You won't have to put anything else on the table.

Oh and don't discuss poitics. I hosted in 2000 and I have an idiot cousin who can't stand being in the same room as me (there are others as well). Wouldn't even invite me to his mothers, my aunts and mothers sister's 90th b/d.

Blu - I inherited the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor day EVERY Holiday when my mother died 5 years ago. I guess its because I am the oldest of 4. There are 14 grandchildren - 11 are BOYS so its gets pretty wild. The one thing that helps is (altho I do the turkey potatoes etc) everybody brings SOMETHING. I may bake a pecan pie, but someone brings other pies, cheesecake, fruit salad whatever. Someone else brings their favorite sweet potatoe casserole - you get the picture. Yeah, I work literally 2 days on the meal, but anywhere I can cut corners, I do. Last year one of my nephews raved about the mashed potatoes! they were instant, doctored up with lots of sour cream/butter! I mixed them up early and put them in the crock pot to stay warm and no body knew! My husband loves homeade noodles, but the frozen egg noodles are just fine. It will never be like mom's, but its the best I can do, and everybody is so thankful that I do it - it doesn't matter if its not perfect. It takes alot of planning to get everything to come together, (like filling up the sterling S/P shakers, setting the tables etc) and I am literally exhausted, but I love it. and since I have no daughters - I have no help! The guys are all hunting until dinner, execpt for hubby who watches football. Just make a list, and plan ahead. You will have no trouble at all because I can tell you are a very organized person. And since you're a great cook, you've got the problem licked!

Thanks to you both! Ok, so why was I just browsing the Thanksgiving week villa rental availability- thinking I would take the 'rents and my kids away for the holiday and just eat in the villa? No 50% off deals around -so it looks like a crunchy, fall, chilly Philadelphia Thanksgiving for all.

Mountaineer, I am sooo with you on preparing dishes ahead! That seems to be the key.

Today, I bought these invitations to send out - paisley with green, silk ribbon. I am hesitant about writing in them in case I find a villa 🙂 I am so suckered into this vacation thing 😉

Blu - while it sounds wonderful to be in the VI's for Thanksgiving, there are just some times that should be spent at home around the table with loved ones, and to me, Thanksgiving is one of those times. (I couldn't imagine spending Christmas in the Caribbean either - I've got to have the cold and hopes of a snowfall!)

yes, preparing dishes ahead of time is key, but like I said, everybody here brings at least one thing with them. Also, I try not to imitate my mother, as if that would even be possible, making everything from scratch. That's not me. I'm not a cook. My mother looks down on me from heaven and frowns when I buy a cake mix, haha! She even made her dinner rolls from scratch - but frozen bread dough is as homeade as I get. Point is - don't think you have to do it like your aunt - nobody will expect that. I don't know if your dinner is a traditional one or gourmet, but I would ask others to pitch in. As much do-ahead dishes as there are, there are so many last minute things that I still get rattled at times.

Also, I have a formal "parlor" (living room) with white carpet but I dare any one of those rascals to carry food into that room! The kids eat in the kitchen and the grownups eat in the dining room during the BIG family meals.

Blu - I do it All, every year, and love it!! Here is an easy recipe and once served is very pretty:

Potatoes cut into bite size pieces (but not too small)
Baby Carrots
Quartered onions
Frozen Baby Brussel Sprouts (frozen is the key, do not use fresh)
Sliced Red Pepper

Put all (except red pepper) in a Glass dish, add enough olive oil to glisten, salt and pepper, and sprinkle with rosemary.

Bake at 400 for 30 mins. Take out, add the red pepper, stir. Back for another 30 mins. The veggies should all have a roasted look.

Do not use a metal pan as it doesn't crust the veggies up.

Enjoy and Good Luck!!!!

Coden, thanks for the recipe. I have it on the list!

MG, I'm with you on having people bring things....but not too much....maybe pies or rolls. I may kick myself for this later.

