Hosting Thanksgiving

Hi S.,
I am not a big cook either but one of the dishes I make every year is a green bean casserole. If you buy a can of the french fried onions there is a recipe for it right on the can. It is simple and my kids love it. Good luck and have fun.
G.

Hi S.!

I would be glad to walk you through some preparation idea's. It is not hard once you know WHAT it is you want to serve.

I have some great family recipes, holiday traditions, and would be glad to share. Items I know Carolinian's would enjoy.

D.

Relan and make memories that is what is most important! I know that butterball has a website, and an 800 # that you can call on the holidays. Maybe your guests would like to bring a dish. Pick up some of the reusable storage containers, you can transport anything in those.....even the messy dishes.

For seasoning the turkey, I like to use sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and butter.

For side dishes, I would add some vegetables and some rolls.

Good luck. Turkey is pretty easy to cook. However, look up how to make gravy. It isn't hard, but it is one of those things that when people get nervous, they mess up.

Hi S.,
Every time I cook a big meal for a holiday, whether for my family of 3 or including guests, I create a time line of when the meat goes in, how much prep time ahead of that (have one hour for turkey since you're new at it), and prep and bake time for everything else. Don't be afraid to ask guests to bring something that travels well casserole, etc. Oh, and make sure you check the turkey the night before if you buy frozen--it takes 3 days for it to defrost in the fridge!!! Otherwise, you'll add time to your prep by defrosting with warm water!! (Been there!!) lol

As for the turkey, you'll find an 800# on most turkeys you buy. You can also call Butterball even if you don't have their turkey. They're awesome!! When I cook mine, I marinate with a mix of honey and orange juice every 30 min. (I set the clock because I get preoccupied). I use a LOT by the time I'm done but always get rave reviews. The juice, however, is too sweet for gravy. That's ok because I can never figure that out anyway and always have jar gravy on hand. Hey, something's gotta be easy! lol I marinate the legs initially but when they start looking a little brown, I cover them in foil so they won't burn. Wings, too.

It's helpful if you use an electric roasting pan to devote to your turkey so the oven isn't tied up all day with the biggest item. That way, you can bake your sides and rolls and have everything done around the same time.

Make whatever you can ahead of time, then bake the day of. Good luck!

D.

I always cook up a storm for Thanksgiving! The butterball hotline is always great for getting the right times and temps for cooking the turkey (and it makes a difference whether you cook the stuffing inside the turkey or separately).

I usually smear softened butter all over the outside and under the skin and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, a little paprika (for color), sage and thyme and I prefer a stuffed turkey, which takes longer to cook, but only adds flavor to the bird (I do a sausage stuffing).

As for sides, peas, fresh corn on the cob, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, cranberry jelly (which I don't eat but my family loves, so I make it), glazed carrots (really easy, slice carrots, saute in butter and brown sugar), candied yams, rolls, and of course the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.

I always use the giblets for gravy. Not sure if this is the best way to explain how I do this, but I boil the giblets for stock, then chop them up and fry them a little bit in some flour. I then add the stock and pan drippings and let it cook on a low boil until it thickens. Wish I could give you some measurements, but I've been doing it so long I just eyeball it.

I'm sure there are other things that I'll end up making, but for me, those are the basics. A lot of it can be made ahead of time and just reheated in the microwave (except the deviled eggs, which can be eaten cold). And most all of it will travel well.

And just for good measure, my favorite recipe website of all time is www.allrecipes.com . You can find just about anything there.

Happy Holidays!

For a small group, consider turkey parts instead of a big bird, or another fowl, like guinea hens. We like making turkey legs when there's just a few people. They're also easy to transport.

We prefer to do only the bird and/or dessert (pumpkin pie is easy - read the label on the pumpkin and use pre-made pie shells). We ask our family to bring side dishes. That way it's not all on one person and people get to bring things they like to make/eat.

To make it special, I have some table cloths I bought on sale one year. Just plain white with a fancy edge. I chose white because it can be bleached. You can also pick up an inexpensive table runner for that festive touch. A runner is also easy to transport if you end up moving the meal. If you don't already have a pyrex insulated travel carrier, consider one. They're great anytime, and terrific for moving casseroles to other locations.

