Who is hosting Thanksgiving Dinner??

[MichaelB]

We haven't decided what to do this year, but every year til now we have hosted. Last T-day instead of the traditional turkey with all the usual stuff we had a whole beef tenderloin on the grill, and everyone loved it, so we will probably do something different this year as well. It is so enjoyable to have the family together it almost doesn't matter what we serve. Almost.

 

[NW-Bound]

No matter who hosts Thanksgiving, we usually have enough people that even a big bird would not be enough. So, the supplement is either a big pork loin roast, or a big beef roast.

I usually try to make some additional side dishes besides the usual stuff to add some flavors, such as ratatouille that is layered and baked like the following photo that I linked in (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confit_byaldi), or meat-stuffed eggplants (the type that is really the oval size of an egg).

 

[rodi]

We're going to my step-moms. It's a potluck - she provides the bird and ham, and everyone else brings the sides and deserts. Since it's San Diego - we'll probably eat out on the patio.

We'll be bringing roasted brussel sprouts and homemade pumpkin pie. And wine. Lots of wine.

Since my family LOVES turkey - we'll cook a turkey for ourselves sometime Friday or Saturday... and do homemade gravy, garlic mashed potatoes to go with. YUMMY.

 

[FIREd]

We're going to my step-moms. It's a potluck - she provides the bird and ham, and everyone else brings the sides and deserts. Since it's San Diego - we'll probably eat out on the patio.

I'll also be in San Diego for Thanksgiving. It will be the first time that I celebrate Thanksgiving in such mild climate. Usually, the leaves on the trees are a deep golden yellow, the air is brisk (ideal for a digestive stroll after dinner), and the fire is roaring in the fireplace. It's going to be interesting!

 

[rodi]

I'll also be in San Diego for Thanksgiving. It will be the first time that I celebrate Thanksgiving in such mild climate. Usually, the leaves on the trees are a deep golden yellow, the air is brisk (ideal for a digestive stroll after dinner), and the fire is roaring in the fireplace. It's going to be interesting!

I've made a point to go walking on the beach every Christmas. When I lived in WA state, and later in suburban Philly - it was a special treat to come home to visit family - and either go walking, or even body surfing on Christmas day.

Just because you CAN.

 

[freebird5825]

We will be replacing my Jeep with a used Ford Escape that week, so I don't need to go and spend more money on T-day food that I already have.

It will be just us two...I cooked a whole turkey just a few weeks ago, so I will probably pull out some of that along with turkey legs that I buy and freeze on a regular basis. I will cook the legs, and make some stuffing and gravy from scratch. I have jellied cranberry sauce on hand.
I like to buy acorn or butternut squash from a local farm stand and roast it in the oven with butter and salt and pepper. Simple and delicious.

 

[dtbach]

I just made a 20# yesterday so that I would have enough for Thankgiving (where I will make another 20#'er). We will have 24 over so I wanted to have plenty of meat and gravy, thus the early roast. Will have about 7# to add to the T-Day bird plus about a quart of gravy.

So this Friday will have the neighbors over for some Tetrazzini and desert. I love the holidays and sharing food is the best.

 

[jazz4cash]

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday also. Just reading this thread is making me smile. T-day has an extremely high reward-low effort ratio for me since all I have to do is eat (and watch football). DW wife and 3 DD's do all the cooking and my side of the family comes over so we get 15-20 in total. We do all the traditional stuff but the one thing that is different we usually have a whole broiled salmon. This year it may be done on the weber-style grill which would be a bit more labor for me.

 

[bbbamI]

My dad will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner (but he doesn't know it yet).

DH and I have decided to go to MO the week of Thanksgiving and spend time with him. It occurred to me that I need to bring along a few things...a large casserole dish, my roasting pan, spices, etc... I'll go to the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving and get what I need. Instead of roasting a turkey, I'll roast two chickens. The menu will also include homemade cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, whole cranberry sauce, gravy and rolls.

For dessert I'll make pumpkin, apple and pecan pies. The pecans will come from my dad's pecan tree.

The next day I'll make homemade chicken and dumplings. ...and cornbread fritters of course.

Dad has a couple of elderly neighbors and one neighbor in bad health. I might have to double everything I make. Hmmm, need to add plastic containers to the list too.

Edit...I think I'll make potato pancakes instead of mashed potatoes...the boys love them.

