Bringing Thanksgiving to Son's Apartment

[Arkansan]

I made the mashed potatoes in my crock pot last year and they turned out great! I found the directions online at All recipes. That freed up my oven for the other items.

I told my mother about it and she used the same recipe for a Christmas open house. Hers turned out wonderfully, too. One of her guests liked the idea so much that SHE planned to do it for an event she was hosting. I will do it again this year. I froze the extra potatoes for a future meal, so you may want to make extra on purpose and leave them for your sons.

 

[BDL]

Being from MA too, I assume you know about Stop & Shop and how you can pre-order a Turkey day meal. Pick up the components and heat them up at home. You could look online and see if there is a grocery chain out there that can do the same thing. This way, you just bring a specialty casserole or dessert.

-the aluminum pans from dollar store are GREAT, and rather than schlepping your baster, strainer (surprising how many singles don't own one), serving utensils, baking sheets, pie tins and such-consider buying them at the dollar store before you leave. for less than $20 you can get everything and either toss it when you leave or gift it to the guys.

If not, I like this idea.

 

[tina.tina]

I think it's wonderful that you want to do this for your sons and that they will appreciate it. My DH likes leftovers so you can use those aluminum pans to split up the leftovers between the 3 sons. If you have any traditional table decorations, I would take them, too.

My mom used to make broccoli casserole, pumpkin pies, and multiple other things and haul them to my grandmother's house 4 hours away for Thanksgiving. I live in the same town as my parents and I take my contributions to their house in the car for every meal we have together and every holiday. Just make sure you pack things well so they don't spill. Around Easter and Christmas, Walmart sells a round holiday themed plastic dish for $2-$3 that is perfect for transporting pies. I've also used my large, deep skillet with the lid on for transporting pies and you could use it to cook in while you're there, too.

My mom has owned a roaster for a few years and cooks her turkey in it. It turns out really well. I think it will be a good investment for you for years to come.

 

[barkley]

op-if you are really interested in getting a roaster walmart has a rollback deal right now on their website for the Hamilton beach 22 quart stainless steal roaster which is reduced in price from $69 to $39.92. I think the one I've got is the oster 24 pound roaster (selling now for $22) and it works well too. both are eligible for either free to home shipping if your total purchase is at least $50, or you can get free to your local store or local fed ex office w/ just the roaster purchase.


I don't think until someone has one of these they realize how versatile they can be. beyond using them for roasting or as a chafing dish (with the inserts you can buy separately) we've loaned them out so someone who is doing a big baked potato bar can prebake the potatoes and them put them inside on a setting to keep them warm, we've used it to keep massive batches of chili and spaghetti piping hot for potlucks-AND during summer get togethers we put ice into the body of it, and put cold items (like salads, cold cuts, burger toppings) into the chafing dishes to keep them nice and cold.

 

[HM]

I agree with getting a meal from an area store. A lot of restaurants and grocery stores offer them around us. Is there a Boston Market? We got our turkey from them last year. They offer a lot of choices.

Something else to think about....Christmas.
Do you want to bring him any thing to decorate for Christmas while you are there in November?

 

[jsmith]

Hmm-i had an almost similiar plan two years ago-my son and Daughter in law were living in Columbus-Near The Ohio State . We went at thanksgiving-and we flew from Denver, Colorado. My daughter in law is an excellent cook and i rather imagine that her kitchen is better equiped than your sons but we got some really delicious side items at an amazing grocery in that area-it had a really wonderful prepared foods section and a lovely selection of wines and cheese. I do not remember the name-only that it was not the usual Kroger she shopped at and it was not a chain we have in the west. She did the turkey,Sweet potatoes and a lovely dessert and we got veggies,dressing and some apps from the deli.

 

[bellebud]

make sure there are enough chairs for everyone, bring folding chairs if needed.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Assuming the oven works correctly...

I would make sure I have the necessary herbs and spices from my cabinet. That will send you to the grocery store. Include sugar and flour on the list too.

If I were doing it, I would just make the desserts & any special recipes that you can do ahead of time.

Keep the dinner simple and that way there is no need to run out and buy a roaster.

Here is the issue I have with my roaster, the lid is rusting near the top in the lip. Grrr...

I do use my roaster for slow cooking ribs, chuck roast, etc. It is a handy thing for summer cooking so you do not heat up your house.

The turkey will not "brown" in the roaster as compared to the oven if that matters to you.

Sounds like FUN!

 

[Bren's Mom]

OP, I totally get wanting to cook it yourself, and I wholeheartedly agree. I would want to do that too!

If there is a grocery delivery service like Peapod, I'd try to utilize that.

If not, see if you can get a hotel like Extended Stay America or Homewood Suites that have kitchens. So you can bring groceries with you in coolers then put them in the fridge when you arrive.

A frozen turkey can be put in your refrigerator on Sunday. Then into a cooler with ice to keep it refrigerator temp. Then into a fridge when you arrive. Cooking it in a countertop roaster is a perfect idea.

I'd peel and boil the potatoes in advance, right before you leave, allow them to cool and then put into plastic gallon baggies or containers. Keep refrigerated. Warm on the stovetop the day of with the milk, butter, etc. and then mash. Easy peasy. I do this all the time.

We use bagged stuffing, so that's easy too. Disposable pans for both stuffing and potatoes can be used to keep them warm if needed in oven.

Pies can be cooked and frozen, then warmed the day of.

In this situation, I'd live with canned gravy with a little gravymaster thrown in for good measure. Because I wouldn't be sure what I'd get from the countertop roaster.

Bring all your own serving, cooking utensils. Knives and can openers, alum foil, containers for leftovers. And all your own spices.

 

[TLuvsD]

I've used the counter top roaster for turkey for years, it works great. Turkey is really moist, we love it.

For the potatoes, I do make ahead potatoes. I bake them, cool in frig, then shred and mix with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions and butter. You could do something similar--make it up into the casserole, chill, transport and then reheat. This is the recipe, but I don't use the paprika. http://www.cooks.com/recipe/6w9bs8h0/cheese-and-sour-cream-potatoes.html

My sister does sweet potatoes in the crockpot...I don't have the recipe for that one. If you want to do the sweet potatoes there, I'd take them, along with pre-measured ingredients in ziplock bags (as suggested earlier). Either take an empty casserole dish or use Amazon Prime to send some to the apartment ahead of time (our D gets Amazon prime at a student rate, very useful).

I do the make ahead gravy. Freeze it flat in ziplock bags, it can double as "ice" in the coolers.

I use a cooking rack (like for cookies) in my cooler bags when transporting a lot of food dishes. Put the largest dish on the bottom, then a cooling rack, then the next dishes, etc. Leave room for ice (water frozen flat in ziplock bags works well--and use the frozen gravy). You can get several casserole dishes in a cooler this way. See what dishes will fit in your cooler now, along with the cooling racks, so you know what to use. I use soft sided cooler bags (the ones from Costco are huge).