I need help..

[Disneylover79]

I am having Thanksgiving at my house for the first time...what do I need to do???

 

[Mermaid02]

Plan your meal-What time are you eating and what are you serving? Are you having guests? Our family usually has folks bring something- pies, rolls, veggies, things like that. We usually set the table the night before too- just leaves a little more time the next day.

 

[BCDisneyFanatic]

Well, it my house, the first thing I do is open a bottle of wine....

Questions:

1) Are you doing all the cooking, or are other people bringing food?

2) How many people are coming?

3) How formal is your dinner? Will it be sit-down or buffet?


If I'm doing a big dinner, I make a schedule of what I need to do when. I make a list of what needs to be done the night before (i.e., set the table, make pies, any last minute groceries needed) and in the morning (peel potatoes, make sweet potato casserole, etc.)

I then make a detailed schedule for the afternoon/evening so that nothing gets forgotten: 2pm - put in turkey; 5pm - turn on potatoes to boil; 5:00- put in casserole; 5:15: take out turkey; start gravy etc. I never actually follow it to the letter, but it keeps me from forgetting stuff!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I agree with planning. Create and menu and compile recipes and a shopping list. Have people chip in a bring something (appetizers, desserts, wine, rolls, etc).

Once you get all of this done, write out a time line. I make a lot the day before which makes it a lot easier. The things I make before are stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, candied sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, steam veggies. Then the time line looks something like this. 9:30 - turkey in oven, 12:00 - mashed potatoes put is crock pot, 2 - green beans and sweet potatoes in oven...

I agree with setting the table, bar (drink area with glasses, napkins, etc) the night before. Don't forget all the serving dishes and utensils you will need.

I reheat on the grill too which is a savior on Thanksgiving and holidays!

Have fun!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Have you ever roasted a turkey, made mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and pie?

If you have not done so I recommend that you get a chicken and roast that along with making the sides and desserts as a run through this weekend.

Assign people food to bring if that is what you want to do.

Then if you have a special food/dessert that you just HAVE to make you can try it out first as well this week.

Part of cooking is practice.

 

[Mimi1965]

I have never roasted a Turkey-my relatves cook it overnight.

I always bring a side dish-OR a Honey baked ham-voila'-instant meal!

 

[Shmily1]

Order out!! Cooking all that food is way to stressful plus you can't really visit as well!!

 

[NMAmy]

Have you ever roasted a turkey, made mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and pie?

If you have not done so I recommend that you get a chicken and roast that along with making the sides and desserts as a run through this weekend.

That's an excellent suggestion. I never really understood the angst of cooking a turkey--you can put it in the oven and pretty much forget it for several hours.

Do as much as you can in advance. I make the pies and desserts in advance and either make the side dishes and appetizers in advance or do as much prep work as possible the day before. Thanksgiving Day itself is the easy part for me except for the clean up.

 

[merekc]

I then make a detailed schedule for the afternoon/evening so that nothing gets forgotten: 2pm - put in turkey; 5pm - turn on potatoes to boil; 5:00- put in casserole; 5:15: take out turkey; start gravy etc. I never actually follow it to the letter, but it keeps me from forgetting stuff!

We took over holiday meals after my grandma died. This is great advice especially the first year if you are doing most or all of the cooking. We had a spreadsheet and knew what time each item had to go on to cook. We made notes and tweaked it afterwards. We still pull out the spreadsheet each holiday as our guide.

Some extra tips that help things be less stressful the day of:
*Prep everything the day before that you can.
*****Cut veggies
*****Cook your onions, celery, bacon etc for dressing or green beans
*****Prep your turkey have it ready to go in the oven
*****Bake your cornbread (for dressing)
*****cook your ham (if you eat it cold)
*****peel and cube your potatoes, cover in water and store in cool area until next day. Drain the water and put in fresh before you cook.
*Potatoes can be mashed and put in a crockpot to wait hours before you eat (thanks to the Dis we no longer are mashing potatoes at the last minute).
*We've switched to using the large foil cooking containers for our ham, turkey and dressing. Then we don't have to do cleanup. One time a year doesn't hurt.
*cook green beans in a crockpot, dump it all in and walk away. Freeing up your stovetop.

