Gearing Up For Thursday

 Thanksgiving is really the Super Bowl of home cooking. It's a lot of prepping and planning along with praying that the dinner will be a success. For many cooking this year may be a first or a return after many years away. The best bet is have a game plan.  Be prepped and be ready.

The first thing home chefs should do is check out their pots and pans and decide which will work well for the turkey and sides. Do you have a large enough one or a just right size for your smaller bird? if not , then run to the grocery store and get a suitably sized one. Another check has to be for all your appliances. Is the stove working properly? What about the air fryer or immersion blender? Make sure everything is in working order. Another must check is if there's enough wax paper, aluminum foil and Saran wrap. These are also vital for cooking and storing leftovers.First time home chefs and those trying new recipes should have the recipes and their steps down pat. This is not a time for forgetting one step or needing to look over the instructions or ingredients as you're mixing or chopping. Study the steps. Memorize the ingredients. Have you bought everything on your list? Has anything been forgotten? Tomorrow may be your last chance to head to the store and get what you need.Also , decide what dishes you're going to go it on your own or who's going to help you. Kids and partners can easily whip potatoes and cut bread along with ladle sides into bowls.  You can work on the turkey and gravy. Most importantly - defrost the turkey NOW. It takes a whole day just to defrost a mere four pounds of bird. You should have the turkey in your kitchen sink right now.

As for the dishes, tomorrow should be the day to bake all the pies and make all the desserts.Again ask for help. Someone can core and slice the apples along with peel them as you make the crust. Also have assistance if you're making rolls or bread.  (although this can be fun for kids of all ages) Just remember if it doesn't come out right , whipped cream can cover  the pie and butter or gravy can easily disguise any misshapen or burnt crusts or dry crumbs. Keep in mind Wednesday is also a good day to chop veggies for stuffings or even salads. Take a break first from the kitchen, with a quick drive through coffee or sitting in the back yard with a good hot cup of tea. Then go back to food prep. Start with washing and chopping the celery, onion and carrots Slice the Brussels sprouts for roasting.  Afterwards store  the veggies in either aluminum foil which is great for keeping veggies fresh or air tight containers to maintain crispness. If you're making devilled eggs, boil the eggs tomorrow night . It's one less chore to deal with on Thursday. You can also set the table tomorrow so there's less worry about it and more concern put on the kitchen.

Thanksgiving will be a success and run smoothly if there's planning and prep beforehand. Be ready tonight and tomorrow. It'll ensure you creating a better holiday dinner on Thursday afternoon.