Thanksgiving prep and plans

[AmyG]

An ongoing discussion of what cha doing for the Turkey day this year?

[AmyG]

Pricing pre made just warm up turkey meals around me. Some of them are pretty pricey.

I should just make a turkey it's a pretty easy meal. And youngest son will be home foe the week and he's a good cook himself.

Today I make the list of what HAS to be cleaned and done before the day.

I really wish my dining room was 2 ft bigger in both directions as my family gets bigger.

[FlightView]

We will be at hockey morning of T-day for the Turkey shootout, then my sister's house. I opted to bring the wine because it's easy and we'll be running about that day. This year, I have the kids Thanksgiving AND Christmas.

[trueblue]

I am hosting for 10-ish, I need to get my act together.

[taconight]

We’re doing 2 Thanksgivings, I’m not hosting either. I do need to bring a couple of apps or sides to my SILs house, but she lives a hour away so I need things that will travel well. Thinking about some type of potatoes and some chips/dip.

[leahcar]

I started my deep clean this weekend. I'm halfway through getting rid of a bunch of stuff in my kitchen so I have ROOM for all the holiday stuff.

I'm so not in the mood this year. I hope the holiday spirit finds me soon.

[angelashly]

I need to get my lists started. We don’t host but I make sides for each meal we go to

I’m so ready for thanksgiving food

[sweptaway]

We go to my aunt's in Manhattan so we spend a lot of time in the car. But, she's a great cook. I am usually in charge of dessert but I haven't received my assignment yet.

[tinyjoys]

We've hosted since 2015 & I've pretty much finalized my menu at this point, but I mix up the appetizers. I've done all my pantry, frozen, and tableware (we use real silverware & glasses, but use Chinette plates for dinner & paper plates for appetizers & dessert with plastic forks, just to make it somewhat simple) shopping between August & now. We were expecting 19, but between the election & other life, we're down to 14-16. It's my favorite holiday, I think. Traditionally, our schedule is a little like: breakfast/get turkeys in to come to room temp & get rolls out to rise, cook/prep what I can & keep warm in the ovens (I have 3). Around 1, I set out all the appetizers and people start to show up. We plan to eat dinner around 4. The people that have been uninvited usually clean up while we're still eating, then take their desserts to go, the rest of us then move the desserts and appetizers to the coffee table in the living room, all veg out & turn on a Christmas movie & eat again. Then, we all go to bed happy.

We hosted my sister's birthday dinner the first weekend of November & did a slightly deeper than normal clean then, then started deeeeeeep cleaning this past weekend. I think this weekend will be more of that. I'd like to organize my kitchen & purge, but I'm not sure if I have that in me right now. It may just be shove it all in the cabinets and call it good.

This year, our menu is:
::BREAKFAST::
- pecan pie baked oatmeal
- cinnamon rolls
- something savory, either a frittata, quiche, or even breakfast pizza, may check Trader Joes tomorrow when I go.

::APPETIZERS::
- pizza rolls
- boursin cheese with caramelized onion & bacon jam
- charcuterie
- cured italian meats
- cheeses
- olives, pickles & peppers
- pears, grapes, & apples
- dried apricots, craisins, almonds, and pistachios
- seedy mustard & onion jam
- bruschetta
- smoked cream cheese with cranberry pepper jam (still undecided if I'm making or not, but have all the ingredients)

::SALAD::
- roasted beet salad with feta cheese & either champagne vinegarette or an apple thyme dressing

::DRINK::
- iced tea & lemonade
- soda
- winter old fashioned
- cranberry apple sangria

::DINNER::
- dry brined infrared cooked turkey
- spatchcocked, dry brined, injected smoked turkey
- rosemary rolls
- corn
- cranberry sauce (both canned & deli)
- drippings graby
- mac & cheese
- stuffing
- honey & browned butter carrots
- caramelized brussel sprouts with hot honey
- green bean casserole
- roasted sweet potatoes
- mashed potatoes
- kind of want to make a butter candle, but need to decide.

::DESSERT::
- cheesecake with raspberry topping
- brown sugar pumpkin pies x2
- pecan pie brownies


Other prep by the day:
::MONDAY::
- laundry

::TUESDAY::
- shop for fresh (bakery breads, cranberry relish, salad mixes)
- clean out the fridge
- vacuum
- raspberry sauce
- bacon onion jam
- make brine

::WEDNESDAY::
- deep clean bathroom
- finish whatever laundry is hanging out
- deck clean up
- brine turkeys
- slice/roast beets
- bruschetta
- prep cast irons
- bake cheesecake, pumpkin pies, and pecan brownies

::THURSDAY::
- vacuum (we have a lab, an aussie, and a cat. We vacuum a lot)
- mop/swiffer
- once over of house
- cook all the things

[shadows]

That all sounds so good, tinyjoys!

