Hosting Thanksgiving

kellynkay · **Hosting Thanksgiving**

How do you time all of your food so that it's hot and ready at the same time??

araefinn · 11-12-2007, 10:45 AM

I hosted Thanksgiving last year and all our food was great and hot. I had about 20-25 people over at my house for Thanksgiving. I am trying to think how we did it.

Turkey-cooked in a roaster so we took it out, let it set for a few minutes than carved it up, so it was hot.
I did a roast-cooked it up in the crock pot-so it stayed in there until we were ready for it. I took it out, sliced it up and put it back in the crock pot and everyone served it from there.
Mashed potatoes-fixed them up about 15 minutes before we ate them. Set them on the back burner in a covered casserole dish. At that time we still had the oven on, so that helped keep them hot.
We did a ham in the oven, again had it set so it would be ready exacly when we needed it. So just took it out and started carving it up.
My MIL did the stuffing. She fixed it up and than put it in a casserole dish and had it cooking next to the ham.
Gravy was the last thing that we made
Green beans in cheese sauce. Heated up the green beans on the stove, than threw them in a crock pot to keep warm and melt the cheese.

I think that was all the hot food that we had. I cant remember. But it was a great Thanksgiving!
I dont see why you couldnt use crock pots to keep all your sides hot. I do not always worry about presentation I guess, so I wouldnt think twice about fixing up all my sides and throwing them in crock pots. I would rather have everyone remember how hot and delisious the food was as oppose to how beatiful it looked but that everyone had to line up at the microwave to heat up their food. But that is just me.

Oregano · 11-12-2007, 10:54 AM

Just time it out...I've used lists before too. Not just for Thanksgiving but for dinner parties too. What time do the veggies need to go on the stove? What time do the rolls need to be warmed? Etc Just make a timeline...what time does everything need to get done. So at any particular time, you look at the list and you know what should be happening, whether it's 7AM or 3PM. I'm a list person though!

I have a double oven, so that works great for keeping things warm until everything is ready. I usually have a least one person in the kitchen helping, so that helps TONS.

kellynkay · 11-12-2007, 10:59 AM

We do have the luxury of two ovens, since we have the 2nd kitchen ~ so that will help in keeping things warm.

My MIL just says as long as the gravey is hot you are good to go ~ they pour it over everything anyway

goin24/7 · 11-12-2007, 06:52 PM

I have a magnetic dry erase board that I hang on the fridge on days I am cooking for a crowd.

On paper I list the dishes I am making and how long it takes to prep and cook/chill, I also list the cooking temps.

I figure out a time line and try to pair foods that have the same cooking times. I organize a list and then write it on the board with times to start each dish so that everything gets done on time.

I employ the help of anyone who is fool enough to ask if there is anything they can do.

I also make as much as I can the day/night before. I will sometimes partially cook it so that I can put it in the oven for the final 20-30 minutes to finish cooking and warm up.

I amaze myself at how it all comes together in the end, and my guests get a kick out of the list on the fridge.

ryans_mom10 · 11-13-2007, 07:48 AM

I take the turkey out 20-30 minutes ahead of time to keep the juices in and then carve it.I keep the oven at 200 to keep everything warm till dinner.If you can do some in the crockpot do some that way and keep on low.The rolls you can make ahead of time and nuke them to warm them up in a basket with a towel in it.The gravy is the last thing I make before putting it all on the table.

Good Luck!