Thanksgiving

[Night Elf]

To cook or not to cook. To be honest, we don't have big Thanksgiving celebrations. It's only 4 of us and the kids are picky eaters and don't eat the cool, yummy casseroles I grew up eating. Plus, DH works because so many request off. Since it's a special occasion, I'm sure they'll let him work from home, but I can just have dinner ready at the regular time instead of eating early in the day. I'm thinking one day of sort of splurging away from Weight Watchers and my low-carb diet would be okay. So now I just have to figure out if I really want to cook or not. In the past, I've purchased a cooked ham from a specialty store, so I wouldn't have to worry about meat.

 

Do you have Thanksgiving for just your immediate family of you and your kids? It almost seems like it's not worth the trouble. I miss our days of having large celebrations with extended family. It's just not possible for us right now, most especially because he has to work. My family celebrates on the day and most likely would not agree to put it off until the weekend. So it's just us. So what to do, what to do.

 

Oh, oh! One year when the kids were much younger, we let everyone pick a food for the table. One child requested chocolate cake, one spaghetti and the other one chicken fingers. That was an interesting dinner that year. I cooked our traditional dishes in addition to their requests. I didn't ask them the following year. :)

[Chris in VA]

We will only have 4 at the table this year, and 4 for Christmas, too. Ds22 can't come home anymore because it's not safe in this area for his issues, and my parents are seeing my sil (brother's widow) and my other brother and his family for the holidays. (We don't travel at the holidays; dh is a priest and we have to be here. Dh's family gathers in NC and FL and doesn't travel here, so it's just my parents who visit.)

 

I will still make the usual meal, and we will eat a lot of leftovers. I will make a large turkey, our usual sides, etc, even if only one person likes the particular dish. Still worth it, in our opinion. It's not as fun as having a few more folks--what makes a feast is who you eat with, not just what you eat. But we will still mark the occasion and do the dance. 

 

It's in our family culture to celebrate this way, but it doesn't seem to be in yours, so do whatever you feel would be good!

[marbel]

We've had just the four of us a few times.  I don't love it.  Before we moved 6 years ago, we had 24 people for dinner every year - no family, just friends.   Hard to go from a huge festive loud dinner to a quiet family dinner.   But we do it, and I've always cooked the favorites.  One year I opted for turkey breast instead of the whole bird and no one was happy with that. 

 

Last year we spent Thanksgiving with my in-laws and we're planning on that this year.  Still, my son asked that we have a "home Thanksgiving" dinner with his favorite foods.  (My MIL won't let me bring anything; it's a 12-hour drive but I could easily carry a few things in a cooler.)  So we are going to do that - I'd better get on with picking the date for that and seeing if we are going to invite anyone!  He of all of us is tied to the traditional foods, even though some of them we have on other days.   

 

Once my kids are grown and if they don't come back for Thanksgiving, I could easily give up the traditional foods.  But not yet!

 

[lynn]

I go every other year to have thanksgiving with my family and every other year we stay home.  When it's just us we usually just grill out.  This year we are doing steak and lobster.  I like when it's just the 6 of us.  I do visit my family frequently throughout the year so I don't feel guilty not being with them for holidays.  

[kewb]

There have been a couple of years when it was just us and we do have a somewhat traditional meal with all the fixins (just smaller quantities) and our family ritual of saying something we are thankful for. 

[Luckymama]

My parents are gone, and one sister lives in Colorado. We just have ten for dinner now---our five and my other sister's five. We've had up to 16 in the past.

 

We could go to my sil's (she took over Thanksgiving from mil a few years ago because, frankly, mil is such a cruddy cook) if we wanted a crazy large extended family meal. We never have had Thanksgiving with that side because my parents were alone (their entire family lives on the opposite coast) until we moved here, and then my sister's family moved here. I've been cooking since ds was a toddler.

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

T-Day has been variable.  One part of the family has shrunk, while another is growing.  One year when we did it mini, I got a free range turkey breast from this little farm and it was the best (expensive, tho).  That might happen again.  I have my standard side dishes that all keep well, and I just got a potato ricer  :D so that will be fun.  Frankly, sometimes a small Thanksgiving is best.

