1st Thanksgiving

[Aloha]

Hi Everyone,
Boy do I need help. It's my first Thanksgiving and I'm scared silly. I'm having 10 people and am wondering if you have any tricks on how to make everything come out hot at the same time Also I have a receipe that calls for a #2 can of pineapple. How big is that? Can sure use some support.
Thanks,

[pdswife]

You came to the right place for help.
First RELAX!! It'll all be fine in the end.

Do as much as you can a head of time.
Try to make some dishes that you've made before.
Have fun.
Let your friends and family help you.
Remember, it doesn't have to be fancy. It just has to taste good.

[JoAnn L.]

Welcome, so glad you are with us.

The number 2 can is 20 oz. which is 2 1/2 cups. It serves 5. Hope this helps.

[Aloha]

Thanks so much. That #2 can business was driving me nuts. I was afraid I was going to have soup instead of Jello salad.
Have a great holiday.

[Aloha]

Thanks so much for the support. I need it. I'll report afterwards and let you know how it all turned out.

[urmaniac13]

Aloha, Aloha!! (no pun intended) welcome to the forum!!
Unfortunately I am not exactly a specialist for a thanksgiving roasted whole turkey either, I leave it up to others to help you, but for other concerns, not to worry.... if you have a microwave oven, everything doesn't have to become ready all at the same time, you can premake some of the items.
Or you can do a course serving, instead of putting everything on the table all at once, just prepare everything in the kitchen, serve course by course, doing a quick reheat on each of them in between.
Just do what you do the best, or you are comfortable, as long as the dishes are delicious, that's the most important thing.
If I am guessing right seeing from your handle, are you from Hawaii? Then why not go for a big fat fresh pineapple rather than a tin??

[kitchenelf]

Everything will be at a different state of "hot" and no one will care. Turkey never gets eaten hot anyway. The most important hot items will be any cooked veggies - casseroles in particular. But HOT isn't even necessary - just very warm. While you are carving the turkey and making the gravy shove those casseroles back in the oven to heat.

[Corinne]

If you're doing a turkey - remember that it needs some "sit time" - maybe a half hour or so - for the juices to redistribute before you carve it. That will free up your oven for some other things. Best of luck!

Corinne

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Corinne

If you're doing a turkey - remember that it needs some "sit time" - maybe a half hour or so - for the juices to redistribute before you carve it. That will free up your oven for some other things. Best of luck!

Corinne

Good tip Corinne - glad you thought of that because it is so VERY important not to carve that turkey for about 20 - 30 minutes after it's out of the oven.

And you can always keep your mashed potatoes warm in a crockpot!

[bullseye]

Originally Posted by Corinne

If you're doing a turkey - remember that it needs some "sit time" - maybe a half hour or so - for the juices to redistribute before you carve it. That will free up your oven for some other things. Best of luck!

Corinne

You're right, Corrine, and I seriously count on that 30 mins. to get everything else hot and on the table! IMHO, that's crunch time. Once I'm carving turkey, I know the job is done.

[auntdot]

Have been to many Thanksgivings meals, and have tossed a few myself.

And quite honestly, I cannot remember the food, just the people.

Thanksgiving is about bringing family and friends together.

At least in MHO.

Do your best (no one can ask for anything more) and relax.

Oh yes, and prepare anything you can before hand, especially casseroles. They can go in the nuker to be reheated.

[FraidKnot]

At the moment it must seem overwhelming, the thought of 10 people in your house to eat dinner! Well, as others have said, relax . Turkey isn't difficult and there is definitely that 20-30 minute let it sit time to deal with finishing things off in the oven. If you're making mashed potatoes and aren't comfortable making gravy there's no shame in using the canned stuff. No one needs to know and probably no one will care. I take it you wouldn't invite people who would be critical of it, would you? Uh, let me rephrase that, considering family members are often the most critical... you wouldn't invite anyone whose criticism would actually hurt your feelings... uh, let me rephrase that...

You'll be fine! Just make as much ahead of time as you can and relax and enjoy the day and the food!

Fraidy

[college_cook]

No worries! It's also my 1st Thanksgiving but I don't get even get to cook for family, it's going to be 7 or 8 of my fiancee's work friends. I'm going to make a bunch of things ahead of time, some of them probably today, but I think I'm going to do most of my prep tomrrow... and whatever dishes I can that can be safely reheated the next day.

[shpj4]

Welcome to DC and I am sure your first Thanksgiving will turn out great. Do your best and everything will turn out fine.

Remember to prepare everything ahead of time and they all can be reheated.