Melt butter first, and baste that generously all over the turkey before you start with the seasonings. Personally, I usually just do garlic salt (my own concoction, more garlic powder, less salt), crushed sage, and pepper. If you like a little spice, sprinkle on some ground red pepper flakes. Really, though, the important thing is to baste in butter, then start basting frequently after the bird has been in the oven for the first half hour (or whenever there's a nice pool of juice in the pan.

I always worry that I am going to dry the turkey out but....then a couple of years ago I tried "brineing" (sp?) the turkey before hand and it is wonderful. Last year we had 70 people for Thanksgiving (my Dad's 85th birthday) and cooked 90 lbs of turkey, it ALL came out tender and juicy. I don't remember the exact proportions but it is 1 cup sugar, 1 cup kosher salt to (I think) 1 gallon water. Soak your turkey in this for 12-24 hours before you cook it, rinse well and cook. You can definitely find the exact proportions on the internet, that is where I found it. Put rosemary under the skin and baste while you cook it. My sister in law made the stuffing last year. I have never been able to copy her recipe (she is the original Martha Stewart - everything from scratch) but I did come close with a cheat - I started with Stove Top Stuffing and added apples, sausage, celery, onions and more seasonings (rosemary, thyme and sage). I love Thanksgiving! Who doesn't love a holiday that is all about family and food!! Have fun!

Definitely green bean casserole! Sooo easy! Here is the link to the recipe:
http://www.campbellkitchen.com/recipedetail.aspx?recipeSo...
Best of luck on a wonderful dinner!

You could add a butternut squash to your side dishes. Just peal, cut, clean out the seeds and boil. Drain really well then mash it up with some butter, salt and pepper. We also serve peas and corn (not mixed). Stuffed celery, with either cream cheese (sprinkle some paprika on) or peanut butter. Also, you could have olives (both black and green w/ pimento) and pickles (usually the sweet mixed).

As for pies, you could add an apple pie and a chocolate cream pie.

I'm sure that any left overs would be appreciated by the sailors on duty. :0)

I just wanted to suggest that you consider buying your turkey pre-cooked. A lot of supermarkets do that now (I am pretty sure Giant does, among others) and you can pre-order and pick it up on T-Day. That way you can ease your way into such a huge task! Also, your oven is free to prepare all the other dishes. Because the turkey takes so long, it is a juggling act to know when to put the different dishes in so it will all be hot when it's time to eat.

I never cook a whole bird - too much waste for us. I just get a turkey breast roast, which is boneless and all-white meat, and roast that. It takes about 1 hour to fully cook and it's small enough that I can cook something else in the oven while it's roasting. I also prepare food the day before - stuffing (cooked seperately), rolls/bread, and pies for sure. Then I prepare the vegetable (stove top), sweet potatoes and maybe one other oven dish the day of.

Definitely plan ahead and don't forget to put your guests to work too! ;)

Good luck!

S.:

Hello and good morning! Thank you and your husband for your (you have a lot to handle when he's away) service and sacrifices to keep our country free! VERY Much appreciated!

Now, on to Holiday parties.

1. If you buy a frozen turkey, make sure you take it out of the freezer on Monday and put it in the fridge to defrost!

2. Make a menu - BEFORE you go shopping - even if you are going to the commissary - you can end up buying things you don't really need. I go through my cabinets after I make my menu to see what I have - I take it out and set it in a small Rubbermaid box - that way I know it doesn't get used! On my menu (especially for Holiday dinners and gatherings) I put down what I need to make each item (I know, repeatitive, but then I don't miss anything).

a. Turkey (for 4 adults, 12 to 15 lbs)
b. Cranberries (whole or jellied)
c. Stuffing
d. rolls

3. I personally love either green beans or sugar snap peas and corn for Thanksgiving. Stuffing is a given. I love Waldorf Salad (marshmallows, celery, chopped walnuts (or pecans), sliced grapes - dressing is mayonaisse and apple juice - depending upon how much you make use about 1 cup of mayonaisse and about 1/4 cup apple juice, you don't want the mayo runny, just thinner).