Hey Blu.....all I can say is GOOD LUCK!!
My hubby & I had pizza nite last night with our 22YO daughter, & he told her that pretty soon, we will be having ALL holiday's in the Caribbean! (that is....if we would play the lottery!)
That would be my vote.....BUT......Mgirl is absolutely correct....Holiday's are for being with family....

Soo.....I used to have everyone to my old house....that is only the downstairs cuz the upstairs is another apartment that we rent out....& the downstairs is always being remodeled.....but we always seemed to fit everyone in. AND they were grateful that it wasn't at their house & were all to honored to bring a dish to help in the big meal!
Now.....one of hubby's brother built this huge rich house, & they have only us & HER family there for Thanksgiving. My kids really don't like it there....they said it's too stuffy & they want me to start doing it back at my house because it's more ~family like~.
With 4 almost grown children of my own now, & their *others*.....I have to bow out gracefully with my sister-in-law. Not like she will miss us.....she has her 3 sisters & families there!

I do have 2 daughters....you need to borrow them to help you!??!

I think it's important that everyone bring a dish. Since you've got about four weeks lead time, tell them what you would like them to bring.

It gets everyone involved in the process and in fact gets people together in the kitchen. Delegation works well at Thanksgiving.

Also, forget the brussel sprouts the indians and pilgrims never had them.

I would be stressed too, Blu. Promoguy is right. Have everyone bring a dish to pass and you just make the main course (Turkey?). Then, let the men do the cleaning up and dishes. My husband started the men doing the dishes thing in my family. The women think it is great; the men , not so much. 🙂

I agree with Terri. Ask everyone to bring a dish. That's the way our family does it. Tell them what you WILL be making and then they can figure it out amongst themselves what else to bring.

This way, you can concentrate on making a few REALLY GOOD dishes instead of juggling a whole lot.

Keep it simple!

Thanksgiving is about yummy comfort food. Don't try to dazzle everyone, just stuff them silly and get 'em drunk!

My mother tried a AMrth Stewart Thanksgiving one year. We were not impressed. We were asking for the canned cranberry sauce!

n.m.

(sigh)

Thank you all for the helpful suggestions!! I hear what everyone is saying about keeping it simple and having people bring things..no dazzle, etc.

My mind is headed into a different direction! Can't say why. Guest list is shaping up to include about 12 adults - not bad.

Maybe I am just too competitive - too compulsive - too much of a perfectionist. My dad's 70th is factored in. I really don't have a ton of guests to feed - only 12 adults. That's a formal seating. I think 12 is the limit for non-buffet entertaining - seven (7) formal courses.

Forgive me - but I don't want them fat and drunk (though, on any other occasion, that sounds fun)- I want them to leave with a sense of "wow - that was exceptional - delicious - decadent - elegant - graceful".

I am not always like this - only with entertaining 🙂

I'll take photos and you all can laugh at my frazzled face and say "WE TOLD YOU SO, BLU!"

Blame it on my Mom - she's 10X worse than me about etiquette- ALL the time 🙂

Blu - Sometimes I think it is best just to do it yourself. I really prefer it that way. I don't know how many times I've ask someone to bring a Particular dish (because they insisted!!) and they bring a stupid vegetable tray, or something of some sort. Know what I mean? If you knew the person would stick to the menu then that would be okay, but they change their minds about what They want to fix, and how long it is going to take, etc, and bring something that doesn't even go with the meal.

So, for me, I would rather do it myself and not worry. Plus, if a guest doesn't show I'm not left hanging with an empty spot on the table where a casserole dish or bowl was supposed to be. People do become ill over the holidays and have to miss sometimes.

Good luck and I know it will all be beautiful!!!

