Posts Tagged ‘Thanksgiving’

If you live in a Paran Home, you have a stunning kitchen and – depending on the floor plan – an inviting formal dining room. That in no way means you MUST cook on a regular basis (as inspiring as your new kitchen might be) or that you are required to host a horde of guests for your Thanksgiving celebration. Some families prefer to dine out during the holidays – saving themselves the added pressure of preparing the perfect Thanksgiving turkey or cleaning an endless array of pots, pans, utensils and dishes. If YOU are one of those people, you may want to pay close attention to this list of Thanksgiving celebration destinations near Paran Homes communities in Atlanta. If you don’t currently LIVE in a Paran Homes community, Thanksgiving might be the ideal time to take a drive after your Thanksgiving feast. Go exploring in hopes of finding the community AND home of your dreams in time for NEXT Thanksgiving.

Kennesaw

Chestnut Farms in Kennesaw: Copeland’s of New Orleans in Kennesaw will play host to its annual Thanksgiving buffet. Guests can opt for the extensive buffet menu OR order the Pilgrim Platter complete with Cajun fried turkey meet, cornbread stuffing, green beans and ham, mashed sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The buffet is priced at $34.95 for adults, $32.95 for Seniors (65+), $22.95 for Kids (11-14), $14.95 for Kids (6-10) and FREE for Kids 5 & under (with adult purchase). This buffet might also be worth the drive if you live in Oakleigh Pointe in Dallas.

Lawrenceville

Heritage Pointe in Lawrenceville: For an added benefit, this Thanksgiving celebration is held in conjunction with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree in Historic downtown Lawrenceville. Reserve your seat for the Thanksgiving Buffet at McCray’s Tavern on the Square – where adults are just $21.95 and kids (10 & under) are just $10.95. Reservations are highly recommended for this popular event and doors open at 4 p.m. Reservations can be made at opentable.com or by calling 770.407.6754.

Powder Springs

Sweetwater Landing in Powder Springs: It may be well worth the drive to head over to Atkins Park Restaurant & Bar in Smyrna for their traditional Thanksgiving Feast. Served from 4-10 p.m., the dinner includes items like Cajun fried turkey, cornbread stuffing, bourbon molasses glazed ham, sweet potato casserole, macaroni & cheese and more priced at $26 for adults, $16 for young adults and $10 for kids under 10. Reservations can be made on Open Table or by calling (770) 435-1887.

Cumming

The Lakes of Franklin Goldmine in Cumming: Ted’s Montana Grill may be your best bet for a Thanksgiving celebration feast in Cumming this year. For $29/person, guests can enjoy a traditional three-course roasted turkey dinner complete with side salad, cup of soup or bison chili as a first course. Roast turkey and gravy with garlic mashed potatoes, herb dressing, carrots, Aunt Fannie’s squash casserole and cranberry sauce as the main course and Ted’s famous Apple Pecan Crisp for dessert.

Tucker

The Woods of Midvale in Tucker: Head over to the Magnolia Room for a Thanksgiving celebration dinner that you won’t soon forget – served continuously from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s farm fresh and made from scratch by cooks who specialize in traditional Southern cuisine.

Braselton

Traditions of Braselton in Jefferson: Chateau Elan is your occasion destination for Thanksgiving, showcasing a sumptuous buffet that features such traditional holiday favorites as Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider; Apricot Glazed Turkey and Bourbon Jalapeno Glazed Ham – carved to order; Cranberry Pecan Stuffing; Candied Yams with Marshmallow Brulee; Green Bean Casserole; and a broad assortment of desserts that include Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Caramel Apple Cake, Carrot Cake, Red Velvet Cake, New York Cheese Cake and much more. Served from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., prices for the Thanksgiving Feast at Chateau Elan are $89 + tax/adult, $25/child (6-11) and FREE for children 5 and under (when dining with an adult). Reservations are required and can be made by calling 678-425-0900 x 41.

