Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Countdown Tips From Food Network

Countdown Tips From Food Network

Thanksgiving preparations can always be stressful. That's why it's important to plan as far ahead in advance as possible. With our helpful countdown tips, you're sure to have a stress-free celebration.

Three weeks ahead:

Prepare your guest list: Firm up how many people will be there.

Find out if there are any special dietary needs for your guests.

Two weeks ahead:

Decide on your final menu.

Assign cooking projects to family members who offer to help.

Order your fresh turkey, or buy your frozen turkey and put it in the freezer.

Order or pick up alcohol and other beverages.

Shop for non-perishable goods now, before the rush. You can buy items such as flour, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, canned pumpkin, and fresh or frozen cranberries.

One week ahead:

Shop for non-perishable vegetables, such as butternut squash, carrots, potatoes, parsnips and turnips.

Buy heavy cream now. In the days before Thanksgiving, it can be hard to find.

If necessary, wash and iron linen or polish silver. Dig out your turkey roaster and platter and any serving dishes hidden away in closets or high shelves.

Three days ahead:

Defrost. If you have a frozen turkey, clear a space in your fridge and put the bird in now.

Clean the house--enlist household members who aren't cooking.

If you're having a lot of guests, you may want to set up the table and ensure you have enough chairs.

Two days ahead:

Make pumpkin pies or pumpkin cheesecake, rolls, breads, and cornbread for stuffing. Refrigerate pies; you can always warm things up again before serving. Don't make apple pie, however. The crust won't stay flaky and crisp.

Make things that can sit for two days in the fridge such as soups and cranberry sauce.

Prepare items such as sweet potato or green bean casserole, which can be stored uncooked in the refrigerator, to bake on the day.

One day ahead:

Set the table. It's easiest to do it now.

Do any remaining baking, including that apple pie.

Buy your salad greens and perishable vegetables. Wash lettuce leaves now, dry well, and store by packing them in paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

If you ordered a fresh turkey, pick it up from the butcher.

Calculate your cooking time for tomorrow and your cooking sequence. Figure out what time that turkey needs to go in with our famous Turkey Calculator, the Turkeylator.

Figure out what can't be cooked along with the turkey in the oven, either in terms of temperature or space. Plan to prepare those things before or after the turkey is done, or on the stovetop while it's cooking--or, better, make them today.

November 27, Thanksgiving Day:

First off:

Prepare stuffing for the turkey, plus extra to cook on the side.

Prepare your vegetables for cooking--clean, peel, and chop. Cover the ready-to-go vegetables and put them in the refrigerator. Boil potatoes for mashing later.

Cooking time:

Stuff the turkey and get it in the oven according to the schedule you calculated yesterday with our Turkey Calculator.

Just before the turkey's done, begin cooking vegetables.

While the cooked turkey is resting:

Put a foil tent over the turkey. You now have about an hour to do the remaining cooking.

If you have a pan of stuffing on the side to bake, put it in now.

Warm whatever needs to be warmed, including rolls, soups, and casseroles.

Mash the potatoes.

Make the gravy.

Put all the food on the table or buffet. Don't hesitate to press guests into service to put food in bowls, open wine bottles, top up glasses, and dish up the cranberry sauce.

Get a plate and eat! Don't spend the meal running back and forth to the kitchen and end up missing out on the Thanksgiving feast you created.

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