My First Thanksgiving

I know I am late, but I had to read this!! I am hosting Thanksgiving at my house this year. My mother has cancer and can not deal with all the chaos of company at her house, and I have the most kids so I am the best house! Anyway...I am having everyone bring something they are good at, then I found a great deal on hot plates in Walmart, so all the dishes can sit on hot plates if they can not be placed in the crock pot. I am thinking of doing the sides and the pies the day before, I can not imagine doing the turkey early (I want the house to smell of it =]) But I know that most of a Thaksgiving feast is good heated up. If you get any great ideas for the crock pot can you please post them? I would be interested in knowing them. Thank you! Good luck too! One more thing, how many people are coming and how is the seating going to be?

Hi H., I live in a house but i have a very small kitchen, but I manage Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner every year, for at least 16 people or more. I always have to slow cookers and a rice cooker going, I don't due the G.bean Cass, put it do slow cook G.Beans w/ bacon little bit of lemon pepper, my other slow cooker I always have corn on the cob, and then of course rice in my rice cooker. I do a homemade corn bread stuffing, I do skillit corn read in the over, the day before, I chop up my celery and put it in a tupperwear dish, and I use swasons broth to moist and flavor, and stuff the baked turkey, we also smoke a turkey, if you have any more questions or need more ideas, let me know. J. L.

Try out the slow cooker recipe ahead of time to see if you like it. You could freeze the leftovers for future dinners w husband or send some to friends or neighbors.

Sometimes my mom's family (she's one of 10 and I have 50 cousins so you get the idea), cooks the turkey(s) ahead of time and re-heats meat in aluminum foil roaster.

If you plan to do pies from scratch, do those ahead too.

I myself never cook for more than 10. If you have a gas oven, here is a never fail method to cook turkey. Get 2 brown paper grocery sacks. BUTTER the insides of the bags. Place turkey inside 1st bag (if you can staple it shut you don't need second bag.) If its a big turkey you'll need the 2nd bag -- put in opposite direction and staple it shut. Bake turkey # of hours indicated by its weight. It doesn't require basting and comes out perfect every time.

PS Unless you buy a fresh turkey, Make sure you defrost the turkey in fridge DAYS ahead, Don't think it'll defrost in 1 night.

I feel your anxiety!! I use a roaster for the turkey so that I have my oven for everything else! The roaster makes the turkey so moist and yummy that I have found it turns out better that way anyway! Good luck!

I did thanksgiving once, when I had had my 1st son. I was crazy. But, I told people what to bring. I made a turkey, one person brought wine, another desert, another salad stuffing. you get the idea. Now, I have 3 kids and I do xmas dinner, and I still expect people to bring dishes. I think it is easier for everyone. Plus, xmas doesn't have the set meal the way thanksgiving does. I have done mashed potatoes in the crockpot. I made them and the day before then reheated them in the crockpot. They got a little crunchy on the edges, but, they tasted fine. is your family casual enough that they wont mind if things are not perfect? that is what is most important. The celebration of THANKSGIVING...not the food.

In the past my hubby has cooked stuffing in the oven then transefered to slow cooker-it got soggy. The green bean casserole should definietly work though. Mashed potatoes, yams, corn, gravy, etc. can all go in crock pots. Pies can be baked the day before. Use those reynolds crock pot liners for easier clean up.

Don't be afraid to call in reinforcements and aske everyone to bring a prepared dish. Not only can you enjoy the day better and be able to visit but it will keep the cost down.

If you need a yummy turkey recipe, go to foodnetwork.com and look up Alton Brown's recipe with brining the turkey. It's the best ever and cooks fairly quickly as far as turkey roasting goes.

H.,
It is really a great idea to cook as much as possible the day before, like all the pies and the stuffing. I use to do the stuffing the day of but when you make it from scratch I found that making the day before and popping in the oven the day off it taste better. I think because everything mess together over night. I make my stuff in a dutch over and it only take about 20min. drop me an e-mail if you want the directions - ____@____.com far as your turkey goes... Reynalds makes cooking bags that are really fool proof and your turkey will fall off the bones. We use have use them for several years and I would not cook without it.

Good luck with your dinner - I am sure you will do well

How fun for you! Well, here's what my family does. We have no real "rules" for how and when we do things. My mom makes the turkey the evening before. That way there is plenty of time to work on the sides during the morning of Thanksgiving. On the flip side you can always do the sides the night before and re-heat them that day. Whatever your choice just make sure you take the pressure off yourself, especially with little ones! Sorry to hear about the house thing. That just means there is a better one out there waiting for you!!!! Happy Holidays!

~V

I don't have any advice for the cooking, but to help you out, I'm having thanksgiving too, but having each person bring a dish (stuffing, yams, etc.). I will make turkey and ham and the mash potatoes..that will leave me with the big tasks, but not having to deal with all the side dishes and trying to figure out which goes in at which time!!!

Good luck!!!

Since you haven't really cooked a large meal from scratch and you might not have the kichen space to do it, why don't you have some of your family members bring some side dishes and desserts.

This would alleviate some of the pressure off of you, make room in the kitchen and let some of the family participate in cooking the meal.

You should be able to enjoy the holiday and not be worried and under any un-necessary stress.

Hope it all works out.