What was your most memorable....

I have many but I'll refrain and tell just one right now. You probably had to be there but...I was about 12 or 13 and we arrived at my aunts house and my mom wanted to take a look at the turkey roasting in the oven. ( my aunt wasn't known for her cooking mind you) My mom opened the oven door, unwrapped the bird and exclaimed " Good God, you cooked it upside down!" It was the funniest looking thing. We still laugh about it but it was probably the juiciest turkey breast we have ever had.

Your aunt probably started that whole thing about roasting "breast down"--and didn't even realize it.

I had both sides of the family over one year for Thanksgiving dinner. I heard my sisters laughing and my mother-in-law saying "Shuuuu, be quiet." (Nothing misses my ears.) I walked into the kitchen and asked what they were trying to keep quiet. I had cooked the turkey with that bag of gizzards and liver inside of it. I haven't cooked Thanksgiving dinner since.

My ENTIRE family was at my house and my sisters and I prepared this outrageous meal with ingredients that I can not even pronounce.
My mother was pleased to do absolutely nothing as she feels it is now our job and she is to be waited on. But, she decided to bring an apple pie from BJ's freshly made the afternoon before. My step father smothers everything with whip cream, ate 2 pieces of the apple pie, then we noticed that mold had accumulated under the top crust.
No one else ate the pie, and we had 3 others anyway.
For some reason we could never figure out what it was, we all got mildly sick, with the exception of my step-father who ate the moldy cake.:shock:

Probably the first (and only) year we had Thanksgiving with my in-laws. My parents had moved out of state so we celebrated with Bob's parents. But they didn't like turkey so we had fried chicken and pizza.

Probably the first (and only) year we had Thanksgiving with my in-laws. My parents had moved out of state so we celebrated with Bob's parents. But they didn't like turkey so we had fried chicken and pizza.

That sounds like the Xmas day I had steak with my in-laws.

That sounds like the Xmas day I had steak with my in-laws.

We do "steak" for Xmas a lot - whole beef tenderloin cooked like a roast. Makes the best roast beef ever.

This year we are doing a Thanksgiving brunch at my parents house - last year my Mom passed out from drinking martinis while waiting for the turkey to cook, so my sister and I decided it would be better to nip that situation in the bud and eat early. Holiday meals are always an adventure in my happy dysfunctional family!!!!

When my in-laws were alive, Thanksgiving was a command performance.
We always traveled. Later on the holiday became more and more exotic as they did their best to talk us into taking a plane for the most traveled holiday of the year.
One of the most memorable for me was the year we all went down to Santa Fe.
Possessing a young toddler, we decided to fly instead of drive from Denver.
First, we almost got bumped off our flight, and here we were with a 18 month old. They did keep us on (and no doubt bumped off some other poor souls.)
My father in law rented a car for us. What he neglected to tell us was that it was from Rent A Lemon. Halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the car broke down. This was in the days before cell phones. I sat in the car while my husband trudged off to make a call and get some help.
I think we got into Santa Fe around 1am.
The actual holiday was nice--they usually were. My in-laws, rest their loving souls, adored all the before and after drama. Someone would always end up not speaking to someone else, tempers would be short, voices would be raised.
I don't miss it that much. ;-)

All of mine except for one have been nice, and relatively uneventful. The most memorable would have to be that "except for one."

I had major jaw surgery about a week before Thanksgiving when I was 16, and I had just started eating solid foods again. I wasn't feeling well, so when we sat down to dinner, I sat next to my mom, because I was told by my Aunt Susan (who was hosing the dinner at her house) to "sit wherever you want."
Well, this evidently meant "If you're under 20, sit at the small table in the office," because that's where my brother and all my cousins (and an uncle or two) sat. Susan didn't sit down until everyone else had a plate, and by that time, the only seat left was at the "kids' table." She pretty much raised hell about having to sit with the kids, and chewed me out in front of the entire family for being a selfish little girl. Then my Aunt Jennifer chimed in and was like, "Why are you sitting here? Is it because you don't like any of the other kids?" My mom and dad were both pissed and telling them to let it go, and I offered to move to the small table, but Susan wouldn't let me move. Finally my brother came to my rescue and the two of us ate Thanksgiving dinner on the front porch.



Now whenever we all get together, my mom takes a seat at the kids' table so Susan will be absolutely sure not to complain about not having a seat.

My most memorable Thanksgiving is the one I haven't lived down, which is quite a feat considering that there was only one family witness to rat on me. (Thanks, bro.)

I was a junior in college and my brother was a freshman. We had the family house to ourselves. My parents and two younger sisters were in Ireland for a month, where my father had a work assignment. We had free reign. No, we didn't have a party. Well, not a big one at least. ;-)

I decided that tradition should be upheld and that I'd roast a turkey. Got the bird all dressed and ready to go...and then realised that turkeys don't cook in two hours like roast beef. What! Sit around the kitchen and twiddle my thumbs? (I should mention that the turkey went in the over about 6 pm; I wasn't big on pre-planning, evidently.) No no no no.

We all decided to go clubbing to "use" the time up. It seems like the best use of time. Except that we had such a great time dancin' and drinkin' and smokin' that we totally forgot about the turkey.

We came home to a turkey that was so overcooked that the flesh was rock hard and fell off the bone at the merest touch. The turkey disintigrated! (It was actually kind of amazing to look at.) We couldn't eat it and my reputation as a cook was tarnished for years and I was the subject of culinary ridicule. Even after I married and became a proper housewife, family and friends refused to come to our house to celebrate Thanksgiving. I was marked for years!!! :roll:

...proper housewife!!!!

