I’m coming over @eyemamom!
PS - I tried to make limoncello once but I used Meyer lemons and I think their skins are too thin and it didn’t turn out good.
@Consolation …I’ve never even thought to do 2 turkeys! I think I’ll do that this year, as long as they both fit in my roaster. The biggest turkey I ever roasted and it almost didn’t fit was 30 lbs.
So, you think I’ll actually get more meat that way?
Meyer lemons work for Limoncello but because they don’t have the same oil and are a totally different flavor from standard (often Eureka) lemons, it’s a very different flavor than what most people expect of Limoncello. The Meyer Limoncello is very floral, slightly herbal and more complex than the standard version; I found my friends who are wine snob or foodie types tended to enjoy it and find it interesting and the remainder preferred the normal stuff. So if you have any foodie friends, give it to them and tell the other friends they just don’t know what they’re missing. 
For me it was hard to peel and not get into the white part that you’re supposed to avoid.
Zester or microplane. But if the lemon is soft, then even those are tough to use. I found the whole thing to be too much work for a flavor that most people don’t love, so I stick to the normal lemons now usually.
But as a hick, I’ll try to make homemade alcohol out of everything at least once. And I’ve learned that of all the bases I’ve tried for various infusions (and Limoncello is just one type of infusion), Everclear is the absolute best base. Much cleaner flavor profile than vodka, which leaves its own taste. Everclear is rocket fuel on its own but because the alcohol content is so high, it really accentuates and presents the cleanest, most fantastic flavor from whatever you’re trying to infuse. On the downside, if you make a lot of infusions you quickly discover that buying a case of Everclear will really raise some eyebrows. I’m a fairly light drinker but suspect if you asked the clerk at the liquor store that has the best price on Everclear, that guy will tell you I either have a real problem or throw some crazy parties.
I’m using Tito’s. I know everclear is the one to use, but I do strain it several times and it ends up super clear and tasty. I’m expecting the vanilla tomorrow and I’m going to also make homemade vanilla. The beans are insanely expensive, but store bought vanilla is as well. Ina Garten has used her vanilla for 30 years!
I have done Thanksgiving dinner at restaurants before, but really prefer my own cooking! I make everything that I like, and there is no restaurant that can do that. I am supposed to work Wednesday night into Thursday morning this year (nurse), so I would consider getting a pre-made pick up meal somewhere to add to whatever sides I want to prepare. I also plan on eating leftovers for the rest of the week so going to a restaurant would not net me as much food to take home.
We just made reservations at a buffet an hour and a half from our home. Both kids are too far away to get home for Thanksgiving. The best local buffet for Thanksgiving opened its reservations on October 1st, and were booked by the time my husband called in the evening. So if we want buffet, this is how far we need to travel.
Oh well, it’s too depressing to be at home without the kids.
@conmama I’m not sure if you would actually have more meat. But they would cook more quickly, and especially if you cook them upside down for the first 2 hrs the white meat will be great. Whether you could fit 2 in a roaster is a question of how big your roaster is, LOL! I am stuck with 2 lousy wall ovens, neither of which is big enough for my largest roasting pan, so there is no way I can cook one bigger than 16 lbs or so. 
You could try 2 14-lbers. I wouldn’t go smaller than that, though. Not enough meat. Or maybe you could cook one 16 the day before and one the day of?
Sounds as if you’ll have to bring your roasting pan to the store! 
Not loving the trend of restaurants (free-standing, not a hotel) being open on Thanksgiving, but alas, that is the trend.
@doschicos
This sounds like the recipe.
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/turkey-recipes/turkey-coconut-milk-soup/
I work retail and certainly agree with Midwest67. Please give some thoughtful consideration to the staff and do not patronize stores and restaurants on Thanksgiving! Those individuals who work there have families, too, and time spent with loved ones is precious and cannot be replaced.
I greatly admire those who decide to give back on Thanksgiving and give of their time by helping at a community Thanksgiving dinner for those in need!
Whether it’s a good or bad thing to patronize stores and restaurants on Thanksgiving depends heavily on understanding details to which we are unlikely to be privy. Many retail and restaurant workers do not receive paid time off and some of them can’t afford to have unpaid, forced days off. When I was waitressing to put myself through college, having an unpaid day off would not have been helpful at all even if that meant extra time at home. I loved working holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter - tips were good and people were happy.
Of course there are people who would prefer time off over pay. My point is not to make snap decisions. Without understanding the situation fully you may harm rather than help.
The restaurant we ate at last year stopped serving at 5 so staff could still get home to spend the evening with their families. We asked our server and she said they were all okay with that practice.
If you are moved to help out at a community dinner/soup kitchen, please do it at some other time of the year. They are flooded with once-a-year volunteers at Thanksgiving time.
I do think that it is very thoughtful of people who don’t celebrate Christmas to step in then to help efforts like meals on Wheels so that others can stay home with their families.
For many years we’ve been hosting and the party has grown to a pretty big group (around 20). Of course family, but lots of friends too. Several years ago I started making all the side dishes the night before. Ritual has become fun. Open a really nice bottle of wine. Put on some great music. Start prepping and chopping. Still a lot to do on Thursday as I fry three turkeys but it would be crazy doing it all on one day.
Feast at two, family leaves by five and some of our friends stay for leftovers that night while we dip into the scotch!
I can understand not shopping on Holidays. We don’t - not even online because someone has to work with that order too. However, feeling guilty about eating out where my family chose is a non-issue because the staff there told me they were all volunteers for that day and loved the extra money. They had no problem shifting their own holiday to fit in order to get the extra income.
Other restaurants may vary, of course, esp fast food and convenience stores where they don’t get tips.
A few years ago, I volunteered for Meals on Wheels on Thanksgiving Day. The customers seemed very appreciative.
I think the don’t eat out/shop/go to movies (which we always do on Thanksgiving) arguments have to be reconciled with the thread about celebrating the holidays where a number of people noted they celebrate holidays on different days than the ones posted on the calendar because of family having other plans, travel issues, etc. Possibly some of the people working want to be there and have set up an alternate date for a family meal/get together. Last year my son went to work at the restaurant on Christmas afternoon and evening (and it was quite crowded). We didn’t have any special plans, had spent time with him a couple of days before and after, and he made a bunch of money for college expenses. So it’s not always bad to go to these places on a holiday. Not everyone actually does the Hallmark holiday.
I don’t think we’ve had Thanksgiving dinner out, except when we were traveling over the holiday. What I did one year was to have it catered and it worked out pretty well. D2 and I usually go out for Christmas dinner in NYC. We splurge on that dinner. This year we are going out with another family and my mother may come with us.