If you want to get a little fancy, send invitations out to your guests. You can buy invitations at the store, or you can make your own. Your guests will be impressed that you took the time to do so (and will get even more excited about your dinner. )
Learn how to properly roast a turkey. For weeks now, you’ve probably been bombarded with images of golden birds sitting on beautiful tables. Well now you too can create your own golden bird. What would a turkey be without stuffing? Check out this link to make some delicious bread stuffing. Another T-Day staple is mashed potatoes. And while you’re at it, why not check out how to make some awesome gravy? Add a splash of red to your plate with cranberry sauce. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get a little crazy and take a bite of cranberry, turkey, stuffing, and potato all at the same time! (Hint: It’s delicious. ) And lets not forget dessert. Go for the gold medal and make a selection of pumpkin pie, apple pie, and pecan pie.
If you are planning on doing a potluck-style Thanksgiving, you may consider creating a spreadsheet (or at the very least a list) for yourself so that you can keep organized about who is bringing what.
Tips for food shopping: Go through every recipe you are going to use and write down the items you don’t already have (or at least think you don’t. ) Then, go through your cupboards and make sure you actually don’t have that packet or allspice or that one yellow onion. You may be surprised by what you find when you dig deep. You should also keep in mind that getting perishable goods like apples (for that awesome pie you’re going to make) are best bought the day before Thanksgiving. Tips for supply shopping: Make a list of everyone who will be in attendance. Go through all of your china and cutlery and make sure everyone will have: a dinner plate, a dessert plate, a bowl, a fork, a knife, a spoon, and a glass. You may also want to check up on the number of your wine or champagne glasses. If you find you’re short on some items, go pick up what you’re missing from your local home furnishing store.
Decorate your front door. Buy some decorative squash and place them outside your door or arranged in a basket nearby. (This is also a good way to use that pumpkin you never got around to carving. ) Hang dried corn on your door (they come in amazing crimsons, maroons, oranges, and golds. ) Decorate the dinner table. While the food you will masterfully create may be decoration enough, you can also give your table some extra flair. Buy a cute fall-colored tablecloth. Put some candlestick holders on the table, complete with beautiful orange candlesticks. Put little touches of fall around your house. Consider placing a bowl of fall-colored M&M’s on the coffee table, or fall-colored candles in strategic places around the house.
If you decide to cook everything the day of, make a plan as to what will go in the oven when. Most of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes get baked in the oven, so you will need to plan a coordinated attack. Find out which recipes take longer to cook and put them in first. Note that usually a turkey needs 3 days to thaw in advance.
If you happen to know which of your guests are right handed vs. left handed, keep that in mind when setting the table. Placing a rightie next to a leftie will result in two guests smacking their elbows together all dinner long.
When your turkey is done, you will have to carve it. Learn how to do that here.
