Let's pretend we're all going to Hoot's for Thanksgiving dinner! Lil' Dumplin has her work cut out for her, trying to figure out the seating arrangements, and Hoot is in charge of the turkey. We are all bringing our favorite dish to pass. We decided to include a recipe card, since some of us have food allergies. What are you bringing?

I'll go first....I am making Hubbard squash. I cut the squash in pieces and bake, loosely covered for 45 mins. to an hour, or til tender. Then scrape the squash into a large casserole dish (hubbard squash are huge!), sprinkle with salt, drizzle with maple syrup, and top with chopped pecans. Heat in oven until top is lightly browned.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 12, 2000

Answers

I would be bringing hash brown casserole. Take 1 stick of margarine, melt it, mix in 2 cans cream of chicken soup, 8 oz. Velveeta, 8 oz. tub of sour cream, and a good handful of chopped onions. Mix well and add to 1 1/2-2 bags "sourthern style"hashbrowns. Top with grated cheese and crunched corn flakes.Bake at 350 for about an hour. Folks please note I DON'T eat like this everyday!

-- Beth Weber (talmidim88@hotmail.com), November 12, 2000.

I'll bring the bread, a braided squash bread, looks really pretty and is delicious as well as nutritious! Here's how it's made: 1 package (1/4 oz) yeast, 2 Tbs warm water, 1 cup mashed cooked squash (any kind, the darker color, the prettier the bread) 1/3 cup warm milk, 1/4 cup butter softened, 1 egg, 3 Tbs brown sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, approx 4 cups flour. Dissolve yeast in water, combine squash, milk, butter, egg, brown sugar & salt, mix well and add to yeast, add flour 1 cup at a time, knead and place in bowl to rise about 1 hour, punch down dough and divide into 3, roll out with hands into 18 inch ropes, braid and place on baking sheet to rise for another 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), November 12, 2000.

Does fudge count as a dish .I love it made with fluff directions on the jar .I'll add some good food later .

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), November 12, 2000.

I'll bring a berry dish. I bag fresh cranberries boil til they pop,mix in 1 cup sugar,1 cup jam{any berry }will due,chill and top w/ fresh orange slices ,nuts are good too.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), November 12, 2000.

While I'm sure turkey will be the center of the dinner, for as many of us that will be there, I thought I'd bring another meat "side dish." I'll bring barbecued salmon (alder smoked, with lemon, onion, and a little butter.)I'll put it on a big platter, surrounded by greens and lemon wedges. I'll also bring a case of Cakebread Winery Reserve Chardonnay 1997, if someone else can bring the wine glasses...

Is this casual? What should we wear? Thanks for the invite!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), November 12, 2000.

I'll bring some Lima Beans! 1 pound bag of Dry Limas, soak over night, Drain and put Limas in Crock Pot add one 10oz can of Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes (hot), 1 small onion chopped, 1lbs Smoked Sausage sliced. Cook til Limas are tender about 4 or 5 hours on low. You can subsitute 1 cup prepared Salsa for the Ro-Tel Tomatoes.

-- Mark in NC Fla (deadgoatman@webtv.net), November 12, 2000.

Sheepish, I think we can dress casual, preferably something with an elastic waistband!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 12, 2000.

Sweat pants anyone ? I'll make fresh pumpkin pie ,apple pie and apple crisp .Apples and pumpkins fresh from the farm of course .And why not some cinnamen rolls to snack on ? Maybe a veggie platter and that new recipe I got from a friend at the CS forum for blue cheese dressing .

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), November 12, 2000.

Hoot, thanks for the invite. Everthing sounds good! Sheepish, I'll bring the wine glasses. Sounds like we will all need a good long walk after eating. But that's after we all have our nap! You do have enough room for everyone to take a snooze, Hoot?!?

Michael in North-West PA

-- Michael W. Smith (kirklbb@penn.com), November 12, 2000.

Hmmmm....does Hoot know we're coming?! :P

-- Beth Weber (talmidim88@hotmail.com), November 12, 2000.

Hoot:

Suddenly I need to take an overly-full stomach nap. Yummm, yummm.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 12, 2000.

