Hosting Thanksgiving... our party just DOUBLED. OMG.

[Kay1]

I'm surprised that no one has expressed a negative toward a group of people inviting themselves to your house. I'd be irritated with the the OPs situation. Do you even know these distant relatives? Have they ever had you over to their house?

Normally I would agree, but something about Thanksgiving makes it different in my mind. I just found out last night I'm hosting Thanksgiving. I just spent half an hour on the Publix website trying to figure out what I'm going to serve.

Well, good luck to us all and I hope we all have a great Thanksgiving.

 

[SDSorority]

I'm surprised that no one has expressed a negative toward a group of people inviting themselves to your house. I'd be irritated with the the OPs situation. Do you even know these distant relatives? Have they ever had you over to their house?

LOL these are cousins of my FIL. We have seen the son of the cousin of my FIL, but haven't seen the rest of the family in over a year, and have never met the girlfriends that the sons are bringing.

And yes, I'm uber irritated about it because it was just going to be a close family thing with little stress (this has been planned for months). Now it's a big event (ok, not as big as some other posters on here... but big for me and my sanity, and big for my house).

Thank you for feelin' my annoyance!!

 

[SDSorority]

I would love a recipe for your GF pumpkin pie. My Dnephew's girlfriend is GF. I feel guilty that I never cook anything she can eat.

Sure! I'm using this recipe: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1308108

 

[SleepyatDVC]

WOW to all of you guys that have 40+ people for Thanksgiving! Just wow...

I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year (as I have for the past 2 years), and while we don't have 40 people attending, we have a big enough handful. 12 people even, which is plenty enough for some chaos in this little house. I don't mind it though, it's fun.

Usually we have my dad cooking the turkey, and I make the sides and all, and my mom and I share the dessert responsibilities. The others don't have to bring anything (they're mostly visiting from far away anyways, so they aren't able to bring any food with them). Actually, when we used to have our Thanksgiving dinners at my sister's house, her In-laws would come over too. Now, my brother isn't a cooking-type of guy, and when he gets the opportunity to get some quality food, he grabs it ASAP. What would happen though with the in-laws was that they would leave early, but then take ALL of the leftovers. I mean everything...they left nothing but the bone of the turkey. My brother wanted to save money and not have to cook for a week with all those leftovers (he's always in need of saving money, too), but they would take it all without letting us know. They don't even NEED the food, since they always eat out all the time...not even cooking. They're kind of a shady bunch, I tell ya.

Anyways, after my sister moved, we started having it, and the in-laws decided to have their own and not come to ours. So now when my brother comes over, he brings a week's worth of plastic dinner plates with lids so he can fill them up with thanksgiving goodies. We always make sure to make plenty of turkey so he will be covered.

Also, to add onto my huge post of rambling, has anyone ever trying SMOKING their turkey? Last year my dad tried it with his new electric smoker, and at first we were skeptical. We also made a smaller one in the oven both for 'just in case' and for leftovers. The smoked turkey was a Butterball, and a 20 pounder to boot! Well lemme tell you. IT WAS THE BEST TURKEY I HAD EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE!

I took a picture of it before it was cut, and while the pic is bad in quality, the turkey was gorgeous! My sister and brother saw me taking a picture and followed suit...and my BIL was just standing there, staring at the turkey and not moving. LMAO

He injected it with butter (even though it was a butterball to begin with lol) and it made it that much better. The flavor from the smoker with the turkey being so juicy and amazing and UGH....I'm so hungry for smoked turkey now.

Our whole family agreed to have smoked turkey from that day forward, and that's what we're doing this Thanksgiving. It just looks and tastes so amazing, we can't quit smoking! (lol cue the horrible pun )

On that tremendously long note, I apologize for hijacking the thread...and for possibly making you hungry.

Can you post the smoked turkey recipe? That's what we plan this year.

