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POLL: #1 must have for Thanksgiving?

Houzz Polls
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? What's your #1 must have to prep for the big night?

Vote below! To enter the drawing to win a pair of Houzz slippers, post a comment (or photo) telling us your favorite Thanksgiving dish.

*One entry per person, per drawing. Entries must be posted before 12:00am Pacific Time 11/27/13. One winner will be drawn at random.
2 ovens are essential
Deep fryer - can't do turkey any other way
Large refrigerator for leftovers
I would never host without a dishwasher
Phone - I order Thanksgiving dinner
Other - Tell us below!
Featured Answer
  • motownmom
    10 years ago
    My "other" is not anything you listed. I have to have lists. My list has 1) what I'm preparing, 2) prep times, backing into my start time for each recipe, and 3) a grocery list prepared from recipes. I then determine the serving dishes/platters and utensils I need, and how to set the table. I can figure out the rest of your poll items, how to cook it in one oven, how much room to leave in the fridge, and how many dishes my dishwasher will hold. :)

    Comments (57)

    • Teresa S-j
      10 years ago
      I can make do with pretty much anything, but I really like having the dishwasher -- after prepping, cooking and serving, who wants do anything else but prop one's feet up? My other must have, which isn't listed, is lots of family!
    • PRO
      Daniel DeSantis Interiors
      10 years ago
      Large refrigerator, definitely. I like to open the door and see the left overs stacked up. Dig in!
    • PRO
      Barnhart Gallery
      10 years ago
      My "Other" is easy -- kids. Since my S&BIL host Thxgiving each year, and I only have to do the centerpieces and a few side dishes, I send out an email to all of my son's friends' families who are busy getting ready for a crowd, inviting them to send me their kids while I arrange flowers and they sweat the hosting gig. I've had as many as a dozen kids running around the house -- puts me in a happy holiday mood to hear their laughter.
    • ladyamour
      10 years ago
      its awesome and amazing....
    • PRO
      Barnhart Gallery
      10 years ago
      last modified: 10 years ago
      PS - Best turkey ever was by my bro, who smoked it, along with my family's traditional linguica stuffing. I missed it, so now I usually volunteer to bring along some butternut squash soup with chiorizo so that I can sneak a little of it into my stuffing at the in-laws. (Shhh!)
    • PRO
      LB Interiors
      10 years ago
      Leftovers in a large frig, if I have any after giving my kids some. A family tradition is stuffed artichokes as an appetizer. Stuffed with sausage/ground beef and brown rice with melted butter for dipping the leaves.
    • charleee
      10 years ago
      motownmom - I'm with you! Exactly!
    • rose17marie
      10 years ago
      Lots of wine! Before, during and after.
    • Gail Oliver @ Attention Getting Marketing
      10 years ago
      Plates and wine glasses for every guest. Every year I seem to be short. Plus, making sure everything is ready at the same time.
    • PRO
      THW Design
      10 years ago
      I miss having 2 ovens. I think every kitchen should have 2. One for the main course and one for the side or dessert. It would be the best Christmas gift ever.
    • adrianne_sterling
      10 years ago
      My number one must-haves are fresh rosemary, fresh sage, and green and white onions for my savory cornbread dressing. I hate to be caught the day before Thanksgiving going to the store.
    • PRO
      The Vintage Laundry
      10 years ago
      My family makes a southern cornbread dressing. It is made like a soufflé - light and fluffy. Best thing ever is a bite of this dressing topping with a bit of cranberry sauce!
    • Curt D'Onofrio
      10 years ago
      Pumpkin pie
    • Peggy
      10 years ago
      I keep a journal of how the dinner went last year so I only have to tweak it and not reinvent it. Lists are huge for me. Keeps me focused on what is the priority for each day so I can really enjoy family when everyone is here.
    • PRO
      Sustainable Dwellings
      10 years ago
      I have a new pro kitchen and a gigantic fridge... I'm going somewhere else for Thanksgiving! Tried to organize fam/friends from afar... succumbed to an invite from local friends. I will take homeade rolls, stuffin muffins, cranberry/apple/walnut crisp, and Buffalo wings....
    • glynwoodgal
      10 years ago
      My must have is a house full of FAMILY. There a many holidays throughout the year, but the one favorite that really draws the family together is Thanksgiving! I think they come for my husband's secret ingredient gravy...
    • Rebecca Buckner
      10 years ago
      Our Thanksgiving always includes chocolate bourbon pecan pie...served after the dishes are done and the leftovers put away. Then an evening walk around the neighborhood.
    • Katie Doss
      10 years ago
      Counter space. Without adequate counter space I feel as though I'm working on top of myself.
    • armipeg
      10 years ago
      A good working oven, and some helping hands. This is not a one man show. Family must pitch in to help.
    • mbgs
      10 years ago
      Steam lined organization or everything falls apart! Oh, and good wine!
    • melissap2
      10 years ago
      My "other" is someone else's house! Finally this year we get to show up with one dish and go home early for a nap!
    • sunshineks
      10 years ago
      I just want to have all the dishes my family love to eat ready and hot to eat, and after our fabulous meal spend the evening by the fire playing games and telling tale's of older times our kids love to hear. Special day, for use all.
    • lindsaychallen
      10 years ago
      A table large enough to seat all my family! No kids table, kids and grownups all enjoy the meal together. That's what it's all about after all :)
    • victorianbungalowranch
      10 years ago
      last modified: 10 years ago
      Two ovens and a large fridg would be nice, but I don't have either. The main thing I do the day or two before besides pick up supplies I've forgotten is make cranberry sauce, tear up bread for stuffing, chop and sauté onions, and make pies/dessert if I'm going to do that. Often I just opt for a crumble or something simple, or make pies the day after to go with the leftovers.