 

[dawson5]

is anyone helping you? My mother in law and sister in law(s) help. We chase the guys out of the house with the kids. They have a standing date, every Thanksgiving, they meet up with several other dads and kids and play football at the College Football Hall of Fame. It's easier not having everyone underfoot for us.

I just put the menu together the other day, actually have it in my car right now. I keep an eye out for sale items and am stocking up for them now. There are a few things I would make sure I had on hand that seem to go quickly, one big one is sage. If you wait until the week of Thanksgiving, they sell out. You have to be there when they stock it to get it. I have resorted to growing my own and freezing it. I don't make my own pie shells either, finding those the week of is also hard.

That run-through idea is great.

(don't forget to pull the neck and organs out of the turkey--I didn't know the first time I made one! That was a nice surprise.)

 

[The Mystery Machine]

*Potatoes can be mashed and put in a crockpot to wait hours before you eat (thanks to the Dis we no longer are mashing potatoes at the last minute).

So how many potatoes are you cooking to fill up that crockpot? Also the potatoes do not get gluey?

We have premade and baked them but never in a crockpot.

However this yr I am helping my mother cook for my sister's inlaws and I need to made LARGE amounts this yr. That is why I was curious how many potatoes you boiled and how many servings you got out of the crockpot.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

So how many potatoes are you cooking to fill up that crockpot? Also the potatoes do not get gluey?

We have premade and baked them but never in a crockpot.

However this yr I am helping my mother cook for my sister's inlaws and I need to made LARGE amounts this yr. That is why I was curious how many potatoes you boiled and how many servings you got out of the crockpot.

I use this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/make-ahead-mashed-potatoes-2/Detail.aspx

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I use this recipe:

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/make-ahead-mashed-potatoes-2/Detail.aspx

Yes, we have done that before however we have an issue with space this year and also not sure about 5lbs of potatoes. We will probably need 10lbs at least.

 

[disneychic2]

I agree with pp that planning is the key to success. My mom makes all the pies and I do everything else. I don't like to cook any food until the day of, but I can see the merit in doing so. I don't find the need. I make a list and timeline for the morning and stick to it pretty closely. Then I have a list of people attending (13 this year) and give everyone a job to do, ie taking drink orders and getting them (usually 2 people), mashing the potatoes, setting the table etc. They love chipping in and it leaves me to take care of the final things myself. Above all, enjoy the process. When I first had Thanksgiving, I stressed big time and didn't enjoy myself. Now, I really love every part of it. Good luck!:

 

[merekc]

So how many potatoes are you cooking to fill up that crockpot? Also the potatoes do not get gluey?

We have premade and baked them but never in a crockpot.

However this yr I am helping my mother cook for my sister's inlaws and I need to made LARGE amounts this yr. That is why I was curious how many potatoes you boiled and how many servings you got out of the crockpot.

We do a lot of potatoes. I'm thinking at least 10 lbs. We feed 20+ big eaters and we like our mashed potatoes.

We have a big and tall stockpot (I'm thinking approx. 10 qt) and we just keep cutting until we are almost to the top. Do this the night before, cover with water and store in cold place. Your hands will be hurting by the time you peel and chop all these potatoes. The next day we drain the water and put in fresh. Cook them, mash them and we put in lots of butter and milk. We've always made our potatoes this way (lots of milk and butter). This was also the recommendation of the Disers who suggest crockpot to help keep them moist.

We prewarm the largest crockpot (6qt) and then put the potatoes in them until we eat, keeping it on low. Most of the potatoes fit in there. If there are any extra you can put in a smaller crockpot or put in fridge for leftovers. I think we also might have ran a stick of butter around the inside before we tossed in the potatoes. We stir before we serve. We also were concerned they would be gluey, but they really turned out great. We've been doing it now for a couple years.

 

[minniecarousel]

We have Thanksgiving planned the same way every year. The one place I "cheat" is with the pies. I order 2 chocolate cream pies (DH doesn't like pumpkin, so one year I bought one choc pie, but many others liked it too, so now I know I need two!) I buy a pumpkin pie from Costco and one Sis-in-law brings a birthday cake (for the the two birthdays very close to T'giving). My daughter-in-law is bringing cupcakes this year too!

One brother-in-law always makes the potatoes, so I don't know how many he uses. One sis-in-law brings the rolls, another the sausage stuffing. ha-ha, I always thought my brother made the yams from the raw vegetable, turns out he opens a coupla cans of Princella yams and puts in the casserole dish!

