How to plan holiday meals, Teri Maxwell style

[countressrascal]

I make a shopping list for holiday meals because i purchase different things than normal, if I don't I forget something. Old age. This year I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner for 30-35 people, I am making the protein and everyone else have their assignments. It makes it very easy. Menu turkey & dressing, whole poached salmon and smoked brisket after that it is potluck regarding sides. I don't require them to tell me what they are bring. Just hope it is good weather or I will be checking into a mental health facility the day after.

[twin2]

Until I put iceberg lettuce on my master shopping list for the barbecue, we were sending someone back to the store the day of the barbecue for the lettuce that hadn’t been purchased.

Or said people could have just had a hamburger without the lettuce, don't think that would have been the end of the world..  On the other hand, if God had wanted said people to have lettuce with the burger, would he not have laid it upon Teri's heart to get it?  If he didn't then God must have a plan as to why there should not be lettuce with the burgers.

The Maxwells make everything 10 times more complicated than it needs to be.  It's just a freaking meal, not brain surgery.  You end up with leftovers, so what?  Eat them yourself or send them home with your guests.  You run out of a single dish, so what?  I'm sure no one went hungry.

[salex]

My two teenage sons, my husband and I polish off two pounds of ground beef in a single meal.  My sons eat most of it, but still.  Sheesh.

"After action"?  What action?

Beatings or punishment for buying the wrong amount of food, going to the store an extra time or having too little food.  Deduction from future budgets for overspending.  Reducing the person who made the bad decisions food allotment in coming months.... Why, what do you do at your house... ; 0

 

[DrPusey]

Well, fine, Teri! Leave us hanging. We got the barbecue menu but not the Christmas/"Resurrection Sunday" menu?

(and I would genuinely read any random person's blog post about that.)

[Black Aliss]

Don't want to eat leftover hamburgers for several days? I don't blame you, but if you cook the burgers to order, you'll just have leftover ground beef, which you can use in many different ways, even if you don't want it in your burritos. I swear, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to snark on these people.

[fundiefan]

Same people. Same Food. Same lists. 

They hurt my brain more every time they post. The mundane, boring, monotonous lives they live are just creepy. 

It's easy to see where Sarah learned to write because not only was the topic boring and absurd, the writing was awful and flat and made it even less interesting - and I never thought that was possible.

[clese]

On perusing the family blog today some have found the post about the girls big road trip has gone.   God has laid it upon my heart that steve may have been reading here and at the inference that some were without chaperones it was not appropriate reading for godly innocent eyes?

[Dandruff]

Sounds like an anal experience before they even take a bite.

[anjulibai]

This makes me wonder if Teri is planning on releasing a meal-planning books. 

[anjulibai]

I happened to be click on the About section and it looks like finally updated the family picture. I'm guessing they will update the bio pics, soon, too. 

Also, they say the homeschooled for 30 years. I think this definitely confirms (for me at least) they held Mary back so they could have that round number. 

[Cartmann99]

If I cooked too many hamburgers, I'd just cut or crumble them up and use them in a recipe like a ground beef and pasta casserole or freeze them for later. Hell, you'd think someone selling a book called Managers of Their Homes  would have all sorts of tips like that for the leghumpers that are watching every penny.

[Ennui]

This makes me wonder if Teri is planning on releasing a meal-planning books. 

I really don't want to give them any of my money, but there is a masochistic part of me that would want to read it just to see how boring the task of meal planning could actually become.

[Myfanwy]

 

The Maxwells make everything 10 times more complicated than it needs to be.  It's just a freaking meal, not brain surgery.  You end up with leftovers, so what?  Eat them yourself or send them home with your guests.  You run out of a single dish, so what?  I'm sure no one went hungry.

Your attitude young lady.  How, how, can you be so...so caviler. It is like you think people can decide things for themselves.  

[twin2]

Your attitude young lady.  How, how, can you be so...so caviler. It is like you think people can decide things for themselves.  

Well, to be fair to the Maxwells, the concept of people deciding things for themselves is some new-age philosophy from some guys named Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.  They may not be familiar with them yet.

[HermioneSparrow]

Everything has to be not enjoyable for this people. Best part of holidays is leftovers, I can't imagine not eating my sandwich of leftover turkey after Xmas... 

