Thanksgiving Ideas...

[oni]

This is also my first gluten free thanksgiving. Luckily my mother is supportive. My mom is preparing the bird without stuffing, I think she was going to use rice and or lemons/seasonings inside. Gravy using cornstarch or potato starch. I'm making corn bread stuffing, pumpkin pie - I've successfully used mamma's pie crus mix which is very good and forgiving if you want mess with the fats-, and cheesecake using gluten free cinnamon cookies for the crust (i've also considered gluten free ginger snaps I bet that would be awesome). We are also having a yummy yam's and apple's recipe which is traditional in my family, super good and naturally gluten free! and of course cranberry sauce. I'll probably make rolls as well. As well as another veggie yet to be determined. =) I'm sure my brothers will also bring something, I'm not sure if their stuff will be safe, We will just have to see.

Thanksgiving seems like it will probably be pretty easy. It's Christmas I'm really worried about...

[Adalaide]

My husband and I have had much discussion about the holidays. My family always had large gatherings that lasted many hours and generally had half the men dozing in food comas while the other half went off to do whatever it is men do on a holiday on a farm. The women would gather in the kitchen and just be women. In the past four years since getting married when we have tried to have family gatherings everyone just eats and leaves. No one wants to spend time together or do anything fun.

So, this coupled with knowing his family, we've just decided to cancel the holidays. Both, well all three really, permanently. We'll do a modest bird for us with a few cheap and easy sides. If I don't invite a bunch of ungrateful ingrates, no one can rush for the bread in the pantry and contaminate my leftovers and I'll be 100% stress free. (Because going 2 hours without gluten would be SUCH A BURDEN!!! Right?)

[Bubba's Mom]

My husband and I have had much discussion about the holidays. My family always had large gatherings that lasted many hours and generally had half the men dozing in food comas while the other half went off to do whatever it is men do on a holiday on a farm. The women would gather in the kitchen and just be women. In the past four years since getting married when we have tried to have family gatherings everyone just eats and leaves. No one wants to spend time together or do anything fun.

So, this coupled with knowing his family, we've just decided to cancel the holidays. Both, well all three really, permanently. We'll do a modest bird for us with a few cheap and easy sides. If I don't invite a bunch of ungrateful ingrates, no one can rush for the bread in the pantry and contaminate my leftovers and I'll be 100% stress free. (Because going 2 hours without gluten would be SUCH A BURDEN!!! Right?)

LOL..sounds like good plan? Our families seemed to get together less and less until finally 3 years ago we stopped all together. It makes the holidays much easier to deal with. I'll make a turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes and some sort of veggie. Easy stuff. Maybe a crustless pumpkin pie made with coconut milk?

Last Christmas was my first gluten-free. I made a gluten-free version of lasagna which was always a family favorite. This year will probably make a ham, because I can't do dairy, tomatoes, or rice noodles. Hard to make lasagna without those ingredients. LOL

[kareng]

A friend of mine and I are threatening to go to San Diego until after Christmas! Seems easier and more relaxing.

[Adalaide]

Just picked up a copy of Living Without, the holiday one. Because I like to torture myself. But, tis the season and I love love love turkeys! We picked up a reasonable sized turkey yesterday and are going to cook it as soon as we can and another on Thanksgiving. The recipes look amazing, can't wait to try some. Forget the holidays I will use these all the time. Every day is a good day for a good cornbread pudding.

[DavinaRN]

Thanks for the stuffing ideas. DH is becoming more supportive (brought home some chips and a sweet that was gluten free), maybe because today makes 4 wks and I haven't gave in and ate anything . Our thanksgiving menu is now 2 fried turkeys, ham, Mac & cheese , mashed potato, gravy (2- one without gluten and giblet which I won't touch), green beans, potato salad, corn, stuffing (3-sage stovetop, sausage and whatever I attempt), deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls , crustless pumpkin pie (thanks for the idea), regular pumpkin pie and crustless pumpkin cheese cake (my mom promises gluten free). A ton of food but 15+ people in attendance. Will miss my DS, but at least he was here last year (has always went to visit his dads family in TN). Now a new issue, out of this menu what will not freeze well? We are having a pot luck family reunion on Dec 1 at my house for 60+ people, and I'm NOT willing to chance anything other than what we cook so I'm looking to make me a plate on Thanksgiving to freeze for this event.

TIA

[kareng]

Thanks for the stuffing ideas. DH is becoming more supportive (brought home some chips and a sweet that was gluten free), maybe because today makes 4 wks and I haven't gave in and ate anything . Our thanksgiving menu is now 2 fried turkeys, ham, Mac & cheese , mashed potato, gravy (2- one without gluten and giblet which I won't touch), green beans, potato salad, corn, stuffing (3-sage stovetop, sausage and whatever I attempt), deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls , crustless pumpkin pie (thanks for the idea), regular pumpkin pie and crustless pumpkin cheese cake (my mom promises gluten free). A ton of food but 15+ people in attendance. Will miss my DS, but at least he was here last year (has always went to visit his dads family in TN). Now a new issue, out of this menu what will not freeze well? We are having a pot luck family reunion on Dec 1 at my house for 60+ people, and I'm NOT willing to chance anything other than what we cook so I'm looking to make me a plate on Thanksgiving to freeze for this event.

TIA

I wouldn't be comfortable eating any of that food as left-overs. Too many gluten items. The spoon from one gravy will likely end up in the other, a piece of the gluten dressing will fall in the gluten-free, etc.

