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Our sistah mommyblogger, Mother of Confusion, is doing Thanksgiving this year, and she asked me for my tips. I called in a consultant. My mom, Shirley Sargent, is the best cook I know, and everything I know about making a holiday dinner I learned from her or my Nana Cobb!
Mom and Nana cheat a little bit because they both are naturally organized. When we arrive at Mom's house for dinner, everything is ready to go, and there is not a dish in sight. Her makeup is perfect, and every hair is in place. With me, not so much. I'm time challenged, so I've usually got some last-minute project going. I make up for it with really good appetizers for people to munch on while I finish!
1. Talk to the family and guests. Ask them for their favorite Thanksgiving dishes so everyone has at least one included in the menu. It's fun to browse all the cookbooks and TV shows, but remember, you're cooking for your family, not Rachael Ray's gang.
2. Make a plan. Sit down with a 3-ring notebook, a cup of tea or hot chocolate and imagine your Thanksgiving Day. How do you want it to play out timewise? Start at the end, with you serving dinner feeling relaxed, looking pretty and happy -- and then and work backward. Do anything you can -- cleaning, shopping, tablesetting, cooking -- days ahead.
3. Toast the cook! Cook with a glass of your favorite wine or sparkling cider. If you tend to stress out, it makes the whole preparation process feel more like a celebration. Wearing a tiara while you cook is a good idea, too!
4. Delegate -- give everyone something to do. People will always ask what they can do. Always say yes. Even people who do not cook can bring something -- tortilla chips, nuts, shrimp and cocktail sauce, assorted pickles, olives, soft drinks, apple cider, champagne, wine, sparkling water, cranberry sauce, coffee, whipped cream, bakery rolls and desserts or See's candies.
5. Buy or borrow an electric roaster for the turkey. My mom uses one of these to cook the turkey, ham or tri-tip. It is great because it leaves your oven open for the side dishes. Roasters are on sale right now very cheap and they are a worthy investment. They cook the bird much faster. There is one on sale at Macy's here. Some roasters can also be used to serve or keep food warm on a buffet. Others have serving inserts, which are great for keeping three dishes warm at once.
6. If you're not experienced at stuffing, Mom says an easy way is to doctor up boxes of Stove Top stuffing, add your own sauteed sausage -- Mom uses sweet Italian -- and sauteed celery and red onions. Make it ahead of time, get rid of that box and nobody will know the difference.
7. Our family favorite is mom's special potatoes. We all love them. She says they are great because you can make them a couple of days ahead of time and they'll keep in the fridge until Thanksgiving. Just heat them up before dinner. Mom's recipe is pretty involved, but I found a very similar one right here.
8. Think ahead about the leftovers. Stock up on plastic containers and Ziploc bags. There is always a lot left over and it makes it easy to send care packages home with your guests.
9. Go easy on the appetizers. If they are too delicious, nobody will be hungry for dinner!
Have fun! And did I mention that we are grateful for -- you, Mother of Confusion??? We love you!
Anybody else up for sharing their good advice?
I want a tiara!!! Love the idea of doctoring the stove top stuffing. Truth be told, I just love stove top stuffing. My new favorite cling wrap is the press and seal wrap. Da bomb on everything except plastic. And... May I recommend a few seasonally colored pansies added to your Salad? ;) Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everybody! Take it all in stride and make the most of it! We have much for which to be thankful! -- Annie PlowmanDelegate, delegate DELEGATE! You can do the main dishes (the bird, gravy, potatoes, etc.). Have someone else bring desserts, salads, drinks, etc. We never have everything done before guests arrive, because part of our fun is finishing the dinner together, and heckling one another about the "right" way to do each job!
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