Anonymous wrote:I love it. Turkey + stuffing + mashed potatoes + gravy is all I really need, though. No other sides necessary.

+1. That and pumpkin pie checks all the boxes for us.

Anonymous wrote:Spend all day cooking, cleaning etc, rather not waste that time and have a more casual meal with better food.

Agree.

I’d rather have takeout.

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to buy everything from Whole Foods. Spouse said no. But now spouse is saying we should not have turkey next year because it's too much work. I suggested again that we buy from Whole Foods...

Simple solution. The person who says no to ordering the Thanksgiving meal is the one to cook.

I love Thanksgiving and all the food. It’s definitely a lot of work if you are not doing it potluck, but it’s so satisfying to see everyone eating and celebrating. There’s something so magical about a feast. This year we did both a whole 18 lb turkey in the regular oven and a breast in our combi-steam oven. The latter was so incredibly easy as you can put a probe in your meat and have your phone alert you when it’s up yo temperature.

I’m mystified by people who don’t like turkey, unless they’ve never had a properly cooked one? You don’t like the crispy bits? The juicy, (herb-butter flavored in our case) breast? You don’t like mashed potatoes and pan dripping gravy? Or cranberry sauces? As surprising as I find this, I certainly think people should make non-traditional foods if they don’t like the typical ones. It’s the gathering that’s important.

I don't find it super challenging but I am a good and efficient cook who enjoys it.

Some things I do that help are:
- clean up as I go
- make sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, prep veggies to roast, etc... the night before (this takes about 60-90 minutes). Put them in the fridge in the glass dishes/lids they bake and are served in
- fewer than 10 people who are not big on turkey and we do a breast
- the morning of I prep the stuffing, peel potatoes and put in water, prep the butter for the turkey (takes 2 hours to cook), and start some appetizers
- 3ish hours before I set out the apps (cheese plate and a few hot things)
- 2 hours before turkey goes in, 90 minutes start baking other things
- 1 hour before turn in potatoes
- last 15 minutes is a bit of a mad dash (put stuff out, pop rolls in, etc...) but it's not bad.

If you clean up as you go and do things like set butter out the evening before so it's soft and when you prep the butter for the turkey also make the butter for the rolls, you're pretty set.

This year others brought deserts but pies are not too bad and can be made way ahead.

My son and husband were on drink and table setting duty, and my husband carved the turkey while I set up dinner. At serving time the turkey we planned to eat went out on a platter and the rest was put away as leftovers. He estimated well this year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My family loves the meal and won't let me drop any of the dishes I make every year. We had to drop collard greens because my slow cooker is broken, and you would have thought I ruined the day.

Also my son's birthday is this weekend, and he asked for Thanksgiving dinner again for his birthday dinner.

He needs to explore a lot more foods if turkey is his favorite.

NP. He didn’t say turkey is his favorite, moron, he was for “Thanksgiving dinner.” I’m not a huge fan of turkey, but all the sides with a little turkey? Hell yeah. You’re a sad person if you feel the need to insult the birthday food wish OF A CHILD.

Anonymous wrote:Truth it’s so much work- usually on the women. We go out to dinner.

My husband made the turkey and my male cousin made two homemade pies (including the crust). My FIL did most of the clean-up. Get better men in your life, grow a spine, open your mouth.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re spending “all day on it,” you’re doing it wrong. I can always tell the inexperience, unskilled home cooks are out in full force on Thanksgiving because they claim it’s this big, laborious process.

You make some of it the day before. You buy some or ask people to bring some—people want to be involved, they want to help. An unstuffed bird only takes a few hours in the oven. If you’re roasting and fussing with it “all day,” you’re doing it wrong.

This is really inaccurate. I am an excellent home cook, and it does take me all day, more or less. I delegate the cleaning but I make the entire spread. Buying it does not make you “experienced” at hosting!

I do pies the day before, but everything else is done day of. Could I do it ahead? Sure, but it is never as good as fresh.

I absolutely love cooking and never complain about it, though. It’s my favorite holiday where I have permission to spend all day making a wonderful homemade meal for my family.

Inexperienced people, though, often forget to clean as you go. I don’t have much at all to clean up after the meal, because all the prep stuff is done before we even eat. I have dishwasher-safe China. It took me about 30 minutes to have my kitchen sparkling after the meal.

Yes, dear, I think buying a few apps/nibbles like Marcona almonds and a Smith Island cake from a bakery, on top of the 12+ dishes I am making myself and placing alongside a few homemade items from guests is just fine. I make four pies including my own pie crusts, but one of my cousins loves Smith Island cake, so that’s tradition.

I gree with you on clean as you go, but my china is from five generations ago so no dishwasher for me—other than my guests who volunteer! I have china and servingware that is seriously heirloom and I would never dream of running all of my good pieces through the dishwasher.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re spending “all day on it,” you’re doing it wrong. I can always tell the inexperience, unskilled home cooks are out in full force on Thanksgiving because they claim it’s this big, laborious process.

You make some of it the day before. You buy some or ask people to bring some—people want to be involved, they want to help. An unstuffed bird only takes a few hours in the oven. If you’re roasting and fussing with it “all day,” you’re doing it wrong.

This is really inaccurate. I am an excellent home cook, and it does take me all day, more or less. I delegate the cleaning but I make the entire spread. Buying it does not make you “experienced” at hosting!

I do pies the day before, but everything else is done day of. Could I do it ahead? Sure, but it is never as good as fresh.

I absolutely love cooking and never complain about it, though. It’s my favorite holiday where I have permission to spend all day making a wonderful homemade meal for my family.

Inexperienced people, though, often forget to clean as you go. I don’t have much at all to clean up after the meal, because all the prep stuff is done before we even eat. I have dishwasher-safe China. It took me about 30 minutes to have my kitchen sparkling after the meal.

Not remotely surprised that the uptight and shrewish women of DCUM hate Thanksgiving. You hate everything.

Anonymous wrote:Truth it’s so much work- usually on the women. We go out to dinner.

Blah blah blah

If you’re spending “all day on it,” you’re doing it wrong. I can always tell the inexperience, unskilled home cooks are out in full force on Thanksgiving because they claim it’s this big, laborious process.

You make some of it the day before. You buy some or ask people to bring some—people want to be involved, they want to help. An unstuffed bird only takes a few hours in the oven. If you’re roasting and fussing with it “all day,” you’re doing it wrong.

No way! We do Friendsgiving instead of traveling to family. Host makes the turkey and the rest of us bring sides and desserts. We talk, drink, the kids play, we all help clean up. Still smiling thinking about how much fun we had yesterday.

FACTS!!!

Order a smoked turkey next year. They are delicious and then you don't have to cook a turkey. We've gotten ours from https://smokedturkeys.com/ for years.

I prefer to do most of the prep a few days ahead of time to make Thanksgiving Day more relaxed. It also helps to have some wine while you're cooking!