Well....first of all I would have had one whole turkey instead of 2 breasts....there are a lot of dark meat eaters in my family.
Then I would have a casserole of stuffing another bowl of mashed potatoes and probably one of vegetables.
Perhaps I doon't know waht you are asking? Do you want suggestions of what to take orw ill this be at your house?
Linda C

Sorry...it will be at my house. And I will be doing it myself. The breasts have been ordered cook. Trying to make as easy as I can. I need another main dish. Should I cook a ham? I will have stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetable.

We always have a crowd when we go to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving so we carve the turkey(s) and set up all the side dishes on a large table in the kitchen. My aunt only makes the turkey and stuffing and we bring the rest so the menu changes yearly depending on who will be there. Guests serve themselves from the buffet and then sit at tables set up in the dining room and parlor.

After dinner, we clear the buffet table and set up all the desserts, coffee, etc. A second group who may have had dinner elsewhere arrives for dessert only.

Maybe some arrangement like that would work for you, with a birthday cake during the dessert time.

Since it's a special birthday too...and not an enormous group...I would do a beef roast....either a rolled rip or a Filet "chub"...that is the center section tied to be "chubby".
What would your mother love? Another thought would be a whole salmon poached, chilled and served cold...to make things easier.
Linda C

I would get a spiral sliced ham. It goes great with turkey and it is already cooked. You serve it at room temperature. You can use your oven for the sides. I would have stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls, veggies, and cheese.

Thank you for ideas. Actually, good idea, my mother actually loves ham. She loves it with raisin sauce. I have never made raisin sauce. Does someone have a recipe for that? The rest of the family will be not much help. They have about a 6 hour drive. They will help with clean-up.

I'd go with a ham too. They just need to be warmed through and a perfect with turkey. Personally I don't care for the spiral cut hams, I prefer the solid bone in cooked hams but many speak highly of the spiral cuts.

I often do a ham and turkey together for Easter or T-Day, here is what I do for sides. I usually have between 15-20

Baked beans ( I have an easy cheater recipe that goes over well and can be dome in advance)

Scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes. There is a hash brown potatoes casserole recipe that is people love, easy to make, works well on a buffet and can be done a day ahead. I have that recipe if you want it.

Roasted Squash or a squash casserole.

Broccoli and cauliflower with a cheese sauce on the side that people can help themselves to. If you would rather do the cauliflower or broccoli as a casserole I'm sure people have lots of recipes that can made ahead.

Gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mustard, pickle tray and rolls are all must haves !

Good luck

Ham is good, although if you're expecting kids or vegetarians, I might do a pasta/cheese dish instead. (Lasagna or spaghetti or something)

Would anyone have a bread stuffing recipe, maybe one I could do in crock pot? You are giving me great ideas and I appreciate it.

I don't think I'll be of much help.
Most of the time we have a Smorgasborg.

Chicken Wedding Soup, Turkey, Ham, Macaroni with meatballs , Sausage or Lasagne
Plus all the Goodies later with coffee.

If there is a Birthday involved, that would come after Dinner,
with the Birthday Cake,candles and singing.

This year everyone is going different places, so there will be only three eating Dinner
And a lot of care Packages.
Lou

Do you mean bread alone - with no meat? Can't help you there (or with a crockpot recipe) but this is a good make-ahead recipe and doesn't need to be piping hot, just warmed up is fine. Ever since I first made this, its all I make and my family loves it. Thanks, Marilyn!

Bread and Sausage Stuffing (Marilyn)

2 pounds white bread
2 pounds pork sausage
6 stalks celery; chopped
2 onions; chopped
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 eggs
6 cups chicken stock

Cut bread into cubes and lay out to dry. In a large skillet, cook sausage until well browned; place in a large mixing bowl along with drippings. Cook onions and celery in butter until tender but not brown. Add all ingredients to the large bowl along with the sausage. Stir together well and pour into a greased 9X13X2-inch baking dish and bake at 350° for 30 to 45 minutes until puffed and golden but not too dry.

And not that you asked - but I think this is a terrific recipe and its now what I do every Thanksgiving.

Cook's Country Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
Makes about 2 quarts
For more flavor, after roasting the turkey you can skim the drippings from the pan and add them to the gravy just before serving. It's best to discard the strong-tasting liver before using the giblets. This recipe makes enough to accompany a large turkey and still have plenty for leftovers.