[Starr]

I wouldn't worry about the food as much as developing tradition in your family. It can be an immediate family celebration. Your dc aren't missing your memories. Go ahead and keep making new ones for them. Have fun, be thankful for each other. 

[PrairieSong]

Until my mother-in-law died just over a year ago, my husband's family all gathered at her house. Last year and this year, it is just us at our house, plus my dad and brother who is single. (My mom is gone.) I do make the traditional turkey and all the trimmings, but my kids help a lot with side dishes and desserts.

 

At Christmas time the past decade or so, we had soup and snacks at Grandma's house. Each family made a different kind of soup and brought a snack like dip and crackers, cheese balls, cookies, Chen mix, etc. We all liked this so we have continued it at our house.

[Amira]

We've usually had Thanksgiving on our own, and I love it even though it's nice when we can celebrate with others. My husband and children love Thanksgiving food and we go all out for the holiday. I cook for two days and then have the weekend off because we're eating leftovers. That's much better than cooking for two days for one meal because 25 people are coming.

 

I have tried to get the family to go for non-traditional food, but they won't have anything to do with it.

[Ellie]

Yes, we did Thanksgiving, with just the four of us. I learned to cook a turkey breast instead of the whole turkey, though. :-)

 

Now that it's just Mr. Ellie and me, we try to invite other onlies over for the day. Mostly that works.

[HollyDay]

For the most part, it has always been just us.  Due to dh's job, we have moved around quite a bit and it has been hard to establish close connections in time for the holidays.  Occasionally we have had people join us whose families are also not in town.  Like Margaret said, I grew up with huge family Thanksgivings.  We sometimes had 25 or 30 come to dinner.  But, whether it is a crowd, just us, or others coming to feast, it is still Thanksgiving.  It is still a festival day I enjoy and want to celebrate. 

 

I always make a big turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce.  Dh and I are the only ones who love the greenbean casserole, so I make a smaller batch.  I also make chocolate chip cookies for dd who doesn't like pumpkin pie.  Growing up, we always had a squash dish that I love, but no one else in my immediate family likes it, so I make a smaller batch for me.  Youngest always requests broccoli.  And I like to have lima beans (goes with squash dish - I'm from the south :) ).  None of us likes sweet potates so I don't make that.  Usually a guest will bring some sort of sweet potatoe dish that they can't have Thanksgiving without.  Last year, I made an apple pie for a guest who had never had pumpkin pie before just in case he didn't like it. 

 

All in all, we do the basics, add some "must haves" from our growing up years and be grateful we have the time together. 

[MrsMommy]

I've cooked Thanksgiving dinner every year for the last ten years or so. Most of those times, it's just been our immediate family. I always make a huge meal (because we love the leftovers!), including five pies. Of course, there are seven of us now, so we're not really a small group anymore like we used to be. I like it this way. We get to spend our day exactly how we want to, and I make all of the things we like. Last year, my mom and her husband were able to visit us, but it was so stressful. Made me grateful for our traditions done our way.

[Night Elf]

About building memories, that's true. I didn't think about that. Okay, I'll plan a dinner that's different from our usual dinners. I think I'll make a couple of the casseroles that DH and I like, even though the kids won't eat them. Also, I'll have dd15 cook because she loves doing it. It will be fun to cook together.

 

We don't cook a meal for Christmas. We buy ham and have sandwiches. We also have snacks. For the past two years, DH and I have been on Weight Watchers so we try to stay within our food guidelines. We're not perfect though. But we no longer eat all season, from Halloween through New Years like we used to do.

[eloquacious]

I'll be slightly busy this year, my due date is two days before Thanksgiving, but I generally host at my house. I'm a little bummed not to be able to do it this year!

[eloquacious]

My mom has switched to a smaller meal for herself, my dad, and my brother since I moved out: she does a turkey breast, and some side dishes. Perhaps special-ish dishes without the whole food coma thing?

