Nobody has a stress-free Thanksgiving. We certainly don’t, despite that its our favorite food holiday. So we’ve curated a truckload of tips in the hope that one or two might help us remember that perfect is the enemy of the good. In other words, why plan for a perfect day? As your casserole lands on the floor, or your neighbor announces she’s a vegan as she waltzes through the door, well, life is surprising.
— Faith Middleton
Make a contribution to feed the hungry or volunteer a little time to make sure those who have less can enjoy the day. Mistakes don’t seem so important after you’ve served meals at a homeless shelter. And bring the kids with you; it builds compassion.
Clean the refrigerator out. Line up some coolers for the hallway or garage the day before Thanksgiving. Stock them with ice packs. Use them to hold non-essentials that take up fridge room, such as ketchup, mustard, jams, other condiments. You get the idea. We’re making room in the refrigerator for all those extra bowls and platter.
Make anything and everything you possibly can in advance! We tell you how to do the gravy, even the turkey in advance.
Put a pen and paper on the counter and jot down how long things need to cook. Buy an extra timer.
What happens if you overcook the turkey? Real Simple has good advice… drizzle the sliced meat with warmed chicken broth to make it juicy again. Or serve it bathed in gravy. We tell you how in our kit thanks to the genius of Ina Garten.
Real Simple also says to use your microwave as a warmer. Because microwaves are insulated, they say, it will keep a hot pot warm “for 30 minutes, just don’t turn the machine on.” The magazine says a thermos will guarantee that your gravy stays piping hot.
As Jacques Pepin told me years ago, “At our home, we serve together and we clear together.” He means it. Everybody carries to the table and everybody clears at the end. That can be chaotic with a crowd, so feel free to ask ahead for a few designated clearers. Nobody minds!
The Food Network asked lots of chefs to share their stress-buster tips, and many are good, including my favorite from Michael Cimarusti who says, “Start three days out with dicing your onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Keep them in sealable plastic bags or in airtight containers.” See all 50 chef tips here.
