Thansgiving MIshaps, Ooops, & Triumps??

[cjs]

What cooking snafus or wonders has everyone experineced on Thanksgiving Day over the years? (Can be from Christmas, also)

I remember one year I was so tired of the blah, blah holiday rituals, I didn't make one regular dish - I can't remember what all I made, but one of the dishes was a broccoli and cauliflower molded dome (it was so pretty!!). I had tears, threats ("I'm going to Dad's!!), and an entire family that would have nothing to do with me.

So, as I've been hearing nonstop the lat few days, "Man Up" and tell your stories....

[Harborwitch]

That cauliflower broccoli dome thing is a oft requested holiday dish.

Oh - man! It was our first Thanksgiving on the boat. We'd discovered that the oven on the boat stove didn't work. I put the pies in the cast iron pans and "baked" them on the BBQ. We bought a smoker and stuck a 14 lb turkey in it. We took the turkey out and it was BLACK! Saving grace was that if you peeled it the meat was perfect. Friends hopped in their little boat with their part of dinner and came over to ours from a nearby marina - the first thing they saw was that BLACK turkey, they almost got back in their boat and left!

Would have saved a lot of anguish over the years if they had left. Hindsight is 20/20

[Gourmet_Mom]

A couple of years ago, I made a lobster bisque. I forgot I'd salted the water to cook the lobster and the bisque came out REALLY salty. I think this story is already on here.

Then there was the year we went with a ham dinner. The kids were furious. There is always a turkey on the table now...even if the rest of the meal is non-traditional...LOL!

[chef_Tab]

I don't recall any Thanksgiving mishaps, but one Easter, more than 20 years ago, I had hubby's entire family over for dinner. I bought a ham and did not realize it was in TWO layers of plastic wrap. I took one off, baked the ham and it wasn't until Wally tried to slice it, we realized there was a "fused" skin on the outside. In desparation, we peeled it off and served the ham. Everyone commented on how moist and delicious it was. I tried not to look too flustered.

And much more recently, at the inlaws 80th surprise party, I finally decided on sauteed mushrooms to go with the steaks that were being served. I had them in a huge casserole, warming in the oven at the SIL's beach home. There were no pot holders, so I grabbed two dish towels to transport the dish to the buffet table. One of the towels unfolded and the entire casserole hit the kitchen floor. Mushrooms and sauce coated nearly every cabinet face and appliance and my dish was shattered. There was plenty of food otherwise, but I felt sooooo horrible for making a mess of someone elses kitchen and delaying dinner. I think I am buying them pot holders for Christmas this year.

[Gourmet_Mom]

OUCH!

I totally forgot about the ham debacle! We were newly married, and I hadn't done much cooking on my own. Mom and Dad let us borrow their RV to take on a trip to the mountains with another couple. William worked with the guy, but I didn't know the wife very well. I volunteered to bake a ham for the trip. I dressed the ham up with brown sugar, pineapple, and cherries and baked it up. I did have Betty Crocker to help me out, but it wasn't enough.

When I pulled out the ham to serve for dinner the first night, the wife commented that she'd never seen a FRESH ham cooked that way....LOL! I was totally clueless!

[Mare749]

One Thanksgiving many years ago, Ron and I found ourselves having dinner at home with just our three year old twins. Both of our families were out of town and although I felt bad about that, was determined to make the most of it.

So, I bought a big turkey, made homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, hot rolls, cranberries, pumpkin pie, the whole nine yards. The girls were small, but helped me decorate the house to make it festive, and we even got dressed up for the occasion.

I got the whole meal on the table and was feeling pretty proud of myself for pulling it off, and thankful for having a happy life. Just before dinner, Ron came down with a horrible case of stomach flu and spent the rest of the night in the bathroom. And here I was, with two little girls sitting at the table staring at all that food. I still remember their eyes were as big as saucers when they asked me who was going to eat all the food?

And that, dear friends, is just one chapter in the book of Thanksgivings that have always been anything but dull!

[mjkcooking]

Our Christmas story begins at work on a Christmas morning - we are working
away - lines of people , phone ringing non stop and so much to do you can't
even think straight. One of the girls call me over to the phone and said -
you get to answer this one - thinking it was probably a customer needing something out of the ordinary I answered the phone and I have this woman
telling me how she had cooked this turkey and it didn't have no breast and she
wanted a turkey with a breast. - So I told her to return it and we would
replace it all - she asked for the pan and her celery, onion, and foil to
all be replaced. - I agreed only if she returned the turkey - a while later
she returned the bird - and I did as promised replaced everything for her
and got her on her way - we were so busy that I took the turkey to the meat
dept. and let it set. I went back to work helping and stocking the store.

A few hours later the clerk asked what happen with the call on the turkey
I told her I had been so busy that I hadn't even checked it out - and decided
to go back and check it out. - I thought maybe this turkey had gotten in the
wrong line at the factory and may have had its breast taken off by mistake -
I went back and opened up the turkey pan - and looked at the bird - cooked
and still warm - and looked at that bird - and looked again - only thing
wrong with that turkey was she had cooked it butt up - it had everything it was
supposed to have! - So when I told the clerk - about the turkey we all
roared - and decided to call Quinn and let her know - So I called her
and her friend answered - I told her about the Turkey and that it did in deed
have its breast. - Quinn said in the back ground - I only had 2 beers
this morning! of which her friend said they had been drinking more - We have laughed and laughed over this - We call her the Turkey Lady - and I have
told her many times I am going to print this story in the local paper

[labradors]

Quote:

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I have told her many times I am going to print this story in the local paper

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Try Reader's Digest, instead (probably in "Life in These United States"). Maybe you'll get $100 (or whatever their going rate is for those things, nowadays).

[luvnit]

I don't recall any mishap I have had, but maybe I will later. However, I do remember a gal I worked with years ago. She was a cute little bleach blonde in her 40s who had never cooked a turkey before in her life. Her inlaws were coming for dinner and didn't particularly care for her since she married their son (she was a divorcee and 7 years his senior )

She thawed out the turkey the night before in the laundry tub and got up very early in the morning to get the meal going. She made a big bowl of stuffing and began to stuff the bird but could only get the smallest amount into the cavity after trying and trying. She finally woke up her hubby with this emergency. He reluctantly came downstairs to help figure out what the problem was. He silently turned the bird around so the butt was facing her, not the neck, and went back to bed.

The rest of the dinner cooked just fine. The turkey came out of the oven just beautifully. She was so proud of her picture perfect meal. Her husband carved the bird and everyone began to eat. Pretty soon people were spitting the turkey back onto their plates and in their napkins.

Apparently when she thawed the bird out in the laundry tub she didn't realize that her water softener would run a cycle. The bird had soaked in salty water for who know how long and it was inedible.

She was a very sweet gal, kinda ditzy though, but sweet. Things like this happened to her all the time and she would tell the stories and keep us all laughing at work. She also was the one who introduced me to my hubby on a blind date back in 1992.

[chef_Tab]

"That cauliflower broccoli dome thing is a oft requested holiday dish"

I would like to know more about this particular dish!