How do you cook everything?

[sweetpea29488]

This is my first Thanksgiving to cook the bulk of the food, even the turkey. My question is how do you cook everything when you only have one oven?

I know the Turkey has to cook for 3 hours or more, so how do I cook my Sweetpotatoe souffle and my dressing? I guess I can put the dressing in with the turkey (I'm cooking them sepreatly). I'm cooking my pies the night before and the family is suppose to bring the veggies, bread and the cranberry sauce.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DisneyCruiser83]

I do ALL my shopping and prep work beforehand (usually Tuesday and Wednesday). I chop everything, measure everything and pre-cook as much as I can. That way, on Thursday, I only have to cook the turkey and bake off a couple of things. Like you said, the dressing and turkey can be done together. Your sweet potato suflee should only need about half an hour or so. You can cook that while the turkey rests and are making the gravy. You can keep the dressing warm covered in foil on top of the stove. Good luck!

 

[SandrA9810]

One thing usually winds up a bit cold before serving with me. My problem is getting what needs to be cooked on the stove lined up with what needs to be cooked in the oven. I have harder time with only four burners than just one oven.

If your making homemade gravy, aren't you supposed to let the bird sit for a few minutes after taking out of the oven to get the drippings?? That would be the time to do any last minute warming up.

As far as everything else goes, you'll just have to make room in the oven for it.

 

[dismom2]

You can make some of the side dishes in advance and heat them up later on in the microwave (just make sure the containers are microwave safe--not metal). Or, cook the turkey early, take it out, then let it cool off while you put other things in the oven (or vice versa). It's a juggling act, and depends how much you are going to cook/bake.

 

[Christine]

The turkey is generally supposed to sit out for about 30 minutes before carving. After you pull the turkey out, you can cover it with foil and let it stand and pop the sweet potato casserole in. If you didn't make it ahead of time, you could be making the gravy at this point too.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and green beans are get done on the stove top, so we only have to worry about stuffing, sweet potatoes, and turkey, and rolls in the oven.

Stuff and sweet potatoes we usually modify the recipe to fit the temperature the bird is cooking at, assuming you can fit both in the oven at the same time. Rolls get done after the turkey comes out.

 

[DAISY DUCK FAN!]

I start cooking & baking on Monday or Tuesday. DH cooks the turkey on Wednesday night. Then we just heat everything up in the microwave on Thursday. But since it's just the 5 of us, we can get away with that method.

Others, such as my mother & two sisters , would be scandalized by such...

 

[Cinerbelle]

I use a lot of crock pots!! I do my stuffing, mashed potatoes, ham, two appetizers and hot apple cider all in crock pots... really helps save time and space in the oven.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have a counter top roaster that I use for the turkey and stuffing (including the extra stuffing in a foil packet). Then the oven is free for another dressing, scalloped oysters, green bean casserole, and rolls. Cranberry sauce and pies are done the night before, as is most prep. I make the green bean casserole and dressings early and keep them refrigerated until about 30 mins before they have to go in the oven (so they come back up to room temp).

I love my counter top roaster. The skin doesn't get quite as crispy as it would in the oven, but it cooks wonderfully and I always have a moist turkey.

 

[trip]

Put your sides in shallow dishes - they will cook or reheat faster.

If the turkey is fully cooked earlier than expected (planned or not), wrap the entire bird and pan with foil and place a large bath towel on top to keep it hot and moist for 1 hour. I did this last year and it really did keep the turkey hot.

Never leave cooked food at room temperature longer than 2 hours.

 

[jen0610]

Get a Nesco or Hamilton Beach roaster.

As I said on another post, you couldn't pay to do a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter dinner without mine.

Love it!!!

I haven't done a turkey in the oven any of the 13 years I have been doing these dinners at my house.

This frees up your oven for everything else.

 

[NotUrsula]

Try using the microwave for the side dishes that don't need to be browned. I do all of the steamed veggies in it, and the fresh cranberry sauce.

Mashed potatoes stay hot for the table if you serve them in a heavy casserole and wait until the last minute to mash them. Be sure to use hot milk and room temp butter when you mash them; cold butter and milk are the kiss of death.

 

[minkydog]

I'm with the others. I use my roaster, my two crockpots, and my microwave. A lot of times I make my turkey on Wednesday, then reheat it with some broth on THanksgiving day.

