Take Your Turkey To-Go

Cranberry sauce, stuffing, turkey and – takeout? Thanksgiving is a holiday that most people associate with home, but not everyone is lucky enough to have culinary skills and a large enough kitchen to prepare a feast. So what’s a host to do? No need to rush to make a reservation. My family dined out on Thanksgiving once. My mother thought we’d do something different and spend the day in the Big Apple rather than on Long Island. We had a lovely day, but we all ultimately decided that there’s something to be said for being able to sneak off and take a nap after a big meal. Luckily, there is a compromise - what if you could have a five star meal in the comfort of your own home? Living Social and Groupon are both offering a designer dinner from David Burke to their New York City audience. The take-home Thanksgiving feast comes with a 10-12 pound turkey,  house-made cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and cheesecake lollipops for just $149. New York Magazine's New York Deals website describes Burke’s work as “whimsical and inventive,” but those aren’t usually qualities that I look for in a Thanksgiving dinner. I’m definitely a traditionalist when it comes to my canned cranberry sauce. You don’t need to enlist a celebrity chef to impress your guests though; grocery stores like The Fresh Market and Whole Foods will sell you the entire meal, from appetizers to desserts. You don’t need to go whole hog (or total turkey, as the case may be), many stores also offer Thanksgiving menu options a la carte. If you’re nervous about cooking a big bird for the first time and want to give the turkey all of the attention, you can simply order sides. Or if sides are your specialty just order the turkey to-go. If you can handle reheating, you’re as golden as the turkey will be. It may seem disingenuous at first, but there’s nothing wrong with recognizing your weaknesses and forgoing your pride in favor of filling the stomachs of your guests. What do you think, would you do Thanksgiving a la Mrs. Doubtfire and order it in?