The recipe I found is on the virtualweberbullet website and calls for a NON pre-basted turkey which I couldn't find in the market. LOL. Didn't knew if that was an essential part of the recipe so I didn't get my turkey yet. I think it is because we were planning to salt the turkey.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey7.html

Looks like your dad not only used a pre-basted turkey but ADDED to it. Lol. So, if I can't find a readily available non pre-basted or enhanced turkey, I will need to revise my plan to salt the turkey and go with another recipe.

DH is up for smoking the turkey so that will free up the oven for other things. Not to mention I get out of actually making it.

 

[lakelandgal70]

Oh lawdy your post made me very anxious lol. I could not handle hosting that many people. Hope it turns out ok!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

To the OP, good luck with the added dinner guests.

Is a sit down meal important to you? When we have large family gatherings, we wind up buffet style or with the "adults" at the main table and the kids, teenagers and young adults with a plate that they take and sit elsewhere.

 

[sparkyboy]

DH and I too host 40-60 people every year for Thanksgiving and for Christmas. We provide the turkey, ham, potatoes and gravy and dressing for Thanksgiving and for Christmas I make various soups. Everyone else brings a side dish (their specialty). I borrow folding chairs from the church and set up tables throughout the house and we serve buffet style.
We continue this tradition because it was important to my grandparents and parents who felt that the most important aspect was family and friends.

Happy Holidays to all.

 

[SDSorority]

I think I would be less anxious if DH and I didn't have food allergies.

See, DH and I can't have wheat/gluten, soy, nuts, and we don't eat meat (though, I eat fish occasionally for health reasons). I was planning on having just DH's immediate family over, with me doing 80% of the cooking because I knew that it would be items that would be safe for us to eat (and they're REALLY good, too!). I was ok with MIL bringing the turkey because I didn't want to deal with it, and bringing stuffing and pie for the grandmother because I know that they are pretty knowledgeable about cross-contamination when it comes to gluten (knowing to not share spoons throughout the buffet, keeping our gluten-free items in a separate area of the kitchen to avoid crumbs from falling into the dishes, etc).

In a former life I would have been ok with a ton of people bringing food to share, but now that DH and I have (know about) our food allergies, it's a bit more stressful. I think we are either going to have to serve ourselves first, or set aside the amount we want to eat ahead of time, and then just microwave the plate when it comes time to eat. That might be the safest bet....

Oh being gluten-free during the holidays.....

 

[gillenkl]

OP - borrow a few chairs, have your dinner as a buffet. I usually cook and prep the day before and then just reheat and set on the buffet. I ask that each family bring a dessert.

 

[TinkTock]

I think I would be less anxious if DH and I didn't have food allergies.

See, DH and I can't have wheat/gluten, soy, nuts, and we don't eat meat (though, I eat fish occasionally for health reasons). I was planning on having just DH's immediate family over, with me doing 80% of the cooking because I knew that it would be items that would be safe for us to eat (and they're REALLY good, too!). I was ok with MIL bringing the turkey because I didn't want to deal with it, and bringing stuffing and pie for the grandmother because I know that they are pretty knowledgeable about cross-contamination when it comes to gluten (knowing to not share spoons throughout the buffet, keeping our gluten-free items in a separate area of the kitchen to avoid crumbs from falling into the dishes, etc).

In a former life I would have been ok with a ton of people bringing food to share, but now that DH and I have (know about) our food allergies, it's a bit more stressful. I think we are either going to have to serve ourselves first, or set aside the amount we want to eat ahead of time, and then just microwave the plate when it comes time to eat. That might be the safest bet....

Oh being gluten-free during the holidays.....

Where did you two meet, a food allergy support group?

I think it's great that you're tackling this larger group for Thanksgiving despite the challenges. I'd do as you suggested above and set aside plates for you and your husband beforehand, and then just warm them at dinner time. In the end, hopefully you'll find that the day spent with family was worth it. And if not, don't invite them for Thanksgiving again.

 

[SDSorority]

Where did you two meet, a food allergy support group?

