I use a place I have used for years who arrange for event service people. Taking things in and out of the oven is crucial. I an having appetizers (feta dip, cheese tarts, Brie en croute). While I am chatting with my guests she is pulling things out of the oven and plating them and sets out in the living room where to we have appetizers . Then ensuring the stuffing goes in and the veggies during the 45 min of drinks and appetizers. And the cheddar rolls . She is starting to carve the turkey while we I am with guests ( can’t imagine wanting reheated turkey the next day served to guests). It’s fput on a platter and goes on buffet with the rest of dinner. She refills the buffet stations as we eat…more veggies , gets more rolls in the oven. Second pan of stuffing fresh out of the oven for second helpings. While we eat she cleans up from the appetizer portion of the evening. Puts away the buffet after a while, puts things in containers for leftovers and begins to lay out desert and then helps us as we clear the table. Whew. It’s a big job and is worth every penny (it’s not cheap (around 75 $ hour for 5 hours, the contract price is less but I include a large tip) nor should it be for someone to miss the holiday with their family ) When she leaves, kitchen is clean!
This all - every step you mentioned - happens whether one has hired help or whether family/friends chip in and help - and visit and mingle while doing it all!
So I think anyone who has entertained others without help knows what kind of work it is and what timing is required etc - because they are doing it all and can still enjoy their event time and feel very accomplished and pleased that things so off mostly without a hitch.
To be honest I think most thanksgiving items taste better (and are perfectly guest appropriate) the next day. Besides, to me the goal is not a perfect meal - it’s a perfectly warm and inviting time spent with people you love and enjoy - whether that time is in the kitchen or at the dining table or mingling over a glass of wine.
Definitely did it all myself for about 25 years. The last 15(well nothing for 2 years during height of Covid) I have hired help. We are in a position financially now where it’s not a big deal for us. I definitely am not a fan of next day with thanksgiving stuff. For me the turkey is never as juicy ….and the stuffing ( mine is egg heavy) is nowhere near as good next day. It was fine to do it but it’s nice to move on to this phase of life and spend all my energy on my guests. I don’t like guest help in the kitchen so that was never a thing for me. Too many questions as we go. The hired help gets written and verbal instructions ahead of time.
Respectfully - there is much socio-economic diversity here on CC. There is also much diversity represented in geographic locations, family traditions, and opinions on what works best for THEM in preparing holiday meals. I love coming on here and learning about all these aspects of the members here.
I understand that you are likely just stating your preferences to us. I don’t think anyone here begrudges the good financial situation you are fortunate to be in. But some of the statements in this post are coming across (to me, anyway) as a bit judging of others’ choices re:food preparation and styles of entertaining. Particularly in the prior post where you list prices and in this one where you use the phrase, “hired help.” You do you, but maybe be okay with there are MANY ways and none is superior?
Have to agree with Mr. BunsenBurner that homemade sides are the best. My daughter gets a Honeybaked Ham gift certificate and one year we bought their sides of potatoes and mac and cheese. Just not as good (and fairly expensive). One of my brothers worked on a potato farm growing up (well, we all did but he worked there all summer) and he likes to select EACH potato at the store, not buy a 10 lb bag. We all have our favorite veggie recipes. Nana’s gravy, even on ‘off’ years, is still the best. She saved pieces of bread for weeks to make the stuffing (and what’s thanksgiving without a glob of bread we call stuffing?)
Happy day, everyone, no matter who makes the meal.
I have a family member who always does and LOVES what they call “2nd Thanksgiving” - usually done on the Sunday after Turkey Day. Thanksgiving Day is for the traditional stuff - and the stuff “expected” on the extended family dinner table.
2nd Thanksgiving is the stuff he/they really love. Roasted turkey legs. Sides that rival the best bbq you ever had. A decadent dessert that is not traditional!
If nothing else (our family taught us) my sibs and I really embrace the joy of cooking, eating, trying a variety of food and sharing it with others!
The questions posed to me were “ who comes to your house to carve a turkey and what else do they do”?And why not make everything the day before so that I don’t have to hire someone to help? There were also posts about how difficult it is for hired workers to miss this holiday with their families.
My responses were to address those questions/ suggestions made to me and concerns. I posted the monetary amount to make it clear that I believe that anyone who works on a holiday like this should be very well compensated because it’s a sacrifice ( my daughter misses the holidays with us so that she can work at the hospital in place of fellow nurses who have young children they would not want to be away from. She intend to do this until she has kids. ) I am in no way judging what anyone else does re food prep. Just said that this is the best way for me.
I made this yesterday. It was very good but crumbly. Is that because I served it too soon after taking it out of the oven? It didn’t seem done at 30 minutes, so I cooked it 33 minutes. And yep, I’m not a great cook, ha.
Circling back with our Thanksgiving dinner outcome.
DDs in-laws asked if they could postpone hosting thanksgiving until next year. Of course we said that was fine, and not a problem.
I checked two of the possible restaurants for reservations but they were full unless we wanted to eat at 7:45 pm.
So…we went and bought the cutest little 10 pound frozen Turkey. It was 49 cents a pound…cheaper than buying a whole chicken by a lot. I might get a second one tomorrow! So, DH and I will be having Thanksgiving dinner here. It will be nice.
Our local Walmart has sparkling apple cider on sale this weekend for $1.00 off each. Woo!
I haven’t made it yet to know the texture! But also I imagine it could be crumbly if it was still quite warm - but yet you can refuse a piece of warm bread product!
I made this last night as I had a breast that needed to be cooked and I’m going away for thanksgiving. It is very good. And very easy.
I don’t have and don’t want tic tok. Any chance someone can post this recipe?
Never mind. If it is the recipe with the cranberry sauce, onion soup and orange juice, I have it. If it’s something different…please share.
I’m bringing my own Fever-Tree Sparking Sicilian Lemonade as a substitute for champagne they are serving at a friend’s Thanksgiving dinner. It was a really good price at Target, btw. We had a lot of bitter lemon in the Netherlands this fall and I fell in love with it. So this is a close second. We just have not been drinking alcohol any more and I don’t want to put our friends on the spot to substitute. I’ll let them know when we get there. It was a decision we made because of all the health reasons for not drinking. I hope they don’t ask why- don’t want to get into it all.
That’s it. You can usually search on google and find a viral TT recipe without having the app.
I love that lemonade and their blood orange ginger beer is really good as well!
It will be the two of us for Thanksgiving so I am free to try some new things. Already have our turkey!
I have my turkey thigh! Found it at Whole Foods when I went there to return a damaged item I received from Amazon. Since I was already there, I decide to go look to see if they had any small fresh turkeys. No whole turkeys, but they did have a few packages of turkey pieces. Kinda wish now I’d gotten a half of a breast while I was there.
Today got some blood orange ginger beer to try- couldn’t resist trying
And there are those that aren’t such skilled multitaskers, can afford hired help, and host a perfect Thanksgiving buffet, just as there are those who pay for a restaurant meal or a catered meal.
My appropriate family all lives out of town so today I looked for volunteer opportunities for Thanksgiving Day. Apparently I’m too late for the obvious local ones but I signed up to do a three-hour shift at a distribution point for God’s Love, We Deliver later this week. GLWD was established many decades ago when most of the population thought that AIDS was super-contagious and feared any contact with patients. They’ve always prepared and delivered home-cooked meals to housebound people who need it. I am hoping this will be a regular thing for me.
And I have some interesting friendsgiving possibilities for the day-of.