Thanksgiving for One

Hi,
My husband and kids will be going downstate (back "home") for Thanksgiving, but I'm stuck here because I have zero vacation days available until January first.
I thought about going to a restaurant to pay $30-40 for a Thanksgiving buffet meal, but now I'm leaning towards getting one of those packages at Dominick grocery for the same price, where they give you a turkey, mashed potatoes & gravy, and another side or two to take home and bake.
The reason I'd rather bake at home is because the second best thing about Thanksgiving is the leftover turkey sandwiches. Can I get an Amen?

Anyway, I was just wondering whether anyone had bought these "take-home and bake" packages from Dominick or anywhere else, and how it turned out. If anyone has suggestions on where to go for an exceptionally good package, that would be great!

Saint Pizza wrote: I thought about going to a restaurant to pay $30-40 for a Thanksgiving buffet meal, but now I'm leaning towards getting one of those packages at Dominick grocery for the same price,

Saint Pizza,

Never tried the Dominick's turkey package, or any other for that matter, but have had a few surprisingly pleasant T-day meals at Mike Ditka's*, which has a selection of fried, roasted and turducken style turkey available.

That said, if I was going to be in town for T-day you'd be first on my invite list for a T-day meal.

Enjoy,
Gary

*We've had T-day meals at Ditka's as if in town I, along with a few other BBQ guys and my friend Captain Merrilll Powers of the Salvation Army, smoke a small flock of turkeys for lunch for 500. We start around 9pm, finish around 10am T-day, so dinner out seems a really good idea.

The T-day turkey cook will not be held this year as Captain Powers recently changed posts.

I'm very sorry that this is not Outlaw Thanksgivingyear, or you surely would be invited and welcome!

I have tried the Dominick's thanksgiving package and thought it was decent. The package at Treasure Island is much better but more expensive. I ordered it twice from the Treasure Island on Clybourn about 4 or so years ago.

What about Boston Market? Two years ago, I ordered a Thanksgiving banquet for my family. I'm sure they offer individual Thanksgiving meals too.

www.bostonmarket.com

Last time I was at Fox and Obel they had a catering menu advertising thanksgiving dinner. I know they have it for two, but its not listed for one, you should call and ask. It looked good. heres the menu. its expensive

Also, there are many family restaurants that provide small "carry-out meals" that would be reasonably priced.

I haven't tried Dominick' s but my family back east tried one of these packages from Stop and Shop last year. The turkey was actually precooked by a processor (Armour? Butterball? can't remember) not by the store and came wrapped as if it were a regular frozen turkey. It was OK. The sides were horrendous - overcooked vegetables and gluey salty starches. we would consider the turkey again but are going with home cooked sides this year.

G Wiv wrote:That said, if I was going to be in town for T-day you'd be first on my invite list for a T-day meal.

Awwww, thanks for the thought!!

G Wiv wrote:*We've had T-day meals at Ditka's as if in town I, along with a few other BBQ guys and my friend Captain Merrilll Powers of the Salvation Army, smoke a small flock of turkeys for lunch for 500. We start around 9pm, finish around 10am T-day, so dinner out seems a really good idea.

The T-day turkey cook will not be held this year as Captain Powers recently changed posts.

That sounds fun! Sorry to hear that your friend switched posts and you won't be able to do that this year.

stevez wrote:I'm very sorry that this is not Outlaw Thanksgivingyear, or you surely would be invited and welcome!

Bwahaha, I LOVE the idea of "Outlaw Thanksgiving"... <bwg>

rickster wrote: The sides were horrendous - overcooked vegetables and gluey salty starches.

Yeah, I was afraid that would be the case....I think I'll pass after all.

marias23 wrote:What about Boston Market? Two years ago, I ordered a Thanksgiving banquet for my family. I'm sure they offer individual Thanksgiving meals too.

www.bostonmarket.com

Thanks Maria, for this great idea! I looked up the menu online and it sounds just perfect. I think I'll go with the Boston Market idea and buy doubles for carryout to ensure leftover sandwiches & meals.

Last year, I was stuck in exactly the same position you were in. I chose to cater through the, then new, Eatzi's in the mall at Diversey and Clark. Like you, I wanted extra turkey for sandwiches.

For around $120, I a nice turkey which I cooked in my own oven and three or four sides including dessert. The turkey was a bit dry. It could have stood to have been brined in my opinion. But, it was already rubbed with an herb butter and stuffed with aromatics. The sides were very good.

It was enough food to feed a family of three or four.

Eatzi's
2828 N Clark
773-832-9310

I also noticed that Trotters to Go on Fullerton is offering Thanksgiving catering. Its expensive. But, the food quality there is always excellent.

Trotters to Go
1337 West Fullerton Avenue
773-868-6510

I read this morning ("Small Plates, Big Heart" from Naperville Magazine) about Meson Sabika owner Hossein Jamali's Thanksgiving Day event.

Saint Pizza, it sounds like you are set, but others in the same situation might be interested.

"Meson Sabika opens its doors each year to anyone and everyone, who, for whatever reason, don't have anywhere else to go."

Staff and volunteers serve turkey dinner from 11 a.m. -2 p.m. After guests (1,000 last year) are served, the staff and volunteers (about 200) have dinner. Sounds like it could be fun. Volunteers can call 630-983-300 for more information.

I came across this link this evening:

http://www.gapersblock.com/detour/taking_care_of_turkey_day/

Good luck.