 

[Nikita]

The best turkey we ever did was smoked all day in a charcoal smoker. It came out the most beautiful mahogany color. Flavor and moistness was perfect. My BIL and I sat out there all day tending to it and finishing off a case of beer in the process.

 

[brewer12345]

Does anyone else shamelessly take advantage of the turkey promotions the supermarkets run now? I am up to 4 birds in the freezer and counting.

 

[martyb]

My oldest daughter will be hosting...just like the last 3 years! Isn't that what grown kids are for?

 

[Brdofpray]

We will be hosting Thanksgiving. We are very thankful for our family. After we retired to the Upstate of South Carolina, my son and family moved within 30 minutes of us. My daughter, who was working in Florida, just got a job in a town 40 minutes away. We will have the entire family together. We are blessed!

 

[Moemg]

Does anyone else shamelessly take advantage of the turkey promotions the supermarkets run now? I am up to 4 birds in the freezer and counting.

I do but usually only two birds . If they run a Turkey Breast special then I may add a few more.

 

[xyz]

We will be doing Thanksgiving in the RV. Just me and the DW.. We did this last year and it was great ! Made all the extras the day before and cooked the turkey in the convection oven. Last year was in South Carolina this year Florida. Lots of fun.

 

[grasshopper]

My towns Fire Dept is hosting dinner tomorrow for Fire Chiefs and EMT Chiefs from all over the county. Cochise County is as big as Rhode Island and Connecticut combined. We will have 60-70 at the firehouse for a meeting and dinner later. Ms G and I will serve and help cleanup afterwords. No turkey or sausage stuffing for us two vegheads, but we will indulge in mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie or anything else that doesn't have a face.

 

[RitaR551]

We started a new "tradition" on DH side of the family and eat out. There's usually 20-25 of us. I enjoy it so much more this way. With everyone wo*king, it puts a lot less stress on whoever hosts. We then go to someone's house and visit or play games.

 

[RitaR551]

We will be doing Thanksgiving in the RV. Just me and the DW.. We did this last year and it was great ! Made all the extras the day before and cooked the turkey in the convection oven. Last year was in South Carolina this year Florida. Lots of fun.

Oh how I wish DH and I were doing the same. Sounds wonderful!

 

[Purron]

We started a new "tradition" on DH side of the family and eat out. There's usually 20-25 of us. I enjoy it so much more this way. With everyone wo*king, it puts a lot less stress on whoever hosts. We then go to someone's house and visit or play games.

We've done the same thing for several years now. We go to a nice hotel in the area that puts on an excellent Thanksgiving. My brother's in-laws are Vietnamese and many of them join us. It works out great because there's something for everyone to enjoy. Plus the place we go is very festive - all decked out for the holidays, live music, ice sculptures, the works.

And no, we really don't miss the leftovers!

 

[RitaR551]

We've done the same thing for several years now. We go to a nice hotel in the area that puts on an excellent Thanksgiving. My brother's in-laws are Vietnamese and many of them join us. It works out great because there's something for everyone to enjoy. Plus the place we go is very festive - all decked out for the holidays, live music, ice sculptures, the works.

And no, we really don't miss the leftovers!

+1

 

[FUEGO]

Does anyone else shamelessly take advantage of the turkey promotions the supermarkets run now? I am up to 4 birds in the freezer and counting.

I just picked up a 25 pounder this morning that will be on our dinner table next Thursday for us and the other 30-35 guests. $0.47 per pound for the turkey with $35 additional purchase. So I also bought 4 pounds of brat patties, 3 lbs ground beef, 3 lbs ham, 3 pounds polish sausage, and some beer to make up the $35 additional purchase.

Oh yeah, and a few cups of light yogurt. Didn't want the purchase to appear totally unhealthy...

I probably won't pick up any more turkeys, since I don't particularly like turkey that much. Usually 1x a year (or rather, 1x fresh, then 10x+ leftovers) is enough.

 

[timeasterday]

I haven't had a real family Thanksgiving dinner in 5 or 6 years. My wife & I don't have any family around here so we usually end up at our favorite Japanese buffet for dinner. I miss all the traditional fixin's sometimes but all-you-can-eat sushi is fine with me.

 

[audreyh1]

I finally sprung for it and ordered that Costco duck package from d'Artagnan. I decided duck would do nicely for Thanksgiving!

 

[REWahoo]

I finally sprung for it and ordered that Costco duck package...

Out of curiosity, how large a package does a duck have?

 

[audreyh1]

Out of curiosity, how large a package does a duck have?

Small, very small. But the Costco package is large.....