Saturday (Thanksgiving-5):
Confirm
your guest list. You don't want to serve too much, or worse
yet, too little. Call them up and make them commit.
Recruit
invited guests to make a dish. Use the word "famous"
when describing their pecan pie or mashed potatoes. Flattery
works great.
Plan
the menu. Write out everything you plan to make yourself.
Plan
the centerpiece.
Plan
projects for any children in attendance. Set up a card table
for crafts in the garage or the den so they aren't underfoot.
Pick out a seasonal movie. Make sure you have an adult or
responsible teenager to monitor them.
Start
making room in the refrigerator. Finish, freeze or toss all
of the leftovers.
Sunday (T-4):
Make
a time table for the big event. It's no good to plan a meal
with 20 dishes if you don't have time to make them all. Ditch
unnecessary pipe dream recipes
Make
a master list. Include all necessary ingredients and
quantities (including items you think you have), necessary
kitchenware and miscellany. Be specific. Having "butter"
on your list won't help when you bring home a pound but you
need a pound and a half.
Grocery
List: Compare what you need against what you've got
on hand. Don't assume the canister is full of flour; check.
Cross off everything you already have.
Kitchenware
List: Do you have everything you will need to make
the recipes? Check for necessary pots, pans, cookie sheets,
turkey baster, roasting pan, electric mixer, etc. Cross off
what you actually have in your possession (knowing
you own a bundt pan and remembering you lent it to a friend
six months ago are two different things). Make a list of what
you need to buy or borrow.
Miscellaneous
List: flowers, candles, glasses, linens, chairs, craft
project, videos, or borrowed Playstation for the kids, serving
dishes, serving utensils, videos, Alka-Seltzer or Tagamet,
chairs.
Monday (T-3):
Head
for the stores! Don't put this off. The crowds will only get
bigger and the lines will only get longer from this point
on.
Don't
forget to snag some light snacks (chips, dip, frozen appetizers,
cut fruit, cheese & crackers, veggies, etc.) to prevent
whining while you cook
Make
any dishes that can be frozen and reheated on the big day.
Move
extra large turkeys to the fridge to defrost
Tuesday (T-2):
Delegate
responsibilities among family. This is what kids and spouses
are for! Plan out who will walk the dog, hang the coats, wash
the dishes, go on an ice run...whatever you won't have time
to do yourself. If your guests will be drinking beer around
the TV set, recruit a teenager or non-drinker as the designated
errand runner
Clean
the house and maintain it until the big event. "Invite"
the whole family to pitch in...call it a "cleaning party"...they'll
love that.
Move
turkey to the fridge to defrost (yes, it takes two days).
Wednesday (T-1):
Defrost
any frozen dishes overnight in the fridge.
Make
do-ahead dishes such as stuffing, pies, or other desserts
Finish
prep for other dishes: peel potatoes (cover in water to keep
from browning), wash and trim vegetables, etc.
Make
as much counter space as possible. Store any unnecessary kitchen
knickknacks, cookbooks, appliances, etc., out of the way.
Box them up and store them in the garage or a closet temporarily,
if need be.
Set
the table. Launder and iron tablecloth and napkins. Polish
the silverware. Set out the centerpiece.
Plan
the seating arrangement
Thanksgiving Day (Blastoff!)
Follow
your time table.
Have
fun!
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