[happi duck]

We love Thanksgiving! It is just me, dh and dc. We watch the Macy's parade and then cook together. Our meal is special to us not traditional.

[KatieJ]

After both of our DDs were married, it was just 4 of us for Thanksgiving dinner. I cooked smaller amounts, but still the whole dinner.

We love leftovers. Usually we went to a movie after dinner.

 

 

Sometimes we had dinner with another family of 4.

 

Just do what works for your family. If the whole turkey and stuffing is not a big deal at your house, then find something special you all enjoy and cook that. WHite Lasagna would be wonderful. (chicken and white sauce)

Maybe breaded turkey cutlets and small amounts of stuffing and mashed potatoes would be great too.

[Night Elf]

Another option is to find some folks who will be on their own for the holiday and invite them to share your meal and bring *their* favorite side dish...or ethnic dish or whatever you'd like. Having been single for a long time, without family where I lived and w/o funds to travel, I know such offers can be *much* appreciated.

 

Oh I would do that in a heartbeat if we knew anyone. But unfortunately the only adults my DH comes into contact with are his coworkers and I'm fairly certain they are all married with kids. The only single guy I remember left the company a few years ago. And me, I only know one lady but she has a big family. But it's certainly a lovely idea.

[gingersmom]

We used to go to my brothers where there were about 10 family members and 30 non family members. Not my idea of fun. 

 

My kids love having Thanksgiving at home and I let them pick whatever they want to make. 

 

No one likes turkey so that makes it easy. 

 

The only things my kids want are stuffing (an amazing cornbread/sausage recipe) and apple pie (the one item my daughter knows how to/is willing to make). 

 

I have a chicken rotisserie that my son loves so we will probably have roast chicken also. And I will make brussel sprouts for me. If someone wants to they will make homemade ice cream. 

 

 

[BakersDozen]

We always have Thanksgiving even if it is just us, but I refuse to cook the big dinner.  One year we had pizza followed by a Charlie Brown dinner (complete with ping-pong table!).  It was a hoot.

 

Another year we had a huge pot of stuffing, another of green bean casserole, hot chocolate and pumpkin pie.  The kids will never forget that dinner, it was such fun.

 

I do, however, have at least 4 different kinds of pie because that is the best part of Thanksgiving.  :)

 

If extended family wants to join us they are welcome to yet they know to not expect the usual Thanksgiving fare.  

[Guest]

We moved 1500 miles from mine and dh's families, so it just isn't the same.  The last few years, dh has been gone for weeks to months at a time for work, so that has just added to it.  I hate that my kids have missed the traditional family Thanksgiving.  Last year was a year that dh was gone, so the kids and I decided to try something different. We cooked a chicken, then each of us looked up a recipe on Pinterest that we wanted to try.  It was something different, and it ended up making the day kind of fun.  Dh will be gone again this Thanksgiving, so we will be doing the same as last year.  

 

Most of our morning is taken up by helping serve at a dinner for homeless and those with no family/low income.  Puts things into perspective.

[Susan C.]

Its just us four. I do a simple version of Thanksgiving. A small turkey. Sweet potato casserole. Steamed green beans with mushrooms, onions, panchetta. Homemade stuffing. And deli bought pie (pumpkin) and rolls. Canned cranberry sauce. Jarred gravy.  I can't stand to eat a large meal at noon, I'm not that hungry by then. So I serve dinner at 5:00 - 6:00, depending on when everything is cooked. I also don't stress about it (or I won't be able to eat). Its done when its done! We LOVE having the leftovers to grab on for several days. I also get some thinly sliced ham, and sandwich rolls to vary the leftover offerings. Then I enjoy not cooking for several days!

[Susan in TN]

I cook even if it's just the immediate family. There is something good about having yearly traditions, whatever that is for your family, IMO. But I'm also of the mind that it's totally ok to break with tradition once in a while. Or start a whole new "tradition"

[HollyDay]

We moved 1500 miles from mine and dh's families, so it just isn't the same.  The last few years, dh has been gone for weeks to months at a time for work, so that has just added to it.  I hate that my kids have missed the traditional family Thanksgiving.  Last year was a year that dh was gone, so the kids and I decided to try something different. We cooked a chicken, then each of us looked up a recipe on Pinterest that we wanted to try.  It was something different, and it ended up making the day kind of fun.  Dh will be gone again this Thanksgiving, so we will be doing the same as last year.  

