Are you hosting Thanksgiving for your family or friends this year? Hosting and cooking this great American meal can seem a little overwhelming. These tips will make it less so by showing you how to get organized, stay calm, and enjoy Thanksgiving more than ever!
Delegate, delegate, delegate
Divide and conquer! Whether it’s your spouse, family members, or friends, don’t be afraid to reach out and let those around you help. Just because you’re hosting doesn’t mean you need to make every single thing. Going potluck is brilliant because you won’t get stuck with all the cooking, and the cost. Also, guests love to feel like they’ve contributed something to the meal.
Make a timeline and master list
Avoid last-minute overload by counting backwards from the time dinner is served and scheduling out prep time and oven time. Stick this list on the fridge or wherever you’ll see it. It’s also helpful to set alarms on your phone for key moments, like putting the turkey in the oven.
Make ahead
When you’re planning your menu, think about which dishes can be made in advance. which ones will need the extra KitchenAid 12” Convection Bake Digital Countertop Oven from Buydig.com, which can cook on the stove top, and which need to be chilled. The timing of Thanksgiving can be tricky since the turkey is in the oven for several hours leading up to the meal, and there are usually other dishes that need to go in the oven too.
Cook the bird ahead
Make the turkey the day before. Some people think “day old” isn’t as good but, you know what? It is. If you don’t care about presentation of your perfect turkey you can cook your turkey the day before, carve it and place it in your Cuisinart 3-In-1 Cook Central Multi-cooker, Slow Cooker, Steamer with a coil of tin foil to elevate the meat.
Fry the turkey
A great alternative to baking the turkey all day and using up valuable oven space is to fry the bird in the Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Oil-Less Turkey Fryer from Buydig.com. It’s the stress-free way to fry turkey.
No time for egos
There is no shame in ordering some of your food from a restaurant or a grocery store. Maybe you hate cooking turkey, order it! Or make the turkey and pick up a pumpkin pie at a local bakery. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with buying a few pieces of the meal, especially if it makes for a more relaxing day.
Don’t experiment with new recipes.
Thanksgiving is all about the classics, so stick with the tried-and-true. This is NOT the time to experiment with a new recipe!
Table setting
Mark another thing off of your list before the big day. Don’t fuss with the table on Thanksgiving day. Instead, set the table the night before, putting out your flatware, serving vessels and serving utensils as well.
Cleaning crew
Once dessert is over, the last thing you want to do is spend another several hours in the kitchen cleaning dishes. Consider asking a friend to stay after and help with the dishes in lieu of bringing food.
Remember what the day is about: being thankful! At the end of the day, it’s about taking a moment to be grateful and sharing a meal with those you love. It doesn’t matter how beautiful a Thanksgiving day table may look — it’s who’s around it that counts.
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