Oh no... I've been asked to host... THANKSGIVING!!

[NotUrsula]

the pasta course: , you can make a bolognese or vodka sauce the day before and cook the macaroni that day.

Um ... pasta course? Does that go with the eggs?

Seriously, I've never heard of having a pasta course expected at Thanksgiving dinner. Funny how everyone has different traditions. The only time we've ever had any kind of pasta on the T-giving table is when we have really picky toddlers who refuse to eat anything but Kraft M&C.

One thing I have definitely banned from major holiday meals is soup. It's too filling, and I end up with massive quantities of leftovers if I allow anyone to bring any. You have to understand that in my family, everyone's favorites are de rigeur on the T-giving table; we average about 17 different side dishes at an average holiday meal. That's in addition to at least two turkeys, and often a ham or a beef roast as well.

Things that people in my family "must" have, in addition to the turkey/gravy:
mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes
cranberry compote
canned cranberry "sauce"
green beans
sweet peas
broccoli cheese casserole
sweet corn
rice dressing
oyster dressing
cornbread dressing
spinach madeleine
carrots
cauliflower in bechamel sauce
parsnips
pickled beets
fruit salad
green salad (usually Waldorf)
french bread

Desserts tend to include pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, blackberry cobbler, fruitcake, carrot cake and chocolate cake, plus vanilla ice cream and whipped cream so that people can add it to whatever else they are eating.

As you might imagine, we long ago invested in a few commercial chafing dishes. Each one can hold a maximum of 4 menu items.

 

[robsmom]

duplicate

 

[robsmom]

You gotten some great tips already. Thanksgiving is my holiday now. I have been doing it for about 5 years. I am up to 31 people now!!!

I have a spreedsheet with a timeline and i think it hs a shopping list. i can email it to you if you pm me.

After we topped 20 I introduced the concepts of paper plates and a buffett. I think the food stays hotter this way because i use chafing dishes and other electric elements to keep the food warm. The paper plates and napkins help with the decor. Since I have had it for a few years, my aunt and cousins have helped with decor via small gifts. I have 2 sets of turkey salt and pepper shakers and a turkey plate holder. I usually buy small pumpkins and gourds and put them in baskets and i get flowers.

My hints:

You can cook green beens right in a chafing dish. fill the bottom with water and light the flame. put bags of frozen green beens, some honey roaster almonds, and sticks of butter right in the pan. Put the lid on. Let it go for about 2 1/2 or 3 hrs. you can check and stir it a few times.

Frozen corn can be put in a small crock pot, put on high and cooked all day to be warm.

Prep the day before. I don't peel potatoes until the morning but: Bread can be broken in to pieces for stuffing and the put back in the bag and tied. Onions and celery can be chopped and put in tupperware in the frig. I bake the cornbread for the cornbread stuffing the day before as well.

In my family - hardly anyone eats salad, so just make a quick small one. I use a fall blend (bag), put dried cranberries in it, chopped apples, pecans and then i put emeril's pecan rasberry dressing on it. Simple for fall.

 

[Kycha]

My MIL and I make a couple pumpkin pies (we are going to attempt fresh/real pumpkin this year) and a pecan pie the day/night before. I make homemade cranberry sauce the night before also, and chop all the celery and onions and cube the italian bread for the stuffing (some years I also have sauteed the onions/celery in butter and put in a baggie with the cubed bread so all we have to do is put it in the casserole dish and right in to the oven) have the green bean casserole assembled, things like that to make it go smoothly. The only thing we really do the day of is cut up the potatoes for the mashed potatoes and fried sweet potatoes and make the roux for the homemade gravy (something else we tried for the first time last year and will never go back! My MIL bought the turkey stock along with the turkey and it made to die for gravy, we've been talking about it all year)

Fried sweet potatoes!?! I have never heard of that before. Would you be willing to share your recipe?

My solution for perfectly peeled boiled eggs is to peel them when they are still hot. I let the eggs sit in the hot water but off of the burner for 5-10 minutes, then lift each one out with a big spoon, blast it under cold water for a second so as to not burn myself, tap the whole egg repeatedly until it is all cracked and everything slides off usually in one or two pieces. I LOOOOVE devilled eggs but always peeled the ugliest darn eggs until started doing this! And vinegar didn't work for me. SAD!

I peel mine almost the same way. When the eggs are done cooking. I immediately pour about half of the hot water off and replace it with cold water. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then peel away. The eggs are still hot, but not to the touch. Makes it much easier to handle and peel.


Forgot to add...to the op. My first Thanksgiving dinner I left the bag of gizzards in the turkey when I cooked it. Didn't see it until we started carving. In my defense, there were 2 bags of gizzards and I didn't know it. I got the first bag out...this one was in the main cavity. The other one was hidden in the neck cavity. I had no idea. Oh well. The turkey was done perfectly. And my family hasn't held it against me and have let me host Thanksgiving dinner since then.

My best tip is to make the mashed potatoes ahead of time. Then on Thanksgiving day, reheat in the crockpot. Works out perfectly for us because every Thanksgiving I seem to run out of bowls and serving pieces.

