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Worst Thanksgiving Day Mishaps

Posted: Nov 17, 2014

What's your worst Thanksgiving Day/Dinner mishap? Besides forgetting the cranberry sauce. ;

My mom once dropped the turkey on the - floor as she was taking it out

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of the oven. She told everyone, "Don't worry... we can just use this one for sandwiches. I'll go get the OTHER turkey!"

Then, when she was back alone in the kitchen, she dusted it off, put it on the platter, and served it.

Oh, LOL! - OP-nm

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xxx

Last year, my sisters green bean casserole - exploded after she put it on the table

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Glass pieces went flying everywhere, we were picking it out of my dads hair, from around the dinner rolls, what a huge mess! Funny to talk about now though.

Another year at her house, her hubby cooked the turkey with all the gizzards and neck still inside the turkey, still in the wrappers! That was hilarious!

Oven caught fire - sm

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First TG after I got married. I didn't have a big enough roaster for the turkey so I used a chicken roaster. The juice overflowed and caught fire in the oven. I had no fire extinguisher (it was a very long time ago), so I threw in most of a bag of flour to put it out. My husband just stood there with his mouth open. After I cleaned up, turkey unscathed by the event (husband still standing there no help at all), and dinner was only a half hour late! Hubby recovered when it was time to eat.

Had a turkey blow-out - sm

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MyLP
first turkey blew up. I stuffed it to the gills, thinking it needed to be packed tight. I took the instructions for sewing it shut a little too literally, achieving what must have been a water-tight and steam-proof seal.

Delicious smells filled the house. The turkey looked lovely. Nearly done.

There was a bit of whistling, like steam escaping, then a sudden whoooomp noise from the kitchen.

One entire side of the turkey had blown out. There was a big hole in the breast and that entire side of the oven was plastered with stuffing and shredded turkey.

OMG, all are so funny - OP-nm

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xxx

When I was young - My first Thanksgiving Dinner

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I shared an apartment with a friend, and we invited my dad to dinner. He was so happy I was making dinner; that is, until we discovered a green bag inside the turkey with all the "parts" inside. I felt terrible!

One year my sister - Christine

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made dinner at her place, and she made a beautiful gravy, just like mom's. The gravy was boiling, and when my sister poured it in a glass gravy pitcher the bottom broke off and red hot gravy was all over the floor! On top of that, my sister got a bad burn.

I made the pumpkin pies in 6th grade--sm - anon

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I followed the recipe on the can of pumpkin. I was using frozen pie crusts, the kids that were already formed in the pie plates, 2 to a package. I separated the pie crusts, poured in the filling and baked. What I did not do was pull out the wax paper divider on one of the pie crusts so that pie was eaten crustless. It was a good learning experience and I have come a long way since then. This year I will probably start teaching my daughter how to make pie crusts from scratch, no wax paper to worry about.

Gravy chunks - sm

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I already posted about the turkey blow-out, but forgot about The Gravy Incident.

I've never quite gotten the hang of some foods, gravy being one of them. I had never seen anyone make it, but was determined not to open a jar. The whole flour thing doesn't make sense to me. On this one occasion, my first, it didn't seem to be doing much. Thickening did not seem to be happening.

I must have used too much, because the first person who went to pour gravy discovered that it was completely solid. There was therefore no gravy except for a few brave souls who enjoyed gravy slices.

My downfall, too - Still laughing

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My first attempt at gravy was hilarious. Like you, the flour thing was not working. I began to stir, and as it thickened it turned into one solid ball that was stuck on the end of my spoon. Of course, during the entire meal everyone kept requesting a "slice" of gravy!

We User Wondra - Made for Gravy

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We use Wondra flour. It's specifically made for making gravy. It's very fine and it's hard to mess up---though it could happen!

My Almost Disaster - From OP

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I live in FL, and we have frequent black-outs. Usually, they are only for a blip, but wouldn't you know it, we had more than a blip on Thanksgiving Day right when we getting ready to finish up cooking and start serving. We're talking some gourmet stuff, too, as hubby loves to cook gourmet.

Everything in our house is electric, so there went the stove, oven and microwave.

Having been avid campers in years gone by, we still had our lanterns, camping stove, and we also had a propane grill. Hubby just picked up the brandied mushroom cream soup he was making and cranked up the old propane camping stove to finish that up, and also finish up the mashed potatoes. He flipped on the grill and put the turkey (still in the roasting pan) onto the grill, as well as the saucepan the gravy was in.

What could have been cause for serious panic, just turned into a good laugh when we got in gear and figured it all out.

Bland dressing and Tart gravy - nn

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One year Mom had built up quite an inventory of lemon juice and chicken stock frozen in canning jars in the deep freeze. They weren't labeled and looked a lot alike.

