For 9 years now, I’ve been having a thanksgiving dinner every year. It caps at 16 people because that’s the maximum I can fit around my two folding tables. My plates and silverware do not match. I make turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole and pumpkin pies (I have guests who bring sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, bread and appetizers). At this point, I have it so down to a system (a lot of prepping ahead) that it doesn’t even feel like a huge effort.
As a lazy person who feels like I go to basically enough dinner parties I'm interested in cooking some of this stuff for myself, and as a person recently diagnosed with celiac's I'm very interested to hear more about gluten free brands that are good.
let me consult with some other people but I really can't say enough good things about Simple Mills (including their baking mixes, though I haven't tried the savory ones yet) and the Jovial brown rice pasta. the one thing I haven't found thus far is something that's like… a good all purpose bread for sandwiches, toast, etc. there are many options but I have not liked any I've tried.
there's also a gluten free bakery / pastry shop in New York called Noglu (which is pretty good) and they have some cookbooks but I suspect the recipes are not very lazy.
Once a guest broke a glass so I threw my glass on the floor too. This seemed to take their mind off feeling bad and works better for me than plastic because I like having nice glasses. Thrift stores always have cheap glasses so you can be constantly breaking and replenishing them within a reasonable cash flow.
Back in my perfect apartment (RIP) I used to have a 25 person dinner party on a regular basis. I had the boys come over early and move most of my furniture into my bedroom and then stuck my dining table in the center of the room and borrowed those little restaurant outdoor tables to put at either end. It was a narrow squeak on a few occasions. What did I cook? I don't remember because I was cooking all day in a kind of demented mania. Stepping over pots on the floor bc that was the only place left for them. I think elk stuffed cabbage rolls and kharcho and potatoes and pilaf. I'd order a case of wine and gnash my teeth waiting for it to arrive in time and composing strongly worded letters to the transportation secretary or customer service department alternately.
I am so full of nostalgia now for the good times of yesterday I must weep or eat duck. (I like duck Marietta shredded into a rich buttery duck broth rice pilaf with almonds and golden currants....thank you for bringing it as with so many other good things into my life).
thrift store glasses are fine, but if you have some sort of beautiful matching set people will feel bad about breaking them. fine china / glassware should probably only be used if you're okay with them being broken though, sort of like how you should only lend a friend money if you're fine never getting it back
yes, I feel like you should use beautiful things and accept their being broken lightly and joyfully.....things are special, things are temporary......when they are broken they die an honorable death
As the Buddhist sage more or less said, “The glass is already broken, even though it’s still a glass. I can enjoy it, drink from it.. Yet it’s only a matter of time before it breaks, or someone drops it.” (Supposed to be said with a cheerful smile ™)
I’ve never wanted to meet a celebrity more in my life than I now want to meet Big Ole Mama Gator.
I love a grain salad, my go-to is the barley and pomegranate salad from Ottolenghi’s Plenty. I also love Deb’s dupe of the Jose Andres endive boats from Jaleo, though you can only serve them in the winter when there are good endives: https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/12/endives-with-oranges-and-almonds/
I love her and she deserves to win every award. Also that’s some real big drag queen energy!
I 100% understand, the barley salad is one of the reasonable ones. The other recipe from Plenty that is worth it is the cover one, assuming you can eat dairy and eggplant. It’s so simple, so tasty, and it’s visually stunning.
For 9 years now, I’ve been having a thanksgiving dinner every year. It caps at 16 people because that’s the maximum I can fit around my two folding tables. My plates and silverware do not match. I make turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole and pumpkin pies (I have guests who bring sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, bread and appetizers). At this point, I have it so down to a system (a lot of prepping ahead) that it doesn’t even feel like a huge effort.
Tony is such a good spice mix
As a lazy person who feels like I go to basically enough dinner parties I'm interested in cooking some of this stuff for myself, and as a person recently diagnosed with celiac's I'm very interested to hear more about gluten free brands that are good.
let me consult with some other people but I really can't say enough good things about Simple Mills (including their baking mixes, though I haven't tried the savory ones yet) and the Jovial brown rice pasta. the one thing I haven't found thus far is something that's like… a good all purpose bread for sandwiches, toast, etc. there are many options but I have not liked any I've tried.
there's also a gluten free bakery / pastry shop in New York called Noglu (which is pretty good) and they have some cookbooks but I suspect the recipes are not very lazy.
If this is all a little too lazy, Caro Chambers is probably the next step up. Definitely involves some vegetable chopping though
tony's supremacy!!!!!!
the best seasoning!!!!
Once a guest broke a glass so I threw my glass on the floor too. This seemed to take their mind off feeling bad and works better for me than plastic because I like having nice glasses. Thrift stores always have cheap glasses so you can be constantly breaking and replenishing them within a reasonable cash flow.
Back in my perfect apartment (RIP) I used to have a 25 person dinner party on a regular basis. I had the boys come over early and move most of my furniture into my bedroom and then stuck my dining table in the center of the room and borrowed those little restaurant outdoor tables to put at either end. It was a narrow squeak on a few occasions. What did I cook? I don't remember because I was cooking all day in a kind of demented mania. Stepping over pots on the floor bc that was the only place left for them. I think elk stuffed cabbage rolls and kharcho and potatoes and pilaf. I'd order a case of wine and gnash my teeth waiting for it to arrive in time and composing strongly worded letters to the transportation secretary or customer service department alternately.
I am so full of nostalgia now for the good times of yesterday I must weep or eat duck. (I like duck Marietta shredded into a rich buttery duck broth rice pilaf with almonds and golden currants....thank you for bringing it as with so many other good things into my life).
thrift store glasses are fine, but if you have some sort of beautiful matching set people will feel bad about breaking them. fine china / glassware should probably only be used if you're okay with them being broken though, sort of like how you should only lend a friend money if you're fine never getting it back
yes, I feel like you should use beautiful things and accept their being broken lightly and joyfully.....things are special, things are temporary......when they are broken they die an honorable death
I need some crystal glasses
I only need like thirty of these https://www.etsy.com/listing/1232191670/magic-rock-clear-quartz-crystal-healing?gpla=1&gao=1&
As the Buddhist sage more or less said, “The glass is already broken, even though it’s still a glass. I can enjoy it, drink from it.. Yet it’s only a matter of time before it breaks, or someone drops it.” (Supposed to be said with a cheerful smile ™)
I’ve never wanted to meet a celebrity more in my life than I now want to meet Big Ole Mama Gator.
I love a grain salad, my go-to is the barley and pomegranate salad from Ottolenghi’s Plenty. I also love Deb’s dupe of the Jose Andres endive boats from Jaleo, though you can only serve them in the winter when there are good endives: https://smittenkitchen.com/2014/12/endives-with-oranges-and-almonds/
i'm picturing the mascot of Big Ole Mama Gator as something like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27U6dyYE9rA
I've never actually made an Ottolenghi recipe as it feels against my lazy person principles but maybe I should…
I love her and she deserves to win every award. Also that’s some real big drag queen energy!
I 100% understand, the barley salad is one of the reasonable ones. The other recipe from Plenty that is worth it is the cover one, assuming you can eat dairy and eggplant. It’s so simple, so tasty, and it’s visually stunning.