 

[KigerKat]

Kinda off topic, but the last post who cooked the turkey and left the gizzards in reminded me of this...

I'm not sure if any of you have ever seen one of those prank videos where they cook a cornish hen inside the turkey and fool someone into thinking the turkey must have been pregnant when they cooked it. Funny stuff!! Try to google it sometime, those are hilarious!!

Speaking of which...anyone here ever cook a tur-duck-en? (a chicken in a duck in a turkey.) It looks delicious, but complicated. I watched an episode of Paule Deen last year where she did it and made it look so easy.

 

[mskayjay]

I'm jealous and I am available for hire! LOVE to cook, love to plan and entertain. Unfortunately, his sister does T'day every year so I don't get to play. I only get desserts which usually is multiple from scratch pies. Not nearly enough for this crazy cook! lol

 

[toledo13]

Thank you for all of the tips!!!!!! I'll take any more anyone has! Are paper plates... tacky? If not- I think that's what I'll do. Those who have done paper plates- do you use real silverwear or plastic??

 

[blackforest]

Thank you for all of the tips!!!!!! I'll take any more anyone has! Are paper plates... tacky? If not- I think that's what I'll do. Those who have done paper plates- do you use real silverwear or plastic??

I get the divided styrofoam plates for dinner, then get the cute T'giving ones for the desserts. I try to get plain orange napkins and cups after Halloween to blend. And definitley use plastic!

Also, if you need a large tablecloth, and don't want to use paper ones and a new cloth one is too much, consider using a flat sheet. They wash great and tend not to have to be ironed. You'll do just fine!

 

[jennifer293]

I hosted it last year for over 40 people!!! I was injured in August of last year and still doing physical therapy so it was a bit of a challenge, but I did it and everyone had (or seemed to have) a good time.

In 2 weeks I will be cooking lasagna, salad, bread, and dessert for about 30 hungry teenage cross country runners...FUN!!!!

 

[mskayjay]

Thank you for all of the tips!!!!!! I'll take any more anyone has! Are paper plates... tacky? If not- I think that's what I'll do. Those who have done paper plates- do you use real silverwear or plastic??

Dishwasher?????? I find the plates aren't the issue. Its all the other stuff that takes forever to wash/cleanup. I think paper, as long as it is heavy weight Chinet so folks can be gluttons, are fine. Save the cutesy "turkey plates" for dessert! lol

 

[Poohs Corner]

Fry the turkey! It is the best and you don't have to do it the men can deal with it! LOL!

LOL you know what I am talking about!!! I LOVE IT.. What once was the womans chore has now become the mans in our house.. lol... .. BUT he loves doing it.. All the men gather around talk, drink .. He loves cooking it outside like that and IT TASTE SO DARN GOOD.. and you can even cook them a day ahead of Thanksgiving..

 

[CarolinaMomOf3boys]

Karen, dear, you want my address??

I'm jealous and I am available for hire! LOVE to cook, love to plan and entertain. Unfortunately, his sister does T'day every year so I don't get to play. I only get desserts which usually is multiple from scratch pies. Not nearly enough for this crazy cook! lol

 

[fivefordisney]

The PPs have given you excellent advice! I do Thanksgiving, too, as a sit-down meal for about 16 usually.

The first year I felt like I was going to explode because I underestimated the organization it takes to get everything on the table, hot. I was mashing potatoes, cooking corn and peas, warming dinner rolls, and taking drink orders. What a frenzy. I thought I'd cook the pies while we were eating - it ended up taking forever! We all had warm pie (with no vanilla icecream!)

Now I do mostly "do ahead" dishes (sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, "gourmet" cheesy potatoes.) I still do the peas and corn, but use the microwave cooking bags, instead of old fashion pots and pans. The stuffing is Stove Top (I know, horrible of me, huh?) and the gravy is the dripping from the well-seasoned turkey mixed and simmered with two cans of Campbells cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup (a trick a friend taught me...sounds weird, but turns out delish!)

As the turkey is cooking, I usually plate the cranberry sauces, set the table (sometimes, I do this the night before!), check and recheck my serving pieces!

I now ask one of my sisters to bring the pies, and my dad makes his "cranberry relish". and if I'm not doing cheesy potatoes, my mom will make the mashed. Often I ask a guest to bring the dinner rolls. I try to remember the dishes that made me feel crazy! My DD12 will help with the drink orders this year. Last year, I just put a pitcher of milk (for the kids and my DH) and a pitcher of ice water on the table. My dad makes his own wine so we always have that on the table.

One fun thing we do for the kids is make butter. I just buy some heavy cream and the put it in a glass jar. The kids take turns shaking/rolling/dancing with/tossing (not my favorite!) it until it makes butter! The middle schoolers are less into it now, but help the little ones. I do put regular old butter on the table for those who don't want the homemade variety, along with jam.

I found making place cards helps to make sure there are enough adults to help the little ones, and to keep the kids who bicker, separated.

I know some people find it cheesy, but I make everyone go around the table and share one thing s/he's thankful for... It reminds us, no matter what our individual problems, how blessed we are.

