"ravenlynne" wrote

>>> 11, then have the meal at 2...dessert at 4.
>>
>> Perfect for the guy that is a little shy and away from home on a big
>> holiday for the first time. .
>
> I remember being 19 and stationed in Japan...really the first time away
> from home. Alone in the dorm on christmas day making Kraft Mac n Cheese a
> little while before my shift. And crying. I was lonely and homesick.

I hadnt answered this thread as I thouhgt I would be a bit to 'unique' yet
again. <grin>. I always think of that lone sailor away for the first time
like you were.

I have no clue who's going to be eating with us for thanksgiving this time.
When I was on the Fort Mchenry in Sasebo, I took all the single guys from my
shop and their girlfriends home with us (except the first one there, we got
in the afternoon of the day before and were not setup with any food). When
I was on the Essex (also Sasebo) we'd take a group from the ship or the
neighbors who's mom/dad were out at sea still and make a big group thing.

This time, we are waiting to see if the household goods arrive in time to do
a big spread, but we emailed the Naval base to ask where to sign up to take
a few, and that we'd let'em know the menu and how many we can take based on
if our goods from Japan arrive in time. They are due 20NOV but thats just
an estimate. If delivery isnt by the 21st, we can't plan for much. If it
gets here by the 15th or so, we can take up to 20. I prefer to take a shop
and their girlfriends/boyfriends.

I keep Xmas to the family but Thanksgiving, I always have lone sailors and
their dates/friends. I've had up to 30 at a time.

I keep the menu fairly standard with some dishes and vary others so there
isnt so much last second rush for the oven.

Here's a sample of the last time I did it in my Virginia beach home: It was
one of the larger groups, 25 or so.

1 stuffed turkey, largest I could get in my oven. Believe this was 35lbs?
One of the *big* ones. Place rack on lowest level and had maybe 3 inch
clearance on the top. I had to cook this on a low heat and baste with close
to 2 lbs of butter to keep it moist but it worked.

1 stuffed whole salmon- had to cut this in 1/2 to fit the oven. It was
started after the tukey came out. Takes 35 mins. Fit a tofu rice and
spinach middle as we put the fish together for serving.

Baked ham, about 7 lbs, bone in. This was baked to almost done the day
before with cloves and reheated along with the salmon (and part of why we
had to cut the salmon). The resting time between baking really brings the
cloves to the fore and it's better that way.

15 lbs spuds, mashed, used our crockpot to 'bake' them then the stock pot to
mash in series. Skin on lumpy style.

5 large bags of frozen peas, the other stock pot. Green bean cassarole,
fixed day before and reheated in microwave. 15 acorn squash baked along the
sides of other things then reheated qiickly in microwave with butter,
nutmeg, brwn sugar and cinnomon.

7 lbs roughly of yams made with a sweet base but not as sweet as normally
seen for that. Cinese 5 spice and butter type.

Bell Pepper medly, fast fixed from already chopped bell peppers (various
colors), red onions, fresh mushrooms, olive oil, and black olives. Had to
make 5 large cast iron skillets of this as it was really popular but
fortnately had enough. Moans when I ran out <g>. I had meant this to go
with dinner but started rolling it out early due to an available burner and
well....

5 loaves breadmaker bread.

Sliced cheeses, brined olives, Steamed bok choy with balsalmic vinigrette,
various 'munchies'.

I made gravy at the end off the pan drippings. 1 Turkey and 1 ham.

When they left, I had: 1 mostly clean turkey carcass; 1 salmon skeleton, 1
ham bone (I swear, someone knawed it!), 2 cups mashed potatoes (seems like
that), 1/2 loaf bread, and some peas. Musta had a little gravey too but i
do not recall enough to save.

Was it worth it? HELL YES!!!! Had so much kitchen help I didnt know what
to do with them all but loved every second. Meantime the country boys had a
perfect fire laid in the fireplace the whole time and were teaching the city
kids how to keep one going.