Thanksgiving is only 12 days away. Are you hosting? Before you know it, it will be a day prior and you’ll wonder where the time went and why, once again, you didn’t prepare in advance. The next 24 hours will be insane! You’ll want to pull your hair out.
Okay, maybe you are not a procrastinator like me. However, I have taken a solemn oath, this year will be different. There will be a zen like peace and calm in my kitchen. Can you imagine actually relaxing on Thanksgiving? And how, you may ask, will I accomplish this?
PLAN & PREPARE, the only 2 P’s I will have for Thanksgiving this year.
P is no longer for procrastination.
So, here they are…My time saving tips for this and all future years:
10 DAYS BEFORE: Finalize your menu.
-Make a shopping list.
-Make a list of all dishes to be prepared. Next to each write the amount of time required for preparation and note whether or not it can be made ahead of time.
-Soups such as butternut squash and corn can be made and frozen.
-Pies and baked goods such as cookies, cheesecake, apple, pecan, pumpkin or cherry pies also freeze well.
7 DAYS BEFORE:
-Inventory glassware, napkins, utensils, and plates. The last thing you want to do is set the table and realize with stores closed that you don’t have enough of any of these items.
-Roast garlic in advance. Put in olive oil and store in fridge. You can never have too much roasted garlic.
5 DAYS PRIOR:
-Purchase non-perishables including snacks, canned goods, cranberry sauce (if you aren’t making your own).
-Buy all drinks such as soda and wine.
3 DAYS PRIOR:
-Buy turkey (store in coldest part of fridge – bottom, rear corner).
Remember, a frozen 12 lb turkey takes 3 days to thaw in the refrigerator. If larger, you will need to leave more time.
2 DAYS PRIOR:
-Set table.
-Make cranberry sauce if not purchased.
-Measure dry ingredients in advance. Store them in labeled containers or baggies.
-Make salad dressing.
1 DAY PRIOR:
-Purchase desserts if not baked by you.
-Make desserts that could not be frozen such as meringues.
-Precut your vegetables and store in baggies that contain a slightly moist paper towel.
-Cut fruit and store in containers.
-Prep turkey
THANKSGIVING AM
-Cook turkey (I prefer smaller turkeys. I would rather cook 2 if I have a large crowd. I find them to be tastier and less dry). Roast about 15 minutes per lb., 18 minutes per lb. (if stuffed.)
-Remove desserts from freezer. Warm them later in a 250 degree F oven.
-Cook fresh vegetables as close to meal time as possible.
-Bake stuffing.
And as my husband says (and his only Thanksgiving job other than TV remote control management), “make sure you have enough ice!”
A SIMPLE, DELICIOUS AND EASY ROAST TURKEY RECIPE
Crispy skin, moist meat.
Ingredients:
12 to 14 lb. turkey
4 sticks celery
2 large carrots
2 cups tomato juice
1 cup sherry
1 tbs paprika
2 tbs salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups water
Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Stuff turkey with celery and carrots. Place turkey in a large, deep roasting pan.
Mix all other ingredients together and pour over turkey.
Place in oven and bake uncovered for 3 hours turning the turkey over completely every 30 minutes.
Baste occasionally.
Gravy – Remove fat from cooking liquid and serve separately.
HalfHour Meals features a number of terrific holiday cooking blogs and Thanksgiving recipes. For more Thanksgiving Recipes do a search or click on the following link: Cooking for Thanksgiving; where you’ll find a delicious looking Pumpkin Pie Recipe & one for Roasted Sweet Potatoes. For those brave and creative souls who are looking have a Thanksgiving meal that is creative, spectacular, and out of the ordinary Thanksgiving meal, visit , TheGourmetConnection, a HalfHourMeal member’s blog where you’ll find a a fabulous post called, “Thanksgiving with a Twist.”
And please do share some of your Thanksgiving tips and tricks in the community area or in the comments below.
Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Beyond having a good amount of 30 minute meals on-hand, like the ones you’ll find here at Half Hour Meals, the key to getting dinner done in a flash is preparation. Once you have a few prepped ingredients in your aresenal, your meals will go from time-consuming to ready-in-no-time.
