Thanksgiving grocery list: the basics

Last year’s Thanksgiving Grocery List post is one of my most popular, but I don’t know that it’s all that helpful to the people who might be searching for that kind of thing so I thought I’d post one that is not so focused on the specific dishes I made last year.

The following dishes are likely to appear on just about every Thanksgiving table:

Turkey: shoot for 1-1.5 pounds of bird per adult unless you want tons of leftovers or you’re feeding a football team. Don’t make the rookie mistake of buying a frozen turkey the day before dinner! Whether or not you actually buy a Butterball, their website has lots of helpful information about buying, thawing, stuffing, and cooking turkeys. Personally I like the 2-hour turkey method, but you have to clean your oven first. Also, pick up a meat thermometer if you don’t already have one. The basic kind you can pick up at the grocery store for less than $10 will work just fine; that plastic pop-up thing that came in the turkey will not.

Gravy: pick up a box or can of chicken broth in case you don’t get enough drippings from your turkey. The only other thing you need for gravy (besides salt & pepper) is flour.

Mashed Potatoes: about one potato per person (plus a couple extra “for the pot.”) Again, more for leftovers or big eaters. You’ll also need butter (as much as a cube) and milk (a cup or two).

Stuffing/Dressing: stuffing or dressing is probably the most individualized dish on the Thanksgiving table. I prefer to cook mine outside the bird for texture, food safety, and time concerns. No matter what you’ll need some kind of dry bread (I use plain dry bread cubes from the bakery,) some kind of liquid (I use chicken broth and melted butter,) and some kind of seasoning (I use fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary as well as salt and pepper.) Most people also include vegetables of some sort; I use onions, mushrooms, and celery. We also include cooked wild rice in our stuffing, and other people include everything from apples to oysters. If you buy some kind of packaged stuffing mix it will probably include a recipe on the back.

Cranberry Sauce: there’s always the can, but cranberry sauce is super-easy to make too. All you need are cranberries, sugar, and water, and it can be done the night before. There’s also fresh cranberry relish which is simply cranberries, an apple, and an orange (peel included,) chopped finely in the food processor with sugar to taste.

Pie(s): also something to take care of the day before T-day. Making your own crusts isn’t hard, but even if you want to buy pre-made crusts, homemade pie is much better than the grocery store version. Canned pumpkin will have the recipe on the label, but you’ll probably need sugar, spices, evaporated milk, and eggs (the spices are included in the can if you get pumpkin pie filling instead of plain pumpkin, just check the label.)

Many people will also want:

Rolls: we don’t usually have rolls, but I think most people do. It would be easiest to pick them up at the bakery, but if you want something special you can make your own.

Sweet Potatoes/Yams: if you like the candied kind with marshmallows on top I think you can use the canned ones and there’s probably a recipe like this on the label. I actually can’t help you there, I’ve never made them. We’re just going to bake ours like regular potatoes this year.

Green Bean Casserole: this is super-easy to make, and the ingredients will probably be all sitting together somewhere. the recipe is likely on the labels of both the soup and the onions.

A vegetable: corn and peas are probably most popular, though they’re more a starch than a vegetable. Green salad is nice, but not traditional for most.

copy and paste grocery list for 10-12 people:
turkey (1-1.5 lbs./person)

milk (at least 1/2 gallon, at least 1%)
butter (1 lb.)
whipping cream (1 pt.)

potatoes (about 1/person)
onions (2-3)
mushrooms (.5 lb.)
celery (1 head, you can use the outside stalks on a relish plate)
herbs (fresh or dried: sage, thyme, rosemary)
cranberries (1 lb) OR 1 can cranberry sauce

chicken broth (2 boxes/4 cans)
stuffing cubes (1-2 packages, check for number of servings)

flour (white, unbleached, 5 lbs., less if you’re not making pie crusts)
sugar (5 lbs. is more than you need, but 1 lb. will be cutting it close)
salt & pepper if you don’t already have it

If you’re making your own pie add:
1 can pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
eggs
pumpkin pie spice
pie crusts OR shortening to make your own crusts

If you’re making your own rolls add:
yeast

If you’re making green bean casserole add:
1 can fried onions
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 bag frozen green beans

If you’re making candied yams add:
1 yam/sweet potato per person OR 1can yams/sweet potatoes
1 bag marshmallows
brown sugar (1 lb. or less)
cinnamon (I’d probably use the pumpkin pie spice if I didn’t already have cinnamon.)

If you want a relish tray add:
1 small jar pickles (sweet, dill, or both if you like)
1 can black olives

If you don’t already have one, also pick up a meat thermometer and an oven thermometer.

I don’t think I forgot anything, but certainly double-check and let me know. This is not a super-gourmet version of Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s miles above one made with instant mashed potatoes and stuffing mix.

You can do it!

