Tis’ the season for golden turkeys, decadent pies and sweet potatoes just like mom made them. But if you’re dreading the hours of work that go into making these seasonal staples, relax. Caterers and drive-throughs around town can provide the same made-from-scratch meal minus the toil in the kitchen. So whether you want to supplement your holiday fare or enjoy a full-blown feast without lifting a spoon, there are several options that will allow for less time in the kitchen and more time with family. And don’t worry, we won’t tell mom.
Casa-Rolls Dinner Drive-Thru
3902 Hixson Pike or 1414 Jenkins Road
423-710-3851
For more than four years, Casa-Rolls has been offering a simple and healthy answer to the dreaded question, “What’s for dinner?” Using only tried and true family recipes, owners Katie and Greg Grant have turned home cooking into big business, selling roughly 2,000 dishes each week from two locations. But their busiest time is the holidays, when the casserole moguls help harried hosts with everything from breakfast casseroles to vegetable sides. A few not-to-be-missed items include the maple praline French toast casserole for breakfast, and the sweet potato soufflé with either praline or marshmallow topping. Orders must be placed by Dec. 20 and can be picked up from Dec. 22 until Christmas Eve. Prices range from a very affordable $9.90 for small servings to $29.90.
Vine Street Market
1313 Hanover Street
423-266-8463
In-the-know lunch goers flock to this tucked away café for homemade soups, sandwiches on freshly baked bread and elaborate salads. A daily dessert bar at the register also makes leaving without a sugary treat next to impossible. But many don’t realize Vine Street’s robust catering business, which can help kitchen objectors provide applause-worthy fare for their holiday tables. The Riverside café provides everything needed for a well-stocked buffet, including stick-to-your-ribs sides like scalloped potatoes or corn soufflé ($19, serves 10-12) to holiday drinks such as their famous mint tea ($19 per gallon). Homemade sweets are also available, including three-layer cakes in red velvet or Italian crème ($38) or deep dish apple pie ($19). All items are available a la carte or as a package, which includes a turkey and ham, dressing and gravy, two sides, rolls, one pie and one cake for $230 (serves 12).
Shuford’s BBQ and Smokehouse
924 Signal Mountain Road
423-267-0080
Nestled at the foot of Signal Mountain, this gas station turned smokehouse is a local barbecue institution. But during the holidays, owner Jeff Davis offers custom cooking services, allowing patrons to drop off their own turkeys to be slow-cooked in the restaurant’s smoker. Since starting in the early 1980s, the price has remained the same: $1 per pound. And people who don’t want to buy their own bird can let Shuford’s furnish it for just $3.50 per pound. With a Spartan staff and roughly 500 square feet of space, Shuford’s manages to smoke more than 600 birds during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Other popular options include homemade cornbread dressing and smoked pork for feeding hungry families in town for Christmas week.
Goetz Catering
5450 hwy. 153
423-595-2380
For more than 25 years, Goetz Catering has been creating lavish shindigs for bride and grooms as well as high profile corporate clients such as Volkswagen and Costco. But during December, they put their expertise to work creating impressive holiday spreads available for pick up. For just $69.95 savvy hosts can bring home either a turkey or ham plus two sides, gravy and rolls all made from scratch by Goetz’s head chef (serves 12). All come in aluminum tins with re-heating instructions for ultimate culinary success. For dessert, the Hixson-based caterer offers several a la carte options, such as Chef Pierre’s apple pie ($16) or the mouthwatering Amaretto cream pie ($20). With the entire buffet already prepared, the hardest part might be feigning exhaustion from creating such a spread.