Planning Thanksgiving

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog! Can you believe that it is only 19 days away? This year is just flying by. This Thanksgiving will likely be back to “normal” for most of us but for others who may have lost a loved one, this Thanksgiving may be a difficult time. I would just like to remind everyone that life is short and we should all a moment, not just on Thanksgiving, to be thankful for the people we have in our lives. Please reach out to people who may not have plans for the holiday, even if the person declines it is important to let them know that you care. Thanksgiving is also a time for giving, so I am going to add links at the bottom of this post for several charities.

This may be your very first time hosting Thanksgiving dinner or maybe you are a seasoned vet at this, either way I hope this post helps you plan your perfect Thanksgiving dinner!

Two-Three weeks before Thanksgiving

Create your guest list, be sure to double check about any food allergies or dietary restrictions. You want everyone to be able to enjoy the meal.

Do you want a traditional menu or something new and exciting?

Decided on your menu, do you want to cook the entire meal or do you want to have a potluck? Does a friend or family member have a signature dish? If you decided on a potluck be sure to have low/no cook options for those who are not as experienced in the kitchen.

If you are making a turkey, how would you like to cook it? How big of a turkey will you need? You can use the Butterball Turkey Calculator to figure out exactly how big of turkey you will need based on your guest list, this site also has some great turkey tips!

Do not feel like you have to make a turkey just because it is Thanksgiving. Cornish hens, a roasted chicken or a turkey breast are great options if you do not want to roast a large bird or are having a small gathering.

Begin to stock up on non perishables like sugar, flour, spices, chicken stock. You may also want to add more butter to your shopping list!

One Week Before Thanksgiving

Make and freeze your dinner rolls, I highly recommend my Big Batch Dinner Roll recipe.

Gather your table linens and any decorations, be sure everything is clean and ready to go on Thanksgiving day.

If you are buying a frozen turkey now is the time to do it! Here is a great write up about how to thaw a frozen turkey.

Select the wine to go with dinner, I like to buy 1 bottle of wine per 2 guests. Look into buying cases of wine as it is much more economical, and a few leftover bottles of wine will be very welcome by the end of the day.

Cranberry 101

Fresh cranberries can be stored in a plastic Ziploc bag in your refrigerators crisper drawer for 3-4 weeks. If you freeze them they will will keep for about a year, you can use them straight from the freezer without defrosting.

If you are planning on making your cranberry sauce, now is the time! Letting it hang out in the fridge for a week will give you a more flavorful sauce. My recipe for cranberry sauce will be up next week!

Polish your silverware and set them aside, decided if you want to use paper products or use real plates. I like to use real plates when I have 4 guests or less, anything more and I go for paper or plastic, I don’t want to spend my night doing more dishes than necessary.

Make grocery list, print recipes.

Thanksgiving Week

Monday

Clean out your refrigerator, you are going to need room for leftovers!

Go grocery shopping

Make sure you check how long it will take to thaw your frozen turkey.

Tuesday

Cube bread for stuffing, I like to leave them on the counter on a cookie sheet overnight, then dry out in a low oven. Let the cubed bread come to room temperature and store in a Ziploc bag.

Prep your vegetables and herbs. Store in Ziploc bags or containers.

Wednesday

Bake pies, store in a cool spot or in the refrigerator. I use this recipe for pie crust, it turns out perfectly every time! My recipe for pumpkin puree in place of canned in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe is sure to impress.

Chill drinks, a cold garage or on porch works great if your refrigerator is a little too full.

Buy extra ice

Prepare any make ahead dishes, like casseroles or roasted vegetables. Cool completely before putting them in your refrigerator.

Thanksgiving Day

Prep your turkey for roasting here is a helpful guide for roasting a perfect turkey.

Prep any appetizers, I like a store-bought dip, tortilla chips and raw vegetables.

Clean as you go!

Roast the turkey

Make mashed potatoes, they are one of the few sides that have to be made the day of.

Heat casseroles and sides

Make the gravy

Heat the rolls

Carve the turkey

Remember to breathe.

I know, hosting Thanksgiving is a lot of pressure and I am sure you want to have a picture perfect day. That rarely happens, you might forget a dish in the oven, you may burn the nuts (like I have done so many times!) or you might forget the gravy. None of that matters. What matters is that you are spending time with the people you love and sharing a meal and making memories. Be kind to yourself!

Charities I love

I donate to Three Square all through the holiday season. Three Square has been serving the residents of Lincoln, Nye, Esmeralda and Clark Counties in Nevada since 2007 . In 2019 they distributed more than 41 million meals through their community partners.

Action Against Hunger For more than 40 years, they have led the global movement that aims to end life-threatening hunger for good within our lifetimes. Their teams have been on the front lines, treating and preventing malnutrition across more than 45 countries.

Before you donate to any charity I highly recommend looking them up on Charity Watch!