Turkey Day 2015: Menu

Yesterday's menu was almost perfect for Thanksgiving so I want to write it down with a few updates so I don't forget for next year.

Dinner preparations:
  • Giant disposable roasting pans that fits oven and two 20+-lb turkeys.
  • Two-Four crockpots. Great for keeping potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and possibly onions and gravy warm.
  • Order bread ahead of time.

The Sunday Before:
  • Buy two frozen 20ish-lb turkeys and two tin foil containers for roasting (the tin foil containers mold to the turkeys so there's more room in the over. Put a wire rack in each container when cooking. 
  • Buy Trader Joes or Stonewall Kitchen cranberry and some extra gravy. 
  • Buy small holiday gifts for guests to receive as they leave (plants, music, ornaments. . . .)
Monday-Tuesday:
  • Review list, buy last minute items: extra gravy, cranberry sauce. . .
  • Prep containers for leftovers for family members
The Day/Night Before:
  • Pick up breads.
  • Peel and cook the squash (about 8 big butternut squashes). Refrigerate in crockpot container.
  • Make any pies and breads desired.
  • Buy enough good bread for to accompany the meal and to be used for sandwiches the next day.
  • Buy ice cream for the pies. 
  • Set the tables.
Thanksgiving Day:
Possible Other Sweet potatoes mixture.
  • 5am: Take the turkeys out (2 twenty+-pounders, just about right for the crowd). Turn up the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Make stuffing (3 pkgs of Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix). Saute onions and celery in butter, add 2 quarts of chicken stock, boil, and add stuffing mixture.
  • 6am: Wash the turkeys and cover with orange, honey,  and butter. Stuff the turkeys and place in oven. Boil the giblets. 
  • 6:30am: Turn down the oven to 350 degrees, baste the turkeys. Peel the potatoes and add to a big pot of water. Boil then simmer the giblets for gravy. Prepare the onions and add to water. Prepare the green beans and add to a pot.
  • Peel the sweet potatoes and place in water. Boil at 12:30, then saute in butter mixture.
  • 7am: Baste the turkey and cover with foil. 
  • 7am: Prepare sweet potatoes too.Prepare the mashed potatoes  (no chicken stock) and place in crockpot. Place butternut squash in crockpot. Place sweet potatoes in crockpot. Prepare onions and put in crock pot. Start crockpots at high, then turn to low or warm. 
  • 8:30 am: Bake extra dish of stuffing too if needed. (4 14 oz. bags of stuffing)
  • 9sh: If turkeys are done, place on sheets of foil and wrap firmly. Place in oven on "warm and hold." Make the gravy with giblet broth, pan juices, flour and possibly some McCormick's turkey gravy mix. Put gravy aside and warm up later in microwave. Prep the cranberry and butter.
  • 10am: Prepare the appetizers. 
  • 1:15 Cook the beans.
  • 1:30 pm: Carve the turkeys, roast the brussel sprouts (400 for about 20 minutes)
  • 2pm: Serve the meal.
  • 3pm: Serve the desserts.
When next Thanksgiving rolls around, I'll take a look at this menu since it worked and it's a good guide for a large crowd.


Potential Additions