I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here before how I'm not much of a cook. In fact, my mantra is if it can't be cooked in under 30 minutes, then it wasn't meant to be. The hubster is all about pushing me to the limits so we have decided to host Thanksgiving dinner this year. It's basically a recipe for disaster because if I had it my way, all the carnivores would be having turkey sandwiches and the rest would be feasting on pumpkin pie with coffee. That's why pre-made dinners are a MUST in our Thanksgiving feast - like the one offered by
Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant.
I had the pleasure of inviting over our parents and kids to a Thanksgiving dinner run-through. I pulled into Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner restaurant an hour before we were scheduled to get together to pick up our dinner from the restaurant. I was so happy to see the 15 minute parking spot so I could run in and get it.
As it turned out, I only needed five minutes because I was in and out in that short amount of time. My box full of dinner goodies was all set and ready to go.
I was informed that I would need to finish cooking the turkey at home and that instructions were included in the box. I hoped that it wouldn't take too long because the hubster and the rest of the family would be pretty hungry soon.
I pulled out the sheet from the box, turned it over and it informed me that the bird would need to cook for an additional hour or until the desired temperature of 165 degrees was reached. That turkey was HUGE. It weighed somewhere between 12 and 14 pounds and I could tell that the hubster would have enough for next day's lunch as well - even if everyone had more than one serving.
We heated up the turkey in the oven, and the sides in the microwave. The sides, which is basically what I feasted on, were spot-on and super filling.
While it was weird (to me) to have bread and butter pickles at a Thanksgiving dinner, it was actually my favorite part of the meal. They were sweet, savory and seasoned perfectly. My youngest gobbled them right up too. The cranberry sauce was pretty scrumptious. It wasn't overly sweet and I imagine that it would taste pretty good on turkey (or in my case - Tofurky). The candied yams was the side that surprised me the most. I do yams on Thanksgiving, but for me it's usually without the melted marshmallows because I think yams are sweet enough without anything candied on them. These yams though were a different story. The marshmallows on them did not make them taste like dessert, it was more of a sweet complement to the mashed potatoes (because they needed a little bit more flavor).
The hubster, the carnivore in the family, and the rest of the group couldn't stop gushing over the turkey. They mentioned how juicy, succulent and flavorful it was. Apparently, it wasn't dry like other pre-made turkeys that came before in other dinners. Instead, this poor pretty bird was cooked to perfection. Like I predicted, there were plenty of leftovers. The hubster saved some and in the following days, he made turkey sandwiches, turkey burritos and even mixed some sofrito with the turkey and topped it off with
crema and
salsa de aguacate on tostadas (which also saved me from making dinner).
My favorite part, dessert, did not disappoint. We had a nice sized pumpkin pie as part of the meal and when paired with coffee, it pretty much took the meal to another level. It was very apparent that it was homemade and so freakin' delicious.
I only wished that there were more than a dozen rolls with the meal. I'm HUGE on bread (and butter), and twelve rolls just wasn't enough for everyone. We received butter and preserves in our meal and all of those were used too.
I wish I could tell you that I went the extra step and served each item in a beautiful porcelain dish, but I can't. The truth is, I didn't even serve on "real" plates! I went paper all the way. I kept the side dishes in their black containers and even used them to send leftovers home with our guests. The point is, I made this dinner as easy and painless as possible. Having the dinner pre-made was only the beginning. I also asked for utensils from Knott's and they were nice enough to give them to me. Double-score!
What does the meal include?
The take-home Thanksgiving dinner is a complete meal with all the fixings and includes:
- Complete turkey OR honey glazed ham
- Country apple stuffing (1 qt)
- Freshly baked rolls (12 count)
- Warm candied yams (1 qt)
- Cranberry sauce (8 oz)
- Mashed potatoes (2 qt)
- Creamy giblet gravy (2 qt)
- Whole kernel corn (1 qt)
- Bread and butter pickles (8 oz)
- Fresh boysenberry OR pumpkin pie
- Butter and Preserves (interestingly enough, the preserves were Smucker's, and not Knott's Berry Farm branded)
How much does it cost?
The complete meal costs $99.95 plus tax.
How many people does it serve?
It's supposed to serve 6-8 people, but we had ten total in our dinner party (6 adults, four kids), and we had leftovers!
How to Order
The Take Home Thanksgiving Dinner serves 6-8 people. Place your order by visiting
Knotts.com or call (714) 220-5055. On Thanksgiving Day, there will be a "drive through" type of set-up for you to just drive by, give them your name, and your meal will be ready to go. You won't even need to get out of your car!
Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch
For a more expansive holiday menu try the Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch also offered at Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. This buffet includes items from Knott’s pantry and salad kitchen; carving stations with roasted prime rib of beef, turkey and ham; holiday classics including Mrs. Knott’s fried chicken, country apple stuffing; a South of the Border station with cheese enchiladas and tamales; pasta station; dessert station and much, much more.
Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch prices are $29.95 for Adults, $23.95 for Seniors (62+) and $17.95 for Children (3 -11).
This is not a sponsored post. I was given a Knott's Thanksgiving Feast courtesy of Knott's Berry Farm to facilitate my review. All thoughts, images and opinions remain my own.