...proper housewife!!!!

Yes, not desperate. :roll:

Yes, not desperate. :roll:

Yes, I hear you. That would be Merman and Mr. Kitty!!!

Yes, I hear you. That would be Merman and Mr. Kitty!!!

No, no. Merman knows where all the best Thanksgiving buffets are. :clap_1:

One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's
house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister
is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom
took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing,
stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the
turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the
bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled
the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled
out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed,
"Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of
this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the
family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
and yes,........ ..........SHE'S BLONDE.

:funn: That is both the funniest and the meanest thing I've heard.

:funn: That is both the funniest and the meanest thing I've heard.

Ditto. :funn:

One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's
house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister
is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom
took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing,
stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the
turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the
bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled
the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled
out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed,
"Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of
this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the
family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
and yes,........ ..........SHE'S BLONDE.

:funn: :funn: :rofl:

Okay, now that is funny! IBD your mom must be a real hoot!

One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's
house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister
is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom
took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing,
stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the
turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the
bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled
the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled
out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed,
"Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of
this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the
family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
and yes,........ ..........SHE'S BLONDE.

OMG!! This is hysterical!!

My most memorable Thanksgiving is the one I haven't lived down, which is quite a feat considering that there was only one family witness to rat on me. (Thanks, bro.)

I was a junior in college and my brother was a freshman. We had the family house to ourselves. My parents and two younger sisters were in Ireland for a month, where my father had a work assignment. We had free reign. No, we didn't have a party. Well, not a big one at least. ;-)

I decided that tradition should be upheld and that I'd roast a turkey. Got the bird all dressed and ready to go...and then realised that turkeys don't cook in two hours like roast beef. What! Sit around the kitchen and twiddle my thumbs? (I should mention that the turkey went in the over about 6 pm; I wasn't big on pre-planning, evidently.) No no no no.

We all decided to go clubbing to "use" the time up. It seems like the best use of time. Except that we had such a great time dancin' and drinkin' and smokin' that we totally forgot about the turkey.

We came home to a turkey that was so overcooked that the flesh was rock hard and fell off the bone at the merest touch. The turkey disintigrated! (It was actually kind of amazing to look at.) We couldn't eat it and my reputation as a cook was tarnished for years and I was the subject of culinary ridicule. Even after I married and became a proper housewife, family and friends refused to come to our house to celebrate Thanksgiving. I was marked for years!!! :roll:

One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's
house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister
is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom
took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing,
stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the
turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the
bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled
the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled
out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed,
"Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of
this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the
family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
and yes,........ ..........SHE'S BLONDE.

I AM LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

how sad is it that i don't have an especially memorable thanksgiving story ? i just remember always going to my grandma hamms for the best southern food ever - man could that woman cook ! unfortunately she passed away about 3 days before thanksgiving 10 yrs or so ago and i didn't have the sense to write any recipes down, and she never used recipes so there is no written record on how she made anything

The most memorable TGDay was right after my Mimi passed away. My family had been coming to Atlanta for the past 2 years and having amazing feasts...my sis would cook all the traditional food and my aunt would cook radical food...we had so much food every year!!! Most times we had at least 20 people for dinner.
This one year, after Mimi passed, we had a HUGE party for her and we spread her ashes in Decatur Cemetery. So many people came and we really had an amazing "good bye" to our much loved Mimi. We must have had 80 people come and give her a send off...just as she wanted it, planned it, and she was there every step of the way....she was a truly GRAYT lady!

does anyone know why i am laughing????

This was memorable alright, but not in a good way! I had just broken up, with a control freak. My mother was visiting and we decided to go out for our T'giving meal. I got out on the highway and found him, in my rear view mirror! Thought I lost him and we went in to a Rest/ Bar(only thing open). After awhile, a nice man came up to speak with us. I Looked up and saw "crazy man" staring at me, from across the room! :shock: He then came up(nice man still standing there) and made a scene, slamming his fist on the table while stating, "she'll break your heart". Thought I'd die, of embarrassment! Authorities had to make him leave and the next hour, was fairly enjoyable. Get home, relax and visit with mom, then get ready for bed. Proceed to crawl in bed and ALMOST FREAK! Idiot apparently broke in my back door(never did lock well) and put a gift in my bed! Initially, it appeared to be some kinda bloody matter. Turned out, the crazy man put a ton of CRANBERRY SAUCE in my bed and covered it up with my comforter! I could go on, but I think ya get the picture! For someone so successful, he was a real psycho! He got into bigtime trouble, after someone informed his bigtime employer, his bigtime employee practices! Hmm...can't imagine who did that!;-)

Wow Diane- hard to top that one! Not gonna try! My story is pretty dull.

Best Thanksgiving- most have been wonderful. When I was younger, the best ones were the college break T-givings, where everyone was home from different schools and ready to party. There was one bar in Louisville that was THE destination on T-giving night. I remember squirming at the dinner table because I would be so excited to get out and see my friends.

After Dad died, we changed things up a bit and went out of town for a few Thanksgivings. Williamsburg was wonderful- took my mom and MIL. Will was about 6 and loved all the people dressed up in costume. The weather was gorgeous and I didn't want to leave. What an amazing place.

Worst T-giving. That's easy. Gatlinburg. Never again.