I think it's great that you're tackling this larger group for Thanksgiving despite the challenges. I'd do as you suggested above and set aside plates for you and your husband beforehand, and then just warm them at dinner time. In the end, hopefully you'll find that the day spent with family was worth it. And if not, don't invite them for Thanksgiving again.

I didn't invite most of them to begin with

LOL food allergy support group. No... but I feel like we need one sometimes!

 

[swilshire]

In a former life I would have been ok with a ton of people bringing food to share, but now that DH and I have (know about) our food allergies, it's a bit more stressful. I think we are either going to have to serve ourselves first, or set aside the amount we want to eat ahead of time, and then just microwave the plate when it comes time to eat. That might be the safest bet....

Surely the group won't eat all of the food that you can safely consume. Making yourself a plate first would seem a bit odd, even with your good reasons.

We go to our in-laws' house every year for Thanksgiving. They are famous for rounding up all the strays. You never know how many people will show up. Typically we have WAY too many desserts and barely enough turkey and mashed potatoes, but it always seems to work out. It is truly a blessing for those who aren't close enough to share the day with family. We are bringing along three of our friends, a neighbor couple that doesn't live near any family and a recently widowed woman with only one child who lives far away.

The main stress you're feeling is self inflicted. Just enjoy the day and don't worry too much about any of the details. Likely your memories of the day will involve interesting conversation with the extended family members.

Sheila

 

[Southernmiss]

Certainly ask for the guests to bring chairs and a dish/something to help with the meal.

DHs step mother's family routinely has 50-70 people for Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner. DHs step mother has 2 sisters and they swap the hosting (all are lucky enough to live next door to each other) and a variety of sons, daughters, steps, grands, great grands and cousins show up--it's wonderful. And now that their mother has passed away, they kept her family home and have the big meal in her old farm house with tables stretched from one end of the house to the other and food served out on the screened porch--really a nice way to keep the family memories alive.

All of the families who come gladly ask what they can bring and bring at least 2 or so dishes each--always waaaay too much food and lots to bring home for leftovers for everyone.

When one of DHs step mom's sisters has hosted they'd clear out the 2 car garage and put in folding tables and chairs. Another sister built a large workshop/gathering room behind their house that accomodates us all.

 

[AlwaysMoving]

I think you will be just fine if you place your special food containers far away from the rest of the foods. I don't have a problem with extra people being invited. I just like to know they are coming so I have enough food (mashed potatoes, gravy,etc) for everyone. On our first Thanksgiving in Italy, we invited our neighbors. They invited their neighbors and so on and so on. I ended up with close to 20 extra people and nobody told me. Luckily I serve enough food for an army, but it was a shock.

Since you are not serving the basics like meat, added people are really not going to be too much extra work for you in the food department, since they are bringing their own stuff. Everyone seems to be understanding of your limitations and are helping accordingly. I say stay calm, cook what you have on your menu, and enjoy this time with family/friends. If you act overly stressed you are going to make everyone uncomfortable.

 

[kkacar]

I think you will be fine. We have nearly that many for Wednesday night family dinner. (Mom, Dad, Aunt, Me, Hubs, DD9, Bro1, Sis-n-law1, nephew1, Bro2, Sis-n-law2, nephew2) and we do it every Wednesday night. It's not about the food or where you sit. It's about the time spent together making memories.

kelli

 

[Sandy321]

I would say cook Turkey Breasts!

I love leftovers, and I wish mil would let me help cook - I can make stuff, but its a 6 hour drive - and dh hasnt been with his family since LAST Thanksgiving (DD and I made the trip twice) At times I think we'd be candidates for that show monsters-in-laws, as long as I know "my place" and dont try to help - they'll let me come to dinner..

so kudos to all that are opening up your homes, and your hearts... its not easy

 

[swilshire]

I love leftovers, and I wish mil would let me help

I LOVE leftovers, too. Our solution to this is to buy a frozen turkey or turkey breast when they are so cheap for Thanksgiving and do a similar dinner a couple of weeks later for just the immediate family. Turkey, mashed potatoes, dressing. YUM!

Sheila