A cheater cranberry dish that is delicious but may rot your teeth 
try the Kroger Cranberry Celebration “salad” - it’s so good and crunchy and is also delicious post T-day on cottage cheese, yogurt or ice cream!
https://www.kroger.com/p/kroger-cranberry-celebration-dessert-salad/0001111032640
I buy it at various times throughout the year.
I’m weirdly chilled this year. In the past I’d be making myself crazy making sure everything is perfect. I’m not sure why but I’m letting my daughter and DIL organize everything. I have a very long veranda and the weather is agreeable to eating outside.
I love this (Kroger cranberry sauce) and buy it all the time. So much easier to buy a big scoop of it than to make my own.
Making the cranberry sauce (an apple-orange version) was our son’s first T-day responsibility, starting when he was about ten. It goes into an oval, fluted ceramic mold with a turkey impression on the bottom. When fully chilled, it’s flipped/released onto a small decorative plate. Very simple, but he was always proud to serve it. He’ll be making it again this year as he and DIL will be with us all week. I dislike cranberry sauce (of any type), but I do appreciate the effort.
Until I needed to eliminate dairy from our family get togethers I never realized how many recipes shared online have cheese and butter.
Yes! I’ve been doing crockpot mashed potato’s for 15 years! A game changer. I’d even say they are better as they get out any lumps I missed.
I always use the recipe on the back of the Ocean Spray cranberry bag and add a jalapeño. You can also add some lime and tequilla if you want. As someone that likes cranberry sauce on things, but wouldn’t eat it by the forkful, I find the jalapeno pairs nicely with the sweetness.
I went to the Grand Central market with GD1 to get the cheese, meats, olives and crackers for thanksgiving. I have frozen shrimps ready fo be cooked on Wednesday. I am ready. 
@FallGirl ~ I am so sorry for your loss. Those first holidays without your loved one are always hard. You will be in my thoughts.
@momocarly ~ I remember your happy posts about your son. I am sorry for him and for your family.
D and her family will be traveling to spend Thanksgiving with SIL’s family. I will miss them, especially GS and GD, but I am happy for SIL’s aging parents. H, S, and I will enjoy a quiet day together.
I thought I had everything for the smoked turkey breast and make-ahead gravy. Thought. I checked the turkey thighs this morning and they’re boneless. 
Back to the grocery store to get bone-in. H may smoke the boneless thighs as well.
Annoying, but at least I found out before I started in on making the stock.
Our local paper published a recipe for teriyaki turkey! Aack! Now I want to try it out.
I might need to buy some extra turkey. Just invited 2 more people to dinner!
I’m off to pick up another breast today as we added 4 since I picked up my turkey on Friday.
how much turkey do all of you figure per person?
I figured 2 lbs/person, knowing that no one was going to eat the wings and probably not even the legs (I should have just bought a breast, but they were all frozen).
For those who have not tried it I highly recommend roasting a spatchcocked turkey. I did this the last time I had turkey duty and it was by far the best turkey I ever made. Done in under two hours and no dry meat as every part of the bird roasts evenly.
We usually go to DS and DiLs home. I always make the mashed potatoes on Wednesday and reheat in the crockpot at their house which I started doing specifically so I wouldn’t take up any valuable stovetop or oven real estate.
Another weird tip for that same reason: we also always bring homemade dinner rolls and a warm appetizer (often crab stuffed mushrooms) of some sort. For those, we always take our toaster oven (it will easily fit a 9 x 13 pan). Set it up in the utility room and I am out of the way. More importantly, I get to determine the oven temp and timing for my dishes.
We have never run out of turkey, no matter how many extra people come. I’d add more sides before I cooked another turkey. I might be sad about the leftover situation, but never have run out of turkey. A year ago we went to friends’ home and she could only get a 10 lb turkey, so cooked 2. There was an entire turkey left over and I think there were 10 or 12 people. More sides, more sides.
I ended up with a 17 lb whole turkey and a 12 pound breast for my now 30 guests( had a family who had initially declined say yes).
Help -
I am making an apple walnut cobbler, and a pecan pie. Can they both sit out overnight, or should I refrigerate them?
Thanks
If you just made them today I think they are fine out overnight - as long as they are cooked through! I’d just cover loosely with foil. That’s my two cents!