Thanksgiving Planning

[MsSassyBaskets]

Ok, good to know... I want leftovers but I don't want to be overwhelmed by them. Five people including two average eaters, one light eater, one big eater and one triathlete. Now taking recommendations on turkey size.

[SoonerTexan]

I make homemade cranberry sauce too. Southern living had a tasty spin on one in their last issue. We make stuffing out of the turkey (as in not stuffing the turkey )and usually include sausage.

I brined the turkey two years ago and it wasn't worth it IMO. Lotta work and mess.

I usually whip mashed potatoes with a handheld mixer with milk, butter, spices, and garlic.

We also usually make a sweet potato casserole.

I'd add another dessert! A must in our house.

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

DH and I are going out to dinner on thanksgiving and then seeing the rockettes...but you guys are making me miss planning thanksgiving dinner even more than I already do (which is a lot)!

[Mrs. MD, Esq.]

DH and I are going out to dinner on thanksgiving and then seeing the rockettes...but you guys are making me miss planning thanksgiving dinner even more than I already do (which is a lot)!

ETA but, on the other hand, preparing thanksgiving dinner in my little kitchen? Nightmare...

[DrBandMe]

I love to cook and bake, MSB! So if you need some help with things a few days before I am totally willing to come over with some wine and pitch in!

[MsSassyBaskets]

Thanks DrBAM! Honestly I'm trying to keep it simple but now I guess I need to admit that DH hates pumpkin pie but my brother demands it... A second dessert might be in the works even though I'm resisting it! DH loves apple pie, but pre-made gluten-free crusts don't come with a top AND a bottom, at least as far as I've found, and I have tried making my own and it is incredibly difficult. They end up really dry and dusty without gluten. I could practice though I guess. Maybe an apple strudel would be easier. Oy.

[SuzySunshine]

Who is GF? Could you make a GF dessert and a regular? That is usually what we do - my MIL is GF, she is the first to admit that GF crusts are a PIA! So make the one for your DH regular, maybe?

[MsSassyBaskets]

I'm GF, and I don't do gluten in my kitchen because of cross-contamination issues.

[SuzySunshine]

Can you buy a regular dessert? I know how much of a pain it is - I'm currently trying to figure out what to do about my son's birthday party next weekend so that MIL can have some cake...

[MsSassyBaskets]

Oh, cake is so easy thanks to the Betty Crocker GF mixes... Tastes just like the regular stuff. If I were making cake for a group I would just do GF because nobody would know the difference. We had only GF cakes at our wedding and nobody noticed. Pie is tough. I think I could do a strudel though, maybe... I really just like to avoid gluten in my kitchen entirely, I prefer not to worry about accidentally making myself sick in my own house.

[MrsK]

Personally, I'd skip mashed potatoes if I was serving stuffing and go with baked sweet potatoes or roasted acorn squash. Both are easy to bake with the turkey. Maybe baked apples with cinnamon for the second dessert? It's nice to have some healthier options with so much food.

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[MsSassyBaskets]

Maybe baked apples with cinnamon for the second dessert? It's nice to have some healthier options with so much food.

That's a great simple idea... I'll see if DH will go for that. Really trying to not go overboard here, but it seems inevitable for Thanksgiving!

[HouseofWool]

I agree with Heidi that the bird should be bigger. I leave a portion of the leftovers in the fridge, but the majority I freeze in 2 cup portions so it is easy to grab and make a casserole.

[ladymoreta]

For the pan, I just buy one of the disposable aluminum pans and put it on top of a cookie sheet with sides for support. One less thing to clean up, too!

If you decide not to brine it, I like to mix up butter and herbs and put it all over the turkey in between the meat and skin. It's messy, but the meat gets really good flavor. I also don't do stuffing in the turkey, so I put cored apples in the cavities.

I make gravy from the drippings, without giblets. Pour some of the drippings into a glass (so you can see the layers). Let it sit for a few minutes, and it will start to separate. You can use your baster to get out what you need of the oil and the fat. My MIL uses mini crock pots to keep the extra warm after she fills the gravy boat for the table.

My last bit of advice is to pre-plan what you want people to help with. People love to help, and it is so much more fun to have everyone visiting and working together than slaving away by yourself while they're in the other room watching tv trying to make small talk. It goes against hostessing instincts, but put them to work!

[SoonerTexan]

Dude, go with a chocolate dessert!! Doesn't have to be fallish. Like a mousse or something. We used to being cannoli and chocolate something to the big family boring thanksgivings with all the pies and they were always gone first.