THANKSGIVING HELP REQUIRED!

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Ninitonkers
Ninitonkers Posts: 37 Member
Hi Everyone, I live in England but my boss is from San Francisco.... As most of you know we Brits dont really celebrate Thanksgiving. Ususally my boss gomes home to her family every year but due to work commitments this year she is stuck in blighty with us!
A few of us wanted to get together and do something nice for her to celebrate even though she will be at work. We were planning to decorate her office with Autumn leaves and banners and make some Thanksgiving food and decorate one of the meeting rooms like a big family dinner table. Here is where I need help!
Any suggestions of what we can do? Food, Decorations etc... Please bear in mind we dont have as cool food as our lovely American counterparts (unless there are any Americans in Cambridgeshire who want to take me on base!) and American imported food is EXPENSIVE!
Any help gratefully appreciated. We dont want her to feel too homesick at Thanksgiving.
Thank You :)
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Replies

  • breesie11
    breesie11 Posts: 3,478 Member
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    Some staples are Turkey, Stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green beans, pumpkin pie.
  • Ninitonkers
    Ninitonkers Posts: 37 Member
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    Thanks :) What is sweet potato casserole ?
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    What is sweet potato casserole ?

    a little bit of heaven in your mouth.
  • Ninitonkers
    Ninitonkers Posts: 37 Member
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    I will google how to make that. Dont you have something made with sweet potato and marshmallow? Is this what this is?
  • breesie11
    breesie11 Posts: 3,478 Member
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    What is sweet potato casserole ?

    a little bit of heaven in your mouth.

    +1
  • breesie11
    breesie11 Posts: 3,478 Member
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    I will google how to make that. Dont you have something made with sweet potato and marshmallow? Is this what this is?

    yes. delicious!!
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    I'm an American in Cambridgshire! But I can't take you on base or supply you with stuff from there - sorry. That could cost me my base access. Where are you? I'm near Huntingdon. :) Honestly though, I very rarely shop on base anyhow. Last year I made a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with stuff I got at Tesco and Sainsbury. Turkey, pumpkin soup, corn pudding, cranberry relish, stuffing, and Yorkshire puddings.

    Turkey:

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe.html

    It is the moistest, best tasting turkey ever.


    Pumpkin Soup:

    Ingredients
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 1 onion, diced
    • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
    • 1 apple, peeled and diced
    • 2 cups fresh pumpkin, roasted and diced, see note below
    • 1 tablespoon sage leaves
    • 3 cups chicken stock
    • 1 cup cream
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    Directions
    In a stockpot over medium heat, melt butter and saute onion, carrot, apple, roasted pumpkin, and sage until all are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Puree the mixture in a food mill; if you do not have a food mill, then puree in a food processor or blender. Return the puree to the stockpot, add the chicken stock and simmer for 15 minutes. Then add the cream and simmer for 5 more minutes, lowering the heat if necessary so it does not boil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
    Divide soup among 4 soup bowls and serve immediately.
    Cook's Note: To roast pumpkin, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut whole pumpkin in half and then cut each half into several pieces. Discard seeds or reserve for another use. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tender but not falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool, peel away skin, and dice.


    Corn Pudding:
    Classic Corn Pudding ~ Made From Scratch (Gluten Free or Not)
    Yield: 8-12 servings

    4 eggs
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup sour cream
    2 (15 ounce) cans creamed corn
    4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
    1/2 cup brown rice flour *
    2 tablespoons potato starch *
    6 tablespoons cornmeal
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

    * if you are not in need of a gluten free recipe, substitute 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons AP flour for the items marked with an *

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a large cast iron skillet (or a 9x13 baking dish) and set aside. Whisk together the eggs and the sugar and then add in the sour cream, creamed corn and butter, stirring between each addition. Whisk together the dry ingredients and then add to the corn mixture. Stir until well combined.

    Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, depending on your pan. When the pudding is golden brown and slightly firm to the touch, it is done. Let cool at least ten minutes before serving. Scoop with a spoon or slice into squares to serve. Enjoy!


    Cranberry Relish:
    1kg fresh cranberries
    1-2 apples
    1 cup toasted walnuts
    100% pure maple syrup

    Cook the cranberries in syrup Peel and dice apples and add to cranberries when they are just starting to soften. Add chopped, toasted walnuts. A dash of orange peel gives a nice finish but isn't necessary. The perfect consistency is when about half the cranberries have burst and turned pulpy, thickening the syrup. The other half will burst in your mouth. It's divine.
  • Ninitonkers
    Ninitonkers Posts: 37 Member
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    Thats great thank you! We really just wanted to try and make it special for her. We are based in Cambridge work wise but I live in Newmarket, near the Mildenhall and Lakenheath Bases :)
  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
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    I go over to Lakenheath/Mildenhall about every other month or so. :) We're at Alconbury and they don't have anything there. It's absolutely pathetic. I don't mind much though. The local foods are much healthier, fresher, and often cheaper anyhow.
  • Joannah700
    Joannah700 Posts: 2,665 Member
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    Turkey and Stuffing typically are the main dishes and any side dishes are dependent upon family or personal tradition.

    In my family other sides included:
    -Mashed potatoes
    -green peas
    -rolls
    -cranberry sauce from the can
    -a baked sweet potato
    - PIE. (2 apple crumb, 2 pumpkin, 1 pecan, 1 pumpkin cheesecake and anything else we feel like making)

    Things have changed now that we are grown ups and we throw in quinoa casseroles and sweet potato souffles in the mix. And part of the point of Thanksgiving is to have your own delicious dishes. So feel free to do any version of any sidedishes you like.