We always go to my ILs who live several hours away for Thanksgiving. I took over making dressing a couple of years ago after my MIL made stove top stuffing one year. MH smokes the turkey, and the kids will probably want to help make a pumpkin pie.

There will only be 8 of us (3 are my kids who basically only eats rolls), so we keep it pretty simple and low key. I love Thanksgiving, but I miss the big, extended family gatherings that we had growing up.

[angelashly]

I’ll be doing crockpot mashed potatoes for our 1pm dinner so I’ll be peeling and dicing the night before and setting out the crockpots for it with all the stuff so I can get them in first thing in the morning

I have to do pasta salad too so I’ll make that Wednesday too.

My other side is Mac and cheese which I guess I can only do that morning. Does anyone have a tip to making noodles the night before?

I’m also supposed to do cheese potatoes but I think I’m going to switch because I’m out of crockpots now 😂

[tinyjoys]

Nov 13, 2024 10:50:52 GMT -6 angelashly said:

I’ll be doing crockpot mashed potatoes for our 1pm dinner so I’ll be peeling and dicing the night before and setting out the crockpots for it with all the stuff so I can get them in first thing in the morning

I have to do pasta salad too so I’ll make that Wednesday too.

My other side is Mac and cheese which I guess I can only do that morning. Does anyone have a tip to making noodles the night before?

I’m also supposed to do cheese potatoes but I think I’m going to switch because I’m out of crockpots now 😂

Maybe boil the noodles the night before until JUST before done, then quick boil the morning of? Kind of like how restaurants do? Or is it baked? Could you assemble day before & then bake day of? I go lazy & buy the artisan one from GFS, so I just need to thaw & bake or bake for longer from frozen.

[trueblue]

Nov 13, 2024 10:50:52 GMT -6 angelashly said:

I’ll be doing crockpot mashed potatoes for our 1pm dinner so I’ll be peeling and dicing the night before and setting out the crockpots for it with all the stuff so I can get them in first thing in the morning

I have to do pasta salad too so I’ll make that Wednesday too.

My other side is Mac and cheese which I guess I can only do that morning. Does anyone have a tip to making noodles the night before?

I’m also supposed to do cheese potatoes but I think I’m going to switch because I’m out of crockpots now 😂

If I am going to be doing a make ahead Mac n cheeee I undercook the noodles (boil for 5 - 6 minutes max for a larger size noodle, less for an elbow or something smaller) and make more and thinner cheese sauce than the recipe calls for. The noodles will continue to cook a bit when combined with the cheese sauce, absorbing the extra liquid. Baking to reheat it thickens everything up nicely.

[angelashly]

Nov 13, 2024 11:12:51 GMT -6 tinyjoys said:

Nov 13, 2024 10:50:52 GMT -6 angelashly said:

I’ll be doing crockpot mashed potatoes for our 1pm dinner so I’ll be peeling and dicing the night before and setting out the crockpots for it with all the stuff so I can get them in first thing in the morning

I have to do pasta salad too so I’ll make that Wednesday too.

My other side is Mac and cheese which I guess I can only do that morning. Does anyone have a tip to making noodles the night before?

I’m also supposed to do cheese potatoes but I think I’m going to switch because I’m out of crockpots now 😂

Maybe boil the noodles the night before until JUST before done, then quick boil the morning of? Kind of like how restaurants do? Or is it baked? Could you assemble day before & then bake day of? I go lazy & buy the artisan one from GFS, so I just need to thaw & bake or bake for longer from frozen.

It’s stovetop but maybe I’ll do the boil till almost done

[ldubhawksfan]

I’m hosting this year, so I need all the tips. We will have 15. Luckily SILs and I will split up the menu like most years when MIL hosts, but I’ll need to get my self in gear to set up and prep Wed. Plus the turkey. I haven’t made one in a few years, so I need to think about where to buy, thawing timeframe and how the heck to brine it in our fridge space.

[AmyG]

Nov 13, 2024 11:54:27 GMT -6 angelashly said:

Nov 13, 2024 11:12:51 GMT -6 tinyjoys said:

Maybe boil the noodles the night before until JUST before done, then quick boil the morning of? Kind of like how restaurants do? Or is it baked? Could you assemble day before & then bake day of? I go lazy & buy the artisan one from GFS, so I just need to thaw & bake or bake for longer from frozen.