 

Most of our morning is taken up by helping serve at a dinner for homeless and those with no family/low income.  Puts things into perspective.

 

We are about that same distance from the nearest relative.  And, dh has worked quite a few Thanksgivings.  When the dc were little, it was very hard for me.  I was lonely.  Everyone seemed to have places to go and people to see.  But, you are very right about putting things into perspective.  We have each other, our health, a roof over our head, food in our pantry, clothes on our backs, cars that work.  I get to spend Thanksgiving with the people I love most in the world, my dc and (usually) dh.  Sometimes we celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday or Sat. depending upon dh's work schedule.  But, that is okay too. 

[Mom in High Heels]

We've had several very odd T-givings in the past few years.  The first 3 years we were in Europe, we had friends over or went to someone else's house, which is very common in the overseas military community.  In 2011, we moved the day before T-giving from one post in Germany to another.  We brought my mom over to take care of the boys while we handled the movers and whatnot (plus she's never met Han Solo!) and if it hadn't been for her making dinner for us, we probably would have gone to McDonald's.  :)  Last year, James Bond was in Afghanistan and the boys and I were in Germany by ourselves.  I wasn't about to cook, but we got together with friends and went to the mess hall's T-giving dinner. It was delicious and there was no cooking or cleaning.  Nice.  This year, I'm probably going to cook and we'll have a soldier or 2 from dh's unit over who can't get home.  While I like T-giving in theory, I kind of hate it too.  It's a lot of work for a meal.  Blah.

[eloquacious]

We've had several very odd T-givings in the past few years.  The first 3 years we were in Europe, we had friends over or went to someone else's house, which is very common in the overseas military community.  In 2011, we moved the day before T-giving from one post in Germany to another.  We brought my mom over to take care of the boys while we handled the movers and whatnot (plus she's never met Han Solo!) and if it hadn't been for her making dinner for us, we probably would have gone to McDonald's.   :)  Last year, James Bond was in Afghanistan and the boys and I were in Germany by ourselves.  I wasn't about to cook, but we got together with friends and went to the mess hall's T-giving dinner. It was delicious and there was no cooking or cleaning.  Nice.  This year, I'm probably going to cook and we'll have a soldier or 2 from dh's unit over who can't get home.  While I like T-giving in theory, I kind of hate it too.  It's a lot of work for a meal.  Blah.

 

 

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas memories are mess-hall meals. :) 

[regentrude]

Do you have Thanksgiving for just your immediate family of you and your kids? It almost seems like it's not worth the trouble.

 

Yes. We never have family for Thanksgiving,as they are all in Europe. So it is just us. Sometimes if we are lucky, we find some single friend to invite who does not have a family.

 

I do not find the Thanksgiving dinner preparation a lot of trouble. We always do a turkey, and once that is in the oven it is no bother at all, just checking every now and then - one of the easiest meals, IMO.

We do mashed potatoes, rice, candied yams, carrots, red cabbage. Not time consuming or difficult. I make my cranberry jelly the day before. There will be leftovers for 2-3 more days on which I won't have to cook.

[AlmiraGulch]

To cook or not to cook. To be honest, we don't have big Thanksgiving celebrations. It's only 4 of us and the kids are picky eaters and don't eat the cool, yummy casseroles I grew up eating. Plus, DH works because so many request off. Since it's a special occasion, I'm sure they'll let him work from home, but I can just have dinner ready at the regular time instead of eating early in the day. I'm thinking one day of sort of splurging away from Weight Watchers and my low-carb diet would be okay. So now I just have to figure out if I really want to cook or not. In the past, I've purchased a cooked ham from a specialty store, so I wouldn't have to worry about meat.