Also, I use the large plastic plates from Party City in some harvest color (usually deep maroon), and pretty harvest-y/autumn napkins. I used to used my china and cloth napkins, but just rather enjoy the day instead of loading and unloading the dishwasher.

Oh, and if you don't want to lose your favorite food storage containers, buy/gather enough of the ones that you don't mind parting with for the left-overs that people always want to take home. I also have the foil sheets from Costco for this.

Good luck! The key is organization! Everything, including the food storage containers goes on sale the month before and leading up to Thanksgiving. If you have your list available, you'll save $. Have fun!!

 

[Terry36]

The stuffing is Stove Top (I know, horrible of me, huh?) and the gravy is the dripping from the well-seasoned turkey mixed and simmered with two cans of Campbells cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup (a trick a friend taught me...sounds weird, but turns out delish!)

Can you provide more info. on how you cook the stuffing?

Thnx

 

[creativeamanda]

I just want to offer my condolensces. Last year we hosted Thanksgiving for 8 people plus our family of five. Thanksgiving ended up costing us over $700. Add to that, the family driving us all crazy, and I was ready for the day to be OVER. The only people grateful for what we did was our friends from up North. Dh's uncle got mad and left before dinner, the family from Florida got into a fight with the family from Georgia, and I got a stomach virus 30 minutes before dinner. We won't ever host it at our home again.

 

[Chicago526]

I haven't read the whole thread so someone may have already suggested this. Also, it'a time saving tip rather than a budget tip.

My aunt started doing this a few years ago. She cooks the bird the day before T-Day, carves it completely, and just re-heats it all in the oven before serving. This saves time on T-day and saves space in the oven for all the side dishes, she'll warm the turkey after some of the sides are done, she'll keep those warm by keeping them on top of the stove, which is plenty warm with the oven being on.

 

[JandJ]

I've been doing Thanksgiving since I was 16 because my mom was never really a cook (God bless her) and I love to cook and entertain so I just took over and have been doing it ever since. I'll be hosting 14 for dinner this year and we'll have a sit-down meal with china, crystal, silver, the works. I do cutsie paper fall plates for dessert but still have silver forks. I know, I'm crazy, but I love it! DH and I set aside extra grocery budget money for holidays, since we host almost all of them, so the budget doesn't take too much of a hit.

I start preparing a couple days ahead and get up early on T-Day. Everything from appetizers to dessert is from scratch. I've found with a little early prep it's not so bad. I've been stashing leftover bread for stuffing for months but, unfortuntely, we are having our floors refinished and the entire fridge and freezer just stinks of lacquer and everything has to be thrown out! Anyway, back on topic: A day or two before I'll do all the cleaning and decorating. The day before I set out the plates and serving pieces, polish the silver, etc. I boil the sweet potatoes for the traditional family candied yams the day before and let them sit in the fridge overnight (I swear they taste better!). Chop/pull-apart the bread for stuffing the night before and store it in large ziploc baggies. Then on T-Day just toast the bread before you put the turkey in the oven. I wish, for the stuffing, that I had a double oven because I have to turn around and bake it after the turkey comes out. Fortunately, the bird has to sit for ~20 minutes before carving and that's enough time to bake the stuffing, the rolls, and heat up the candied yams.

Everyone gets to pick ONE thing that they especially have to have. Fortunately, a few people always pick the candied yams and we have them anyway! I make the pies the day before and just re-heat before dessert. Getting up early on T-Day really helps. Somehow it all gets done on time.

Good Luck - you've gotten some great advice and I'm sure your T-Day will be a success!

ETA: As someone else noted - have DINNER not lunch - it gives you a lot more time to prep and to spend time with your guests while the food is cooking. I invite everyone over about 1:30/2:00 for appetizers and snack foods and we eat dinner around 5:30/6:00. It makes for a much more relaxed day

 

[toledo13]

I haven't read the whole thread so someone may have already suggested this. Also, it'a time saving tip rather than a budget tip.

My aunt started doing this a few years ago. She cooks the bird the day before T-Day, carves it completely, and just re-heats it all in the oven before serving. This saves time on T-day and saves space in the oven for all the side dishes, she'll warm the turkey after some of the sides are done, she'll keep those warm by keeping them on top of the stove, which is plenty warm with the oven being on.

Does doing that change the taste or dry it out at all? That's a GREAT idea!!

 

[MEM]

I just want to offer my condolensces. Last year we hosted Thanksgiving for 8 people plus our family of five. Thanksgiving ended up costing us over $700. Add to that, the family driving us all crazy, and I was ready for the day to be OVER. The only people grateful for what we did was our friends from up North. Dh's uncle got mad and left before dinner, the family from Florida got into a fight with the family from Georgia, and I got a stomach virus 30 minutes before dinner. We won't ever host it at our home again.

Wow!! $700!?!?! Can I ask what you served? For $53 a person you could have had it catered.

 

[Princess Tink]

gravy is the dripping from the well-seasoned turkey mixed and simmered with two cans of Campbells cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup (a trick a friend taught me...sounds weird, but turns out delish!)!!

Okay, I have to ask..........how do you make this, it sounds yummy.