The big cooking day is one week away, so I'm at your service serving up tips just for you, my little Giblet! Let us give thanks that Thanksgiving is a one day feast – and won’t drag on for days like the original one did.
One Ground Rule: If you’re one of those folks who believe it’s just not Thanksgiving without Great Aunt Lulu’s famous hooch dressing and you’re going to be ticked if the idiot your brother married doesn’t include it again this year. Here's how to avoid your utter disappointment:
1) Make it yourself
2) Let the hostess know you’re bringing it (If you're not making the beloved dish yourself, proceed directly to the next step)
3) SHUT UP!
Keep focused: Thanksgiving is about families, working yourself to death, worrying in advance about other people’s behavior, and eating yourself silly.
If you are the host/ess, here are tips to keep your head above the dish-water:
~ Whenever anyone offers to help or bring a dish, say, "I’d love for you to! What do you have in mind?" If they need prodding, suggest staples like sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, wine, or … my favorite, squash soup. WAIT! What am I thinking? Wine IS my favorite. Though, I do love squash soup.
~ Use hollowed bread loaves for serving cheese or dips. Save your serving pieces and spare the dishwasher.
~ Before the guests arrive, sit in each chair to make sure each guest won’t whack others with elbows, or constantly kick the person across from them.
~ Include favorite kids' foods, especially those they can eat by hand (you know that louse your sister married is only a giant kid anyway!)
~ Plan at least one low-calorie dish and consider a vegetarian option.
~ Before dessert, clear the table, and fill the sink with soapy water so stuff can soak
~ When creating your shopping list, don’t forget candles, flowers, and be sure to pick up club soda for immediate spot removal
~ Save food containers and grocery bags for packing up leftovers and handing them out to guests on their way out.
~ Bake desserts and side dishes that can be refrigerated and confirm deliveries from food services or caterers.
~ Create a timetable for the cooking that has to be done on Thanksgiving Day so everything will be ready at mealtime.
~ Don't forget breakfast on Thanksgiving morning. Cereal, frozen waffles, or fruit are low-prep ideas. Heck, if you’re cooking the big meal, send a caravan-load of folks to IHOP or Mickey D’s for Pete’s sake! Don’t make any more work for yourself. It also gets that rowdy kid out of your house and you get a moment's peace.
Off to stick my head in the oven. Toodles!
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3 comments:
What's cookin' in your kitchen this Thanksgiving, Main Dish?
I'm thinking I'm not hostessing any time soon. Hey, I drink club soda. Can I just bring club soda and call it a side dish? I'd share?
Well, Tipsy Diva, believe it or not, nothing's cooking in my kitchen next week. I'll be in NYC crashing Attorney Diva's Manhattan pad for Turkey Day, waiting eagerly for her homemade pies before taking to the stage at Carnegie Hall (after the pies, I'll be the fat lady singing in case you want to spot me). Despite moi taking off, I still am dishing up tips for you. "For the good of the group" is my raison d'etre.
Club soda, Divann (love that!)is the pefect side dish for the liquid lunch or any festivity. It's really not a party unless club soda is there, am I right or what?! And club soda doesn't have one purpose in life. It's a VERSITILE side dish element, n'est pas?! Perfection suggestion, my dear.
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