 

Do you have Thanksgiving for just your immediate family of you and your kids? It almost seems like it's not worth the trouble. I miss our days of having large celebrations with extended family. It's just not possible for us right now, most especially because he has to work. My family celebrates on the day and most likely would not agree to put it off until the weekend. So it's just us. So what to do, what to do.

 

Oh, oh! One year when the kids were much younger, we let everyone pick a food for the table. One child requested chocolate cake, one spaghetti and the other one chicken fingers. That was an interesting dinner that year. I cooked our traditional dishes in addition to their requests. I didn't ask them the following year. :)

 

I'm having the same dilemma!  

 

We usually go to my niece's house for Thanksgiving, but for a variety of reasons we won't be going this year.

 

My first thought was to cook the whole shebang, but I really, really don't want to do that.  Too much effort for 4 people.

 

My next thought was to go out somewhere, but DD17 is my wrench in that plan. Meaning, she's extraordinarily picky and so all she'd probably eat would be bread, and maybe dessert.  I'm not paying $40 or $50 for her to eat rolls.  I'll just be mad the whole time. 

 

Then I thought maybe I'd have each person pick one thing, but buy a ham or something so the rest would just be sides, which I can deal with.   DD10 said roasted brussel sprouts, and DD17 picked garlic bread.  I don't want garlic bread for Thanksgiving, and so now the entire idea seems dumb to me.

 

Now I really don't know what to do.  I'd just cook whatever I feel like, but I want people to enjoy it if I go to the trouble.    

 

Waffle House is sounding good. 

[Pawz4me]

We're not huge on the Thanksgiving celebration.  We uusually keep it simple.  When my mom was alive we'd go over there and throw something together (not always traditional T'giving dishes).  There were a few years when we went out, and that was okay.  Now she's gone and it'll just be the four of us. If I cook at all it'll be more like a regular meal than a huge deal.  I'll probably get a small ham from Honeybaked and throw together a couple of sides.  The only traditional thing we're sure to have is pumpkin pie, 'cause oldest DS and DH love it.  Or maybe we'll just go out again. ;)

[*lifeoftheparty*]

I'll be slightly busy this year, my due date is two days before Thanksgiving, but I generally host at my house. I'm a little bummed not to be able to do it this year!

I hosted Thanksgiving last year- 10 days after giving birth. I did most of the prep, and my mom and sister/sister in law did the "heavy lifting". It was still exhausting!

 

Twice, it had been just me, DH and DS. We went in to DC and walked the mall and ate a fabulous turkey dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Old Ebbitt Grill. They were great memories, mostly because they were "different".

[Mom in High Heels]

Some of my favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas memories are mess-hall meals. :)

 

 

Despite the fact that we weren't near family, some of our absolute best holidays have been with our overseas military "family."  There is no drama involved, just a bunch of people who are all in a similar situation, coming together to have fun.  We used to have game time later in the evening, where the kids would play in one area, and the adults would play games like Apples to Apples, Fact or Crap and Pictionary.  It was a load of fun, especially when we played husbands against wives.  There was some serious competition.  I miss those holidays.

[eloquacious]

I hosted Thanksgiving last year- 10 days after giving birth. I did most of the prep, and my mom and sister/sister in law did the "heavy lifting". It was still exhausting!

".

Hard core.... Both of my previous babes were born two days after their due date, so if the pattern holds, I'm going to go with the previous plan of skipping the hosting this year. That being said, my parents will be in town the week after. If the wee man arrives earlier, I could see us doing a belated thanksgiving-ish meal, albeit at my in-law's house.

[eloquacious]

Double post.

[ChiMomNP]

It is always just the 3 of us on holidays. I cook. I do miss my family back east, but it is just too expensive for the 3 of us to fly back east around the holidays. We have our own traditions, but I know my son misses the big family dinners we used to go to at my mom and dad's house.

[kolamum]

I have before. Not AS fancy as normal like one year I did:

 

Chicken breasts cooked on the stove top & then topped them with cranberry sauce & maple syrup {Taste Of Home had the recipe called Cranberry Chicken or something like that}

My Great-Grandma's Corn pudding recipe which is quite small, she use to double or more it..