4. I wrap my turkey in foil and put butter pads on it. In the cavity (oh yeah - don't forget to pull out the bags!! I can't tell you how embarrasing that was when I cooked my first turkey for husband's unit!) I put several sliced apples, chopped celery and one sliced onion. I put water in the bottom and set the timer for 1 hour, then baste it - ensuring I get the fluid in the cavity as well.

My dad (Retired MCPO) deep fries his turkey - which I NEVER thought I would like - but MAN is it EVER good!

I know you can call Butterball and they will give you recipes. I think they have a website as well. Since it is your first gathering I would use the KISS Method - keep it simple silly - don't go overboard (I know how easy that is!) and everything will be fine!

Enjoy! Again, thank you again for you and your husband's service!

Take care!

Well, I use salt, a little pepper, sage and thyme. You can either oil up the turkey, or use butter. To help flavor the turkey, actually go under the skin with your hands and spread sage and thyme. It's a lot easier than it sounds. I also put butter and salt inside the cavity. Put it in a roasting pan, put a tent of foil over it. I usually baste it every hour. Then, about a half hour before it's done, I remove the tent, so the turkey browns.
Don't forget to make the green bean casserole. OMG, if I forgot that, my kids would die! This year, I plan to make the potatoes the dy before.

If you live near a William-Sonoma store call them now. They always have classes right around now that will teach you all you need to know about AND it's FREE! If that is not possible go to Foodnetwork.com they have menu ideas and usually have a video about turkey. Also, Butterball has a turkey hotline you can call. Some easy sides are mac & cheese, salad, sweet potato casserole and don't forget the cranberry relish! Good luck and don't stress out about it too much.

Hello,

First of all, Congratulations on hosting your first Thanksgiving! My suggestions are based on me being in the same situation (only with 6 people in addition to my husband and me) our first year of marriage. That year, I did what I often do, try something out on folks 'on the day' (no practicing) and referred to my Bon Appetit magazine. I have to say, the turkey was awesome - and JUICY - and had tons of great flavor. It was not difficult, it was not too time consuming, and it cooked fairly quickly (didn't have to get up at 5am to put it in the oven.) Each year the magazine comes out with a Thanksgiving magazine, and each year I salivate over the photos and recipes. I would suggest going to Epicurious.com and searching all the recipes, as they have ones from Gourmet and other publications as well. And, my favorite side is always sweet potatoes/yams - roasted with shallots, mashed, or anyway you like 'em.

Have a great holiday!

Hi S.,
Just a thought. If you end up buying a turkey to cook make sure you give it enough time to defrost safely in your refrigerator and check out the cavity to get the bag of turkey insides out before cooking! Good luck. I've never cooked a turkey myself - my husband is always in charge of that! I think Tgiving is about making traditions of your own and maybe carrying over some from your childhood. Dressing is a must for me and sweet potatoe casserole (with tons of brown sugar and pecans!). Enjoy the time with your friends!
J.

Hi, S. - I use a Reynolds oven bag to cook my turkey. The instructions are right on the bag, and it keeps the turkey very moist. Good luck and enjoy! N.

The easiest way to cook a turkey and have it come out great is to buy a cooking bag. They are turkey sized plastic bags and you just follow the directions. I like to stuff the turkey with cornbread stuffing but when I do not stuff the turkey I cut up a couple of apples and toss them inside the turkey. It adds a nice flavor and keeps it moist. Regardless I always rub the turkey down with butter and salt. I also liked to make sweet potatoes

I'm sure you can go to the grocery store and get a current magazine like Good Housekeeping and see all sorts of good recipes. If you pick an item you'd like to have, google for the recipes online and try it out ahead of time (maybe half the recipe) to make sure it tastes like you want.

I'd recommend you consider the colors in your meal. So far, everything you've selected is yellow/brown. Add something like cranberry sauce and green beans to make it more visually appealing and VERY festive looking. I'm convinced that makes a meal taste better too. My mother-in-law says you can buy just the turkey breasts instead of the whole bird so you don't have to eat turkey for months.