Things to do on Monday & Tuesday--
*tear up the bread for stuffing, let it dry
*chop up more celery & onions than you ever thought possible
*cook 2-lbs of carrots, store until needed
*wash and trim the collard greens
*boil 1 dozen eggs
*make sure all the cooking tools are available, clean, and working

Things to do on Wednesday--
*cook the collards
*wash and trim the asparagus
*wash the corn on the cob
*Make Greek green beans
*cut celery sticks
*wash and trim sweet potatoes, wrap in foil
*bake pies--apple, pecan, coconut, cherry

Things to do on Thursday--
*mix up the dressing, put it in a crockpot
*heat the collards in another crockpot
*roast turkey, if it wasn't done on Wednesday
*prepare & cook carrot casserole 1 hour before dinner time
*prepare a pickle/olive plate
*make devilled eggs
*stuff celery sticks
*boil the corn and braise the asparagus
*heat prepared mashed potatoes in microwave
*Heat Greek green beans
*Heat gravy

Two short cuts I take are with the mashed potatoes and the gravy--they are store bought. My kids love love LOVE stuffing, so mashed potatoes are a big fat meh around here. I buy Country Crock loaded mashed potatoes and heat them for 6 min in the microwave. I suck at making gravy so I just buy the Heinz Roasted Turkey gravy. Its nearly fat-free and much lower in cals/carbs than any gravy I could make.

 

[Colleen27]

I have a Hamilton Beech roaster I use for the turkey, so the oven is free for the smaller items like pies, rolls, and such. And I use my crock pots for a veggie and one of the potatoes, to free up some room on the stove top.

 

[Iott Family]

Cook your turkey in a electric roaster oven. Cook some of your sides in crockpots, stove top and utilize your oven. I have done many christmas/tday dinners and everything work sout just fine. Its all about prep work and a game plan! Best of luck to you!

 

[dyna]

The better planned an the more prep work done well in advance the better> My family loves stuffing so I make lots. By early november usually I have cleaned kitchen top to bottom scrubed walls down insides an outsides of cabinets etc. Early Nov I'm chopping onions an celery an freezing those but then I use about 6lbs of onions an celery for the dinner. I also make my own bread crumbs...stale bread works best I buy the bread at least a week in advance an tear it up on usually tuesday before thanksgiving an put it back in the bags to store till I need it. Make pie crusts an put it in the pie plates on monday or Tuesday an cover out in fridge sometimes earlier if room in fridge.

My 18lb turkey takes a week to thaw in my fridge. Do NOT forget to set turkey in a pan as it thaws there is almost always a hole in bag somehere an nothin like turkey blood juice stuff all over fridge the day before Thanksgiving an having to stop an clean fridge.

Crock pots are best my friends most of my side dishes are warmed or kept warm in crockpots.

The 1 thing PP has posted that I do not agree with is the big electric turkey roasters I tried did not care for it. I thought I'd use it thru out the year for big batches of chili an I cater often to large parties HATED the electric roaster to big to heavy esp filled with food to move it. Then there was the storage problem when it was not in use I soon decided it would fit better in someone elses home than mine. Went back to the heavy foil roasting pan an the turkey bag.

Enlist the help of others...even a 3 yr old can tear up bread for stuffing My DD has been making dump cake since she was 4 yrs old grease 9x13 pan dump in can of cherry pie filling, can of crushed pineapple, dump in dry yellow cake mix dot 2 sticks of butter or margarine over the top bake at 350 for 1 hr. So i had to open the cans an the cake mix an put pan in oven an take it out but she helped.

Have someone clean up behind you on Thanksgiving keepin the pans washed an dried is a big big help.

 

[Vacationeer]

I bought a counter sized electric oven for that very reason

 

[The Mystery Machine]

This is my first Thanksgiving to cook the bulk of the food, even the turkey. My question is how do you cook everything when you only have one oven?

I know the Turkey has to cook for 3 hours or more, so how do I cook my Sweetpotatoe souffle and my dressing? I guess I can put the dressing in with the turkey (I'm cooking them sepreatly). I'm cooking my pies the night before and the family is suppose to bring the veggies, bread and the cranberry sauce.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I am going to buy a roaster this year. Just do yourself a favor and go get one.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I have not read the entire thread...I should be off the computer.

I used the grill to reheat my candied sweet potatoes and dressing and I make the make ahead mashed potatoes and they heat up in the crock pot. I also cook things in the oven after taking the turkey out (and then wrap in foil and let it rest).

 

[sweetpea29488]

Wow, thanks everyone for all the great help. I'm feeling better already. Now I have to go shopping.