6 turkey drumsticks, thighs, or wings
reserved turkey giblets
reserved turkey neck
2 carrots , chopped coarse
1 head garlic , halved
2 ribs celery , chopped coarse
2 onions , chopped coarse
Vegetable oil spray
10cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
12 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place giblets, neck, drumsticks, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in roasting pan, spray with vegetable oil, and toss well. Roast, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
2. Transfer contents of roasting pan to Dutch oven. Add broth, wine, and thyme and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Pour through fine-mesh strainer into large container (discard solids), cover stock with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fat congeals, at least 2 hours.
3. Using soup spoon, skim fat and reserve. Heat 1/2 cup fat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until bubbling. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until honey colored, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Gravy can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.) Reheat gravy in saucepan over medium heat until bubbling.

Here's a recipe for raisin sauce from allrecipes.com.

Raisin Sauce for Ham
Yield 2 1/2 cups

1/2 cup brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups water

In a saucepan, stir together brown sugar, cornstarch and mustard powder. Slowly stir in vinegar, then add raisins, lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil.

Here is a link that might be useful: Raisin Sauce

Thank you Woodie, I think they would enjoy that stuffing.
Kathleen, thank you for raisin sauce. My mother loves raisin sauce.

I know I will come under fire for posting this - but I love it and I know many people who are "closet" Green Bean Casserole lovers too (they just dont admit it here LOL)

Original Durkee Green Bean Casserole Recipes

2 cans (16 oz.) cut green beans drained or 14 oz package frozen thawed and drained

3/4 cup milk

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 large can Durkee French fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine beans, milk, soup, pepper and 1/2 can onions. Pour into 1 1/2 quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining onions; bake uncovered 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown.

the above green bean casserole is a must on our Thanksgiving table. even my 30ish kids who frown on canned mushroom soup and canned green beans insist on that exact recipe. also for a buffet table lots of pretty veggie dishes (radishes, olives, pickles, stuffed celery, etc) is always a hit with everyone. turkey, ham, scalloped potatoes. making gravy freaks me out so unless mom is there to make it I avoid having it, ha. is there a favorite family recipe your mom remembers. my mom always asks for creamed corn, not our favorite but i always make it for her. most importantly remember to relax and enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving!

caliloo, since you were so brave--

My name is Jessica Vanderhoff. I roll my own pasta, bake my own bread, know my egg supplier (and several of her hens) by first name, grow my own herbs, wake up earlier on farmer's market day than Christmas,

and I like green bean casserole.

ROTFL Jess!
Livvy you are so blessed to have your mom and family together for Thanksgiving. I have nothing to add, other than I think you have the right attitude--keep it simple and just old family faves.

No offense, really, but geez, it seems to me for a 90th birthday, that person would set the menu for me! At least to include their favorites among other things. Maybe she has a comfort food from her childhood that she's been longing to have or something.

Since she likes ham, ham and turkey would be great. Lately my tastes have been changing. Scalloped/Au Gratin potatoes have been sounding so good lately I'd possibly add some bacon in it for my family, though! (One recipe recommended it) I really like the sour cream/chive or ranch flavored ones too. There's the potato casseroles too that are usually popular. And here's a broccoli/rice dish that sounds great. Might even consider some cauliflower in with it. This one is for a rice dressing that I'd include some wild rice (and bacon) for around here and it could easily be seasoned differently depending on tastes. Add some nice dinner rolls (even from a bakery are fine). And I saw a variation that interested me on the green bean casserole that said to use cream of chicken soup instead of mushroom to get a better flavor. Roasted green beans on Caprial this morning sounded good too.

Happy birthday to your mother! Hope it's a very special day for everyone. And kudos to you for taking on the task by yourself. Don't hesitate to take a few shortcuts. Having the turkey done is great and things like bakery rolls, pies or something are fine. Everyone will love it anyway. Don't get yourself so exhausted that you can't enjoy the day too.

Thank you Jessica! You are a brave soul for admitting that here, that Cream Of Mushroom soup has the potential of starting a fire storm likes of which are rarely seen here,. LOLOLOL!

Anyway - I TOLD you all there are closet Green Bean Casserole lovers LOLOLOL!

Alexa

OK , if you can come clean Alexa so can I.

Here is my dirty little secret for a large buffet. Everyone loves it! What can I say.....except make double !

Hash Brown Potatoes Casserole

1-2 pound package frozen hash brown potatoes
1 Cup chopped onions
2 Can cream of chicken soup undiluted
2 Cup sour cream
Special K cereal (or other plain cereal like corn flakes)
butter
2 Cup grated cheddar cheese

Mix the potatoes, onions, soup and sour cream together in a large bowl. Place mixture in a greased 11"x7" casserole dish.

Spread a thin layer of Special K cereal on the top and dot the top of the casserole with bits of butter. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese evenly over all.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

There , I'm out.....; )