      Actually, we have been known to have Thanksgiving on Friday rather than Thursday to make it less stressful for me, the cook. I don't do shopping on Black Friday anyway and rather be peaceful with family at home. Rushing around and spending the whole day in the kitchen and cleaning up isn't my idea of a holiday, so we sometimes do something simple like butternut squash soup the day of Thanksgiving and save the turkey for later.
    • sandraleegarth
      10 years ago
      Heavy duty aluminum foil and containers for any leftovers.
    • mil1946
      10 years ago
      Give me the basics...turkey, dressing, dessert, veggies, bread, tea, even paper plates...best of all, the thing I can't do without....time to spend with family and friends.
    • PRO
      Liza Hausman
      10 years ago
      Family for sure - and a potluck approach. This discussion makes me smile - and makes my stomach grumble!
    • PRO
      Maggie Cohen, ASID, NCIDQ
      10 years ago
      Reservations!! Other than baking and decorating a fabulous life-size pumpkin cake, we enjoy the family meal in the same wonderful local restaurant every year. It's cozy, semi-private areas and great, great food are a real treat. Making and decorating the cake takes probably as long as creating an entire Thanksgiving meal, but it's much more fun...and no clean up!
    • ktf2011
      10 years ago
      My grandma's Sicilian stuffing is the best. She learned from her mother-in-law after she was married. (Grandma Nina immigrated from Sicily in the 1920s, so you know her stuffing is legit.)
    • muffin312
      10 years ago
      Home made pumpkin pie is my favorite dish....and fresh cranberries!
    • mswilder
      10 years ago
      Our Thanksgiving necessity is the outdoor oven - the Big Green Egg. The hubs makes the TO-DIE-FOR mesquite smoked turkey on our Big Green Egg.
    • PRO
      Debra Zuloaga @ Lowe's Home Improvement
      10 years ago
      A " kid's " table or two is a Thanksgiving must for our big family dinner.
    • PRO
      Winterhouse Kitchens, Bath & Custom Woodwork
      10 years ago
      I just love having a double oven! I don't know how our moms did without it! Since we're still new to the hosing duties, it's the single most helpful item in the kitchen, for freeing us up to socialize while we cook.
    • Wens
      10 years ago
      Seating and countertop space as we lay food out buffet style
    • Kerry Harrison
      10 years ago
      Large kitchen, that's where everyone gathers to watch you cook!
    • brathy13
      10 years ago
      We need 4 cooking areas - double oven in our stove and an outdoor smoker (turkey 1) and a Weber grill (turkey 2)
    • Jessica
      10 years ago
      Favorite dish would be pumpkin pie and the rolls! Really, I'll eat it all though and a fridge for all of the leftovers is a must.
    • PRO
      Monique's Bath Showroom
      10 years ago
      Other would be...Two ovens are great but two dishwashers are a must if you entertain a good deal. By the way our warming Tray is awesome at the holidays!
    • Jeannie Nguyen
      10 years ago
      CONGRATULATIONS to @yoboseiyo for winning her very own pair of Houzz slippers! If you missed out on this poll, don't worry, you still have time left to get your comments into our Neutral Colors poll!
      https://www.houzz.com/discussions/poll-whats-your-favorite-neutral-color-dsvw-vd~749727
    • ladyamour
      10 years ago
      congrats
    • unwantedadvice
      10 years ago
      Well done, yoboseiyo!
    • PRO
      LB Interiors
      10 years ago
      Yippee!
    • ladyamour
      10 years ago
      job well done
    • kcren
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      A car that I rent out so I could drive to the cottage country. (am Canadian), with family and/or friends.

    • PRO
      LampsUSA.com
      8 years ago

      Lots of vanilla candles and merlot wine, along with laughter and mood music. It doesn't get any better that this.

    • kpappal
      8 years ago
      Sounds crazy, I know, but this year it's a U-Haul! We usually host Thanksgiving dinner, but our youngest son and his family moved south over the summer, so this year we rented a trailer, packed it with crock pots, aprons, a folding table, small refrigerator, and beach chairs! We'll fill the cooler with the turkey and other goodies, and hit the road tomorrow!
    • kpappal
      8 years ago
      And I add, my favorite Thanksgiving dish is our family's traditional stuffing! It's a recipe that's been in our family for many, many years! It is THE BEST! It holds such a special spot on our table, that my children bought an extra large bowl for it.
    • teamaltese
      8 years ago
      Restaurant reservations!
    • Emily H
      8 years ago

      I ordered a smoked turkey from Texas this year. Now I just have to hope it really arrives or it's going to be turkey sandwiches. :P

    • Elsa
      8 years ago
      Family, the most important thing for me. Oh, and really good pumpkin pie!
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