Preparing for Thanksgiving

With all of the crazy weather we have been having lately, it's hard to know just what season we are in. Believe it or not, Thanksgiving is next week!  Are you ready? 

We have noticed the lines in the supermarket have been a little longer, carts a bit fuller, and let's face it, customers a bit more harried. So we decided to take a look at the master of holiday entertaining and see how Martha Stewart organizes beginning with the day before Thanksgiving.

1 Day Before Thanksgiving

• Defrost pie dough; assemble and bake pies.
• Make the giblet stock for the gravy.
• Make the vegetables and side dishes that require baking. Reheat tomorrow or assemble today and cook tomorrow.
• Peel potatoes and refrigerate in a pot of cold water.
• Prepare the stiffing, but leave out the raw eggs until you stiff the bird.
• Set the table tonight or first thing in the morning.

 Thanksgiving Day

• 9:30 a.m.  Remove the turkey from the refrigerator, and allow it to sit for 1 hour at room temperature.
• 11:15 a.m.  Preheat the oven, and stuff the turkey.
• 11:30 a.m. Put the turkey in the oven, basting it every half hour.
• Noon  Chill the white wine
• 1:00 p.m.  Make the mashed potatoes. Reheat closer to dinner time.
• 3:00 p.m.  Whip the cream or the pie and prepare (but do not brew) the coffee.
• 4:00 p.m.  Check the temperature of the turkey and if it is done, remove it from the oven. If not done, check every 15 minutes until it is.
• 4:15 p.m. While turkey sits for 30 minutes prior to carving, make the gravy and any last minute vegetables. Remove stuffing from the bird and transfer to a baking pan. Bake stuffing until it reaches 165 degrees.
• 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. Call everyone to the table. Start the coffee maker just before sitting down.

  The moral of this planner seems to be "do as much before Thanksgiving Day as possible." Your day may look different than Martha's, but by adding a few extra tasks to your already busy days leading up to the holiday you can have more time to relax and enjoy the day. 

Remember, you don't have to do it all alone. Everyone will enjoy the fruits of your labor, so ask for everyone to pitch in a bit. Make a list of tasks for each family member that you feel comfortable having them do. Look for areas where you can outsource as well. For example, if you cook the whole meal from scratch, maybe you wouldn't mind buying desserts from a bakery. Of course, our favorite outsourcing is hiring Cleaned To Perfection to make your home sparkle for you and your guests!

Pace yourself and remember to take time to enjoy the holidays.  From our families to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!