Planning a stress-free Thanksgiving Dinner

More and more people prefer to leave the cooking and cleaning to others to enjoy their Thanksgiving holiday celebrating family and friends. While dining out is certainly an option, there are plenty of ways to have a stress-free holiday while entertaining for Thanksgiving. For those who want an eat-at-home experience for a lot less work, there is always Deanie’s Seafood’s classic Holiday Take-Home Menu featuring traditional Thanksgiving dishes, homemade desserts and a fine showcase of seafood dishes,  including crawfish étouffée, crab and shrimp stuffed mirlitons, crab patties, stuffed crawfish, oyster dressing and seafood gumbo.

Check out Deanie’s array of meat–including Cajun fried turkeys, smoked brisket, smoked Boston Butt and smoked turkeys–sides (which require re-heating) and pies (which just need to be served), available to order and ready for pickup by 8 p.m., Wed., Nov. 25. (Note: Deanie’s is closed on Thanksgiving.)

If “keep it easy” is your mantra this holiday, you can order your complete Thanksgiving meal, including starters, entrée, a selection of sides, and homemade desserts such as Pumpkin Cheesecake with Praline Sauce and Red Velvet Cake.

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Here are some tips for choosing the right size turkey: For a large party, you might want to serve a selection of meats such as turkey and brisket or ham, or prepare an extra white-meat–only turkey breast. The rule of thumb is 1 or 1-½ lbs. of turkey per person; however, smaller turkeys of 12 lbs. or less have a larger bone-to-meat ratio, so to be safe, figure 2 lbs. per person.

Here are suggested servings for a complete Thanksgiving dinner for six and 12:

Dinner for Six                       

Price

Fried or Smoked Turkey (12-14 lbs.)

39.95

1 qt. Crabmeat dressing       

14.95

1 qt. Turkey Gravy

7.95

Oyster Patties

$15.95 per dozen

1 qt. Sweet Potato Casserole

11.25

½ gallon Seafood Gumbo or Shrimp & Crab Bisque

21.00

1 qt. Corn Maque Choux

9.95

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Praline Sauce (serves 12-14)

39.95

   

Total

$160.95 plus tax

Dinner for 12

Price

Fried or Smoked Turkey (12-14 lbs.)

39.95

Smoked Beef Brisket (based on 4 lbs)

59.80

2 qts. Oyster dressing (16.95/qt.)

33.90

2 qts. Turkey Gravy (7.95/qt.)

15.90

6 Stuffed Mirlitons (3.95 each)

23.70

1 pan Sweet Potato Casserole

21.95

1 gallon Shrimp & Crab Bisque

41.00

2 qts. Corn Maque Choux (9.95/qt.)

19.90

Eggnog Cheesecake with Southern Comfort Anglaise Sauce (serves 12-14)

39.95

   

Total

$296.05 plus tax

Other ideas for keeping the mellow in your Thanksgiving celebration include planning ahead and asking for help if you need it. If roasting your own turkey, remember to thaw the bird in the fridge three to five days in advance. Delegate to others, don’t be afraid to ask someone to bring a dish or dessert. Set the Thanksgiving table a few days in advance.

Most of all, be realistic about what you can accomplish, and try to remember the reason for the gathering is to celebrate the bounty of our great nation and to share time with loved ones.

Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks for what we have in our lives. Remember to look around the table and take in the people who are part of the special moments in your life.

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