Talk me off of the ledge. How do I cook for 20+ people for T-Day?

MelandJeff · November 2008

My dad, love him, invited family from out of state for Thanksgiving. Well, guess who is doing the cooking?

And of course, we need to invite MH's side. They are coming too.

This was all decided TODAY.

Help!

* does this mean we need a whole FARM of turkeys?

cooker71 · November 2008

Ha. I should ask my mom this question for you. She does it on Christmas every year with a turkey. She usually makes ham though too.

You had better be asking people to bring things!!?

oparcm · November 2008

Well, I buy mine TG dinner premade from a local restaurant. It is fully cooked and all I do is heat and serve. I'm a crappy cook so I've done this for years. This year I have about 16 coming for dinner so I bought buffet servers at target for 33 bucks and it has 3 trays to keep stuff warm. It is electric. So I'm doing those and I'll have one oven turkey and one sliced previously and in a warming tray.

Rebekah1021 · November 2008

My mom does this too. She usually buys 24 lb. bird and then a breast on top of that.

Get organized, make a menu, delegate dishes if need be or if you are comfortable. You can make some stuff ahead of time.

Good luck.

cooker71 · November 2008

And I agree with making things ahead of time. My mom (and myself if I'm around) will make a couple dishes the night before like potatoes, green bean casserole, whatever.

And any desserts can be made way in advance and frozen if need be.

You can do it!?

krub · November 2008

There should be a calculator online to tell you how much turkey you need. You might need two. Try to do what you can now, like your shopping and any baking that you can freeze. Start prepping before, as early as you can. Chopping veggies, setting up, etc. Try to use your crock pot, if you can (I made stuffing in it last year and thought it turned out great). Make a schedule for yourself for that day starting at the time you want to serve dinner and plan backward so that you can make sure everything is done at once.

GL! It gets easier everytme you do it.

MrsCorbin · November 2008

We have a huge family, there are usually 50+ people at both of the Thanksgivings we attend. My MIL has one at her house and she cook 1 turkey the day before, 1 on Thanksgiving and my FIL fries 2 turkeys. Everyone brings sides and we have a huge buffet. I think planning is the key. Good luck,

amanda&rob · November 2008

I would ask people to bring some side dishes. And drink lots of alcohol. lol.

JOEBunny · November 2008

We all bring things for T-day, so the host only has to provide the house. My grandfather buys enough honey baked turkey for the lot of us.

MelandJeff · November 2008

Yeah, I think it will be ok. I will be smashed off of my ass by dinner time though! Ha!

kertybird · November 2008

I don't do the cooking (my dad does), but we do have over 20 people over for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. The turkey is cooked in a roaster on the countertop so that the oven is free, that is a huge help. The potatoes are made fresh and so are the green beans, but the stuffing, pies, and other side dishes are just heated in the oven the day of (cooked the night before). It seems to work out perfect! Good luck!

MrsSledge · November 2008

womansday.com has a Thanksgiving cooking timeline. It goes through what you can do each day leading up to Thanksgiving so you aren't bogged down the day of.

Either that or you could just buy it from the grocery store.

poohbear6681 · November 2008

Thanks for the tips everyone too. Everyone seem to volunteer to come to our house this year. This will be fun!!?

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Talk me off of the ledge. How do I cook for 20+ people for T-Day?

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