[Lisa]

Thanks for the stuffing ideas. DH is becoming more supportive (brought home some chips and a sweet that was gluten free), maybe because today makes 4 wks and I haven't gave in and ate anything . Our thanksgiving menu is now 2 fried turkeys, ham, Mac & cheese , mashed potato, gravy (2- one without gluten and giblet which I won't touch), green beans, potato salad, corn, stuffing (3-sage stovetop, sausage and whatever I attempt), deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls , crustless pumpkin pie (thanks for the idea), regular pumpkin pie and crustless pumpkin cheese cake (my mom promises gluten free). A ton of food but 15+ people in attendance. Will miss my DS, but at least he was here last year (has always went to visit his dads family in TN). Now a new issue, out of this menu what will not freeze well? We are having a pot luck family reunion on Dec 1 at my house for 60+ people, and I'm NOT willing to chance anything other than what we cook so I'm looking to make me a plate on Thanksgiving to freeze for this event.

TIA

What of this will you be eating? Are you doing all the cooking? (sorry, I have not read the entire thread).

[GottaSki]

Thanks for the stuffing ideas. DH is becoming more supportive (brought home some chips and a sweet that was gluten free), maybe because today makes 4 wks and I haven't gave in and ate anything . Our thanksgiving menu is now 2 fried turkeys, ham, Mac & cheese , mashed potato, gravy (2- one without gluten and giblet which I won't touch), green beans, potato salad, corn, stuffing (3-sage stovetop, sausage and whatever I attempt), deviled eggs, cranberry sauce, rolls , crustless pumpkin pie (thanks for the idea), regular pumpkin pie and crustless pumpkin cheese cake (my mom promises gluten free). A ton of food but 15+ people in attendance. Will miss my DS, but at least he was here last year (has always went to visit his dads family in TN). Now a new issue, out of this menu what will not freeze well? We are having a pot luck family reunion on Dec 1 at my house for 60+ people, and I'm NOT willing to chance anything other than what we cook so I'm looking to make me a plate on Thanksgiving to freeze for this event.

TIA

Congratulations on four weeks!

Are you hosting this meal? If so, why two gravies? Are you making the three types of stuffing? I make two since going gluten-free -- corn which I make very similar to traditional stuffing just substitute the pepperidge farm stuffing cubes I used to use with cornbread and wild rice/cranberry.

As for leftovers - as Karen said - if the meal is mixed gluten/gluten-free than I would not freeze any of the leftovers. I would suggest - and we did this our first holidays while our kitchen was still combined -- first large chunk of the turkey goes to Mama to be put safely out of the gluten eaters reach - this meat would be safe to freeze and if you are running low you could always give this portion back to re-stock the turkey platter

Took me quite a while to put myself first - with gluten-free items - you ALWAYS serve yourself FIRST and grab a bit for leftover if you think there will be too much food = it is always better to put your reserve back into rotation than have to toss perfectly good leftovers because of probable contamination.

[Lisa]

Yes, Darvina, I would feel so uncomfortable cooking all that gluten food in my house. My kitchen is small and as careful as I would try to be, cross contamination would be inevidable.

My gluten family members like my gluten-free mac and cheese. Gravy can be made with drippings and corn starch. And Pamela's gluten-free Choc. Cake Mix is the best cake in the world. You could go totally gluten free, and I bet not too many would even notice.

Gratefully, I don't have to cook for the family this year. We are invited to my daughter's inlaws. Several sisters of son-in-law have "taken up" with the gluten free diet, so I will bring gluten-free stuffing, a veggie and a crustless pumpkin pie. She stuffs the Bird, but always has ham.

I'm looking forward to Turkey Day at the Beach.

[ButterflyChaser]

HI all, I am invited to a Thanksgiving party, and I will have to "bring my own" because there is no way I can make my friends redesign the whole menu around my diet. I usually bring something, and normally I would have baked a gluten-free desset, because desserts are my specialty.

BUT!

My stove and oven have been kaputt for weeks and the company says it won't be ready by Thanksgiving. So all I have is a small electric camp stoves.

Is there any Thanksgiving recipe that I can make in absence of a proper stove, and that would survive 6 hours of travelling? I am a foreigner, so I am a bit at a loss when it comes to typical recipes for Thanksgiving, beyond turkey and pumpkin pie...

[kareng]

I think you could be forgiven for not cooking with a broken stove! How about bring drinks? Sodas or wine or cider?

[ButterflyChaser]

ooh, THAT's smart! I can bring drinks! Thanks! I think a fancy dessert wine is always a good bet...

[mushroom]

If you really felt the need to cook something you could do a cranberry sauce.

[DavinaRN]

Yes we will cook most of this. What usually happens when we cook (every Sunday) I make my plate before we start dinner. So on thanksgiving I would do my plate like normal and do an extra for the Dec 1. Both would be plated before guests arrive.

[Lisa]

Here is an idea:

layered pudding and sugared fresh fruit... topped with cool whip and dusted with cinnamon or nutmeg.

Open Original Shared Link

It would transport well in a cooler and you could assemble at your destination in wine glasses or similar.

[simon-n]

I remember we've had a Savory Green Beans with olive oil last year and these were just amazing. Try it guys!

[simon-n]

I've found many gluten-free recipes for Thanksgiving Open Original Shared Link. Check it out!