Mashed potatoes

Green beans {just steamed nothing fancy}

And then I made 1 pie for desert. 

 

It was simple, but it was nice. :)

 

Now I have the inlaws over who have no idea what the deal with Thanksgiving is, BUT they love that I want them to be a part of it & they make it super fun. :D

[AlmiraGulch]

I hosted Thanksgiving last year- 10 days after giving birth. I did most of the prep, and my mom and sister/sister in law did the "heavy lifting". It was still exhausting!

 

Twice, it had been just me, DH and DS. We went in to DC and walked the mall and ate a fabulous turkey dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Old Ebbitt Grill. They were great memories, mostly because they were "different".

 

I love The Old Ebbitt Grill!  Best crab cakes in the world, and Ive actually use their sweet potato recipe on Thanksgiving for the past several years.  My sisters who don't like sweet potatoes like those, because they're full of savory ingredients.  Yum!  

[*lifeoftheparty*]

I love The Old Ebbitt Grill!  Best crab cakes in the world, and Ive actually use their sweet potato recipe on Thanksgiving for the past several years.  My sisters who don't like sweet potatoes like those, because they're full of savory ingredients.  Yum!  

 

YES! I almost always get the crab cakes! If we go for lunch, I get the canneloni de casa- though I have been known to get a Walrus Burger ;)

 

I always mooch bites off my familiy's meals too- and I have never, ever, had one bad thing there- like, ever.

 

And they do one heck of a Thanksgiving meal! :)

[marbel]

I love The Old Ebbitt Grill!  Best crab cakes in the world, and Ive actually use their sweet potato recipe on Thanksgiving for the past several years.  My sisters who don't like sweet potatoes like those, because they're full of savory ingredients.  Yum!  

 

I know this isn't a recipe thread, and I'm sorry to derail, but... I am always looking for a better sweet potato recipe.  So I did a search, and found a couple of sites with a recipe for sweet potato gratin, which includes chipotle pepper, brown sugar, and heavy cream.  Are those the sweet potatoes you're referring to?  If not... can you share the recipe?

 

Thanks!

[FriedClams]

I do a full Thanksgiving for the 4 of us. I want my kids to remember the holidays as special, and set apart. I want them to remember "pink stuff" and "green stuff" and the Thankful Tree. Yes, it's hokey but I want them to see the rhythm in the changing of seasons, and celebrations and holidays. I think it helps ground us and gives us something to look forward to.

 

That being said - pick YOUR traditions. For Christmas morning we ALWAYS go eat waffles at Waffle House, and when DH pays the kids and I leave. We leave a HUGE tip for our waitress and love seeing her reaction as we hide in the car. It's awesome. Polled, each person would pick that as their favorite Christmas tradition. Other people would die at the thought of WH, or eating out, etc. but it's us. Pick YOURS. Dinner out and a movie. Pizza and Star Wars. Who cares. Just pick something that your family loves and make is special.

[Night Elf]

Now I really don't know what to do.  I'd just cook whatever I feel like, but I want people to enjoy it if I go to the trouble.    

 

Waffle House is sounding good. 

 

It sounds like your family might enjoy the day if you do cook the things they've requested. I'm going to do that very thing. I'm going to cook the things I like and that I know will make good leftovers and then let everyone else, including DH, pick one thing to add to the meal. I have a very picky eater myself so I feel your pain. He will likely request rolls and then eat ham and a canned veggie. He won't even like the dessert we make unless we make a cake/cupcakes from a prepared boxed mix. Can you imagine not liking homemade cupcakes??

[Night Elf]

For Christmas morning we ALWAYS go eat waffles at Waffle House, and when DH pays the kids and I leave. We leave a HUGE tip for our waitress and love seeing her reaction as we hide in the car.

 

I would happily eat waffles from Waffle House at any time of any day. What a great tradition. I too give big tips at the holidays. My dd21 works as a server so i know what it's like to depend on those tips for salary.

