I am not ready because my dishwasher is broken and I will not have a new one before Thanksgiving. I decided it will just be us and my MIL this year so I won’t have to stress to much. Promised the kids we could still use china and crystal but I will get pretty paper plates for dessert so I only have to wash one round at the end.
@HImom How big is your turkey? 10 days of thawing time seems like a REALLY long time.
Our turkey is 21 pounds and H likes it fully thawed before he smokes it. It was very solidly frozen when purchased yesterday.
I did Thanksgiving–at a home I wasn’t at until nine o’clock the night before, eighteen people, and five of them staying overnight, with others staying in the area that came also the next day for breakfast, combined with a baby shower–in October.
My work here is done, and I am pretty relaxed. 
We’re having new carpet installed on Tuesday. If that happens on schedule, I’ll have time to get it all together for Thursday. But it will be chaos putting things back where they go Wednesday. I always host (15-20) so don’t really think about it until I shop on Sunday.
10 will be here. Thanksgiving is my least favorite Holiday. It is always dark and rainy and the day wears on.
I dislike pretty much all traditional Thanksgiving food. I do really like some of the people so that is what saves the day for me. 2 month old, D’s in-laws, picky eating friends this year. I am going to buy a really nice bottle of wine for after everyone leaves.
Making my list and checking it twice 
I plan on shopping tomorrow.
When I replaced my dishwasher, I kept the silverware basket. It fits in the lower rack of my new dishwasher and comes in handy during the holidays when we seem to dirty up every fork and knife!
I always host T-day and Christmas, but this year my mom decided to host T-day. Until she changed her mind yesterday evening. She just can’t get her house uncluttered enough for company. I don’t mind hosting, but if I had known, I would have accomplished a lot more this weekend in the way of cleaning. I work full time and have plans for next Saturday so I will be scrambling. Luckily, my mom does a lot of the cooking, including the turkey. I make a few sides, desserts, rolls, drinks, etc. I really would love to be a guest someday.
I’ve never bought a frozen Turkey. Buy HoKa a local brand fresh and always delicious. I love cooking for thanksgiving. I think it’s super easy. Turkey is simple. Stuff some olive oil with salt paprika fresh rosemary and garlic mashed into it under the skin. Stick half an onion and risemary dipped in olive oil into the cavity. That’s it. No basting turning etc…
Stuffing is easy too. Buy 2 challah two days before and set out to dry after tearing g into chunks. Sautéed onion and celery to dark golden brown. Pour chicken broth into bread til soggy. Add chilled veggies. And 4 eggs. Cook for 45 min at 350 in Pyrex 9x13.
Also serve roasted cauliflower and broccoli and thin sliced sweet potatoes. (Olive oil, salt pepper. Roast til brown)
Salad (bagged lettuce, tomato cucumber, avocado, crasins and Good Season dressing madecwith Evoo and balsamic.
That’s it. No prep time over 15 min.
Desert is pumpkin pie, apple pie with Carmel, cinnamon ice cream, vanilla ice cream brownies and whipped cream. All bakery or grocery bought.
It will be at my home this year as the sib I alternate with had the nerve to move into a smaller place. We’ll do Christmas as well and then evaluate for next year. Since I retired this year, it won’t be as big a hassle as in years past.
As soon as I see the random turkey parts at the grocery, I’ll make the stock and gravy (CI recipe). We usually do two turkeys - 1 roasted and 1 in the smoker - they will be bought st TJs the week of. The extended family will do sides, rolls, and dessert. Plenty of wine already in-house.
There is a thanksgiving celebration at the ILs ALF on Saturday. Holidays coming quickly this year.
Turkey is done on the grill using the Reluctant Gourmet method (note to self - buy a turkey). Stuffing is made on the stove using the package instructions (baby kid demands it). Mashed potatoes are always served. Sweet potatoes are boiled al dente and then finished in a pan with butter and brown sugar. Cranberry is made the day before. Folks here can get by without gravy so I do not bother and just buy it. Roasted veggies with apples and fennel and celery root - the look on the face of the cashier who is trying to figure out wth that ugly veggie is is priceless, and saying that it is “celeriac” does not help them. And a geek salad. Phew. Kid always makes her own dessert concoction. Last year she whipped up a great pecan pie.
Husband and daughter do most of the cooking. I am only responsible for the stuffing and the green bean casserole (X2 because I told my son I’d make him one of his very own since he might have to work Thanksgiving day.) It’s always a puzzler about when to purchase the green beans. Too early and they’re not fresh enough, too late and they’re way past prime. I like to cut them myself on Thanksgiving morning so there lies the tension.
I made a dish last night that we loved tonight. I was making twice baked potatos for D and SIL
And added two sweet potatos to the oven that overcooked. Mashed the sweet potatoes with large curd cottage cheese, sour cream, scallions, salt and pepper, topped with cheddar and bacon and baked tonight. Delicious.
Plan to make this in a larger quantity the day before.
It is even good cold.
We were planning on traveling to our oldest son’s house and spending Thanksgiving with his family but have decided to stay home. This will be one of our smallest Thanksgivings in yrs bc only 5 of our kids will be home.
Our December is crazy busy with our kids in multiple performances. So Thanskgiving I am ready for, but the realization that I need to start thinking about pulling out Christmas decorations and Christmas shopping before our life is non-stop commitments…that I am not ready for.
