Things You'll Need:
- The Desire to Have a Less Stressful Holiday
- An Open Mind
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Step 1
Remember, It’s a celebration, not an audition. We can’t all be Martha Stewart, Nathalie Dupree, Thomas Keller, Paul Prudhomme, or Julia Child, so it’s important to remember to make realistic choices when planning your Thanksgiving menu.
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Step 2
If you're not a gourmet cook, keep your menu simple. If your daily cooking style is closer to boxed macaroni and cheese and TV dinners, it’s probably not the best idea to try that recipe for Cajun Turducken or Paula Wolfert’s Toulouse-Style Cassoulet for the first time in front of company. Concentrate on making a few dishes that you know everyone will enjoy.
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Step 3
However, if you’re so comfortable in the kitchen that your hands feel empty when you’re not doing a light dice with your santoku knife, you might want to consider focusing on high quality, but less time and labor intensive dishes so you can enjoy the company of your guests. Do you really want to spend Thanksgiving laboriously peeling pound after pound of chestnuts for classic candied chestnuts?
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Step 4
Whatever your kitchen comfort level, think about what dishes can be prepared in advance versus those that must be prepared on the day. Consider what preparation can and perhaps should be done in advance (ie. baking, marinating, chopping, dicing, blending meat rubs, etc.).
Any advance work you do will pay off, and in many cases it’s easier to get people to pitch in during the days before rather than on the day of the holiday itself. -
Step 5
Free help is out there for the asking: A wide variety of companies have set up free Thanksgiving helplines in advance so you can get advice and tips to help you pull everything together on the big day.
Also, in addition to their traditional helpline, the folks at Butterball.Com have recently added how-to videos, a portion calculator, and more to their revamped website to help guide Thanksgiving cooks.
Please visit the links in the Resource Section of this eHow to see our links to all these resources. -
Step 6
If things are a bit tight financially, your resources are overstretched (ie. a sickness in the family, a recent move, etc.), or you feel trapped in a holiday cooking rut, this may be a good time to think outside the box (and perhaps start a few new holiday traditions).
Instead of the traditional turkey with all the trimmings and its flotilla of side dishes, consider preparing some different dishes when you celebrate Thanksgiving. Often less expensive and time consuming (and perhaps more fun), you might be surprised how many people end up dutifully eating turkey every year when they’d secretly rather be eating roasted chicken or succulent pork. In the area where I grew up, it was not at all unusual for people in my Italian neighborhood to serve a bubbly lasagna in place of the turkey. -
Step 7
For those living far from their families and/or planning a gathering of friends, another out of the box Thanksgiving alternative would be to organize a potluck so no one person is stuck with all the cooking, cleaning, and expense. It’s also a great way for everyone to get to know each other better by sharing dishes and ingredients from various cultures.
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Step 8
Another possibility is to celebrate Thanksgiving at a restaurant. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website, 43% of Americans choose to eat out on Thanksgiving so you won’t be alone in that decision. (If that’s your choice, don’t forget to make a reservation in advance if the restaurant requires it.)
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Step 9
Whatever you decide, here’s hoping your Thanksgiving is both peaceful and pleasant!
Comments
Scarlett9284 said
on 11/27/2008 Too many people get caught up with the hassle of the holidays instead of enjoying themselves. Thanks for the reminder! Happy Thanksgiving!