Menu & Grocery List for 10/12-10/18

Still working on using up veggies this week

Vegetarian Lasagne: I can’t seem to find a recipe that seems right, so I’m starting with this one but adding broccoli, leaving out the carrot, and adding tomatoes as well as the béchamel sauce. Salad with this for sure.

Indian spiced rice and Potato-filled flatbread: the rice recipe is from Vegetarian Planet, and the flatbreads from How to Cook Everything, the cookbook with the best. index. ever. We’ll need some kind of veggie with this, maybe I’ll get some extra broccoli?

Scallion-Tofu stir fry with rice, of course. Again, from HTCE.

Roasted chicken with parsley and lemon: yup, HTCE. We’ll roast veggies along with the chicken, and probably have salad too.

Chicken noodle soup: no recipe needed here, but I’ll make the noodles.

Grocery List:

tofu
whole chicken

canned tomatoes

milk
ricotta
mozzarella

bread
basmati rice

spinach
broccoli
mushrooms
peas (probably frozen)

Pantry Items: potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, parsley, lemons, scallions, salad fixins, spices, flour, oil, lasagna noodles, rice, lentils

Menu and grocery list for 8/31-9/6

Jeff’s back from a 30-day trek in the Yukon Territory and starting a new job on Monday (yay! and yay!) I sometimes neglect lunch planning since we both like leftovers, but since we’re both going to be brown bagging it regularly I’m going to try to pay a little more attention to making sure there are good lunch choices available like some doctored-up tofu “chicken” salad and some of our favorite oatmeal cookies.

Grilled Lemon Chicken and Moroccan Couscous Salad: this is the only thing I’ll make from an actual recipe this week. Many reviewers said the chicken was bland–it looks like it could use some garlic to me.

Salad Rolls: yes, again. Jeff is craving vegetables and rice noodles after 30 days of eating endless pasta on his NOLS course (Apparently that is as boring as it sounds, the poor guy lost 10 lbs.!)

Black bean tostadas: we made a pot of this soup yesterday and I saved some beans out for simple tostadas. Martha taught me to brush the tortillas with oil and stick them under the broiler for a bit–easier and healthier than frying them up and only slightly less tasty. We’ll just pile beans, cotija cheese, avocado, tomato, green salsa and sour cream on top.

Grilled pizzas: I’ll cook up some zucchini and onions on the stove first since these don’t stay on the grill long enough to cook toppings. We’ll top it with some mozzarella, hopefully fresh.

Stuffed burgers: I think I’ll stuff these with salsa and cotija cheese, then top them with avocado and tomato. We’ll have corn chips on the side if there are any left–they seem to disappear quickly at our house!

Grocery List:
milk
yogurt
eggs
cotija cheese
mozzarella cheese

salt
peppercorns (yes, I’m out of salt and pepper!)
cinnamon
coffee

bread
buns
corn chips

oats
couscous
brown sugar
raisins

zucchini
bean sprouts
cilantro
green onions
avocados
red peppers
tomatoes
fruit

tofu
chicken breasts (I’ll get one or two, not six as the recipe calls for)
ground beef

Pantry Items: tortillas, salad roll wrappers, rice noodles, lettuce, carrots, mint, limes, lemons, green beans, salsa, sour cream, almonds

Menu & Grocery List for 3/30-4/4

I end up eating some weird stuff when I’m home alone. Last week everything seemed to involve pasta, so you won’t see any on this week’s menu!

Split pea soup: my favorite recipe is from Laurel’s Kitchen and includes barley but no ham. We eat it with cottage cheese, which sounds weird but isn’t.

Lamb sausage with fresh mint, feta, and garlic: seems like we should eat this with pita bread, and probably some raita.

Coconut Tofu: with rice, of course.

Chicken with Roasted broccoli and raisin vinaigrette: not sure which part of the chicken yet, but probably thighs unless I can find some breasts that aren’t insanely expensive.

Spicy stewed potatoes and spinach with buttermilk: again, with rice.

Roasted asparagus and shiitakes with fried eggs and Parmesan: this is from the March 2008 Everyday Food magazine–there’s a section in front of 50 no recipe meals and this is #40.

Grocery List:
eggs
chicken
ground lamb
tofu

buttermilk
feta cheese
1/2 & 1/2
yogurt
cottage cheese

mint
cilantro
lettuce
spinach
asparagus
shiitake mushrooms
broccoli
carrots
cucumber (?)

raisins
coconut
rice flour
dried red chilies (2)

coconut milk

For breakfast, snacks, and lunches I’ll also pick up bread, peanut butter, corn chips, oatmeal, and fruit.

Pantry: spices, split peas, barley, celery, onions, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, rice vinegar, miso, soy sauce, garlic, potatoes, rice

ZOMG! Trader Joe’s!