[RanchGirl]

I love Thanksgiving when it's just the four of us.  Our tradition is homemade cinnamon rolls in the morning, pjs & board games & football on tv, then the full turkey dinner with all the sides around 4pm.  It's pretty easy to make the turkey & sides once you have been doing it a few years.  Dh is always in charge of mashed potatoes and the kids each pick a side to help with.  There are lots of leftovers, we eat them for a few days and I freeze most of the extra turkey to use in different dishes.  I haven't quite figured out the perfect dessert so we try something new each year.  It needs to be small since we don't need much after the turkey dinner, but I feel like there should be *some* kind of pie shouldn't there?

 

Some years we go to a friend's or relatives for Thanksgiving, but those years we always pick a different day to have our own Thanksgiving as well because no one else does it just the way we like it!  :) 

[AlmiraGulch]

I know this isn't a recipe thread, and I'm sorry to derail, but... I am always looking for a better sweet potato recipe.  So I did a search, and found a couple of sites with a recipe for sweet potato gratin, which includes chipotle pepper, brown sugar, and heavy cream.  Are those the sweet potatoes you're referring to?  If not... can you share the recipe?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes!  So, so good.  

[AlmiraGulch]

It sounds like your family might enjoy the day if you do cook the things they've requested. I'm going to do that very thing. I'm going to cook the things I like and that I know will make good leftovers and then let everyone else, including DH, pick one thing to add to the meal. I have a very picky eater myself so I feel your pain. He will likely request rolls and then eat ham and a canned veggie. He won't even like the dessert we make unless we make a cake/cupcakes from a prepared boxed mix. Can you imagine not liking homemade cupcakes??

 

They would, but then I probably won't.  Not cooking just what they want, but anything, really.  If I cook what I would want, plus what they would want, I'll end up cooking all day, which I sort of hate.  DH said this morning he'd rather just go out, until I reminded him how much it would cost.  Now he wants me to cook, of course.  

 

As for desserts......I can relate!  Everyone in my house likes different things, so I'll end up making something to satisfy everyone.  I don't like chocolate, but that's my kids' favorite thing.  I like pumpkin pie, which DH and DD10 will eat, but I also like cherry and pecan pies, which the kids won't touch.  Strange people we both live with!

[KungFuPanda]

When it's just the 4 of us, I've done the Boston Market meal or the Rachel Ray One Hour Thanksgiving menu. I like to do the pumpkin pies myself since I grew up on a particular recipe that leaves all other pies tasting bland.

 

You can make it feel special without spending hours in the kitchen. Besides, if your family is like mine, they won't eat leftovers more than twice :-/

[Alessandra]

I cook for small immediate family, but do a full thanksgiving -- soup, 18 lb turkey, gravy, stuffing, 2 cranberry sauces, 4 side dishes. breadbasket, salad, 4 desserts. I print up a menu card with a little turkey on top and t'day prayer from Ann Landers/Dear Abby. We have thanksgiving china and serving pieces -- turkey shaped tureens, gravy boats, veggie dishes, salt & pepper sets, napkins rings -- you name it, we've got it.

 

I cook large amounts for lots of leftovers and then do not cook again until Sunday. Everyone microwaves whatever leftovers they want.

 

My dc have great thanksgiving memories. Once in a while, we have visited family and had the experience of turkey + 2 veg, 1 dessert, normal china. Very disheartening.

 

Oh, btw, I buy some things, usually soup, breads, a dessert, chocolate turkeys. 

[KungFuPanda]

FWIW, This soup is WONDERFUL. The only change I make is to add black walnuts to the garnish.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pumpkin-soup-with-chili-cran-apple-relish-recipe/index.html

[marbel]

Yes!  So, so good.  

 

Thanks so much!  My family love chipotle so I will be trying this one soon.

[readinmom]

I hadn't seen the Rachel Ray 1 hour Thanksgiving before.  Thanks!

 

Thanksgiving is usually small at our house as extended family has gone in different directions.  I love the idea about letting kids contribute to new traditions.  Our boys are older, but dd10 loves to celebrate anything.