Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for the First Time - Tips & Recipes!

[chefmoseley]

I can use all the tips, advice, recipes I can get. It's my first year cooking Thanksgiving Dinner. It will be myself, hubby, our kids (5,4,1) and my mom, grandmom and a family friend. I would like to have a traditional dinner with turkey, stuffing, mashed tatters, pies, sweet tatter casserole...rolls and more...thanks for any help Never cooked a turkey before in my life!

 

[raebates]

My suggestion is to allow extra time. Also, don't be afraid to accept help. If everyone brings something you'll have a lot less to do and a lot less stress.

 

[mountainmama74]

Don't forget to take the stuff out of the turkey - the giblets, neck, etc that's in there when you buy it! If you cook it with that stuff in there, its inedible. A first time turkey cooker might not realize!! I've heard many stories of holidays gone bad because of this!!

Also: relax and enjoy. It's not a holiday if you can't enjoy your family! Don't be afraid to ask people to bring something!! In my family, mom does the turkey and stuffing and everyone else is responsible for bringing the sides!

 

[chefheidi2003]

And for Dessert I recommend the Autumn Apple-Cherry Crisp.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

It's a lot harder to ruin a turkey than you would think.


Have sides that need to go in the oven ready to go, and put them in as soon as the turkey comes out. Keep the turkey covered, or tented with foil and let it rest while the other stuff is heating up. Then, when you have about 10-15 minutes left for the oven sides, carve the turkey and make the gravy.

And yes, always let others help by bringing dishes to pass, or rolls and butter, or drinks.

 

[winklermom]

I like to do things that I can make a day ahead of time so that helps me spend a little less time in the kitchen. I usually make deviled eggs, watergate salad, cranberry salad and things like this ahead of time.

 

[Chef Gilles]

Fresh Turkey? Frozen turkey? I like to cook mine in a plastic bag..not sure what the name of the bags are but you find them at the grocery store. The turkey stays nice and moist. If the turkey is frozen, put it in the oven at 250oF before you go to bed. It will baste itself all through the night and be nice and juicy when it's time to eat it. Now...the hell with the food...what will your dinning room table look like? Colourful? candles? name cards? Impress the family, have fun and enjoy!

 

[chefheidi2003]

Fresh Turkey? Frozen turkey? I like to cook mine in a plastic bag..not sure what the name of the bags are but you find them at the grocery store. The turkey stays nice and moist. If the turkey is frozen, put it in the oven at 250oF before you go to bed. It will baste itself all through the night and be nice and juicy when it's time to eat it. Now...the hell with the food...what will your dinning room table look like? Colourful? candles? name cards? Impress the family, have fun and enjoy!

I have never heard of that with the cooking a frozen turkey like that..interesting..

Your comment about the table made me laugh..I don't give a rip what the table looks like..bring on the good food..LOL.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Fresh Turkey? Frozen turkey? I like to cook mine in a plastic bag..not sure what the name of the bags are but you find them at the grocery store. The turkey stays nice and moist. If the turkey is frozen, put it in the oven at 250oF before you go to bed. It will baste itself all through the night and be nice and juicy when it's time to eat it. Now...the hell with the food...what will your dinning room table look like? Colourful? candles? name cards? Impress the family, have fun and enjoy!

This made me laugh! The one time I tried to impress the family with pretty centerpiece, name cards, etc...it all got quickly pushed into a pile on the floor, so that there would be enough room for the food. They really could care less about that stuff - it's ALL about the food! :chef: Now, the nicest we get is Thanksgiving Themed paper napkins, and matching paper plates for dessert.

 

[Mindy50135]

Im sure the food will be great, the table will look great. What you will remember is the people and the memories you make. At thanksgiving before we eat I like to go around the table and have everyone say something they are thankfull for however small it may be. Take time to really enjoy your family

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Here are a few of our favoritesFrench Onion Casserole
3 onions sliced
2 TBSP butter
8 oz can mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
5 oz evaporated milk
2 TBSP soy sauce
6 slices french bread
saute onions and mushrooms in butter
mix soup milk and soy sauce, add to onions
Pour in greased 9 x 13 baking dish
cover with 1 cup swiss cheese
top with bread and another cup of swiss cheese
refrigerate 4 hours bake at 375 for 30 minutes.Shrimp Bisque
>
> This is better prepared the day before and refrigerated
>
> 3/4 cup butter
> 1 1/3 cup flour
> 3 qts seafood stock (I used the jar from Penzy's spices in North
> Dallas follow directions for 3 qts,)
> 1 1/2 pounds medium cooked shrimp
> 1 pound minced onions
> 1/4 cup butter
> 2 cloves garlic
> 3 tbsp paprika (I use smoked)
> 1/4 cup tomato paste
> 3/4 cup white wine
> 1 qt heavy cream
> 3 dashes tabasco
> 3 dashes worcestershire sauce
> 3/4 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
>
> In a saucepan mix 3/4 cup butter & flour. Cook 7 minutes stirring
> constantly. Stir in seafood stock, season with salt and pepper.
> Simmer 15 minutes remove from heat set aside
>
> If not using the Penzy's stock.... In a large saucepan over medium
> heat cook shrimp shells and onion & 1/4 butter Add water to make 3
> qt. If using the Penzy's stock add it now and skip the shrimp shells
> Stir in garlic,paprika and tomato paste cook until a little brown.
> Stir in wine simmer until reduced and thick.
> reduce heat, simmer 45 minutes Strain through a sieve
>
> Return strained mixture to a simmer in a saucepan. Pour in cream
>
> Cut shrimp in half stir in soup, simmer 5 minutes Season with
> tabasco, worcestershire & Old Bay.
>
>

 

[lt1jane]

personally, I HATE those turkey cooking bags! All it does it boil it in its juices and you end up with a flavorless turkey!

If you can brine it ahead of time, that helps immensely. Brine is just a salty water with whatever spices you want to add to it. I don't bother with broth because you're soaking an uncooked bird in it and the juice will need to be tossed when you are done. I've seen brining kits, but haven't tried to say how good they are. If you brine, you need at least overnight for the bird to soak.

It only takes a few hours to cook a turkey. After about an hour you can baste it every 30ish minutes and it will be fine. Also, all the books and the Butterball line will tell you to cook it breast side up. If you like turkey meat that is dryer than the Sahara, go ahead. Breast down allows the juices and fat from the dark meat to filter through the white meat keeping it juicy and tasty.

Honestly, it sounds a lot hard than it really is.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Creamed corn
2 20 oz pkgs frozen corn with butter sauce
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne
whisk milk, flour and cayenne.
Heat over medium heat in large stockpot add remaining ingredients cook until thickened do not boil

 

[sherri lynn]

"Dryer than the Sahara" referring to the turkey make me laugh. It's so true though.

 

[raebates]

Last year for Christmas we took our turkey to a shop to have it smoked. Delicious! We're planning to do that again this year.

 

[minirottie]

Turkey is easy!

One thing you can do if you need to do some stuff earlier is make the mashed potatoes and then keep them warm in a crock pot...which can free up your oven and have one thing out of your way

 

[lt1jane]

last year, I did the whole meal in advance. I had the two days before off and made the beans, the potatoes, the turkey and stuffing. I put everything into casserole dishes and took it to the in-laws. All we had to do was heat everything up. It was yummy. Saved me from my MIL's cooking. She is not going to kill you with her cooking, but she will never win awards for it either.