Hi!
Won't be long and I will be holding Thanksgiving dinner at my house (I know I am pushing the season). Had ham last year and really do not want to prepare turkey, as that opens up another agenda.
Any other ideas for this holiday dinner? I am open to any suggestions you throw my way. There was a Chicken Ricotta recipe here that sounded pretty good and also possibly Chicken Cordon Bleu. But, are they a holiday dish? Seafood?
Help!!! Thanks, Lynn

The pilgrims probably had seafood, and venison. LOL Was it ever recorded what they had at the original thanksgiving dinner?

Prime rib couldn't be simpler--expensive though. If you want to do one, just salt it with garlic salt. That's all I do. Roast at 350°F to desired doneness. It takes 25-30 minutes per pound. Many people do all sorts of fancy stuff to theirs, but my family likes my way.

One year I was having a large group and I decided on chicken breasts.

I made homemade stuffing .. after I flattened the breasts slightly, I put a good sized scoop of stuffing and rolled the breast around them.

I laid them in a large rectangular pan, sprayed them with a baster and roasted them. They did not take too long to cook and I prepared them a little earlier.
(not too early due to the stuffing)

Take them out, put them on a large platter, and use crabapples and parsley for decoration in between the rolls.

Looks pretty and are very easy to serve.....and does have that holiday aroma throughout the kitchen.

I've done prime rib and it was easy and a big hit but if thats' too pricy how about a nice big roast! So many don't have "good old fashioned" meals any more. My son visits and he always asks for meat loaf! He live in NYC and that is one meal that is not found!

My thoughts are that the holidays are for family and get togethers....."traditional" food doesn't have to be served...just make what you prefer and enjoy the season. Each year for Christmas we have a family "traditional" seafood gumbo. Different members of the family prepare it each year, always awesome. Original recipe was from a long ago relative that actually lived on a boat in the bayou in Louisiana......recipe has probably evolved considerably since then, but it makes for a good story !

Love the little fella/gal in your avatar

I always fondly remember the Thanksgiving when I was about 9 years old and Grandma decided that she just didn't want to cook that year. We all went out (that was quite a treat in itself!) to an Italian restaurant for lasagna. While I've never had lasagna for Thanksgiving (my DH is waaaay too traditional for that) I have often served it on Christmas.

I had a fish fry one year and they didn't ask me to plan it again. I thought it was great myself.

We like brisket, you can make it ahead of time and just reheat when ready to serve.

What did you spray your chicken breasts with in the baster? This sounds like a great idea where I it would taste like a somewhat traditional dinner, but very easy to manage.

Thanks to all of you who provided ideas. I have some time to think about this and decide.

We do traditional for Thanksgiving, especially if it is the in-laws. When we are with just the daughters at Christmas, anything goes. Most times we don't want to spend lots of time in the kitchen. Cooking is the fun part but the cleanup can be a drag.
What about Cornish game hens? Kind of traditional on a smaller scale :)

I do a big ham and a prime rib.

Thanks for sharing this with us.

I think my family would have a nervous breakdown if I didn't serve turkey with all the trimmings!!! I would love to go out, but that isn't in the cards. Oh well, just happy to be around this year to do it all!!!

Excellent idea! Did you use any chicken broth in the pan with the rolled breasts? If so, how much did you use. This could be used to make the gravy.

Believe it or not...my family )and myself also) always had to have the dinner with every aspect of Thanksgiving on the table but a couple years ago, I decided that we were going out...

OMG, everyone loved it......

BUT.......I must admit, I did roast a turkey breast and stuffing and had cranberry sauce and cold slaw on the side for the next day sandwiches. I do believe that my family enjoyed the next day snacks as much, if not more, than the actual dinner.

So this new routine serves all just great........and I am not in the kitchen all day long.........

We usually do turkey for thanksgiving but Christmas we make a huge pan of homemade lasagna. Mmmm mmm. Serve it up with some garlic bread and a fresh green salad. Relatively easy (especially compared to an all out turkey dinner) and a favorite by all.

I've never made this for Thanksgiving but here goes. If you use a crock pot here's a Sauerbraten recipe someone gave me and it is so good! It doesn't taste like Sauerbraten though.

Sauerbraten

2 cups dry white wine
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 large onions, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
6 peppercorns
6 whole cloves
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seed (can use regular mustard seed)
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons salt
1 (5 lb.) bottom round or rump roast

In 3 quart mix all ingredients except for roast. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Cool. Pour over meat and store in refrigerator. *Marinate 3 to 4 days; turning once a day. NOTE: This is where I changed the recipe I just wasn’t sure about letting it sit for so long so did it for 2 days instead.

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup gingersnap crumbs

Remove meat from marinade, discard vegetables. Reserve marinade. Wipe meat with paper towel. Mix 2 tablespoons of the flour, salt and pepper. Coat all sides of the meat with it. In 10 ½” pan fry over medium heat. Brown meat in oil. Place browned meat in slow cooker: add 1 ½ cups strained marinade. Cover. Turn heat control to LOW. Cook 8 hours. Combine sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and gingersnap crumbs. Add to slow cooker and stir well. Cover. Turn heat to high. Cook 30 minutes longer. Serve with potato pancakes. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Cool before serving.

Added Notes from lady who gave me this recipe:

Can use same day without 3-4 day marinate if short on time. Just strain out carrots, onions, whole cloves and add juice into crock pot to cook meat.

Delicious Served with:

Greenwood sweet & sour red cabbage, warm before serving

Fresh green beans

I usually have the traditional. Do not stuff the turkey, but have oyster dressing as a side dish

Last Thanksgiving I had my husbands family over for dinner. To make things easier I made all of my dishes in crockpots, except for the turkey which my husband was in charge of.
He deepfried it without oil.
I even found crockpot recipes for dressing and greenbean casserole.
It was even my very first dressing and it turned out wonderful.
It was easy to keep everything hot and everyone served themselves out of the row of crockpots.
I will do it again this Thanksgiving.

I have always thought that smothered quail was a very nice main dish. You usually fix 2 per person. It is extremely easy to do. They are available in the supermarket. Clean, dredge in flour, brown on all sides, add water to the pan and put in a medium oven with a cover. Bake about 1 hour until very tender when forked. Serve with a dressing. Make gravy from the drippings. Serve with favorite potatoes and vegetables, etc. Most people do not eat quail on a regular basis and this is a simple dish that usually impresses.

This may be of no help for thanksgiving but I do a traditional thanksgiving day dinner, turkey sweet potatoes, etc but we do lasagna for dinner of Christman. I make it the day before, heat on Christmas day. I don't have to spend all day Christmas day in the kitchen.