You’ve committed to providing one of the most talked about meals of the year in your home. You can not disappoint, so you better get yourself organized. Yep, that means starting about ten days out and making a count down list to the big day. Doing so will allow you to enjoy yourself. I can’t say that it will guarantee your turkey is fully cooked but at least it will eliminate some unexpected chaos.
Step 1 | purchase your turkey
Plan your menu, most importantly this means ordering your turkey. You can order or pick up fresh turkey. However, if you buy a frozen turkey, make sure you have it thawed by Thanksgiving morning. I prefer purchasing a fresh turkey. Unfortunately, I’ve had my share of Thanksgivings trying to desperately defrost a frozen turkey. Of course, I’ll never forget the time I bought my turkey fresh and my husband decided to turn the refrigerator as high as it would go because he wanted to make sure his beer was cold. Oh yes, his beer was cold and our fresh turkey,along with other items in our refrigerator, froze.
Step 2 | Start your Grocery Shopping list
Once the menu is set, start your shopping list. I put my list in order of items that I can buy ahead of time and then add items such as produce, bread,and flowers that need be purchased on Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Step 3 | Prepare your Serving Platters
Try to wash and set out all of your serving platters and serving bowls. Make sure that you also set out the serving utensils too. Do not forget to make sure your meat thermometer is working properly. Check the batteries.
Step 4 | Brining Turkey
If you are brining a turkey, then you’ll need to start that Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. I very much recommend brining your turkey. You can view our blog post for an easy recipe.
Step 5 | Table Setting
Set your table Tuesday or Wednesday. I like to set a nice table with flowers, china and crystal. I pull out my favorite linens and tablecloths. I try to enjoy the 6-7 times a year we eat in our dining room. If I could go back in time, I would not have a separate dining room. Instead, I would keep a large table in our kitchen to enjoy all of our meals.
Step 6 | Prep your meal
I’m pretty much in the kitchen all day Wednesday preparing food. I like to cook so I don’t see it as a chore. This way I can enjoy my guests on Thursday while we are waiting for the turkey to cook.
Step 7 | Entertain your guests- especially the little ones
Lastly, I have grandchildren, so I make sure that I have activities that they can do while waiting around for the food. I start with going to the dollar store where I pick up several items they can play with without making too much of a mess. However, the most fun activity I recently had for the girls was creating a photo booth. I took a coat rack and flung a sheet over it. Then, I took colored streamers and dropped those down the front. I picked up a few balloons at the dollar store and tied those to the top. I set this out next to a bushel of clothing and a mirror. This entertained the girls for quite a while and the pictures speak for themselves.
I wish I could help you with timing of the food but that is very tricky. Just make sure to have aluminum foil so that you can keep food warm while other items are still cooking. It’s also very helpful if guests bringing food- bring them ready to serve and you don’t need to worry about oven time. You are hosting so don’t be afraid to ask them to do so.
My husband is in charge of the beverages and that helps as long as he stays out of my refrigerator. Always remember to have extra ice and wash out any stored wine glasses that you will be using.
Once dinner is finished, I put away the food and leave the dirty dishes. I like to enjoy my time with family since they no longer live with us. Their time is limited because of the children, and I can do the dishes when I get my next burst of energy on Friday.
A very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to you all.
Cheers!
Leave a Reply