Wow! Lil Dumplin and I leave for the afternoon and now find that we're gonna have Thanksgivin dinner! Well, thats fine with me! Sounds like all you folks know how to cook---rekon I'll jest hafta show youse all how to eat! How about eatin outside under a shelter roof with a BIG fire to warm up by? Several tables under the shelter with lots of coffee, iced T and Southern GOSPEL MUSIC!!! If'n y'all beg jest a little I mite brang out ODEie, m'banjer! Well actual Lil Dumplin sez "no way am I gonna rund off company"! Well anyhow, at least I though it was funny-she didn't! I'll go get the turk tomorry and start feed'n'm lotsa crakked corn and milk. Orta be rite smart etin by Thanksgivin day! Oh, BTW, brang you'rn clawhammers too! We gots a Ministry building to build! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 12, 2000.

Coming across the Mississippi to see you Hoot! Should we take the bridge at Cape Girardeau or Chester? I will bring Oriental Slaw. Don't have the recipe with me right now. Has shredded broccoli,ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, and a good dressing. Can I bring Mom and Dad and the boys? Mona Lea

-- Mona Lea (monalea@hotmail.com), November 12, 2000.

Since I don't know how to cook, I always get to bring the mashed potatoes! That's the rule. Real potatoes, peel and wash and dice. Cook, drain, add butter and milk and beat with the mixer till real smooth. Taa Daaa

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), November 12, 2000.

Yippee! We'll bring the relish tray-pickled beets, pickled carrots, onions, olives, dill and bread and butter pickles, etc. Guess we could bring the butter for the bread and some gravy for those potatoes, too. Wonder how long it takes to drive there from Colorado? Hoot, do we need to bring nails, too? Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), November 12, 2000.

I'll bring the album of Alice's Restaurant. I played it for my 11 year old son last year and he thought it was quite funny!! DW in CO ...and some real pumpkin pie from my pumpkin I froze.

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), November 12, 2000.

wow sounds good I'll bring sour cream cranberry pie it used to be sourcream raisin but we like it better with cranberries better get started we have a long way to go. Ronda

-- ronda (thejohnsons@localaccess.com), November 12, 2000.

oops forgot to give the recipe one baked pie shell whip an 8oz package on cream cheese add 1 cup of sour cream and a large carton on frozen whipped topping put half the mixture in the shell on the stove make a fairly thick pudding with eggs sugar and sour cream stir in a can of whole berry cramberries let cool put in shell and top with the rest of the cream mixture ronda

-- ronda (thejohnsons@localaccess.com), November 12, 2000.

If you guys get all that food together then I'll sweet talk my wife into making one of her apple pies.. yum, yummmm.

-- Richard V.Miller (richard.miller@1st.net), November 12, 2000.

OH, what a great idea!!!!! I'll bring candied sweet taters, you make em by peeling about uh a big bowl full, wash, but into med. size chunks, cut up a stick of butter and dolop on, sprinkle cinnamon, brown sugar and honey all over it, sprinkle a little water and stir up to coat all pieces, put in a baking dish, cook at 350' until the tators are tender, turn often to coat. And I'll bring some wholewheat dinner rolls, thats just a bread recipe. See ya soon hoot & little darlin.

-- Carol in Tx (cwaldrop@peoplescom.net), November 12, 2000.

I bake a ham, I use brown sugar,pineapple and maple syrup. Hoot is my wife's favorite person on this board and we are within driving distance. Can we work before the meal, I ain't much good on a full stomach?

-- Tom (Calfarm@msn.com), November 12, 2000.

I will bring a fresh green salid with lettuce, nastursums, mixed greens all fresh from the garden.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), November 13, 2000.

I will bring my expandamatic slacks and air matress, everybody else is on their own :)

gene

-- GENE WARD (GWARD34847@AOL.COM), November 13, 2000.

Hoot, Thanks for being a good sport about all this! Another one of my favorites is cornbread stuffing! Chop and fry up lots of onions and celery in butter, add sage, thyme, salt and pepper, broth, and cubes of wheat bread and corn bread. Put in casserole and bake til browned. I'm having a ball with this "pretend" holiday! Everything sounds great, including the "entertainment"!! I was wondering how I was gonna learn some carpentry skills so I can build me a house some day!!!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), November 13, 2000.

I am going to print this out & post it on the fridge. Hint, hint to Queen Buffness. It's early and I feel the need for breakfast now. John

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), November 13, 2000.

