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Thanksgiving dinner?

I know a lot of questions have probably been asked about this already but I need help! This is my first thanksgiving dinner ever, normally my family goes to my moms house. I need help tackling the turkey, and gravy mostly. The other things I bought boxed or canned and can read the directions, or have made before. Yeah I know its sad that an almost 26 year old with 3 kids does not know how to make gravy!! But if anyone can help me I would appreciate it. Also any recipes or ideas for desserts or side dishes would be welcomed. I am pretty sure of what I am making but if something sounds good I will add it. I have an almost 20 pound turkey, and would also like to know around what time I should start it cooking if I want to eat by 1 or 2 PM.

Public Comments

1. you need these have to have at thanksgiving things:* -mashed potatoes -ham with pinneapple. -macaroni and cheese -pasta salad -cornbread -deer jerkey -squirrel -beans -corn -dressing -green beans -vegetable soup -rabbit _______________truth be told: the pilgrims actually did not have any of the things that i just mentioned. -they had salmon, fish, lobster, and i guess that you could just say that they had a seafood buffet...bcuz they were right by the ocean when they ate...so they had to have whatever they could find. --------------------don't forget to watch the macy's day parade!!!!!!!!!!!
2. cant help with the turkey party but buy canned gravy all u have to do is heat it up!!! and put it in a gravy boat oh oh oh u need cherry/cranberry pie apple pie pumpkin pie and sweet patato pie!!! have a warm safe thanksgiving
3. First make sure that you start thawing your turkey out right now or else it won't cook properly. Take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator. Prepare a marinade for the turkey like garlic salt seasoning, olive oil and maybe some beer. That is how I cook turkey. Put the turkey in a cooking bag with the marinade and place it in a enclosed baking pan and place it in the oven. As far as cooking time look it up on Foodnetwork.com. This website will offer you better advice than any of us.
4. Ok I recomend that you get a Reynolds Turkey Size roasting bag, Im sure you know what this is. Put your Turkey in that to cook it. A website says a 20-24 lb turkey in a reynolds bag should be cooked at 350 for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. I recomend that you coat the Turkey well with butter and put butter also in the cavity. Personally I dont bother trying to tackle the homemade gravy with all the other cooking going on. But here is a recipe: 1/2 cup melted butter 1/2 cup flour 4 cups chicken or turkey stock* Pan drippings from roast turkey Salt & ground black pepper to taste Start by making a roux with the melted butter and flour and hold to the side. In a saucepan bring chicken stock or turkey stock, and pan drippings to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Whisk the reserved roux to simmering stock being careful to get rid of any lumps. Over low heat, cook the gravy for about 10 minutes until it has reached the desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste, strain any unsightly "stuff" from the pan drippings and serve. Most sauce recipes say to strain at this point and it is better for presentation, but I honestly can't tell you I do it all the time. Here are a few other simple side dishes and desserts: Baked Macaroni and Cheese 2 lbs elbow macaroni 4 10 oz. Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheese 4 10 oz. Cracker Barrel sharp cheese 2 sticks butter milk salt Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Cook macaroni according to directions on box, rinse and drain. Put in a large roasting pan. Slice up the butter and mix with macaroni. Shred the cheeses and stir into the macaroni. Pour in milk until you can see it but not completly covering the macaroni. Season with salt to taste. Cover with foil and bake 2 hours. Remove foil uring last 15 minutes, allowing top to become golden brown. Do not use any other brands of cheese as it will alter taste of recipe. Broccoli Rice and cheese Casserole: 1/2 c. chopped onions 1/2 c. chopped celery 1 lg. pkg. frozen broccoli 1 jar Cheese Whiz 4 c. cooked rice 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream of chicken soup Precook broccoli and rice separately. In large saucepan, melt butter and saute onions and celery. Add cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup and cheese; stir until melted. Fold in broccoli and rice. Pour in large, ungreased casserole dish and heat for 30 minutes on 350 degrees. Makes a great side dish or meal by itself. Green Bean Casserole 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of mushroom soup 2 16-ounce cans of cooked green beans (or one 20 ounce package of frozen green beans) 1/2 cup milk Salt and pepper to taste 1 1/3 cups canned french fried onions Cook green beans according to the package directions. In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, mix the green beans, soup, milk, soy sauce and 2/3 cup of the french fried onions. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 F. for 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining french fried onions on the top of the casserole and bake for another 5 minutes. Macaroni Salad Potato salad Mashed Potatoes Stuffing Cranberry Rice Sweet Potato dish Fresh Veggies (nibblets (mini ears of corn, glazed carrots, etc) Banana pudding A cobbler (cherry, Peach, mixed berry, apple) Or a Pie (pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, or apple) Good luck, and happy thanksgiving from our family to yours.
5. I have a 22 lb. turkey and will start cooking it at 5:00 a.m. To make gravy from scratch, pour the drippings from your turkey pan into a saucepan, bring the drippings to a boil. In a separate bowl with lid combine 2-3 T. flour with 1 cup milk; cover with the lid and shake vigorously. Then, add the flour/milk mixture to the boiling drippings; add in chicken bouillon to taste; boil for a couple minutes til thickened. Salt & pepper to taste. In case of error, I would also have canned or jarred gravy on hand. Good luck! I love making Thanksgiving Dinner! I'm so excited!