GAME PLAN: THANKSGIVING
Thursday Night
6:00 P.M.
4 Weeks Before
- Invite guests.
- Think about Menu and style of Thanksgiving. (Will you be doing most of the preparation on your own or is yours a group effort? Do you want to do most of the meal and ask people to bring a dessert or salad, or their favorite Thanksgiving dish?)
- Buy all non-perishables including alcohol.
- Decide logistics: Where to set up bar, buffet, etc. Do you need extra tables and chairs?
3 Weeks Before
- Make detailed shopping list for both food and non-food items.
- Bake and freeze:
2 Weeks Before
- Order turkey!
- Organize all dishes, flatware, glasses and serving platters.
- Bake and freeze:
- Apple, Raisin, Pecan Cake (unfrosted);
- Ham, Gruyere and Chive Loaf.
- Make and freeze:
1 Week Before
- Finalize menu and confirm guest list.
- Set table: If you’re doing a formal sit-down dinner, it’s not too early to set the table. Traditional Thanksgiving involves a lot of last minute food preparation, so set the table now!
Sunday Before
- Do all grocery shopping.
- Wash all the vegetables and fruit.
- Buy and arrange flowers. If your house isn’t too hot, flowers will keep if you replenish water, or wait until Monday to arrange flowers.
Monday Before
- Make and store, covered in refrigerator:
Tuesday Before
- Bake cornbread for Stuffing.
- Bake gingerbread for Trifle.
- Bake Ham with Bourbon Pecan Glaze. Cool and slice. Store in an airtight container.
Wednesday Evening
- Prepare Stuffing for Stuffing Muffins. Store in a bowl, well covered.
- Prepare Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Mushrooms and Zucchini. Store in a covered baking pan.
- Prepare Minerva’s Candied Yams. Store in covered baking pan.
- Prepare Chocolate Espresso Ganache for Espresso Brownies. Store in an airtight container.
- Prepare Pumpkin Mousse for Trifle. Store in an airtight container, in refrigerator.
- Prepare Whipped Cream for Trifle. Store in an airtight container.
- Make salad dressing for Spinach Salad.
Thursday
- First, take turkey out of the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature, plan cooking time, and get it in oven!
- Take all frozen items out of freezer to thaw.
- Take all prepared food out of refrigerator to come to room temperature.
- Make Pumpkin Cabozola Walnut Custards (6 hours before serving). Keep at room temperature.
- Assemble Gingerbread, Pumpkin Mousse Trifle. Store in refrigerator.
- Frost Espresso Brownies with Espresso Ganache and arrange Brownies and Cookies on a platter.
- Frost Apple, Raisin, Pecan Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting and store covered, at room temperature.
- Bake Minerva’s Candied Yams.
- Bake Corn Bread Stuffing Muffins.
- Roast Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Baby Squash.
- Warm Ham.
- Bake Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Mushrooms and Zucchini.
- While everything is in oven, assemble Cheese Platter and slice breads.
- When Roast Turkey comes out of oven, use pan drippings to make gravy OR add them to pre-made gravy.
- Open wine and champagne.
- Greet guests with a glass of bubbly!