How to plan the perfect Thanksgiving.

The holidays can be very stressful and hosting the meal can be challenging but with a little planning you can relax along beside the rest of your family.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Time, Menu, Rest

1. Several Weeks before Thanksgiving:
   Make your Thanksgiving Menu
   Decide what kind of Turkey you are going to do.
   Shop for any items that you can purchase in advance.
   Get your outside decorations up and start planning for the inside decorations.
   Make double sized meals now and freeze the extra so the week of Thanksgiving you don’t have to worry about cooking.

2. The Weekend Before Thanksgiving -
   Give your house a spit-and-polish cleaning: Wash the windows, clean your guest bathroom, make sure you have washed all of your sheets, blankets, and towels and also be sure to have extra toiletries if you have guests staying overnight. Do as much cleaning as possible ahead of time.
   Recheck your menu list and make final decisions as to what you will serve as the main meal and appetizers. Remember to go light on appetizers, as the main meal is the focus. If guests have inquired as to what they can bring, finger food, vegetable trays or desserts are always handy for you to have brought and easier for them to make and transport.
   Now is the time to shop to restock your pantry or get items that you didn’t purchase a few weeks ago. The stores are insanely busy right now, so the best time to go is early in the morning or after 8.
   Clean off your counters, removing anything that isn’t necessary.
   Plan where you’ll serve your meal from and get out all the serving pieces you’ll need.
   Decorate the inside of your house. The ambiance of your gathering is as important as the food. Set a mood. Utilize a theme. Several well-placed, eye catching pieces are more enticing than a bunch of things strewn throughout the house.
   Plan for music, it should be inviting as well. Subtle, pleasing background music should be just that, background.

3. Several Days before Thanksgiving -
   Go over your menu list again, double check your ingredients and confirm what you need.
   Make ahead whatever recipes you can. This can include pies and dips.
   Chop and prepare your fresh produce items and get them prepared for cooking.
   Measure out ingredients for casseroles and put all of these items in plastic bags in the refrigerator so that you can get to them easily.

4. The Day before Thanksgiving -
   Make the mashed potatoes ahead.
   Assemble vegetable trays if you are making them.
   It would be best to go ahead and set the table now.
   Put out your plates, silverware, placemats, napkins and glasses the night before, or even sooner. If you are worried about dust, cover everything with a light sheet. Having this done ahead of time is a big relief and frees up lots of time on the day of the meal.
   Give the house a final going-over, making sure everything is picked up and clean

5. Thanksgiving Day -
   Allow yourself a little extra time in the morning to assemble casseroles and other items.
   Make sure you start your main course meat with plenty of built in time to allow for unforeseeable issues. Usually plan to have it come out of the oven an hour before the meal is served. This allows you time to cook longer or fix mistakes if necessary.
   Clean up and put away all preparation dishes and unnecessary items.
   Once everything is baking, sit back and relax, pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage and enjoy the day along with your family and guests.

Tips & Warnings

• It's always best to prepare ahead of time. This way you aren't so stressed out. Allow yourself room for mistakes. Get plenty of rest and do your best!

[stlscientist]

on 3/6/2009 I'm lazy and go to Honey Baked Ham, but it sounds yummy!