My Do Ahead Thanksgiving Dinner

Just took this picture to show you how my table looks. I have some good china and some everyday dishes that are more expensive than the ones I am using. We're not fancy here, but I like to set a pretty table. I always turn to the dishes with the apples on them. They were in the cupboard when I came here Joe's dad's dishes...not enough for a crowd. They must have been really cheap when he bought them, because they still are. I love anything red...and if there's an apple involved I tend to love that too. I found the extra dishes at WalMart a few years ago. The newer ones have the apples cut in half, but are made by the same company. I can feed a crowd with these and they blend in with so many red things that I have.I use the lace table cloth, but cover it with a smaller red cotton one. That covering is where we place the food...and it saves my table cloth.We will be eight at our table this year. The other  half of the family will share a meal with other relatives. It's hard to get everyone together once the grand kids start getting married. They have other sides of their family to visit. I never grumble about this situation...I just accept it and think ahead to another holiday when they will be with us.

Years ago we had all the holidays at our house, so I became the most organized holiday hostess. I had a small kitchen and a big eating area to the side. Plenty of room for the whole family. I learned how to do things ahead...so my holiday could be enjoyed by me too. When it came to Thanksgiving...everyone expected turkey. Having a small oven, I had to come up with an idea to be able to cook the turkey and all the sides. I was listening to the radio and heard about this idea.Cook the turkey the day before and remove the meat from the carcass in big pieces. Put the unsliced turkey in an airtight container (like tupperware) and then the neatest trick of all. Take some wet iceberg lettuce leaves and place them over the turkey for moisture...then seal the container. The next day...remove the lettuce (it looks pretty limp by now) and spread the dressing in the bottom of a big shallow roasting pan and top with the turkey. Cover with foil and pop it in the 325 oven. Easy peasy....no messy pans to clean on turkey day and more room in the oven for sides.

I don't know about you, but my kitchen is always a magnet for family. They all hover around and lean on the counter and sometimes (to be honest) get in the way when you have a small kitchen. Cooking the turkey on Thanksgiving day used to really make me nervous...with all the company in the kitchen :) This new way was much more relaxing for me.

This year we are having ham. I bought a new electric, portable, oven that we will use for the first time. It's a Nesco oven and it gets so hot you can't even touch it. So, Joe is putting it in our attached garage, right off the kitchen, and he will take charge of the ham. I have never cooked in one of these...so it's kind of a chance we are taking.

I bought sweet potatoes early on when they were on sale and cooked them. Put them in freezer containers for this meal. They are thawing and I'll put them in my cast iron fry pan with splenda brown sugar, butter, cream, and seasonings tomorrow.

I roasted squash this summer...acorn and butternut. Then I took it out of the skin and mashed it with butter, seasoned salt, pepper and put it in casseroles in the freezer. It is thawing now and will go in the oven tomorrow.

I am going to put my green bean casserole together this morning except for the onions...

The whipped potatoes-- I will cook 5 lbs of yukon gold potatoes this morning. When they're done I add about 8 oz cream cheese, 1 stick of butter,( sour cream and milk to get the consistency I want) and seasonings. I mash them and put them in a greased 13X9 pan.

The relishes are put on the trays sealed with saran wrap. When I take them out tomorrow...a brushing of olive oil will moisten them and make them pretty.

I made cranberry conserve when the cranberries first came to the store. They are in their serving dish in the fridge.

Yesterday I made a couple of dips for snacking. I never make too many snacks...because I want people to be hungry for the meal. My table in the breakfast nook will hold the snacks, dips and chips and gardetto snacks (for my daughter)

The table will also hold the desserts.  Son, John is bringing a pecan and pumpkin pie. Joe's son Mark is bringing the rolls and a tray of pastries.

I will contribute a sugar free pumpkin pie for LuAnn. I will put the filling together this morning and keep it refrigerated till tomorrow. I'm using a pre made crust and will bake it fresh in the morning.

Well, there you have it. Many things are already done and in the frig...The table is already set and as Joe said just this morning. Balisha....all you have to do today is make the potatoes!!!  
Balisha

I should have put the oven temp. for these dishes. 325-350 works for all of them. The potatoes take the longest. I used to put them in a corning ware...big casserole, but found that it took forever for them to get hot in the middle. If they are spread out in a more shallow container...the don't take as long.