I have to admit, when we moved here almost four years ago from Seattle we did bemoan the absence of Trader Joe’s. I made it a point to visit one whenever we hit Eugene or Portland, usually making it my last stop so that I could tote home frozen potstickers and Greek yogurt along with my dried fruit and cans of coconut milk. At some point, the novelty wore off. I still go occasionally, but I’ve pretty much stopped using it as a way to bond with all the other people who have just moved here.

I’m going to assume it’s a general lack of local excitement that has made Trader Joe’s front page news in Bend, as they are today, for almost two years. (update: I just looked at the paper version of the paper and it appears that the story is not on the actual front page, just featured on the website.  Sorry for the hyperbole. But still.) An article from the Bend Bulletin on April 21, 2006 reported that the Cascades Village Shopping Center had submitted plans that included a Trader Joe’s although at the time a spokeswoman for the company “declined to confirm” the news. While I’m all for cheap wine, I think I can safely say the build up on tomorrow’s grand opening has been (well) over the top.

This is not to say I won’t shop there. It seems like they’re a great company that deserves their reputation for treating their employees fairly (unlike, say, REI.) They do have some things that have been difficult or even impossible to get locally without mail order (oh please tell me they have pomegranate molasses, I’ve become addicted to the stuff and can’t find it anywhere in town.) But you won’t find me there peering in the windows tomorrow morning. I’ve made it this long without easy access to Baked Jalapeño Cheese Crunchies and Flax & Honey Flatbread, I’m not going to wait in a traffic jam to get them now.

Menu & Grocery List for 3/17-3/22

I’ve been out of town and Jeff is headed out of town so that always throws the meal planning off a bit. This week I’m going to focus on using stuff from the fridge, freezer, and pantry since it seems like some food “clutter” (like bulk rice, half-finished packages of pasta, and frozen beans) is starting to pile up. No question about what we’ll have tomorrow though, authentic or not….

Corned Beef & Cabbage: cooked in the crock pot, in beer and onions, with the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots added at the end. There several more interesting Irish-ish dishes on epicurious’ St. Patrick’s Day menus that would be fun to try. Maybe next year.

Brown Rice and Goat Cheese Cakes: I planned to make these a few weeks ago, but didn’t, so they’re back on the list since I still have most of the ingredients (including the broccoli I meant to fix on the side.)

Spaghetti with Fried Eggs: I’ve been enjoying Mark Bittman’s blog Bitten and expect this won’t be the last meal I find there. If the salad greens look good we’ll probably have salad with this, otherwise maybe cooked greens like spinach or kale.

Pasta E Fagioli: Whenever I cook beans (usually on a Sunday) I always cook more than we’ll eat and freeze the extras. It’s almost as convenient as canned beans, but cheaper and more tasty. Right now I have a quart of white beans that will be perfect for this.

With the travel and the leftovers this should be plenty for the week.

Grocery List:

corned beef
chicken broth

shallots
cabbage
canned tomatoes
celery
carrots
garlic
potatoes
lettuce/greens

Pantry: rice, pasta, white beans, cheese, eggs, pecans, spices, olive oil

I’ll also pick up fruit, bread, yogurt and probably some chips and maybe salsa for snacks and lunches as well as coffee and 1/2 & 1/2.

Menu & Grocery List for 3/8-3/14

Holy cow, I’m ready for spring.

We have been having some spring-like weather recently but I never let myself get too used to that since I know we’ll have snow a few more times before Memorial Day comes along. That I can handle. What I’m getting antsy for are new peas, asparagus, rhubarb and real strawberries.

Mostly cooking by feel this week so there aren’t a lot of recipes….

Spinach Quiche: I have a crust in the freezer from the last time I made quiche.

Pad Thai: from the recipe on the back of the rice noodle box.

Hamburgers: I’m going to be out of town at the end of the week so I’m leaving these and Angel Hair pasta with Bacon and Peas up to Jeff.

Black Bean Tostadas: brushing flour tortillas with oil and putting them under the broiler makes a tasty tostada shell

Grocery List:

butter
milk
1/2 & 1/2
cheese
eggs

burger buns
tortillas
angel hair pasta

black beans
ground beef
bacon
tofu

mushrooms
frozen spinach
avocado
frozen peas
cilantro
scallions
lettuce
bean sprouts
lime

salsa
pad Thai sauce

For breakfast and lunch I’ll pick up coffee, bread, yogurt, fruit, raisins, hummus, sprouts, and corn chips. Also, by special request, ramen.

Pantry Items: pie crust, sour cream, rice noodles, Parmesan cheese, onions, garlic

Menu & Grocery List for 2/9-2/15

We’re going to try something a little different in our house–a friend and neighbor has asked if he can chip in money towards groceries and eat dinners with us. I don’t have any problem with this since I’m cooking anyway, so we’ll try to figure out a fair amount. We’ve been discussing $25/ week, which might be a bit high. He does have a pretty big appetite though….

