WMUTeach

Turkey for me. The worst part is when I go away for turkey day festivities, I don't get any leftovers. Rats, I love day-two Thanksgiving meals. I may just have to buy a small bird and cook it up for myself and freeze portions for later second, third, fourth, fifth and on and on meals.

tropit

Well, you're just going to have to politely educate your hosts. Bring an empty container, help with the clean up and ask who gets to-go plates, Ask if there is any more room in their fridge for all this food, or my late mother's favorite line: "if no one takes it home, do you just feed it to the dog?" Gotta be proactive.

aashley333

Last year, I also took a package of disposable containers to my cousin's Thanksgiving gathering. I wanted to make clean up easier and quicker. They worked out great. Purchased at grocery store.

Jo Anne B.

The best tasting turkey and prettiest turkey I have ever made was on a Black Friday. A local grocery chain had a surplus of fresh 20 lb. Turkeys. I am now forever spoiled; frozen turkey won't cut it. But it's all moot point now that it's just me. So, I make myself Smoked turkey from the deli with smoked Gouda cheese sliders. I still make my sweet corn casserole and pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting.
My favorite thing to do with leftover turkey is Turkey salad on a croissant. YUM!!

Stitchnripper

For the past 25 years we have flown across country to have Thanksgiving with son and family. For years my job was the turkey and mashed potatoes. I used a recipe from an old Amy Vanderbilt cookbook calling for basting it with champagne. It always came out great. Then two years ago the grown grandson found a recipe to spatchcock the turkey. They were all worried I'd be upset. Not at all!!!!! I just watch the process now and the turkey is great. Lots of butter and fresh herbs. Really good. Also turkeys have changed over the years. What used to take all day now just takes a few hours.

tropit

So yesterday, I cooked up my big turkey. All I did was put it on a baking tray and turned on the oven to 325. I didn't season it, I didn't butter it, I didn't stuff it. I just baked it as is. Couldn't have been easier. I did this because a lot of the cooked meat will be used to feed the dogs. They usually get boiled chicken and broth with their kibbles, but they like turkey too and this is a lot cheaper. It still tasted great without the spices, or salt. Frozen turkeys are usually injected with salt water, so it had a mild salty taste anyway. The guys came home from work and they had turkey sandwiches. They raved about how good it was. "Just like Martha Mom!"

tranum

Small crowd expected this year. I will be making 2 soups (1 will be turkey noodle) and cold turkey sandwiches on homemade buns. I’d like a crockpot of dressing but daughter always makes it and she’s not coming this year so I’ll just wipe a tear from my eye. No decision on dessert yet but leaning to strawberry pretzel. And that’s the final word from my kitchen.

tropit

Yesterday, I picked up several discount turkeys while I was in town. Wanting to share the savings, I gave one of these turkeys to my daughter. We started talking about the Thanksgiving preparations. It's always the same old conversation. We talk about all of the work that goes into it. We consider the high cost of going out and nix that. We decide to downsize this year to save money. We can't decide on what dish to eliminate, so we don't downsize. I graciously let her make the pies, even though it's my thing. She graciously offers her house for the dinner. We decide to invite some older friends that would otherwise be alone on Thanksgiving. The budget swells. We drink some wine and decide to decide the rest later.