<p>Dont want to hijack the thankgivukah thread.
We are going to be traveling for Thanksgiving- but I also am responsible for the meal.
There probably will only be the four of us, + the 50lb+ pup in the same car.
Im planning on using mostly the plates from the residential hotel where we will be staying, but will bring serving dishes and whatever i need to cook.</p>
<p>I have only cooked thanksgiving periodically in the last 30 yrs and we don’t have any recipes that we cant do without. Im planning on doing all my grocery shopping before we leave home.
( and as much prep as I can)
I don’t want to go out for dinner, Ive done that before, but its kind of sad.(& no leftovers!)
I made xmas dinner for 5 last year under similar circumstances, which i thought went well considering.
Any suggestions for punching up the basic turkey/potatoes/stuffing?
We are getting two rooms so I can assign some things to my youngest & her Bf.
What dishes are festive, but not too rich/ time consuming?</p>
<p>Wow - so you are bringing all the cooking items plus the groceries/ingredients and cooking dinner away from home? I admire you as I am harried doing it in my own home with a week to prepare!</p>
<p>I would prep in advance as much as possible. You can saute the onions/celery mix for the stuffing and freeze it. You can also freeze mashed potatoes. I like fresh vegetables versus the “casserole with a can of soup” recipes you see in magazines. How far in advance will you be shopping? Can you trim green beans and then roast or saute them there?</p>
<p>Don’t forget the turkey roasting pan and things to make gravy etc, if you plan to do that.</p>
<p>One of our favorites: Praline Yams- 40oz canned cut yams/sweet potatoes drained
1/2 C chopped pecans, 1/2 C coconut, 1/3 C firmly packed brown sugar, 1/4 C flour, and 1/4 C butter-melted</p>
<p>Heat oven to 350. Place drained yams in an ungreased 2 qt casserole dish. In small bowl combine the remaining ingredients, blend well. Sprinkle over yams and bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.</p>
<p>Some grocery stores have complete thanksgiving dinner packages…all cooked and ready to be picked up thanksgiving morning. If it were me, I would look to see if your destination has one of these stores…and order the meal.</p>
<p>How about take out from a local grocery store near where you are staying. Several years ago it was only my immediate family around for dinner and I couldn’t see going to all that fuss. I preordered a full Thanksgiving meal and it was delicious and quite reasonable. The turkey was pre-cooked but still had to be warmed. Sides were terrific and dessert was included too. It would save you a lot of unnecessary schlepping of pots and pans.</p>
<p>I like this idea, actually. I’d bring the wine glasses and fancy napkins, buy some flowers. Then it feels like T-day, regardless. I think stuffing defines it for me- and would go all out on that (assuming you can pre-freeze) and then save the easy things for on-site. What works for my family is mounds of what they like- doesn’t have to be many choices.</p>
<p>Leftovers at the hotel? Ever consider just a turkey breast to roast? In your family, does it need to be turkey? Barefoot Contessa recently reran an episode with Lemon Chicken that she says is foolproof. Hundreds of reviews all add up to 5-stars.</p>
<p>Can’t give advice on sweet potatoes. We make 'em plain.</p>
<p>I’d do the traditional, with leftovers, thanksgiving meal before or after the trip and make reservations someplace you’d never get to try otherwise.</p>
<p>A local co-op grocery has the basics of prepared holiday meals, and taste IMO as good as anything I can make myself.
I think we can get away with that, plus some appetizers and a salad & another side dish.
Wine glasses are a good idea, plus candles & a tablecloth.
The hotel has buffet breakfast in the lobby, which will save on time & space in the car.
I made the plans last spring, when I won concert tickets for the day after Thanksgiving, and when I thought that our family would surely be back together by now.
But Im very happy that my youngest will be joining us with her BF, & so will the pup!</p>
<p>We did this for a couple of years when my DS was in his ski town. Buy the food prepared unless there’s a “must have” dish. Don’t waste space in the car with food you can get there.</p>
<p>Focus on the moment. Four of you are in a fun place together. Make some new traditions… Maybe a new board game for after dinner. Or a new movie tradition. Our stupid new movie is the Mr. Magoo Christmas Carol that both H and I remember fondly from our early days. Corny to the point that everyone laughs but still sweet.</p>
<p>Hugs, you will have a good holiday, I know it.</p>
<p>Great! Glad there is a grocery that can do the cooking for you.</p>
<p>When DS was doing his study abroad, I schlepped stove top stuffing, cans of corn and peas and cranberry sauce, canned yams, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, pie crust mix, to London. He had a kitchen in his apartment. We bought two rotisserie chickens to round out the thanksgiving feast!</p>
<p>We should have eaten out!</p>
<p>But on the bright side, my suitcase was MUCH lighter on the way home!</p>
<p>A board game is a good idea.
We have a tradition of going to a movie after holiday dinner, for years it seemed like either a Harry Potter movie was released during the holidays or a LOTR flick.
We are going to be in town to see Pearl Jam & the fans have arranged a screening of PJ20 the day before Thanksgiving, but H & I have already seen it, although I am happy to see it again.
:D</p>
<p>Not sure if this is what you want but I’ll share our standard menu:
Turkey and Stuffing, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Green Beans Almondine,
Sweet Potato Puff, Strawberry-Nut Jello Salad and Pumpkin Pie/Pecan Pie for dessert …Much of it can be prepared ahead of time and transported in a cooler…Menu can be tweaked to suit your own preferences…Enjoy!</p>