[Fascinated]

God, these people must be miserable. To be so rigid and godly must be exhausting. 

[Hane]

Yeah, Teri seems to control anxiety and depression by overplanning and overscheduling. Remember the time they baked poppyseed loaves to hand out to the neighbors when they went Christmas caroling? They had a post-caroling meeting to determine whether they'd baked the correct number of loaves in order to plan for next year. Why would you need a meeting for this? In any other family, it would be, "Hey, Ma--those loaves were a hit! Let's make more next year" or "We went a little overboard, so let's freeze the rest in case someone drops by for coffee."

When my mom was alive, I used to make her half a dozen loaves of zucchini nut bread for her freezer every fall, so she'd have something to give neighbors who visited and brought unexpected gifts.

[gibbsgirls]

Same holidays meals don't bother me either.  We tend to have the same food items on certain holidays, as that's what makes the meal special. Now, I do the exact opposite of Teri.  I cook/bakes tons of extra food knowing that I won't have to cook for a couple days after; that other friends/family will drop in and I can offer them something; and, I usually have requests from guests who want to take some leftovers home.  Also, why would the Maxhell's have to send someone to the store for lettuce the day of the cookout?  I would think they there would be plenty of salad fixings around since they are so health conscience. And, iceburg? Blech.

[twin2]

I think I have just found a fundamental flaw in Teri's plan.  Perhaps this is why she never seems to get it right.

So lets say that next year, she takes the Thanksgiving after plan from last year which said they made too many mashed potatoes and they had 2 days worth of leftovers.  So next year, Teri takes that into account and buys fewer potatoes.  But since the last Thanksgiving, John has gotten married, the new baby is now eating solid food, and the remaining grandchildren are all a year older and their stomach a year bigger.  If Teri goes by last year's data and buys fewer potatoes, then she may not have enough potatoes this year!!! Oh noessssssssss.  Is there like a yearly rectification of the after report of the prior year?

[Hane]

Hey, if you're going to the trouble of fixing a big fancy holiday meal, why not make plenty and enjoy the leftovers? Because some of us have to visit inlaws on Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving, we all get together the day after to enjoy the old family favorites.

i had to laugh at the "running to the store for lettuce" thing:  We did that a LOT at family holidays when I was a kid--but most of us lived in the same town and we'd just send my dad to open the family grocery store so he could grind us more hamburger!

[mango_fandango]

I happened to be click on the About section and it looks like finally updated the family picture. I'm guessing they will update the bio pics, soon, too. 

Also, they say the homeschooled for 30 years. I think this definitely confirms (for me at least) they held Mary back so they could have that round number. 

They've updated one bio pic: that of Joseph so that it can include Elissa and Calia.

[browncoatslytherin]

Everything has to be not enjoyable for this people. Best part of holidays is leftovers, I can't imagine not eating my sandwich of leftover turkey after Xmas...

that's seriously the best part...not having to cook for days afterwards! cold or warmed up, it's allllll good.

 

my personal favourite post-thanksgiving meal is a sandwich of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce with a little bit of gravy so it isn't too dry. yes i'm weird. no i don't care.

[Myfanwy]

 

Well, to be fair to the Maxwells, the concept of people deciding things for themselves is some new-age philosophy from some guys named Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.  They may not be familiar with them yet.

 They do know that amazing philosopher Steve. Also known as the knowner of all things at all times in all situations!! Although I am fairly certain he is not down with any of that airy-fairy decide for yourself crap!!

[FloraKitty35]

that's seriously the best part...not having to cook for days afterwards! cold or warmed up, it's allllll good.

 

my personal favourite post-thanksgiving meal is a sandwich of turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce with a little bit of gravy so it isn't too dry. yes i'm weird. no i don't care.

No, Capriotti's has a sub called the "Bobbie", which is (excepting the bread & gravy) is similar to your sandwich.  (The Bobbie® The nationally acclaimed best-seller! Homemade Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayo.)
 

 

[socalrules]

No, Capriotti's has a sub called the "Bobbie", which is (excepting the bread & gravy) is similar to your sandwich.  (The Bobbie® The nationally acclaimed best-seller! Homemade Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and mayo.)
 

Mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes have to be added to the sandwich. Never tried it with gravy but I will after Thanksgiving.