white meat, very, very, good and soooooo moist.  

May I add lefse instead of rolls??  Fresh made lefse is the best at our thanksgiving table.  Yummmmmm  

Sweet potatoes, American frie style, partner well with stuffing

The best mashed potatoes are leftover mashed potatoes, fried in butter and served with horseradish mustard.  Served with leftover turkey, creamed.

at this point, this is a leftover thread, right?

Yes I brined the 16 pound turkey for about 41 hours. Fresh Sage / Fresh Rosemary / Whole cloves / whole black peppercorns / ginger extract / cinnamon extract / whole allspice / Italian seasoning. All in Vegetable broth.

Deep frying for about 50-52 minutes at 375 in peanut oil. Perfect. 

I feel like crap after making dinner today. Lol after reading cals post🤣

El-Ka-Bong posted:

The best mashed potatoes are leftover mashed potatoes, fried in butter and served with horseradish mustard.  Served with leftover turkey, creamed.

at this point, this is a leftover thread, right?

Oh yeah on those leftover mashed potatoes, fried in butter until a nice crispy crust forms.

Is the Steelers game over yet?

Got up at 5am today.  Loaded the family up and drove to El Dorado Forest by Lake Tahoe to cut down the 2017 Christmas Tree. Got home and saw this concept for fried mashed potatoes..... wait. What?!?!? Fried left over mashers? 

Took the leftover garlic taters. Threw in some sharp shredded cheddar. Green onions. Rolled up 16 balls. Fried them in butter. 

Ho-lee-chit. This is an all time leftover keeper. 

Too late to the game. 7 Layer salad. 

I'm making this butter fried mashed tonight

Frying mashed taters, precious, is always great for a breakfast side. Incorporating a little shredded cheddar cheese is a good thing, too. Bacon eggs and fried taters! Yum!

CAPackFan95 posted:

Typically oven is so packed, that I don't do roasted root veggies, but agree they would be high on that list.  

Also forgot - Warm yourself a little maple syrup, throw in a bit of bourbon, and now top those stuffing waffles...

Turkey and then sprouts in the smoker.

And in addition to bacon, add blue cheese to the smoked sprouts.