It'll be one of my old regular stand-bys for carry-ins---Onion Pie. Even if you think you don't like onions, I'll bet you'll like this! Make a crust of 30 small square crushed saltine crackers and 1/2 cup melted butter, press into bottom of large shallow casserole (9 x 12 or similiar). Suate until golden brown 3 cups thinly sliced onions in 1/4 cup butter and put on top of cracker crust. On top of the onions, spread 1/2 lb. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese. This part may be fixed hours ahead of time. When time to bake, add: 1 1/2 cups scalded milk to 3 beaten eggs, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper then pour this mixture over the onion cheese stuff. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes or until custard sets. I keep some onions in refrig all the time, and when peeling and chopping cold onions, I don't cry. Another tip--to get the onion odor off your hands, dampen hands, rub with salt, rinse and wash as usual. THIS part isn't pretend--I will probably get to see hoot on T'giving!

-- ruth in s.e.IL (bobtravous@email.com), November 13, 2000.

Sounds like we are in for a good time Hoot you don't mind if we bring tents do ya? I'll bring a Squash Casserole!!!2 cups cooked, drained squash, 3/4 stick butter,1/2tsp.pepper,1cup grated cheese,2 eggs,1 tsp. salt, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 cup evaporated milk, 2 cups cracker crumbs(ritz are the best) Mix all together and pour into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. I also put extra cheese on top about half way through cooking.

-- Sandt(Fl.) (MANDARINHILLBILLYS@prodigy.net), November 13, 2000.

Cindy, here's another mashed potato recipe for you -- it's my middle daughter's specialty (since she invented it when she was about twelve) -- five pounds potatoes, peeled and cooked. 8 oz. cream cheese, a pound of butter (real butter), and a package (8 oz, I think) of horseradish dip. Salt and pepper to taste, mash all together. Now, I'm trying to decide between fruit salad (cut up lots of fruit into a large bowl, dress with cream mixed with honey and lemon juice to taste -- some recipe, hunh!?!) and mince-meat pie, made with home-made green-tomato mincemeat! Or better yet, stuffed mince-meat cookies -- I can't eat the cookie part anymore, but they are yummy. I can't reach the cookbook that has the cookie recipe in it, as my husband's honey extractor and some supers are STILL in front of my cookbook shelf, but it's a basic stuffed-cookie recipe -- cut the tops with a hole in the middle, put mincemeat on the bottom, and seal the tops down like the top crust of a pie. This sounds really good -- I hope Hoot has big trestle tables to set up outside, because I'm sure his house can't possibly be big enough for all of us!!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), November 13, 2000.

Hmm, maybe it's a stick of butter!! Daughter is at school, so I can't call her to ask!!!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), November 13, 2000.

I'm bringing the sweet potatoes. They have to be roasted with the turkey. Scub the potatoes, but into large peices, parboil, drain, arrange around the turkey right next to the onions and celery, add salt and pepper, baste with the turkey drippings. This is going to be great fun! Hoot, can I bring the dog and or the boys?

-- Cheryl (bramblecottage@hotmail.com), November 13, 2000.

I will bring cranberry salad and bread. The salad is one package cranberries, two oranges and two apples blend in a blender until smooth then add three packages of strawberry jello. Is best if it is in refridgerator for a day or two before eating as it seems to blend the tastes better. For the bread I just use a banana bread receipe and whatever amount of banana it calls for I use the same amount of cranberry salad. Just a thought maybe everyone could bring homemade christmas gifts so we can compare and learn. Also agree if Hoot is going to get any work out of us we had better do the building in the morning. That will get that done and make us that much hungrier. Steve and or JD could show up and instead of bringing food could pass out bumber stickers. gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), November 13, 2000.

Now we can't have a family dinner without "Pink Salad." I'll list the ingredients first, 16 ounces of cream cheese, 1-10 ounce jar of maraschino cherries, 1-8 ounce can of pineapple chunks or slices cut into chunks, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of whipping cream, and 16 large marshmallows or the equilivent in small ones.

Beat together the cream cheese with the juice drained from both the pineapple and the cherries. Add a little food coloring if you wish, the color of the cherries.

Cut the cherries into halves or quarters, the marshmallows into small pieces, and along with the pineapple add to the above mixture.

Whip the cream and add the sugar toward the finish. Stir into the above mixture.

Refrigerate the salad overnite. It will set up and the flavors will blend.

I always double this recipe since it is so good.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), November 13, 2000.