This week is still mostly veggie, since our local meat options are both scarce and spendy. I am going to buy a whole chicken though, unless it’s just too outrageous. Plan B will either mean chicken thighs, or possibly no chicken with the pinto beans, and split pea soup instead of chicken.

Multi-grain pasta with Sicilian salsa verde, cabbage, and haricot verts: this recipe has mixed reviews so far, but it sounds tasty to me.

Palak Paneer with Indian Potatoes: even though this recipe calls for ricotta (huh?) I think I’m going to try making my own paneer (since I’m unlikely to find it to buy here and it’s supposed to be fairly easy….)

Red Lentil and Cauliflower Curry: a repeat (gasp!) Neighbor Joel requested “something with curry and coconut milk” and I know this recipe is good. It doesn’t call for coconut milk, but really, what isn’t improved with a can of coconut milk? We’ll eat this with rice.

Baked polenta with stewed chicken & pinto beans: I made the beans when we were home last weekend waiting out the weather. We’ll top this with some crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro, and some sliced radishes and jalapenos.

Chicken soup: one of those no-recipe things to use up some odds & ends. One of those odds & ends is some sage, so maybe something like this?

This is one of those expensive weeks where we’re suddenly out of a lot of staples too, like salt. Who runs out of salt?

Grocery List

whole grain spaghetti
red lentils

peanut butter

ground cumin
cumin seeds
Madras curry powder

14 oz. can tomatoes
coconut milk

anchovies
whole chicken (thighs?)
chicken broth

cotija cheese
sour cream
milk
milk for paneer
butter

3 lbs. spinach
italian parsley
savoy cabbage
cauliflower
frozen green beans
radishes
carrots
garlic
ginger
lemons (2-3)
jalapenos (2)

olive oil
salt

update (forgot the pantry items!): potatoes, celery, onions, cilantro, any spices not listed

Menu & Grocery List for 1/28-2/2

I’m late with the list this week, though I did actually go to the grocery store last night. Notice this week is almost completely vegetarian!

Quinoa with Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew

Coconut Curried Tofu with Green Jasmine Rice (I’m leaving out the cherry tomatoes, because they’re not in season, and the peanuts, because I forgot them.)

White pizza (made with Procrastinator’s pizza dough)

Braised Cabbage with Basmati Rice (from Didi Emmons’ Vegetarian Planet)

Pantry lentil soup (a mix from a friend that has lentils and other dried veggies, cooked with chicken broth, onion, and potatoes–you could just use regular lentils if you wanted)

Grocery List

coconut milk
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
chicken broth

1 lb. tofu
ricotta cheese

quinoa
jasmine or basmati rice

cilantro
mint
green onions
2 onions
1 head garlic
butternut squash
1 lemon
1 lime

1 T. curry powder

Pantry items: butter, olive oil, flour, yeast, parmesan cheese, lentil soup mix, potatoes, cabbage, more lentils, carrots, any spices not listed above

Other stuff I bought for breakfasts, lunches, snacks:
milk
1/2 & 1/2
cream cheese
yogurt (Nancy’s, of course, as is the cream cheese)

bread
corn chips
almond butter
Clif bars (on sale, for Jeff to take skiing)

pears
oranges
sprouts
salsa

Menu & Grocery List for 1/18-1/25

I went to the grocery store before making my menu list this week, and came up with the following:

Kale & potato Spanish tortilla: this is a repeat-I didn’t end up making it before, but bought more kale to try it again.

Sausages with sauerkraut & potatoes: I bought a jar of Wills Valley sauerkraut in Philadelphia, and while I could probably eat the whole jar without ever making a meal of it, I think I’ll do something like this or this instead.

Swimming Rama: I suspect this is an Americanized Thai dish since I only find recipes for it on sites that sell things like peanut sauce mix, but I’ll use the same recipe for peanut sauce I used a few weeks ago. NB, natural peanut butter works just fine in this recipe, despite the directions not to use it. I’m also going to use tofu instead of chicken.

Italian wedding soup: I’ll use the turkey meatball recipe from the most recent issue of Everyday Food, and kale, instead of escarole since that’s what I bought. I’m also going to add white beans.

Haystacks: Not so different from nachos, haystacks are a Seventh-day Adventist specialty. I grew up eating them for hot lunch (alternating with Veja-links and Veggieburgers).

Grocery List
frozen spinach
kale (2 bunches)
celery
cilantro
lime (1)
garlic
onions
celery
apples
oranges
green chiles
salsa
bean sprouts
tofu
ground turkey
chicken sausages
coconut milk

white beans
corn chips
bread

coffee

yogurt
1/2 & 1/2

Pantry
pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, potatoes, olive oil, sauerkraut, peanut butter, eggs