Hosting My First Thanksgiving

isenbergbeth

I am hosting my first Thanksgiving.  We will have a total of 8 guests which will include both sets of our parents and siblings.  Any suggestions for a girl whose weekly menus consist of frozen ravioli, tacos, and takeout:)?

kimnelson09

Make a timeline and prep list.  It will keep you on track and take away some of the overwhelming feeling.  It also makes it a little harder to forget something. 

Also, pick a few things that can be made ahead of time and just finished in the oven.  The more you can do in the days leading up to the dinner, the better. 

This was my Thanksgiving menu and an example of a prep list from last year, if it helps at all.

Menu

Prep List

6fsn

If you can't cook look to cater part or all of it.  Ask for help from people too.  List what needs to be done, do what you can ahead of time, pull out dishes and plates well in advance.  Also, keep it simple.  You have some time to practice things too.

I make this turkey often and it really is super easy and no fail

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Worlds-Best-Turkey/Detail.aspx

mashed potatoes are simple. 

These green beans are incredibly simple and oh so good.  You can prep them the day before and pop them in day of.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Green-Bean-Bundles/Detail.aspx

Add some dressing, sweet potatoes, and a salad.  We usually have a 7 layer salad that you can make the day before.

This is a really good simple cranberry sauce you make the day before too.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cranberry-Sauce/Detail.aspx

This is also really good on top of cheesecake!

Order a pumpkin pie and some rolls and call it a day. 

graceandarthurforever

Oh that's awesome of you to take this initiative to host!  It is so much fun; perhaps after this time you will be addicted to hosting.    I would suggest a slow cooker recipe:  you just mix it and leave it.  The websites that other people have already suggested are great for finding recipes.  Also, supermarkets have turkeys that are already pre-stuffed and seasoned.  All you have to do is put it in the oven!  But making a turkey and stuffing from scratch isn't too hard either.

jimandmel

Is having the food catered an option?

bostonmarket.com has a Heat and Serve Holiday Menu.

Our local Publix has something similar.

Maybe you can purchase a pre cooked Turkey and Ham then make all the sides homemade.

 

HTH

Have fun and don't stress out!

BlueTopazBride

I feel your nerves.  Although I have been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for my family (parents and siblings) for quite a while, this is the first year that I will be cooking for DH's family.  Worried about making a good impression...

 Here are my suggestions.  First off, everything needs more butter.  Cut all of your veggies the day before hand. Some turkeys cook fast and others cook slow, nothing will happen on schedule, when your thermometer says the turkey is 15-20 degrees away from being done, start your side dishes in this order potatoes, cranberry sauce, green beans.

The last half hour before dinner is served will be a little nutty, but you can handle it, just make sure hubby is able to entertain everyone while you finish up.  Also, when people offer to help, let them, but dont let your kitchen get crowded. Ideas for help include: opening and serving wine, picking out music for dinner, finishing setting the table etc.  It wll let family feel like they contributed but also keep them out of your hair.

My menu is usually pretty simple: stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, and gravy.

Use packaged stuffing cubes (mrs. cubbisons, pepperidge farms, not stove top) use the directions on the back and add a diced peeled apple. 

For  a side dish green beans are a go to favorite. To make them easy, get a bag of frozen green beans, a hand full of sliced almonds, a handful of dried cranberries, a big pat of butter and a splash of water.  Put them in a microwave safe dish cover with plastic wrap and nuke for 4-7 minutes. if you want to, sprinkle on some garlic powder and salt.

 Potatoes: Have hubby peel potatoes and slice them. Boil them until they break apart when touched with a fork (about 25 mins) Drain and return to pot.  Put the butter in first it will melt easier if you cut it up into small chunks. Smash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher.  Add a little milk and stir with a big wooden spoon, add more milk untill creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 Cranberry sauce:  use canned cranberry sauce (jelly wont work) since you are new to this.  put it in a sauce pan add 1/4 cup of brandy (sherry or rum will work too), 1 TBS butter and 2 TBS brown sugar. Simmer over medium high heat untill brandy cooks off stirring occasionally.

 Almost any turkey recipe from the internet will work just keep it simple. Note: basting doesn't make the turkey moist it makes it brown and pretty, so if you want to be away from the oven for more than half an hour dont feel guilty.

 Gravy: Use the fat drippings from the turkey, and flour to make a rioux.  Put the fat in a pan on medium heat put in a small scoop of flour and stir with a fork or whisk to make a paste. Add more flour if necesarry to make the paste thick.  add chicken broth, water and/or white wine to add to the volume. turn the heat down and keep stirring, the gravy will thicken and become an even consistency.  if you want it thicker, sprinkle on more flour, if you need more gravy add more liquid. go back and forth untill you have the right amount and desired consistency. add salt and pepper to taste

Though anyone can do this, it can be nerve wracking.    Keep it simple.  Nobody doesnt like thanksgiving dinner.  Just remember, some of us get together with people we dont like, to hear our uncle wax poetic about his new favorite dry cleaning service, and have grammy complain that we havent knocked out babies in the 3 months weve been married.  We do this because we get to have a hot home cooked meal with mashed potatoes.