Can't add too much to what's been brought already...turkey, ham, the dressing, sweet taters, mashed taters, green, pinto, and lima beans. Baked creamed corned, cornbread, dinner rolls, pumpkin and pecan pies. We all agree on the good stuff. Don't forget the pickled okra and a plateful of green and white onion slices.

But, to put you in the frame of mind and body that our first Thanksgiving ancestors experienced, try this. For a day or two subsist on nothing but a cup full of parched dry corn (not popcorn) each day. Makes you really appreciate the Thanksgivin feast. Not disparaging Thanksgiving, love it, but to experience the fullness, one should also experience the emptiness. After Thanksgiving lunch, I'm like a beached whale.

We should all thank the Good Lord that we live in a land of plenty.

BTW, 'xactly wear abouts u live, Hoot??? Very interested in one of your nat gas dc gennys.

-- Phil (phillipbriggs@thenett.com), November 13, 2000.

Not only stretch pants, but we will ALL have to put extra air in our tires just to get home!

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), November 13, 2000.

I can't find my salad recipe right now---but may I please bring my home grown herb tea mixture so we can brew a big pot of herb tea-- those who want it hot can & others can pour it over ice! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), November 14, 2000.

My family loves the Oyster dressing which is much better than it sounds. 2 cans oysters with juice, 2 eggs, 1/2-3/4 long pkg. of crackers, mix put in sprayed 9x13 bake at 350. Hoot, I'm in west/central IL & going to my Aunt & Uncle's place in MO, I probably will be pretty close to your place. I'll be thinking of you!

-- Lenore (archambo@winco.net), November 14, 2000.

I know this is what you all have been waiting for - Sweet Potato Pie! Mix 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes (home grown of course) with 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs lemon rind, 3 yolks, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1 cup light cream. Fold in the 3 stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in a graham cracker crust for 10 minutes at 425 and then for 40 - 50 minutes at 350. A knife should come out clean. Can't believe how much fun it was to read down the list of contributions to the meal - just think how fun it would be to really get together.

-- glynnis in KY (gabbycab@msn.com), November 14, 2000.

My mouth is watering! I'll bring my simple but favorite recipe: roughly cut up red potatoes, green peppers, onion, throw in some mushrooms, sprinkle blush wine over the top, throw in some butter, rosemary, pepper, and sage, and bake it at about 350 until looks good - about 45 minutes covered, then uncovered for a few to darken. YUM!! I'll also bring the Tofurky for us vegetarians. Can't tell you how I make a vegetarian turkey cause I experiment every year - but it is delicious - even omnivores would love! - Julia

-- Julia in Tally (Tofubiscuit@excite.com), November 14, 2000.

How about Black Chocolate Sour Cream cake? This is my kids favorite.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), November 14, 2000.

Well, I don't know you all that well yet but i would love to come along!! I could bring a gingerbread with citrus fluff topping for a dessert and i was thinking of chowder for a starter? And since you all are talking overnighting maybe some carrot marmalade for morning toast? gingerbread-spicy cake that warms the soul..I'd give the recipe but gremlins seem to have run off with my cookbook.

-- Alison in Nova Scotia (aproteau@istar.ca), November 16, 2000.

Wouldn't that be soooo fun!I wish.....!!!!

I'm afraid I'd bring nothing elaborate-just some nice,rich pecan pies. Oh! and Snowy Apple Squares!I'll post this recipe tomorrow,Lord willing.

God Bless,

~~Tracy~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), November 16, 2000.

Well! The BIG day is almost here! Rekon hit'll be old dead turk, cornbread dressin, sweet tater pie [Lil Dumplin is a transplanted Texan!] long with Sis's homemade light bread rolls, onion pie, Mary Belle's chik and noodles, slaw and my HUGE appetite. So, if'n anybody shows up here at the "House of Hoot" we ain't home. Go ahead and leave you'rn grub in the deepfreeze on back porch. Me and Lil Dumplin gotta eat this comin year-and we sure do thankee! All jokin aside now--everybody enjoy the day rememberin the true meanin of the holiday. Others aren't as blessed as we are and that's a sad thing to see. Don't y'all eat too much! Yeah, right! Just like I won't eat too much!!!!! Matt. 24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), November 22, 2000.

Don't forget, instead of turkey, some of us may be eatin' crow!

Happy Thanksgiving! Hoot, thanks for being a good sport.

Count your blessings and may God bless you all!

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), November 22, 2000.