Community Corner

Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner? There's an App for That.

Tons of family, mountains of food and hours of keeping the peace. How do you do it? Patch rounded up some reader tips on ways to make sure that big family Thanksgiving dinner is a successful one. How do you juggle all the hosting responsibilities?

As Thanksgiving draws near, many people are preparing to host that big family dinner at their place. 

Last week a dozen Crofton Patch readers offered awesome tips for a flawless Thanksgiving gathering in 

Hosting your first Thanksgiving dinner and have an iPhone? There's an app for that—Chow's Thanksgiving Dinner Coach. The app puts together nine traditional Thanksgiving dishes, as well as a step-by-step timeline that plots out two days of preparation and the big day itself.

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Looking for more traditional advice? Patch spoke with some readers and got their suggestions about what can be done to ensure that the day goes well.
Severna Park resident and, also known as the Frugal Writer, suggests delegating responsibilities:

“Don't be shy about asking other attendees to bring something. In our family, a few folks have specialties, like sweet potato pie, or mashed potatoes. Delegate a few items like these to other family members or friends coming over. Even non cooks can bring drinks and/or paper products.”

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She also encourages planning a late-afternoon or evening activity:

“To get the blood flowing again, go out for a walk and take the kids on an impromptu scavenger hunt. Everyone can get a bit of fresh air and exercise to help burn off some of those calories!”
Glen Burnie resident Brenda Kelly reminded those planning to cook turkey to remember to thaw it first:

“Turkey it takes a loooong time to thaw. Go to a site like butterball.com to find out exact time for thawing and cooking so you aren't surprsed with a turkey too frozen to prepare. Also, there is a bag of liver, kidneys, giblets, etc., so make sure this gets removed before cooking. I simmer them with the neck and onions and use the broth in my gravy.”

also stressed the importance of thawing the turkey first, reminded those who choose to fry their bird to make sure to do it outside:

“Thaw the turkey before attempting to deep fry the bird. My friend almost set the entire kitchen on fire with that one. I told him to take it outside. He nursed his burns well into Valentine's Day.”
Glen Burnie resident Sylvia Mentecki said hosts should make sure to find out what their guests like:

“Ask them what they like to drink, eat and snack on. Ask them if they have any traditions that you can honor for them. Use paper products if you can—it saves time so that you don't spend the afternoon cleaning and instead are able to enjoy the company. “

She also suggested looking in cooking magazines, such as Taste of Home, for ideas on table settings and decorations.

And Glen Burnie resident Rose Quasney gave my favorite tip of all:
“Good wine. And get extra just in case the turkey is too dry.”
Looking for more tips on hosting Thanksgiving dinner? Try some of these websites for ideas.
Country Living Q&A: Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner
Food Network: How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner
Good Bite: Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner


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