It is creeping up quickly. Thanksgiving usually rotates among my sisters (they live 250 and 400 miles away, respectively) and me. This year the plan was to be at my house (16-18 people). I do the shopping and most of the substantive cooking and the rest of the family helps out when they arrive starting on Wednesday night - everyone stays here.
Well, our first grandchild is due any day, my H is having open heart surgery two days before Thanksgiving, and two of my middle sister’s kids (one of whom lives in LA) are having significant health issues that may or may not prevent travel. You know what, we’re going to make it work. We’ll be anywhere from 8 to13, I’ve made and frozen soup, corn bread, biscuits, and cranberry sauce, with pie crusts and mac and cheese to go. My sister (the one without kids with health issues) will make everything else when she gets here, and for the first time in our family’s history I will order a pre-cooked bird from a local catering place.
Thanksgiving is our family’s most favorite holiday and we have lots of traditions that will necessarily be tweaked this year. But, in the end, we will be mostly together and we will be grateful for new life and medical advances that can fix my H’s heart. Add to that an 87-year-old grandmother who can still travel by plane alone (we hope!) and who is so excited to meet the newest generation, and it will still be a great day.
It’s going to be our smallest Thanksgiving ever. It’s not my sister’s year to come to town/home with her family. My brother and his family are supposed to be going to his MIL’s, who is chronically ill. My oldest D, a sophomore in college, is not flying home this year since we just went to visit her three weeks ago. Instead, she is taking the train to BIL’s house 90 mins away. She’s a bit miffed-she is worried he won’t have all the traditional foods we have (I’m fairly sure he will). I’m sure she will have a good time b/c she will get to see her cousins plus one cousin who has two adorable young kids. I’m a little sad she won’t be home since it will be our first holiday without her.
So it will just be my parents, dh, me and our three other kids. Easy peasy. If the weather is decent, dh will smoke the turkey so I’ll only have to take care of the side dishes. My dad is making an appetizer (he loves to cook) and my mom will make two pies.
The only wrench is that my mother mentioned yesterday that if my brother’s MIL decides she isn’t up for visitors then my brother and his family will come to my house. She then pointed out I wouldn’t need to worry about my turkey not being big enough b/c SIL and my niece are vegan. But then of course they won’t be able to eat my side dishes b/c all have dairy except whatever green veg I decide to make. I’m not going to worry about it-they can bring their own if they decide to come at the last minute. My brother and other niece are not vegan.
DD is hosting Thanksgiving at her house for her extended in-law family and recently called DH and I in a panic to see if we would come help. (WOULD WE? Of course we will!) So in a week we’re packing our car with the turkey roaster and the cranberry recipe and making the 11-hour drive to MN.
Not too much shopping yet since most of what we need will be purchased next weekend. DD and her new H are making the turkey (with help from my DH); I’ll do the potatoes, the stuffing, the cranberries, and my signature spinach casserole with prosciutto and Parmesan cheese. Hopefully the in-laws are bringing the rolls, desserts, and the green bean casserole (if they want it…we’re not fans.)
I am so excited that we can help out! We’re having so many fun conversations: how big a turkey do they need? what about the vegans? when do actually eat? what about the Lions game - do we really have to eat during halftime? Although D is a little stressed out, I’m just thrilled to be there. They’re not MY in-laws!!
@chercheur That is a great idea!
@runnersmom Good luck to your H!
One of the things that gives me a little stress is that I volunteer at our local soup kitchen every Wednesday. Every year I think I will skip the day before Thanksgiving so I can cook but then I hear how many people will be out of town and I aways go in. This year D21 and possibly D19 are going to come with me so it will be fun and I will just have to cram the rest of the cooking in around that.
I just made my day much easier by ordering a few things that I normally cook myself. Since it will just be the 5 of us plus MIL I figured it didn’t have to be as crazy as usual. It seems funny to not have everything homemade but with no dishwasher an it just being the 5 of us plus MIL I figured nobody would care. I ordered mashed potatoes, gravy (back up because mine never seems to come out right) and green beans from Whole Foods.
The turkey is easy, stuffing takes a long time to shred the bread but not hard, sweet potatoes are a little time intensive but worth it, cranberry sauce comes out of the can with lines still intact for D19 then I usually make a homemade one for DH which is simple. I will still be stressed trying to make the gravy, my mom makes it look so simple yet no matter how much I watch her on Christmas mine always has problems.
Oh - and we also have a pre-turkey meal of lasagna but that will be made the day ahead at the same time that I am making desserts. I will go lighter not he desserts since it is just us but we will most likely have Italian cookies (made by D21), Norwegian waffles (huge pain but go so good), chocolate cake (some easy old recipe from my mom), pumpkin pie and if I find time I may make a key lime pie for S23. MIL usually brings a store bought apple pie because she likes it.
Hugs to all who is moving or finishing a remodel project. Forgot… last year, we had a crew here installing windows in the library right before Thanksgiving. Thank goodness the crew was so efficient they finished quickly, and I was able to clean up the mess in time.
Well now, that sounds very intriguing…
I’d definitely be ordering from Luby’s, Wallmart, Williams Sonoma, etc…
We moved one year right before Thanksgiving, and I have zero memory of what we did-and that was only 6 years ago.