Since I usually have 20-25 people for a 1 PM dinner, I usually get two large turkeys and cook one the day before. Then I get up really early on Thanksgiving to put the other one in the oven - I always use REYNOLDS COOKING BAGS. You don't have to baste and they come out perfect!

The suggestion I see here is to have people bring the side dishes. Most people want to help, so don't be shy to ask.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We do a lot of potatoes. I'm thinking at least 10 lbs. We feed 20+ big eaters and we like our mashed potatoes.

We have a big and tall stockpot (I'm thinking approx. 10 qt) and we just keep cutting until we are almost to the top. Do this the night before, cover with water and store in cold place. Your hands will be hurting by the time you peel and chop all these potatoes. The next day we drain the water and put in fresh. Cook them, mash them and we put in lots of butter and milk. We've always made our potatoes this way (lots of milk and butter). This was also the recommendation of the Disers who suggest crockpot to help keep them moist.

We prewarm the largest crockpot (6qt) and then put the potatoes in them until we eat, keeping it on low. Most of the potatoes fit in there. If there are any extra you can put in a smaller crockpot or put in fridge for leftovers. I think we also might have ran a stick of butter around the inside before we tossed in the potatoes. We stir before we serve. We also were concerned they would be gluey, but they really turned out great. We've been doing it now for a couple years.

I have to make a large amount of potatoes this yr and it would be great for me to do this method. I KNOW that I am not going to have any oven room for the potatoes.

I already use a lot of butter and milk so no problem there.

Thanks for the input!!!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Since I usually have 20-25 people for a 1 PM dinner, I usually get two large turkeys and cook one the day before. Then I get up really early on Thanksgiving to put the other one in the oven -

Hmmmmmm.......that is something to think about. I might suggest that we do a turkey the day before so we can have everything ready to go because we may need a staggered mealplan.

I am getting some great ideas here.

OP how about you? What help do you need?

 

[bettymae1121]

1) Have each guest bring something. They'll likely want to and it's a few less things you have to worry about. Have one bring the pumpkin pie, have another bring another non-pumpkin desert (for the pumpkin haters), a third can bring wine, a fourth can bring rolls or a salad, you get the idea.

2) Work your schedule backwards. Figure out what time you want to eat. The food needs to be done by that time. Your turkey needs X hours to cook, plus 20-30 minutes to rest after pulling it from the oven before you can carve it. From there, figure out about what time you need to put the bird in the oven. From that point, figure out how much time you need to prep the bird to have it ready to go in the oven. Now you know when you need start working on the turkey! Same thing with the sides, if you know what time they need to be on the table, you can work backwards to figure out when they need to go in the oven, and from there what time to start your prep.

3) Do as much prep as you can the day before. Cut veggies, toast bread, bake pies, get your table linens out and ironed, put the leaves in the table, get the fold up chairs from the basement, make the kids help with cleaning the house (dust, vaccum, put the toys away). Check and double check your pantry and fridge to make sure you have all the ingrediants on hand to make all the things you need to make. The more you do Wednesday, the less you'll have to do on Thursday when you need to concentrate on the cooking.

4) If you have more than 6 people total eating, I find buffet style works best. Set the food up on your biggest counter or a folding table and have everyone help themselves.

5) If you have a ton of people to feed, rather than buyinga huge 25 pound bird that may not fit in your oven (and takes three days to cook through...) a better way to go could be to buy two 12-13 pound birds. You can cook one in the oven and one on your grill (grilled turkeys are great!). They'll cook faster than a huge bird, and also gives you 4 drum sticks/wings instead of two, so fewer fights over those. You could also do one whole turkey and then do just a turkey breast if two whole birds is too much, but one bird isn't quite enough.

6) My aunt, when she used to host t-day, used to cook the turky the day before, carve it, put it in the fridge, and then the next day just re-heat it in the oven when making her sides. That way she knew the bird was cooked through, and she could spend all her time on the sides, pluse she had more room in her oven when cooking sides.

 

[merekc]

One more note, if you cut the potatoes the night before and cover with water, the water will be discolored in the morning. Sort of reddish. Drain and cover with fresh water they are safe to eat.

I'm a freak about food safety and this would freak me out if I didn't know.