Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Even If You Can't Cook

Thanksgiving is a holiday that finds many people in the kitchen when they are generally not accustomed to cooking. Thanksgiving centers around the food, and traces it's history to harvest festivals in England and other parts of Europe. Because of this, there is a definite pull to bake and cook for family and friends during this holiday. Unfortunately, our society is a long way from the agricultural roots of a harvest festival, and lots of would-be chefs find themselves in over their heads. What's the best way to assure success this Thanksgiving even if you're inexperienced in preparing large meals or special holiday foods?

First of all, you'll want to do a certain amount of planning. Have an idea of how many people you are planning to serve and make sure to buy a turkey large enough. A good rule of thumb for serving food such as a turkey (whole poultry with bones) is to plan on at least a pound per person. Of course, with Thanksgiving leftovers being a food group unto themselves, it's perfectly acceptable to plan for as much as two or three pounds per person.

After you've decided on the size of your bird, make a list of an side dishes you'll want to serve with the meal. You can let tradition dictate this, search recipes if you'd like new things, or provide for the individual tastes of your guests. Please plan to make most of the dishes something you are already comfortable doing, and don't try more than one, or perhaps two, new recipes. Planning to use recipes that can be finished ahead of time and just reheated is a great tactic. Even peeling the potatoes and keeping them under water in the fridge for up to twelve hours before boiling them can work for this approach.

Do you feel absolutely clueless in the kitchen and think that limiting your side dishes to familiar dishes would leave you serving Ramen and Kraft Dinner? Consider having a potluck Thanksgiving meal. You'll only have to find a good turkey recipe and then put your delegation and organizational skills to work for the rest. For the most part, let the guests choose what they'd like to contribute, since something they like to prepare will most likely be something they prepare well. Be ready with suggestions such as a vegetable or dessert to make sure you don't end up with ten bowls of mashed potatoes. If there are certain must-haves (like pumpkin pie) be sure you've got those down from somebody or add a few Marie Callendar's pies to the shopping list. I don't usually endorse ready made foods, but the day of a big party isn't really the best time to learn to make and roll out pie crust, so either learn ahead of time, or search out the best store-bought options.

The most important part of hosting a great Thanksgiving Day Feast is to relax and enjoy yourself. Roasting a turkey can be daunting, so you might want to consider using my slow cooker method to free up your time and ease your mind. As long as everything is cooked adequately and no one gets hurt, you can consider your first large meal a success, since even experienced cooks have a hard time handling the timing and planning involved in multi-course dinners.