It’s stovetop but maybe I’ll do the boil till almost done

make it on the stovetop the night before. before serving thunk it into a baking dish add extra cheese bread/cracker crumbs to the top and put in oven or even micro to warm it up and it will be just fine.

[AmyG]

I have to do the maths to figure out how much everything will cost and figure out if I can swing the pre-cooked tday meal cause well I'm not up to doing what I used to do anymore, and where's the best place to get one?
Right now I'm leaning toward Food City where we got turkey last year. It's not my regular grocery store, but the turkey and sides were good.
Other similar price I've found is Sprouts.
anyone else looking at a prepared meal?

My prep includes remembering useful things that you don't always think about
add to grocery order now instead of later:
dish detergent, dishwasher detergent, paper towels, paper plates, ice,
Kleenex, toilet paper,
check alcohol -I think we need tequila and a bottle of wine of some kind.
what else am I forgetting?

Next week will be clean up the Not the kitchen, dining room, entry part of the house
So bathrooms super clean, maybe clean some windows/curtains, check carpets (I need new carpets sooo badly), dust and oil allllll the wood furniture,
move the kid toys/packnplay around to make room for people to be in main part of house

Weekend before tday I'll clean the kitchen, dining room--put extra leaf in the table, polish the wood, clean the curtains and windows, scrub the tile, reCLEAN fridge freezer.
If the weather is gonna be good we are eating on the back porch so clean up that area--spray off the dirt and set up the tables.

Monday before tday I change the table linens and then get out/wash up:
turkey roasting pan, turkey serving plate, extra silverware in the china cabinet, Box of tday plates and glasses, things like appetizer/deviled eggs, pickles and olives serve platters/containers/tongs
Make banana bread and egg muffin cups for the kid that will come home on Tuesday.

Tuesday will be pick up kid at airport, make any pies/desert extra, roast sweet potatoes, make some bread/rolls
Wednesday will be pick up the meal, and check what we are missing that needs to be added?

then it's turkey day

what am I missing hmmmm

[ldubhawksfan]

AmyG your thorough plan is giving me anxiety. So throwing my kids’ joint bday party the Sunday before and only taking off Wed from work is probably not the best plan?! 😵‍💫

[AmyG]

Nov 13, 2024 15:39:24 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

AmyG your thorough plan is giving me anxiety. So throwing my kids’ joint bday party the Sunday before and only taking off Wed from work is probably not the best plan?! 😵‍💫

Wellllll  This is my shorter list lol
lol
I grew up that everything had to be perfect
so we didn't do a whole lot of entertaining
until during the pandemic I got some anxiety meds
and my give a shit has gone way down
I've had waaaayyyy more people over recently
and haven't gotten on hands and knees to scrub the grout or painted the bathrooms again 
I even have some people that randomly end up taking a nap on my bed
and I don't have alllll the negative self thoughts about how they are seeing my messy room.

So You can definitely do it
I imagine before party you'll clean main parts of house, plus kitchen, bathrooms, entry
and you'll clean up after the party. 

If you cooking turkey you'll get it started to thaw early in fridge, or do the cold water in the sink over and over again if you forget and need it thawed in 1 day or less lol. and you'll drag out the turkey roasting pan.

You choose a smaller option menu and grab some things precooked.
do a couple things in the evenings,
Somewhere in there you add random shit to a pick up order from grocery, walmart or target for like paper products, toilet paper.
then weds is clean some stuff, cook/prep what you can do to make thursday easier
probably easiest is to look over the menu and make sure you have a way to cook it all with a turkey taking up the whole oven. I lean hard on pre cook, micro, crockpots and toaster oven. 

[AmyG]

My list is so shorter than tinyjoys,
but she has 3 ovens!!??!!

[AmyG]

Nov 13, 2024 13:49:37 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

I’m hosting this year, so I need all the tips. We will have 15. Luckily SILs and I will split up the menu like most years when MIL hosts, but I’ll need to get my self in gear to set up and prep Wed. Plus the turkey. I haven’t made one in a few years, so I need to think about where to buy, thawing timeframe and how the heck to brine it in our fridge space.

I gave up brining years ago
I thaw, stuff bird with onion, apple, sage whatever and a stick of butter in it's butt.
I cover bird in butter and sage, salt pepper
and then roast it breast Down for most of the time, 
turn it over to get all nice and brown
Very juicy bird and very easy

[tinyjoys]

Nov 13, 2024 15:55:41 GMT -6 AmyG said:

My list is so shorter than tinyjoys,
but she has 3 ovens!!??!!

