Thanksgiving Novice, please help!!!!?!
I appreciate any help! (There will be about 12 attendees)
Answers: I am the host of this year's Thanksgiving feast and this is the first time I have ever had such a large cooking responsibility. I have never made any dish relative to Thanksgiving and would appreciate any tips on how to make it perfect (i.e. recipe ideas, how to decorate etc)
I appreciate any help! (There will be about 12 attendees)
Start by writing a plan. Make a list of what you would like to serve, and then start browsing the internet for recipes that suit your taste. Many dishes can be prepared a day or two in advance and reheated before the meal on Thanksgiving. We always set the table the evening before and then cover it with a sheet to keep everything dust free. Are you going to have any help with the meal? If people ask if they can bring anything, by all means say yes. Consult your list and see what you still need. Some people that do not bring a dish, may be willing to come early and help you in the kitchen. Others may be willing to help you clean up after the meal. Since you will be busy, perhaps someone would bring hors d'oeuvres and some others might bring deserts.
I suggest doing starting with basics: get a large turkey, just cook it, get some stuffing, buy some Idahoan Buttery Mashed potatoes, and Voila! You have a beginner's Thanksgiving meal. Also, add some cranberries in the meal.
Just a tip. Go to a discount store ans buy some of those aluminum steam trays with the sterno. The hardest part is having everything done and hot at the same time. There is never enough room in the ovens, this way you can keep your mashed butternut squash, mac and cheese, brocolli casserole, etc... warm for hours. Hope this helped.
dressing peas cranberry sauces
Good for you for taking on this challenge! Try to have some fun with it and don't let it stress you too much. The first person mentioned having a plan & thats very important. I host the holidays almost every year (Thanksgiving & Christmas, plus sometimes New Years) and having a plan & making lists will help keep you sane. Start off basic - don't try to make something crazy or with a thousand ingredients. A good rule of thumb for the classics is this: Do a basic roast turkey, a bread stuffing, a veggie, a potato dish, cranberries, some dinner rolls, and a dessert. If you want, add a salad or a soup. I like food networks website - they have a ton of recipes plus you can read peoples reviews that have already tried them. (Plus the recipes are all from great chefs). Anything that you can make ahead - DO IT! even if you just have to reheat it! Think about oven space - don't plan on a bunch of baked dishes that won't fit in with your turkey! (been there, done that!) Make sure you have all your serving dishes & platters that you don't use everyday cleaned and ready. Tablecloth? Napkins? Servingware? Serving dishes? Glassware? Sit down & mentally picture the day in your head, walking through it step by step. For decorations, think seasonal things, like simple bowls of colorful leaves, pine cones, squash and gourds, even just fall colored linens will work. (you can fold a fall colored flat sheet and use it as a table runner - things like that!) Scented candles are nice (but not on the dinner table! You don't want the scents to compete with your gorgeous food spread) or you can simmer some cloves and/or cinnamon for a nice smell...that works beautifully! I also love bhg.com (better homes and gardens) for food and decorating tips - they have a really helpful site.
And if someone wants to help or bring a dish, for the first year at least - let them! lol! If you want to do the dinner yourself, ask them to bring wine or cider, or a pie...something like that!
I hope it all works out well for you - I'm sure that it will! Best wishes to you and yours for the holidays!
I agree 100% with make a plan and try to enjoy the experience. But not to throw a wrench in it an important thing is to find out if anyone attending has diet restrictions of any kind. Sorry but this could be a major problem.
I was checking out the foodnetwork as usual this morning and I recomment checking there. They have already gotten started on their thanksgiving recipes, ideas whatever
www.foodnetwork.com
Best of luck
well if you make green bean casserole ,then instead of cream of mushroom soup use cheddar cheese soup and it add a new twist to an old recipe. good luck and god bless .