From all of us here at Paran Homes, we wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

If you’re in a brand-new Paran Home (OR hope to be in one in time for Thanksgiving NEXT year), chances are you’re eager to open your home to holiday guests. While it can be an exciting time, it can also be undeniably stressful. Rather than risk a Turkey Day morning meltdown, we recommend taking advantage of the days leading up to Thanksgiving to organize in hopes of minimizing the stress. While there’s not much we can do to stop your mother-in-law from weighing in on your choice of décor or keep your uncle from diving headlong into the topic of politics, Paran Homes is proud to offer up the following five tips to hosting a fret-free Thanksgiving…

1)      Take a Cue from Expert Culinary Teams: Now that you have a gorgeous new kitchen by Paran Homes, consider this your command central for the big day and DEVISE A PLAN. Decide ahead of time which recipes you would like to make, print them out and even laminate them (to protect from spills), shop for all of the ingredients so there are no unexpected Thanksgiving Day runs to find an open store, and develop a task list for Thanksgiving Day attendees. You KNOW a select few will ask repeatedly what they can do to help. If you REALLY want to minimize your stress, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to say “can you help chop this onion?” or “can you please stir the gravy?” While you don’t want too many people in the kitchen, it’s nice to have several people around you in the heart of the home, where great memories are made and wonderful conversations are shared. Your task list can also cover the post-meal activities, such as clearing the table, washing dishes, drying dishes and putting the left-overs in containers.

2)      Don’t Make a Rookie Mistake: While it’s fun and valiant to try a new recipe or two, Thanksgiving is the “big show.” You don’t want to disappoint yourself OR your guests by serving a dish that’s anything shy of fabulous. In the days leading up to Turkey Day, take a practice run of any new recipes you plan to try and use your family members as guinea pigs. Make a game of it and tell them that tonight, they are food critics. Give them each a pen and paper so they can write down their thoughts about the new dish(es). They can even share their ideas for ways to make it even better. This practice run will let you know which dishes will be making their debut at your Thanksgiving dinner and which won’t make the cut.

3)      Map Your Prep and Serving Stations: When we design our homes, Paran Homes takes great care in considering everything from daily life to opportunities to entertain. Many of our designs feature an open flow between the kitchen, breakfast area and family room, and many of our kitchens features loads of countertop space and large central islands. A number of our homes also boast separate and spacious formal dining rooms. If you plan to serve from a long buffet table in your dining room, then you’re all set to purely prep in your kitchen. If you need to use your kitchen for both prep and service, you’ll want to map out where the “magic” will take place. This “station” plan can also jive with your task list for guests – your mom can prep the sweet potato casserole at one section of the counter, your sister can chop ingredients and toss the salad at another section of the counter, and you can manage everything going into/coming out of the oven while supervising the stovetop dishes. Have everyone’s tools, ingredients and pans in place at their stations to ensure a smooth operation. Set your kitchen island as your service buffet for the moment that you’re ready to serve.

4)      Make Your Seating Chart: Seating charts aren’t merely for weddings, people! You know how many guests you plan to host and you ALSO know everyone’s distinct personalities. If you can’t fit everyone around the dining room table, consider expanding the kids’ table to the breakfast room. Depending on the size of your guest list, you may need to have a folding table set up to aid with overflow. Set each table ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to cook AND set up at the same time. Consider making place cards to place people where you believe they’ll feel most comfortable and have the most fun.

5)      Set Guests Up with Delightful Distractions: You’re going to be BUSY making the Thanksgiving feast, but you don’t want a house full of bored (and hungry) guests. Have light snacks set about and plan games/activities to keep them preoccupied while you work your magic. Video games, board games or holiday-themed crafts are always a hit with the kiddos, older guests might enjoy watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or sports on TV, and you’ll have a select group with you in the kitchen. You may also want to set up a ball jar, pen and paper squares where people can write the things for which they are thankful and pop them in the jar. The host of the meal can read these notes during the meal and guests can take guesses at who wrote them. If your family observes Christmas, you may want to set up an area where they can create their own ornament. If you plan to set up your tree soon, you can either add all of these new ornaments to your tree for your first Christmas in your new Paran Home or allow your guests to take their ornaments home as a keepsake of their Thanksgiving at your house.

From all of us here at Paran Homes, we wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!