This week, I’m going to be thinking a lot about food, and what I’m going to make for Thanksgiving dinner. I used to spend hours scouring Epicurious.com, gather a gazillion recipes, then struggle to short-list the winners for my table. The whole process was mind-numbing. Now, I try to simplify and get help. For instance, if there’s a big crowd, I order an extra smoked turkey and a pan of cornbread.
Make a phone call to any of these Baristaville BBQ chefs who’ll smoke, bake, or fry your turkey, and provide all the sides you need to complete your dinner. (Call and order today; pick up on Wednesday or Thanksgiving day.)
Lawrence at The Wood Pit (973-954-4679) will cook up turkey, leg of lamb, or salmon for $49.95, and is offering a full dinner for six, $150.95 with coupon. Download the Thanksgiving menu here.
At Ruthie’s BBQ (973.509.1134) Eric’s Thanksgiving menu has smoked and roasted meats priced by the pound, fixin’s by the quart. To download the menu, click here.
Lance at Indigo Smoke (973-744-3320) prepared a special Thanksgiving dinner package including sweet potato pie for $30 pp + tax. Check out Indigo Smoke’s Thanksgiving day menu, here.
More help at hand, and just a phone call away, after the jump.
If you’d rather make reservations than turkey, most Baristaville restaurants will be closed; however we did find a few good dining options nearby:
For a non-traditional feast, Montclair’s Aroma Palace, 379 Bloomfield Avenue is open Thanksgiving Day serving Indian cuisine.
The Manor in West Orange and Highlawn Pavilion will serve traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Click on the links to see what’s cooking. At The Manor , there are six seatings. Choose between a $59.95 four-course menu or a sumptous buffet for $49.95. Highlawn has a $59.00 prix fixe menu. Prices do not include tax or a 20% gratuity; kids 4-12 eat at a reduced price. For reservations, call 973-325-1400 x155.
If you’re caught in the kitchen with a last minute food emergency, like “how do I make good gravy?” “ShopRite Chefs on Call” will come to the rescue. Call 1-800-ShopRite (1-800-746-7748) – chefs from their Culinary Workshop program will be staffing the phone lines at to answer all your holiday cooking questions.
Brookdale ShopRite is also able to cook your turkey in their oven! Pick the turkey of your choice in the meat department, and their chef will cook it up using your recipe, or his own. Call in advance, oven space is at a premium! Want to deliver a feast to someone who can’t cook? They also have a pre-cooked ham or turkey dinner with all the sides for $44.95. Serves 8-10.
Whole Foods has its usual and unusual menu of gourmet side dishes to grace your Thanksgiving table, as well as complete dinner packages for two ($49.99), eight ($144.99), or 12 ($199.99). (I sampled recently, and can recommend the oven roasted sweet potatoes with pomegranate balsamic glaze and macadamia!) Covering all their customer bases, they even offer a vegan Thanksgiving menu for $19.99 per person. Add a “bakery package” to supplement dinner with baguette, cornbread, and pie, starting at $9.99 for two.
Kings Supermarkets will cater your dinner starting with a fresh, cooked to order turkey. Complete dinners, with 15 side dishes to choose from are priced at $69.99 for six, $129.99 for 10, and $199.99 for 18. Desserts are extra. Check here for details.
What’s a yummy turkey sans Riesling? Amanti Vino will be open Thanksgiving day from 9am-2pm, and can help you select some great wines to pair with your menu.
Have any more suggestions? Please list them in comments. Bon Appetit!
– photos courtesy of Whole Foods
I buy a magazine called la Cucina Italiana, and recently they had a Thanksgiving special, I have just noticed they have it on their website too, the turkey and stuffing look delicious!!!
http://www.lacucinaitalianamagazine.com/article/thanksgiving_with_an_italian_accent
And if you have an extra turkey you don’t need, please drop it off today or tomorrow before noon at the Human Needs Food Pantry at 9 Label St. in Montclair; 973-746-4669; http://www.humanneedsfoodpantry.org. Thanks!
Leave it to the Brits to get their thanksgiving recipes from an Italian magazine.
We got one of Lawrence’s smoked turkeys from the Wood Pit last year, and it was melt-in-your-mouth good!!
Maybe we’ll have to get one just for regular eatin’, hmmmmmmm…
Unfortunately, we’re attending Family Insanity Night,errrrrr, Thanksgiving dinner at mom’s place this year, so no smoked turkey for us.