    Oh! And because my sister saw this earlier this year and declared, This will change Thanksgiving: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EZ7Fjsr6Ebk
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
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    Hi Everyone, I live in England but my boss is from San Francisco.... As most of you know we Brits dont really celebrate Thanksgiving. Ususally my boss gomes home to her family every year but due to work commitments this year she is stuck in blighty with us!
    A few of us wanted to get together and do something nice for her to celebrate even though she will be at work. We were planning to decorate her office with Autumn leaves and banners and make some Thanksgiving food and decorate one of the meeting rooms like a big family dinner table. Here is where I need help!
    Any suggestions of what we can do? Food, Decorations etc... Please bear in mind we dont have as cool food as our lovely American counterparts (unless there are any Americans in Cambridgeshire who want to take me on base!) and American imported food is EXPENSIVE!
    Any help gratefully appreciated. We dont want her to feel too homesick at Thanksgiving.
    Thank You :)

    That phrase sounded really odd in my head. heh.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    sweet potato casserole....this is the one I make. No marshmallows, but plenty of butter.

    http://www.marthastewart.com/348501/sweet-potato-casserole


    I do used can sweet potatoes when in a time crunch or if I feel lazy. I also, don't fresh squeeze my orange juice.
  • shellma00
    shellma00 Posts: 1,684 Member
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    pumpkin pie is normally on the Thanksgiving table.

    Green Bean Casserole is my fave holiday side dish.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Re: pumpkin pie. This might not be doable for you. Apple pie is a good substitute (still spicy fall flavors).

    Here in the states we have 2 kinds of pumpkins. Large, lighter orange pumpkins are for carving....not pies. Pumpkin pie pumpkins are small and darker orange. You would have to bake the pumpkin & scoop out the flesh and mash it smooth (kind of a pain)....here in the states we used canned pumpkin. Libby's (brand) canned pumpkin really nails it....not watery, nice smooth consistent texture.

    Decorations.....just go with some nice fall colors. Fall leaves can be pretty. Turkeys, pilgrims, and Native Americans would be the traditional decorations but some of these can be child-like.

    Everyone has their favorite Thanksgiving recipes but the most traditional things are turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes (yams) and cranberries. Good luck with cranberries. These are more of a garnish type thing. One spoonful per person is good.
  • carrieliz81
    carrieliz81 Posts: 489 Member
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    In terms of the sweet stuff, I think cinnamon is like a Thanksgiving requirement. Put it in your sweet sides and in your desserts, and it will be very reminiscent of an American autumn. Bonus spices include nutmeg, cloves, or allspice. Doesn't matter if it's apples, pumpkin, sweet potato, custard, bread pudding-y casserole stuff....... if it has those spices, she will be transported to TG. :-)
  • tbonethemighty
    tbonethemighty Posts: 100 Member
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    I'm in Germany and do a massive Thanksgiving every year...you can get almost everything at a normal European supermarket if you're willing to make it from scratch. As you're going to be at work, I'd say go for easy staples:
    turkey (hell, you can do turkey sandwiches if you want)
    stuffing
    veggies of some sort (everyone's family has their own -- I like green beans, corn pudding, sweet potatoes, but honestly? anything goes)
    pie (pumpkin pie is the easiest thing in the world to make from scratch -- don't listen to the nay-sayers)

    For non-food-related: bring a box of crayons to work. Take some sheets of white paper. Make everyone trace their hand and decorate it like a turkey before they are allowed to eat. This is the rule at my home before anyone gets to start with Thanksgiving dinner, and despite initial skepticism on the part of the Germans, they love it. And it's seriously the one activity that EVERYONE can do and that EVERY SINGLE PERSON who celebrated Thanksgiving as a child is familiar with. Good times.

    What a great idea. I want to work at your company ;-)
  • carrieliz81
    carrieliz81 Posts: 489 Member
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    I forgot to mention spice cake. Also an acceptable fall/thanksgiving dessert. Yum.
  • spiralated
    spiralated Posts: 150 Member
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    The staples are turkey, stuffing and some kind of pie (which can be made so many different ways). The side dishes are super flexible and vary depending on family background and region. (well almost everything is - I had a friend from Indonesia who's mom did a teriyaki turkey!)

    Usually (depending on family size) you have the turkey, 2-3 starches (ie., stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn and bread or mash potatoes), 2-3 veggie dishes (peas, green bean casserole, carrots, root vegetable medley), cranberry sauce or mash, and sooooooo much gravy.

    Desserts - pie, pies, pies, and sometimes other sweets like candied nuts, and/or fall sweets like baked apples, cinnamon based treats, etc.

    I would poke gently and see if you can find out what her favorite side dish/pie is. This way you can hone in on what she enjoys and sub it things you can find over there!
  • mrogers52
    mrogers52 Posts: 378 Member
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    So very thoughtful of you! :drinker:

    Consider making side dishes that are more traditional for you in England. I try something new every year (I hate green bean casserole) and have fun!
  • JustinAnimal
    JustinAnimal Posts: 1,335 Member
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    I did a Thanksgiving while in Copenhagen a while back and we made it work. I believe someone found a turkey (in another dorm), but it was more than we could afford. We roasted a chicken instead and it was great. Some Americans will be fine with a baked ham (but not me).

    Some kind of roasted or pan-fried veggie (asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts)

    Some kind of casserole (corn casserole seriously rules with a soda cracker crust, maybe the sweet potato casserole though not for me)

    mashed potatoes

    dressing / stuffing

    You're good. Maybe a pumpkin or pecan pie to cap it off.