As far as taking it to the ship, I would guess casseroles are your best bet. I have these great pyrex casserole dishes that come in a carrying bag with hot and cold packs so you can keep your food the right temperature when you travel. I think they were bought at Hechts or Macys. Perhaps a good investment to purchase one this year to help you keep the food warm. They are always handy to have around.

I typed "Thanksgiving meal" into Google and it came back with a variety of great websites. I looked through some of the recipes on http://southernfood.about.com/library/holiday/blthanks.htm and they looked pretty good. Problem is, you don't want to make enough food for an army, but variety is nice. Consider halfing the recipe if you are going to make additional dishes. (I always think sweet potatoes are a Thanksgiving must, but we tend to eat southern food.) Ask your friends if there are any special dishes they enjoy having at Thanksgiving. They may enjoy being included in the decision. They may offer to bring preparations for a dish they want to make :)

Good luck. I hope your feast turnes out wonderful. No doubt, your friends and hubby will appreciate all the effort and thought you've put into it. Consider bringing a few tea lights or other easy to transport simple decoration to enjoy with your food to dress up the atmosphere so it matches your masterpieces.

Take care,
Liz

p.s. I saw a recipe for cranberry relish that is similar to my family's recipe at: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/11/my-familys-cranberry...
We don't use the apples and I believe we only include half the orange peel and my mom puts the cranberries through the slicing thing on her food processor so they look really nice. I don't have that so I would just chop it in our tiny processor. Definitely make this a few days in advance. The sugar turns into a sort of syrup and the cranberries get less tart. Mmmmmm! I may make some of that this week. My mouth is watering already!

Giant offers a Thanksgiving dinner that you just have to warm up. They give you the turkey (already seasoned) mashed potatoes, veggie, stuffing, etc. All you have to do is warm it up. It is pretty low cost, but you have to put in the request in advance. They do run out of the Thanksgiving box sets. Hope this helps

Hi S.,
I hope your dinner turns out great. I couldn't help but notice theere were no greens on the list. What about string beans or collard or kale greens? We usually have seet potatoes. I'm not a turkey fan so I pass on that bird. I have ham and usually chicken. If I host the meal and someone wants a turkey they can cook it and bring it. That's what my aunt did a few years ago.

Dear S.,

Find out if your husband's ship is serving Thanksgiving dinner for the crew. According to my husband, the cooks go all out and the food is so good that entire families come for the dinner. As Arlo Guthrie says in the song "A.'s Restaurant" (way before your time and I'm showing my age), it's "a Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat."

Many, many, many places cater Thanksgiving dinners now. If you live in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, Jay's Deli in Virginia Beach (near the BJ's) makes a great turkey dinner. Then all you have to do is heat it up. With a child it would probably the easiest to do, and it may cost a bit more, but remember your time and sanity is worth something, too. It would also be easier to take to your husband if the ship isn't serving dinner, since it is already packaged (heat beforehand).

If you decide to cook the whole meal, make sure you get the giblets out of the turkey. They are stuck in the neck in a plastic package. You have to reach so far in you'll think you're reaching for the center of the earth, and then, there they are. Yes, I've forgotten to take them out of a turkey before. . .it was okay.

Finally, for a green vegetable that is easy and fabulous, try skillet asparagus. Get a couple pounds of asparagus, snap off the ends and wash (yes, asparagus is expensive, but this dish is worth it and the only way to serve asparagus). You can cut the asparagus into two inch pieces or leave them longer (which looks nicer). In a 10 or 12 inch skillet heat some olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter on medium high. When the butter is melted and sizzling a bit, add the asparagus and 1/3 cup water. Cover and let saute for about 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid and add about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste. Continue to saute until the asparagus is done to your liking. I like mine limp, but you may like yours al dente. Saute is a fabulous way to cook many vegetables, much tastier than boiling or steaming. Yeah, you have the butter, but you only live once.

By the way, get yourself a Betty Crocker cookbook and an America's Test Kitchen Family cookbook, or ask for these for the Holidays. Both are very good instructive cookbooks.

Good luck.