Haha! I have my regular gas stove/oven & a double wall oven. 10/10 recommend & would never do it differently.

[ldubhawksfan]

Nov 13, 2024 15:55:41 GMT -6 AmyG said:

My list is so shorter than tinyjoys,
but she has 3 ovens!!??!!

lol does a toaster oven/air fryer count?!

[Cher]

Nov 13, 2024 15:58:20 GMT -6 tinyjoys said:

Nov 13, 2024 15:55:41 GMT -6 AmyG said:

My list is so shorter than tinyjoys,
but she has 3 ovens!!??!!

Haha! I have my regular gas stove/oven & a double wall oven. 10/10 recommend & would never do it differently.

I have this same setup and it’s the best.

[tinyjoys]

Nov 13, 2024 16:08:37 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Nov 13, 2024 15:55:41 GMT -6 AmyG said:

My list is so shorter than tinyjoys ,
but she has 3 ovens!!??!!

lol does a toaster oven/air fryer count?!

Oh, I have those, too.

I really like to cook/host, okay?

[ldubhawksfan]

Nov 13, 2024 15:58:17 GMT -6 AmyG said:

Nov 13, 2024 13:49:37 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

I’m hosting this year, so I need all the tips. We will have 15. Luckily SILs and I will split up the menu like most years when MIL hosts, but I’ll need to get my self in gear to set up and prep Wed. Plus the turkey. I haven’t made one in a few years, so I need to think about where to buy, thawing timeframe and how the heck to brine it in our fridge space.

I gave up brining years ago
I thaw, stuff bird with onion, apple, sage whatever and a stick of butter in it's butt.
I cover bird in butter and sage, salt pepper
and then roast it breast Down for most of the time, 
turn it over to get all nice and brown
Very juicy bird and very easy

This is more in line with what I’ve done in the past so thank you for affirming that. Bizzare thing my mom always did, roast it in a paper bag. I’ve done it before, and while messy, it does help lock in the moisture like a plastic bag.

[justbecause]

I need a second casserole or something to bring.
These kids are becoming bigger eaters and last year they really left very little leftovers!

My dad does the turkey, gravy, mashed.
We do the stuffing, rolls, and squash ahead.

I’m doing green bean casserole, two pies, and maybe ordering an app tray from the store.

Sweet potato casserole? Broccoli casserole? Another type of potatoes?

My brothers don’t do anything but eat and drink all the wine. My SIL brings a pie and sometimes a cheeseboard.
(Actually one of my brothers does all the dishes and takes the kids outside for tag while my dad and I cook).

[AmyG]

Nov 13, 2024 16:34:02 GMT -6 justbecause said:

I need a second casserole or something to bring.
These kids are becoming bigger eaters and last year they really left very little leftovers!

My dad does the turkey, gravy, mashed.
We do the stuffing, rolls, and squash ahead.

I’m doing green bean casserole, two pies, and maybe ordering an app tray from the store.

Sweet potato casserole? Broccoli casserole? Another type of potatoes?

My brothers don’t do anything but eat and drink all the wine. My SIL brings a pie and sometimes a cheeseboard.
(Actually one of my brothers does all the dishes and takes the kids outside for tag while my dad and I cook).

I'd probably do a sweet potato casserole or just cut up nicely roasted sweet potatoes with a little maple syrup or brown sugar and butter on top and call it good.
If they are BIG eaters and they will eat it I'd add a veggie tray as that might fill them somewhat. Or add a ham. some years it seemed they'd eat the whole bird and everything in one sitting and I only had 2 kids eating.

[AmyG]

Nov 13, 2024 16:13:18 GMT -6 ldubhawksfan said:

Nov 13, 2024 15:58:17 GMT -6 AmyG said:

I gave up brining years ago
I thaw, stuff bird with onion, apple, sage whatever and a stick of butter in it's butt.
I cover bird in butter and sage, salt pepper
and then roast it breast Down for most of the time, 
turn it over to get all nice and brown
Very juicy bird and very easy

This is more in line with what I’ve done in the past so thank you for affirming that. Bizzare thing my mom always did, roast it in a paper bag. I’ve done it before, and while messy, it does help lock in the moisture like a plastic bag.

my sister always does the plastic bag turkey but then it kinda seems steamed? IDK it always was just not quite right. don't tell sis

[newspapers]

I am wondering how to incorporate the instant pot and air fryer into Tday this year. They take up counter space, so I am using them, FFS! I already steam green beans in the microwave steamer with no shame.