Timing Is Everything

Thanksgiving Day is nearly here.  Somehow I don't think that this year I will be meeting the gold-standard depicted in my watercolor interpretation of the classic 1943 Norman Rockwell painting, Freedom from Want.

There are just a few differences, really.  I don't wear my hair in a bun.  My glasses are not wire rimmed.  And I swear that I do not, and never have, worn a frilly white apron - honest!

All of that aside.  It's a week from Thanksgiving and haven't spent a minute of time thinking about just what I will do for the day.

I know what the expectations are from my man and beast.  A perfectly cooked meal, football and lots of leftovers in the freezer.  

I am so not prepared!!!

Fortunately for me, I've been down this road before.  I've danced the dance.  I've sung the song.  I've ... you get the picture.

So here's the plan.  This year since we are not having guests I will do Thanksgiving "light".  Just the traditional dishes.  No extra stuff.  I swear as God as my witness I will not be baking 24 pies the night before!!! (It really wasn't that hard, but I was exhausted the entire weekend and they took hours to deliver.)

Okay, so the plan:

  Menu:

     Pumpkin Bread for breakfast

     Antipasto platter for snacking

     Turkey - 12-15 lbs. (I will not have to cook for a week!!!!)

     Stuffing

     Mashed potatoes

     Creamed onions

     Green beans with almonds

     Corn

     Cranberry sauce

     Rolls

     Gravy, Au Jus, Giblet gravy

     Pumpkin pie with whipped cream

  Guests:

     Me

     Dear Honey

     Puppy

  The Secret Weapon:

     Timeline

Saturday before Thanksgiving:  

     Grocery shop

Sunday before Thanksgiving:

     Locate all holiday cooking pans, serving utensils, corny turkey flower vase

     Make pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving breakfast

Monday before Thanksgiving:

     Make cranberry sauce

Tuesday before Thanksgiving:

     Make pie crust

Wednesday before Thanksgiving:

     Make pie

     Prep all vegetables

     Put together antipasto tray for snacking

Thanksgiving:

     8am - Make the stuffing

     9am - Bird in oven, cook giblets

    10am - Set the table

    11am - Cook Potatoes, go pick some flowers for the table

    12 pm - Cook vegetables, put in oven-proof pans (1940s Pyrex, of course!)

     1 pm - Mash potatoes, put in over-proof pan

     2 pm - Bird is done, bake rolls, make gravy and au jus

     3 pm - Dinner is served

     4 pm - Wash up, food away

     5 pm - Nap

     6 pm - Play with puppy

     7 pm - Whip cream, eat pie

     8 pm - Nap some more

Day after Thanksgiving:

     Process leftovers:

          Mini turkey casseroles

          Turkey soup

          Turkey sandwich prep

          Turkey broth cubes (for winter cooking)

     Make more pumpkin pie for my Dear Honey and the neighbors.

This is my plan.  It's a good plan.  This year I pledge to follow the plan and have dinner on the table before 9pm.  I really will.  Honest.  Seriously.  Stop laughing!