How geeked up are *you* for Thanksgiving?

[boagman]

I have to admit that I love, love, love Thanksgiving's food. Even more than the Big Meal itself, I am an absolute addict for the wonderful simplicity of leftover turkey sandwiches: good bread, with Miracle Whip, lettuce (iceberg is fine), good tomato if possible (but very optional, too), and then about a 2/3 ratio of dark meat to 1/3 of white meat on the sandwich...nirvana. AND NONE OF THAT CHEESE CRAP TO MESS IT ALL UP!

I mean, sure: I really love the Big Meal itself. What's not to love? But it truly is the sandwiches that fly me to the moon. I usually end up having at least one before the actual day is up, and then it's several days of glory, followed by the inevitable ennui of returning to "lesser" sandwich ingredients.

Bonus multiplied: my sister-in-law is doing the dinner this year, so I get to take home some bird without the normally associated hassle of the dinner! Perhaps I'll bring the rolls or something. Oh! Yes! The *rolls*! I *need* those for the sandwiches!

Mental note recorded. Thursday can't come soon enough, folks.

[FireFlyFiftyFive]

I don't really know the difference between Miracle Whip and mayonnaise (and no one has to tell me) but this really makes a turkey sandwhich. I'd say the bread should be lightly toasted and some sliced onions are fine too.

I am quite geeked out about TG this year! Full turkey, garlic mashed potatoes (with a couple of granny smith apples tossed in the Guy Fieri way), cranberries and a great stuffing with dried cherries and goat cheese. Yumm. Green beans? Don't need no stinkin' green beans!

[southernitalian]

A few years ago I read about adding crumbled blue cheese to gravy and using it as a sandwich condiment. It sounded bizarre at first....until I tried it. I love Thanksgiving and have a lot to be grateful for this year so I am extra-geeked.

[BobB]

Strange use of the word geek. I thought you were going to talk about using all sorts of high-tech gadgets to prepare the meal (Webcams watching the oven, anyone?)

[Popkin]

I'm totally looking forward to the gravy. It's like the essence of turkey-ness, thick, mouth-enrobing turkey concentrate. I even use it on the sandwich (which consists of bread, turkey, stuffing, and onion).

Oh, then the stock, the STOCK! I'm going to boil it down to concentrate it. I usually keep some concentrated turkey stock in the freezer. Normally I'd add a bit of water before using, but I like to keep the concentrated stuff around to use straight when someone in the house is ill. When you can't smell, you can't taste so well, so the stronger the soup the better lol

[givemecarbs]

I'm pumped! A nice relaxing holiday based on family, friends and great food. And the leftovers! A turkey sandwich with filling later that night is a family tradition for me too. And then hot turkey sandwiches the next day, and the day after. By then I'll have to make some fresh veggies but it's worth it! And the pies!!!! And later turkey soup with turkey salad sandwiches. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[kubasd]

soooo excited! i got all the goods today! i'm brining my turkey, serving mashed sweet potatoes, mashed cream cheese potatoes, mashed turnips, roasted brussels sprouts, blanched then sauteed with garlic and shallots haricots verts, sauteed neon chard with creminis, cranberry sauce (both homemade whole berry and jellied canned), homemade herbed stuffing, rolls using my grandma's recipe, a cheese plate, relish tray, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and of course homemade whipped cream. i don't eat meat so my stuffing is made with veggie stock, but i love the sandwich with cran sauce, stuffing, mayo (hellmans) on my grandma's rolls.

[Emme]

No gravy soaked layer of bread in the middle? That's my little secret...

[roro1831]

The moist maker, ala Ross from Friends

[roro1831]

I am, but I am that way because I do get to cook afterwards, making a big pot of turkey gumbo either Friday or Saturday.
I cook a sep turkey just for the gumbo.

My sandwich consists of turkey, no dressing, the oyster dressing sandwich's are fine on their own, cranberry, lettuce and Duke's mayo ok maybe a little of the oyster dressing.

[TexasSage]

How do you prepare your oyster dressing?

[roro1831]

2 # lean ground meat
1 # ground pork
3 doz oysters and oyster water
1 ½ cup chopped onions
½ cup celery
8 chicken livers chopped
8 chicken gizzards chopped

Brown ground meat and pork. Drain excess grease. Fry onions, celery in ½ stick of butter until onions are soft. Add ground meat, livers and gizzards. Cook for about an hour. Add oysters & oyster water and cook for about 15 minutes more. Dressing should be moist, not dry. After dressing cools for a while, break 2 eggs in dressing and beat well.

[MGZ]

That sounds absolutely marvelous!

[roro1831]

It is, and the best part for me is none of my in laws eat it, (the idea of livers and gizzards in something freak them out, they were very taken aback the first Christmas I was there and ate the giblets out of the pot they used to boil them for the gravy, they normally threw them away) so I get to have it for days. Although a friend from back home may join us so he'll eat a lot of it.
My grandmother was the greatest cook in the world (to me at least) and this is one of the only recipes that was ever written down.

[MGZ]

Yeah - I'd have no chance getting most of my family to even let me put that dish on the table. I suppose I'll need to scale down the recipe for some night when I'm home alone!

[roro1831]

When I first moved up to New Jersey, it was two days before Thanksgiving and I cooked thanksgiving dinner for my future in laws, about 12 people total. I did a turducken, oyster dressing and rice, the rest I had to do because no one would eat what I was used to, some tried it but then really ate what they were used to. We had a second turkey, plain with a bread based stuffing, mashed potatoes etc. When the rice hit the table everyone asked what that was for, we never did mashed potatoes growing up,it was always rice.

[laliz]

wheat toast, best foods mayonnaise, lettuce *I agree, Iceberg is fine*, a scoop of stuffing, a slice of jellied cranberry sauce, and the turkey, dark and white mix preferable

no tomato, no cheese ~~ avocado and/or bacon would be fine additions

[hotteacher1976]

Not really geeked up for it. But, I must admit that not having to cook for a while afterwards is cool.

[Cherylptw]

I love that I don't cook for a week after because of all the leftovers...and turkey & stuffing sandwiches is the best part of "after" the meal...