Holiday

[phoenixbrd]

For easy and tasty Thanksgiving non-negotiables:

Frozen Field Roast or TJ's Turkeyless Roast

Homemade:  cranberry sauce

                     cornbread dressing

                     sweet potatoes 

                     fresh green beans

vegan pumpkin pie w/SO caramel sea salt coconut ice cream

[FancyPhillyshopper]

What do you mean by chill?  Low effort?  Low budget? No fancy dining? Minimal choices?

My dear (departed) MIL used to cook a lot and make everything from scratch, and start a few days in advance.  We had a full and very traditional meal--turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn (fresh from the Summer and frozen), green beans, fruit cocktail, rolls, cranberry sauce, peas, four choices of homemade pie (pecan, pumpkin, mincemeat, berry), etc.

She would bring all the food to our house and prepare it in our kitchen. They would stay for the entire four day weekend!

Well, she had a workaholic career-focused DIL, and I can honestly say I have never cooked a turkey in my life, and I have no intention of ever doing so.

When we have a celebration dinner, we set a very fancy table, with fine china, sterling silver, crystal goblets, etc.  So that was my contribution--plus I do not mind cleaning up (all must be washed by hand.).

However, when we provide the food, I 100% order everything from a restaurant and DH goes to pick it all up.  We reheat a bit before serving and that is it.

However, SIL will always make pies from scratch and bring them!

[Marsha2003]

I remember one year for Thanksgiving I went to the store to buy all of my ingredients and they were offering a fully cooked, ready-to-serve meal for a very reasonable price.  In general, I like to cook, but I was feeling a little overwhelmed that year.  So, boom, I bought the prepared meal and served it up.  All my guests were happy and I was relaxed and having fun because all I had to do was set the table and clean up.  I've never done that again, but boy, it was certainly a chill holiday for me.

[CalminHeart]

We usually have 43 at Thanksgiving which includes my siblings, their families, and my family.

The host sends out a menu and everyone signs up to bring something. The host usually makes the turkey, dressing, and gravy. We all help set the table, clear the table, do dishes, etc etc.  No one has to do it all.

[honeybeagle]

I do all my prep the day before. Wash and chop onions, celery, ect. Then after it dries, measure and ziploc in marked bags for day of. No bowls to wash.You can make a mashed potato casserole the day before and bake it on Thanksgiving day. I crockpot the sweet potatoes, and corn. You can even crockpot stuffing. Martha Stewart says you can cook the turkey the say before. Carve and refrigerate. Thanksgiving day pour some broth over and reheat in oven. We did this one year and it was very easy. You can even crockpot a tureky breast if you are having 4 people. There is no presentation of crispy skin, but it is very moist and delicious.

[Meowingkitty]

It's just the two of us and we do turkey in the oven and the stuffing in the crockpot to cut down on cooking time of the turkey, cranberry sauce not from a can, mashed and sweet potatoes and carrots. We like the leftovers. For desert since we've already had our pumpkin pie from Costco I'll either get a bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cake or make a cherry cobbler. We don't do appetizer, rolls, a bunch of sides etc.. Then we usually take our plates outside by the firepit and enjoy the weather.

[rockygems123]

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@Meowingkitty wrote:

It's just the two of us and we do turkey, stuffing in the crockpot to cut down on cooking time of the turkey, cranberry sauce not from a can, mashed and sweet potatoes and carrots. We like the leftovers. For desert since we've already had our pumpkin pie from Costco I'll either get a bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cake or make a cherry cobbler. We don't do appetizer, rolls, a bunch of sides etc.. Then we usually take our plates outside by the firepit and enjoy the weather.

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@Meowingkitty

Using the crockpot sounds great. 

How do you prepare the turkey? And the stuffing made in a separate crockpot? 

TIA

[Meowingkitty]

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@rockygems123 wrote:

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@Meowingkitty wrote:

It's just the two of us and we do turkey, stuffing in the crockpot to cut down on cooking time of the turkey, cranberry sauce not from a can, mashed and sweet potatoes and carrots. We like the leftovers. For desert since we've already had our pumpkin pie from Costco I'll either get a bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cake or make a cherry cobbler. We don't do appetizer, rolls, a bunch of sides etc.. Then we usually take our plates outside by the firepit and enjoy the weather.

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@Meowingkitty

Using the crockpot sounds great. 

How do you prepare the turkey? And the stuffing made in a separate crockpot? 

TIA

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I put the turkey in the oven as normal and I put the stuffing in the crockpot on low at the same time. 

[Group 5 minus 1]

One year I had foot surgery and was in a wheel chair. Mom was coming for dinner and we did TV dinners and store made pies. Mom said it was the best TG ever. She is no longer w/us, but still continue the TV dinners. 

[wagirl]

In my family, we all bring food---in this day and age, I would feel horrible letting the hosts pay for everything for a nice dinner----just the price of the turkey and or any protein, is off the charts expensive---never feel put upon for bringing side dishes. Each of us have certan dishes that are always asked for  that we crave each T-day/Xmas.