Thanksgiving DinnerTalking turkey is not fun on ThanksgivingAre you hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this year? Why not join the celebration this time instead of spending it in the kitchen talking to your turkey?You can do just that with these Thanksgiving Dinner dinner party planning tips. Make as many dishes as possible ahead of time. Especially, choose the dishes that are time consuming and leave you with pots and bowls to wash. If you can make these a day or two in advance, all you need to do is pop them into the oven for a short time before dinner. And you can heat them right in an oven-to-table dish. Mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes are perfect examples of dishes you can make ahead. Just google “make-ahead mashed potatoes” for example, and lots of make-ahead recipes will come up. If you are planning to serve a salad, you can wash all the ingredients, put them in the bowl you plan to use, and store them covered in the frig the day before. You can make your favorite dressing ahead of time too. Then all you need to do at dinner time is add your dressing to the salad. (If you’re adding tomatoes, store them separately and add them at the last minute too.) Another time-consuming Thanksgiving Dinner task is carving the turkey. Lots of people make their turkey the day ahead, let it cool a bit and then carve it. You can make the gravy ahead as well. Then all you need to do on Thanksgiving day itself is to reheat the turkey and the gravy. Pop them on the table and dinner is served. Want that lovely turkey roasting smell but crave convenience as well?Try getting one of those turkey that are already de-boned. This year I bought a frozen turkey that is already deboned except it has drumsticks. It is pre-stuffed and comes with gravy to heat up.One of the blessings we remember at Thanksgiving is having family and friends to share our lives with. Is this your year to join them in the living room instead of spending too much time in the kitchen? It could be if you use these dinner party planning tips. |