Imagine our shock that Thanksgiving when the gravy was extraordinarily tart! I think that was the same year I forgot to put poultry seasoning in the dressing. lol

LOL - nm

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xxxx

Thanksgiving - Lee

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Mishaps? I am just totally through with the day. So sick of everybody sitting at the table playing with their cell phones. Rude, rude, rude. I really would like to serve them burnt turkey, watery potatoes, mushy pie, and canned everything else.

Oh, Dear - OP

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I'm from a different era.

I would not allow such nonsense at any family gathering. The parents should teach their children that it's plain out rude. But then, in this era, the parents are doing it, so how are the kids to learn?

Honestly, poster who wants to serve them burnt turkey, etc., don't bother inviting them. Only invite people who share your philosophy. OR, have a rule--no cell phones or iPads or pods or whatever allowed on that day in your house.

For Lee - nn

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I can totally understand your resentment: the preparation, rude guests, clean-up, etc.

Many years ago I was in therapy for awhile, and my therapist offered me this good advice: Never agree to perform a favor (and I would consider putting on a Thanksgiving feast a favor) if you really don't want to do it. Otherwise, to do so produces nothing but resentment. From that point on, I followed her advice.

Now, for years, my husband's family depended upon me to do the big Turkey thing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For a long time, I was happy to do it but truth told, I could see that they took it for granted that I was going to do it and rarely, if ever reciprocated. After awhile I began to feel put upon and waited for them to invite me for Thanksgiving. Guess what? It never happened. Years went by with no Thanksgiving and no one in the family doing anything, including myself. Realizing there would be no more Thanksgivings if I didn't make the effort, I began to miss all of it in spite of the family rudeness and presumption. I decided I would do it anyway because I wanted to do it and have never looked back.

Just my story. Here's hoping you could find something else to do for the holiday besides cooking for everybody; something that means something to YOU!

Cheers,

Washing the turkey - Rusty

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My new sister-in-law of 6 months decided she wanted to cook Tsgiving dinner for our family and her family in their new apartment. She wanted to impress the best cook in the world, my mom, her new mother-in-law. The phone rang about noon at my house. She had a question about dinner for my mom. I handed her the phone. She listened for a bit, and then smiled real big. She gave my SIL very strange instructions. When she hung up, I asked her what was wrong. She said my SIL read the directions on the turkey, wash well inside and out before cooking. My SIL asked my mom how she could get the bubbles out of the turkey. What bubbles my mom asked? Well it said was thoroughly inside and out, and I used a whole bottle of Joy so I made sure I got it clean!!! She was so proud of herself. We still laugh about that after all these years. Needless to say, my SIL was never a good cook, and is no longer my SIL. My mom is no longer with us either, but I tell my girls that story every Tsgiving holiday while we are preparing the meal. Sometimes they just look at me and smile and say, But how do I get all the bubbles out? Still makes me laugh.

So what did it taste like? - me

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nm

YUCK - Rusty

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At first I refused, told them I had gone vegan, but my mother's stares from across the table made me try it. It tasted soapy. Needless to say, she never cooked Tsgiving dinner again.

Was it salvageable? What were the - strange instructions??

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Inquiring minds need to know ... you never can tell when the same thing will happen to you ...

Yes - Rusty

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Yes, she still cooked it. Tasted like soap. She kept showing us the instruction page that came with the turkey, and it said wash thoroughly inside and out before basting, stuffing, or cooking. It DID NOT say to use soap/Joy dishwashing liquid. Never forget it.

Strange instructions - Rusty

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My mom told her at first to keep washing and washing. She said try the bathtub since the water pressure was greater and had more room to. She also told her to try soaking it and changing the water frequently if it gets soapy. For the life of me, I had never heard my mom give that advice or do anything of those things associated with dinner, so to me, a 14-year-old, the instructions were strange. smiling just thinking about it.

Did You Know - see msg

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Modern day instructs advise against washing the turkey. It just splatters raw turkey juice all over, causing possibility for second-hand contamination.

Cooking properly kills any bacteria (including Salmonella) that you are concerned about. Use an instant read thermometer to check for internal temperature of 165. Check at the fattest part of the breast.

Good to know, but......... - Rusty

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It was supposed to be a funny story. We deep fry ours, so I think we are good. But thanks for the info

Not saying you are making this up, but - SM

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The person who did this is otherwise an intelligent person? A whole bottle of Joy, no less? I hope someone is overseeing major aspects of her life! LOL.

Divorced - Rusty

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True story. The stories I could tell you about her. My brother and her were divorced after about 11 years of marriage. She still doesn't know how to cook. according to my nephew, she steams everything.

Cooked my first turkey in my new house - sm

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(I'd lived there about 3 months). Found out about 2 hours in that the oven had quit working. Met my neighbor in a novel way, holding a turkey and asking if their oven worked! He said sure did, just come on in, he'd leave the door unlocked, as he was going elsewhere for Thanksgiving.

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