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Janet S.
Posts:
1,503
From:
Canada
Registered:
8/16/05
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(8 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Nov 1, 2009 11:24 AM
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I had bookmarked this article (complete with recipes, shopping list and timeline) from Fine Cooking magazine, called A Mostly Make-Ahead Thanksgiving. Looking at it again, I remember why I'd saved it - the Cheddar Cayenne Coins, Dry-Brined Roast Turkey, Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with Walnut Streusel, and the rest of the menu - all look delicious. • Janet |
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David Griggs
Posts:
930
From:
South Carolina 'smiling faces, beautiful places'
Registered:
8/13/06
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(7 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 30, 2009 7:35 PM
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Jennifer you poor girl. By 7 I'm definately on round 2 or even 3.... probably the only reason to cook early huh.... If you enjoy it the first time you can relive it over and over and over..... you stuff the bird and you stuff yourself.... lazy boy recliner please.
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....... eat mo' grits
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Jennifer F.
Posts:
3,537
From:
moreno valley,ca
Registered:
6/11/07
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(6 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 29, 2009 12:34 PM
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Wow David, you are ready to eat early! I always plan to but we are lucky if we eat by 7:00 p. m. One time we didn't eat until 10:00 p.m. ! My brother -in-law said it was worth the wait-lol! We were deep frying a turkey and we ran out of propane and had to go get some and so on.....
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Jennifer
"Every Saint Has A Past,
Every Sinner Has A Future"
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David Griggs
Posts:
930
From:
South Carolina 'smiling faces, beautiful places'
Registered:
8/13/06
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(5 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 28, 2009 9:25 PM
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Provided that you are serving Turkey - Allow plenty of refrigerator time to completely thaw the turkey (and dont forget to remove the giblets).
Additionally serve ham so if you mess up the turkey.
Have a couple cans of gravy on hand.... if the giblet gravy crashes...
get the idea.... cover all your bases if you can - LOL.
I additionally create a 'timeline'..... playing through the entire day and noting in chronilogical order what to do when.... etc: 8:15 put turkey in 350 over.... 9:30 start (or finish) assembling the green bean casserole.... 10:15 mix this, chop that....12:15 put green bean casserole in oven.... 1:15 remove..... 2:00 serve all. Make sure you've allowed plenty of time for the completion of each entry, then if it fits in your timeline its 'doable' otherwise its not.
1st time out.... keep the menu short and sweet.... real short and sweet.... use your local grocers deli/bakery to your advantage. Over the years you'll become comfortable with larger holiday serving.
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....... eat mo' grits
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Penny
Posts:
1,269
Registered:
10/9/04
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(4 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 28, 2009 2:24 PM
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Shan, I might have posted this before a few Thanksgivings ago. I have a friend who has about 30 people over every year. She bought lots of the small crockpots from Walmart, under $5 each and one of those plugs with a lot of outlets. She makes all the side dishes the day before, mashed potatoes, veggies, stuffing etc. and Thanksgiving morning she puts the dishes into the crockpots on warm. She says it's the only way she can manage every thing. I think it's a smart idea......Penny.
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chopsticks are the reason the Japanese did not invent custard
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scott eggers
Posts:
948
From:
Chicago
Registered:
8/25/07
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(3 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 27, 2009 7:47 PM
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Shan,
I agree about doing as much as you can the days before and make dishes that you have tried and are comfortable making. Most of my horror stories come from trying something new and not having it come out.
I had to take a dinner to a friends 190 miles away. There were going to be 9 of us. Days before I got the soup (french onion), salad I brought in bags and fixed there, vegs (they were mixed vegs that I roasted there), corn pudding I baked there, it only takes a few min to make, potatoes (mashed and sweet potatoes pre cooked and heated there), bread dough that I baked there (it was even better flavor after it had sat in the frig for 2 days), and 2 pies I had made the day before the trip, for the dressing I brought every thing and made it there. The turkey went in and the dough came out of the frig, was shaped to rise, the dressing went in the last hr. When the turkey and dressing came out everything else went in, 30 min. later everything came out. I spent maybe 45 min. that day doing things to get the food to the table.
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Hey Lisa
Posts:
1,939
From:
Oregon
Registered:
9/27/06
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(2 of 8)
Re: Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 27, 2009 5:37 PM
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I try to pre-prep everything before I get started - chopping the veggies, peeling and/or boiling potatoes, even mashing them to be reheated in the oven later if I have time at an unexpected moment. The biggest tip I've ever gotten is to build in time to relax, and don't freak out if something goes wrong. Everyone has horror stories of awful, embarrassing things that happened while hosting a holiday dinner and they're almost always funny a few years down the road.
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Lisa
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Shan Triggs
Posts:
1,534
Registered:
10/3/06
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(1 of 8)
Holiday Meal Prepartion Tips
Oct 27, 2009 2:23 PM
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Hey there, everyone!! I had a conversation last night and it made me think of my friends here at The Table.  My chat last night was with a younger friend who is planning her first holiday meal (for Thanksgiving) and she is doing it all on her own. She asked me if I had any tips for her. I gave her a few and then I wondered what other tips my friends here might have to offer. So here are some of MY tips and I would love to see what tips you wonderfully talented people have to offer. All tips will be passed on to my friend. 1) I prepare my pies the day before and wrap them in foil. If we want warm pie, we can microwave the slices. 2) I prepare my casseroles the night before and store them in my fridge. This way all I have to do is slide the casseroles in to cook and I cut down on my prep time on Thanksgiving Day. 3) Clean out the fridge prior to making your casseroles so you have a spot for them. 4) Start planning at the start of the month so you can add/subtract things from your menu. As you create your menu, make a list of every single ingredient you will need for every item, then go through your pantry, spice cabinet, etc to make sure you have what you need. Leave the needed items on your list. Okay....y'all have at it...I'm excited to see what you have to offer! ~Shan |
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