Here's our menu this year:

Turkey Breast (roasted with rosemary from my garden. My bushes are about 3 feet high)
Ham (spiral cut)
Tofu Spinach Pie (for the vegetarian)
Roasted Vegetable Medley
Baked Polenta (instead of dressing, and gets a yellow on the table)
Cranberry-Apple Casserole (wonderful!! Uses whole cranberries and has an oatmeal topping)
Cresent Rolls
Gravy
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Kahlua Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie

I carried a frozen turkey on the plane to stx one year in my carry-on. I never carry food, but it was close to T'gvg, and I wasn't sure what I could buy, or how much it would cost, plus had a free coupon for the bird from my local grocery, so off I went. It had to go through the screening at JFK, and the gals were like---what is it in that bag--you're taking a TURKEY??? Then I went out of security for something, and back in again before my flight--same gals--this time---oh it's you with that turkey again--just let her go.....mumbles about flying with a turkey--but we've flown with stranger things. Of course, found upon arrival that I could have bought any number of turkeys in stx, though defrosting in time would have been an issue!

Coden - if its not too much trouble, could you please PM me the recipe for the Kahlua pecan pie? I love all variations of pecan pie but have never come across a Kahlua one! thanks so much!

Coden....it would be real nice if I could have that recipe for your Kahlua Pecan Pie!!

Hey Blu....I hear your feelings about trying to dazzle them all, especially being your Father's Birthday & all....we just had my Father's 70th Birthday last year. (I had everyone go to the restraint where he works for a surprise party where THEY cooked!!)
And you will probably do it your way.....& you WILL be all frazzled in the end, but it will be worth it!
At this point I'd stick with the tried & true recipes that you know will turn out, or one's from other's that you know you can do. My sister-in-law has to do Thanksgiving all out & soo ~Martha Steward~ way. So I'll give you a couple things she has done in the past.
*For place settings...she went out & gathered up some big leaves, painted them gold (just lightly with a spray) & painted guests names on them.
*Using a pumpkin dressed up as a turkey is a real cute centerpiece on the kids table.
*Last year she had a pretty piece of paper & small pencil wrapped up in a gold ribbon on each place setting. Everyone was supposed to write down what they were thankful for, pass it to the person to the left for that person to read aloud to everyone at the table.

Good Luck....you'll be FINE!!!

Hi Blu
We have always had thanksgiving at our house for my wife's family I would do the cooking and she the entertaining. But with her gone this year I'll have to wear both hats. The cooking part is easy for me starting a couple of day's ahead I'll have to deep fry the turkeys that day. but the other part is what worries me if I'm busy while they feel like I'm not caring enough or that they don't mean as much to me hopefully they will understand and help out in the past they wouldn't have to do any thing now I sure I'll be asking for help. At least to make cocktails maybe I should make a big bowl of usvi rum punch and make it strong then should loosen them all up.

Waterguy, you may be on to something with the rum punch.... that sounds like it would be great with Turkey AND it'll warm up the conversation fast!

Blu, I kept reading everyone saying to have everyone bring something and I agree with Coden, sometimes, if it's reeeeally important to you for everything to be perfect it IS easier to just make your own plans and that way you are sure of everything being just the way you want. Other control freaks will relate to my frustration when someone would show up with something cold that needed to bake 45 minutes when we were eating in 30 minutes and the oven was already full... or similar stories, like the menu swapping.... not bringing what you thought they were. With such a big group and it being your first time, I'd take the bull by the horns and do your own thing! I think the key, Blu, because I've already picked up from your previous posts that you are a wonderful cook, might be to choose a fabulous but not elaborate menu. Don't try to do some many different things that it's a nightmare, just some of your tried and true traditional favorites that are sure fire, won't miss, recipes. After losing your Aunt, everyone will be so thrilled that you've picked up the ball and run with it, that you can't help but be successful!

As requested!!

Kahlua Pecan Pie

Preheat oven to 400

¼ Cup Butter
¾ Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons Flour
3 Eggs
½ Cup Kahlua
½ Cup Dark Corn Syrup
¾ Cup Evaporated Milk
1 Cup Whole or Chopped Pecans

Cream together first 4 ingredients. Beat in Eggs. Stir in last 4 ingredients and mix well.

Pour into a 9” deep dish pie shell

Bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 40 minutes.

Cool before cutting.

Enjoy!!!