Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

If so how many people are you having?
Is it your first time, or first time in new home?
What's on your menu?

I am....I almost always do, its our 3rd Thanksgiving in our house. I'm having 18 confirmed for sit-down dinner. I may have one or two extra coming.
My dilema is not having enough matching china....I have a few older kids coming I thought I'd give them different plates.
I'm making a-
18-20lb turkey
spiral ham
mashed potatos
yams
broccoli & caulifower w/cheese
green bean cassarole
gravy
biscuts
turnups
brussel sprouts
big salad
stuffing
and I'm not sure what else yet.

Does anyone make anything unusual on thanksgiving? What do you do when you don't have enough china?

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

It is my 1st time hosting and we are only having 6 for a sit down dinner (MIL & BF, my parents and me and DH) We have a small family. I am making

Roasted Vegetable Soup (1st course)

Pineapple Salad (2nd Course)

Dinner
14lb Turkey
Mashed potatoes
Broccoli and Cheese sauce
Sweet potatoe casserole
Stuffing
Glazed Carrots
Gravy

My mom is making the desserts Pumpkin Cheesecake and Chocolate Pecan Pie. And my dad is making his homemade biscuts.

Message edited 11/9/2006 7:23:03 AM.

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

I host Thanksgiving every year. This is our 9th Annual.

We are Italian, so besides the usual Thanksgiving fare, we also have:

Mozzarella and tomato salad
Homemade sausage and pepper bread
Penne ala Vodka

Not like the Pilgrims' dinner, but we like this kind of food better!

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

I'm hosting again this year, but now we're adding my brother's FW's family -- and her Vegearian sister!

DH is deep frying 2 13 pound turkeys.
We're doing
Potato and Butternut squash soup
harvest salad (pomegranates, walnuts, gorgonzola,pears)
baked cheesey cauliflower
brussel sprouts
roasted root veggies
mashed potatoes
stuffing
sausage stuffing
gravy, cranberry, dinner rolls
veggie lasagna ...

i think thats all i can remember right now.
I've never done soup before, but its worth a try!

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

yep, its at my house for the first time. Not to big of a crowd, my parents, 4 sisters, 2 BIL's, 1 SIL and DH and me and my niece. 12 total.


lasagna
salad with walnuts and cranberrys
corn pie
cranberry sauce
sweet potato casserole
creamed onions
candy corn (potatoes, corn and a bunch of other stuff, it loooks like candy corn and tastes a little sweet)
Turkey 2- one fried, one regular
pumpkin rolls
pumpkin soup

Message edited 11/9/2006 8:05:51 AM.

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

Haven't done the menu yet, but I'm all about buffet and a shmorg.

I may grill some baby lamb chops, have some finger foods and the all the traditional sides that come with T-Day.

I will probably make a turkey breast and one other meat course, maybe even a lasagna or some shrimp dish.

Still in the planning. I'm confirming some peeps still..it will be sort of come when you want since our friends may hae some family committments during the day. So having a table full of food to nibble on throughout the day is a good plan.

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

I don't host (b/c I live in a studio apt)
But my Mom has about 25 people and obviously doesn't have enough China.
Her China is white w/ a pattern, and a silver edge - So she bought a cheaper set of plain white dishes w/ silver rim -
It doesn't match exactly, but the table still looks pretty and she uses the 'cheap' china on the 'kids' side of the table .......

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

I always host, but this will be the first year in our new home as last year we were traveling home from our HM on T-day.

We're looking at probably around 20-25 people. I don't have enough china, but I buy nice strong thanksgiving paper plates from the party store, and the plastic ware that actually looks like real silverware. My table always looks nice, (we'll be doing sit down). Since the majority of my family will be staying over the night before, I will be doing the following:

Bagels/Lox and schmear for breakfast

Nosh throughout the day of:

Chips/veggies/dips
cheese/crackers
bread bowl of spinach dip
bowls of mixed nuts around the house
mushroom canapes
and some other things I haven't thought about yet

Dinner:

Turkey
string bean casserole (family is crazy about it)
Yams
cornbread stuffing
Avacodo/grape tomato salad
mashed potatos
homemade cranberry/orange sauce

I know I have a few more items which are written down at home.

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

I'm being brave and hosting Thanksgiving this year. I have NEVER cooked a turkey before. My mom will be helping me with that. My mom will also be making her famous sweetpotato casserole and My MIL her famous stuffing. I will be making a cranberry Compote, green beens with slivered almonds and fried onions, my yummy potato wedges. I'm not sure what else, I might be missing something!

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

Yes we are hosting... its our first time!!! We are having a sit down dinner for 9 people. We have been in our house almost 5 months now. We just bought a HUGE dining room table. However i just found out the the chairs will not be in for 6 weeks... I dont konw what we are going to do... maybe bring your own chair... ha.

All the usual thanksgiving items are on the menu.

Message edited 11/9/2006 11:16:08 PM.

Re: Are you entertaining for Thanksgiving?

I am gosting Thanksgiving. We are having DH's parents, my parents, my 2 sisters and 2 of my brothers. 10 adults, and my 2 kids.

I have 12 china place setting so I am ok there. My table fits 12 people easily, but we only have 8 chairs. So 2 adults will be sitting on folding chairs and the kids are in their own highchairs.

My kitchen is tiny, so that will be a problem! No clue on the menu yet, aside from the obvious basics.