What to serve the night before Thanksgiving?
Family arrive from all over the country at all different times. We're about 35 in all and all ages. Any ideas on what to serve?
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19 Comments:
Pizza? You can have lots of different toppings for all the different tastes. And it reheats well if you have people coming at different times.
gingercookiewithlime at 1:20PM on 10/25/09
Baked potato bar - the potatoes will keep warm in the oven until someone else arrives and wants to eat. Kids love them - they may eat them plain, they may gussy them up, but all in all, they'll get something into themselves. I usually serve toppings like cheese, sour cream, green onions, chili (could be kept warm in a small crock pot), broccoli, fried mushrooms, butter (of course) etc. Serve a salad selection alongside (green, caesar, coleslaw) and a good bunch of appetizers that keep well at room temp (you could include additional protein there for the serious meat eaters).
Maureen at 1:23PM on 10/25/09
I'd do a veggie lasagna (or three), with spinach, pine nuts and mushrooms, with lots of garlic bread and salad on the side. You can make them the day before, because they taste better the next day, which means one less thing to worry about. Nothing too rich (must save some stomach room for the bird and stuffing!). Maybe Eton Fool for dessert...meringue crushed in sweetened whipped cream with lots of berries.
Otherwise, maybe a pre-cooked ham, with lots of fresh bread, cheeses, salad and condiments, with crudites and dip on the side. Let people put together their own meal as they wish. Best of luck!
NotAmerican at 1:28PM on 10/25/09
I'm a fan of dishes that involve minimal fuss and are fairly light. A dish in the slow cooker that can simmer for most of the day and free up the cook/host(ess) is great. Vegetarian chili, perhaps? Or chicken thrown in with some salsa and chopped vegetables?
Onepot at 1:33PM on 10/25/09
Have two or three or four pots of soup on the stove or in crock pots. Breads to warm as folks arrive, maybe cheese straws. A hearty minestrone, ham-green-bean-potato, corn chowder, curried cauliflower, something lighter like won ton soup, whatever you know your crowd will like. Folks can sample them all by the mugful. You wouldn't have to make any sides. Something light for dessert that won't compete with the next day's desserts, like frozen lemon mouse or even just an assortment of cookies.
zucchini at 2:43PM on 10/25/09
Soups, stews, chili, anything you can leave a pot on simmer once its done. Toast, rolls. Cheese slices. Bowl of fruit. Cut veggies. Its a come-and-serve yourself style that will free you up to greet people and socialize without overpowering the food stars of the next day.
Thats if you are the host on Thanksgiving. If not, make some snazzy appetizers instead of the cheese, bread, and veggies. Leave the bowl of fruit.
blizcheetah at 4:30PM on 10/25/09
Agree with the minimal fuss, whether it's clean up or preparation, and something that's different from what you will all be eating for the feast.
Perhaps finger foods -- build your own tacos (hard or soft shell), summer rolls with platters of veggies and various meats/seafood, etc.
Also a very simple soup that will warm people up but not super hearty since everyone will soon be in meat and/or carb coma.
Or seafood like a cioppini or salmon/fish prepped simply. Steamed squashes and cauliflower could be served on the side.
Cassaendra at 4:39PM on 10/25/09
I strong second the chili/soup/stew idea. Something that people can just serve themselves. Maybe serve parker house rolls or corn bread on the side.
That or a giant dinner salad with chopped chicken, crisp bacon, eggs, etc. in it. Though some people don't like "just" salad for dinner.
ag3208 at 5:06PM on 10/25/09
Get a long loaf of bread, cut it in half, slather on PB&J. Get a griddle nice and hot. Throw some butter on and grill up that sucker.
Serve with a bowl of fruit.
phenoderr at 6:38PM on 10/25/09
We always have lasagna the night before thanksgiving.
eeels at 1:13PM on 10/26/09
I'm sensing a theme here...cure for the blues, eat-till-u-kick-the-bucket-food...I know I'm responding all out of order here, but all roads lead to pizza, red wine, chocolate
finewinendine at 5:06PM on 10/26/09
You're prolly gonna be cookin your ass off for the few days before thanksgiving,so just make it easy an order pizza.
onepercent99 at 6:26PM on 10/26/09
We always go out the night before Thanksgiving, but it's just four of us...
I third @zucchini's idea of having several soups. I've done that for an open house party and it worked very well - easy to keep hot and serve whenever, easy to prep ahead of time so you don't have a ton of work the day before you have a ton more work.
You could also try a 'make your own pita pizza' bar if you're not using the oven for pies the night before (or use a toaster oven)
Or, boring though it may be, you could get/make a cold cut platter. All the meat gets expensive, but it is easy, suits staggered arrival times, and with a few fancy condiments (basalmic onion marmalade or chipotle mayo for starters) it's more fun.
AliceBlue at 7:41PM on 10/26/09
Over the years, we've made pizza, lasagna, tamale pie, cheeseburger macaroni or chili or gone out for beef sandwiches or burritos. Whatever we have, it can't be food that contains anything we'll be eating for the next two or three days
betteirene at 9:05PM on 10/26/09
I would do a taco bar.. you can make the meat/beans ahead of time and keep warm, then just the normal taco toppings and sidse... less work for you, and guests can come and get what they please!
mhurst826 at 1:48AM on 10/27/09
Pizza. It's traditional on one of the busiest nights of the year for both bars and pizza parlors.
Kerosena at 12:19PM on 10/27/09
I go for some kind of easy pasta casserole like mac 'n' cheese and salad. Simple and quick is in order here. I also like the idea of pizza, especially as someone else can handle the ordering/pickup/payment especially if you've got guests who want to pitch in somehow. But if you're going to order takeout, why stop at pizza? I might also go the opposite of Thanksgiving and order Thai or Vietnamese.
Otabenga at 12:39PM on 10/27/09
I second (or thrid/fourth w/ever) the pizza idea. Your fridge is probably STUFFED!? lol :) good luck!
hungrychristel at 12:46PM on 10/27/09
Normally I would suggest something cooked but hungrychristel is right - your fridge will be filled to capacity.
Order those pizzas early - Wednesday night before T-Giving is one of the BUSIEST pizza days.
therealchiffonade at 1:26PM on 10/27/09