2013 #Thanksgiving preparations: my favorite three days of the year! #motherhood #cooking #mealplanning
The first thing I do every year, the Monday before Thanksgiving, is make my to do list. Or lists.
Once I've made a first draft, I assign tasks to days, usually starting on Tuesday. I assign them based on what can be made two days ahead vs. what must be made on Thanksgiving day.
On the above list for today, Tuesday, I needed to:
And as of 3:57pm this afternoon, I have accomplished everything on my to do list!
It took me about an hour this morning and almost all of Nolan's two hour nap but it's done.
I'll tackle Wednesdays to do list tomorrow morning. Included in that list but not written down is to get out all my bake ware and serve ware to ensure it's waiting on me when I need it. Also, I plan to clean our champagne glasses and set the table in our formal dining room.
Then, my list for Thursday looks like this:
Yes, David smokes our turkey out on his pit. We plan to eat Thanksgiving dinner around 6:00pm every year so, he has everything ready the night before so he can get the turkey on around 11:00am.
I haven't roasted a turkey in years. And it's a good thing because I do NOT have double ovens and can't imagine how to balance oven time with all my side dishes!
Do you make a to do list?
How's it going so far or have you not started yet?
Once I've made a first draft, I assign tasks to days, usually starting on Tuesday. I assign them based on what can be made two days ahead vs. what must be made on Thanksgiving day.
On the above list for today, Tuesday, I needed to:
- Fry bacon to top my macaroni 'n cheese casserole (and also for my potato soup the day after!)
- Make my turkey brine - I use Pioneer Woman's because it's fool-proof and I always have everything her recipe calls for on hand. Once made, let cool completely - placing my stockpot into my sink that's filled with ice water speeds this process up to only one hour!
- Make cranberry sauce. I'll store this in tupperware in the fridge.
- Bake skillet cornbread, let cool then, slice and crumble onto a sheet pan to dry out over the next two days.
- Rinse and pat dry turkey breast (I use a 6lb turkey breast, not a whole turkey). Place in large zip bag or do what I do and leave it in your stockpot and just put the lid on it and keep it in your fridge!
And as of 3:57pm this afternoon, I have accomplished everything on my to do list!
It took me about an hour this morning and almost all of Nolan's two hour nap but it's done.
I'll tackle Wednesdays to do list tomorrow morning. Included in that list but not written down is to get out all my bake ware and serve ware to ensure it's waiting on me when I need it. Also, I plan to clean our champagne glasses and set the table in our formal dining room.
Then, my list for Thursday looks like this:
Yes, David smokes our turkey out on his pit. We plan to eat Thanksgiving dinner around 6:00pm every year so, he has everything ready the night before so he can get the turkey on around 11:00am.
I haven't roasted a turkey in years. And it's a good thing because I do NOT have double ovens and can't imagine how to balance oven time with all my side dishes!
Do you make a to do list?
How's it going so far or have you not started yet?
Now you're making me feel like I'm behind! I'm doing the bulk of my prep tomorrow afternoon, but have all the shopping and planning done.
ReplyDelete