Hi there. The best, easiest, most fantastic recipe for a turkey is Bourbon-Soaked Turkey. I found it on Oprah's website years ago. http://www.oprah.com/recipe/food/recipespoultry/food_2002...

For the pies, unless you're set on the credit for making them yourself - - Costco! Their pumpkin pie is one of the best I've had. And inexpensive! And they do a pecan pie as well.

For side dishes - deviled carrots? Steam the carrots til their just fork tender (I usually do baby carrots, but slicing a regular carrot works well also). After they'er steamed, put some dry mustard - maybe 1-2 teaspoons, dependig how may carrots (powder form from the spice aisle), a little brown sugar (1 or 2 Tablespoons, again, depending on amount)and some butter in a pan 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons) and melt it. Stir in the carrots and coat them with the sauce.

Peas with pearl onions, sweet potatoes/yams, butternut squash, brussels sprouts (with maple syrup and cracked black pepper), cranberry orange relsih....and yes, I do ALL of the above (and more) for my TDay!!

Good luck and enjoy!

I use Alton Browns Recepie for Brining the Turkey. It makes the juciest most delicious turkey ever. I did however set the smoke alarms off when it calls for searing the skin on the turkey with the oven up on 400 degrees. (make sure there is no water in the pan when you do it) It also takes a lot of time to do the brine the day before and have to put it in a cooler in a bag for overnight but it is well worth it. Here is the link. HOpe it works

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-...

P.

S., I think that this site has the information about preparing and roasting a turkey.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Factsheets/Lets_Talk_Turkey/inde...

It can help you know how long to thaw, how long to cook, and how to check the temperature to see when it is done. If you have never roasted a turkey, you may be surprised how long it takes.

Don't forget some other veggies, maybe green beans or peas. And some candied sweet potatoes are also good to substitute for the mashed.

For the trip to the ship, maybe get some microwave dinner plates with sections and a lid, and make the plates up ahead of time.

Another daunting task is carving the turkey. Here's a good site with instructions on doing that.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Carving-Turkey/Detail.aspx

Hope everything comes out perfectly!

Check out myrecipes.com. It is from Cooking Light magazine and has a lot of good ideas. Good luck!

i strongly recommend thriftyfun.com. this is a website alot like mamasource but alot about cooking and being thrifty.

There are lots of good suggestions, but I'll put in my two cents anyway. For sides, I would come up with some casseroles or veggies that you can fix the day before and just pop in the oven to bake the day of Thanksgiving. You're going to be so tied up with the turkey, gravy, and potatoes (or whatever you fix) that can't really be done ahead, it's best to do the things you CAN do ahead the day before. For my family, there has to be green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole. Good luck!

Dear S.~

Good for you! There's lots of help available on this website: www.butterball.com . Check out the "new cooks" section and read through the tips and how-tos which will answer a lot of questions if you've never cooked a turkey before. My personal preference (after 25 years of cooking turkeys) is to buy fresh, not frozen, and buy one a little larger than what you need for your holiday dinner. Leftover turkey can go a long way toward other meals and soups.
A turkey with stuffing is going to be more flavorful. There are many simple recipes for stuffing and it gives you a side dish with variety. Check out this link at allrecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Stuffing-and-dressing/Detail....
Find one that has ingredients you like and is easy to put together. My signature stuffing is a bread stuffing made with whole wheat bread, mushrooms, celery, onions and spices. Easy but very tasty!
As for side dishes, one of our family's favorites is Honeyed Carrots with golden raisins. We also love fresh green beans. Sauteed baby squashes are colorful and healthy, too. You want to think in terms of how the food looks on the plate - color, texture and shape are all part of the appeal. Don't forget the cranberry sauce!
One of the best ways to learn how to put a holiday meal together is the cookbook and entertaining section at your local library. (And, of course, our friend, the internet!) I have browsed many an older cookbook for some of my best company/party menus. Love those Southern Living cookbooks!
Put your menu together, make a plan of what to do when so you don't get flustered, leave extra time with the turkey and keep it simple, and you will do just fine. Have fun and enjoy the experience!
"Cooking, like love, should be entered into with abandon, or not at all!"
Blessings ~

C.