Alternative Thanksgiving Ideas?

My mom did this her last year she cooked thanksgiving dinner. she cooked her turkey as usual. My dad carved, as usual. They put the meat out on a platter (they had a frig in the great room to store extra) and put out a buffet of breads and toppings for sandwiches and bowls for those who wanted to make turkey salad or lettuce salad with turkey. They have the usual relish tray, just more of it...celery sticks, carrot sticks, black and green olives, sweet and dill style pickles and bread and butter pickles, sliced onion, cranberry sauce (smooth and chunky), .....you get the idea. It was a big hit. The first guests, family members, brought their famous pies and set up a pie bar. That was also a big hit. She served coffee, decaf coffee, hot water for hot tea or hot cocoa, iced tea, fruit punch (cranberry juice mixed equal with clear soda), and orange juice. She had fresh fruits available because she received many fruit baskets (She just had had surgery), and just let people eat at will and come and go at will. She had a stock pile of good paper plates and bowls and plastic cups. (No clean up for her.) We put out a guest book and found out she served over 200 people that day, either just dessert or dinner or both. Hope this helps with ideas.

I have made these many times. They are colorful and tasty...and disappear fast !! Little hands can handle these, and your guests who are mindful of their weight will silently thank you as well.

Fruit and Cheese Kabobs

1 pint fresh strawberries, halved

1 1/2 C. green grapes

2 cans pineapple chunks, drained

1 pkg Monterrey jack cheese cubes

1 pkg cheddar cheese cubes

1 C. Vaniila yogurt

1/2 C. sour cream

2 T. Honey

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Your local culinary store will have short wooden skewers. Thread fruit and cheese alternately.

Combine dip ingredients.

Line a pretty platter with lettuce and place skewers of fruit.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes or Celery

Combine the following for filling. This can be made several hours ahead

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz grated sharp cheddar

1can deviled ham

1/2 C. chopped pecans

2 tsp. Worcestershire

You could make turkey crochets which are very taste. You take turkey cut in up and make mashed potato and stuffing, mix the turkey and stuffing into the mashed potato and form a ball roll it in dry bread crumbs or cornmeal and bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Then you put turkey gravy on the tops of them. That is what we do with our left over turkey dinner but you could do it without the left overs just bake the turkey you could use stove top stuffing if you wanted and make mashed potato and buy a jar of turkey gravy. They are the best and you can make them as big or as small as you wanted.

~Hot wings

~Relish tray

~bake potato bar (potatos stay warm in a roster) with all the best toppings

~tortilla roll ups (you spread cream cheese on a tortilla and then add thin sliced meat~~use turkey or ham, then roll and slice in to bite sized pieces)

~a variety of fresh breads wtih jam

SPINACH APPETIZERS

fresh spinach leaves

cream cheese

halved pecans

Wash and dry the spinach leaves. Put a coin-sized piece of cream cheese on each spinach leaf and add one of two pecans, depending on the size of the leaf. Roll each leaf up. This makes a wonderful low-carb appetizer.

CRANBERRY PUNCH FOR THANKSGIVING

2 c. pineapple juice

1 c. orange juice

Lots of ice

2 c. cranberry juice

1 c. club soda

6 lemon slices

Combine all the ingredients in a glass pitcher and stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve with your Thanksgiving dinner.

you could have some real fun with this!

How about turkey satay (skewered marinated turkey)

stuffing balls

min pumkin pies (muffin tins)

I like the string bean and dip idea

relish tray

twice baked potatos (use small potatoes and they are great finger food)

glazed yam chunks on toothpicks

finger foods are good. you can put out raw carrots and broccoli with a dip.

ms. clair has made me hungry.

Cranberry Barbecue Riblets

2 pounds pork back ribs, cut across bone to form riblets

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup frozen cranberry orange relish, thawed

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves

Heat oven to 375ºF. Line 15x10 inch bakin gpan with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Cut ribs into individual riblets. Place riblets, meaty side down, in sprayed foil lined pan; cover with foil. Bake at 375ºF for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in small bowl, combine all remaining ingredients; mix well. Remove riblets from oven. Uncover; turn riblets meaty side up. Remove and discard any drippings from pan. Spoon sauce mixture over riblets. Return oven; bake uncovered an additional 30-45 minutes or until pork is tender and glazed, turning and brushing with sauce once or twice. Serve riblets warm with sauce from pan.

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Cranberry Bruschetta

1 1/2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into rings

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 (8-ounce) loaf French bread

Extra virgin olive oil

Combine cranberries, sugar and red wine vinegar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add onion and garlic, return to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer on low for 10 minutes or until cranberries pop.

Pour into a glass bowl. Stir in basil and oregano. Cool at room temperature.

Cut bread diagonally into 16 (3/4-inch) slices; brush both sides with oil. Broil each side for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. Top each slice with cranberry mixture.

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Sweet Pumpkin Dip

1 (15-ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

2 (8-ounce each) packages cream cheese, softened

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Beat cream cheese and pumpkin in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon and ginger; mix thoroughly. Cover; refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve as a dip or spread with a tray of gingersnaps, vanilla wafers or lemon wafers. Trim the crusts from white bread, spread this mixture on to create delicate party sandwiches cut out with cookie cutters.

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Cheese Pumpkins

8 tablespoons smoked Cheddar cold pack cheese food (from 8-ounce container), well chilled

2 teaspoons finely chopped peanuts

4 butter-flavored pretzel spindles or sticks, broken in half

16 tiny pieces fresh parsley leaves

Line small serving plate with waxed paper. Roll each level tablespoon cold pack cheese food into a ball; place on waxed paper-lined serving plate. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes for easier handling.

With end of toothpick, draw ridges around balls to resemble pumpkins.

Dip bottoms of cheese balls in chopped peanuts.

Just before serving, insert pretzel halves into cheese balls for pumpkin stems. Decorate with parsley for leaves. Store in refrigerator.

pumpkin brushetta