This post has been edited from the original which was published on November 17, 2011.
Is it just me, or have the last few weeks flown by?? I am getting super excited for Thanksgiving. We have a great group joining us this year, although I am still unsure about how many we’ll be. The latest count is 27 peeps! I am also looking forward to some one-on-one time with the kids, especially my older daughter who will be home from college! I used to get all of them in the kitchen Thanksgiving morning to help me with pies or trimming green beans or whatnot, but my two daughters have taken to sleeping until noon on days off. However I had a stroke of genius four years ago, which was to tack my Thanksgiving to-do list on the refrigerator and have everyone sign up for three tasks. Even my husband helps out!
My last class is Monday night, but I will be getting busy this weekend. I always plan Thanksgiving day down to the last detail because I don’t like forgetting things and a schedule makes me feel more relaxed, which equals more fun for me! But just because Thanksgiving is the star of the show this week doesn’t mean that I can forget about normal life on very other day. So I think about regular meals and activities, too. Here’s what my schedule will look like from Sunday until we eat on Thursday at 4:00 pm (-ish). This shouldn’t make you feel exhausted, but merely show you what you can do ahead for your own Thanksgiving!
Here’s my menu for Thursday and after that is my timeline so you can see how everything can get done.
BREAKFAST
Struesel coffee cake (I’ve been making this for 20 years, but it’s from an old, out-of-print book.)
LUNCH
HORS D’OEUVRES
Small cheese board
DINNER
2 Whole Roast Turkeys and Gravy (18 pounds each)
Cranberry Sauce (x2)
Applesauce (x1)
Mashed yukon gold potatoes (10 pounds)
Sweet potato casserole (x 1 1/2)
Stuffing (mushroom and leek) (x1)
Stuffing (sourdough, chicken sausage, apple, fennel)(x1)
Delicata Squash Salad with Roasted Apples (x3)
Crispy Stove-top Brussels Sprouts (4 pounds)
Green Bean Casserole (x4)
Spinach Gratin (x1)
DESSERT
Whipped Cream
Fresh Fruit Platter
I have two friends bringing another dessert.
Schedule:
Sunday
Grocery shop for everything other than turkeys and produce
Arrange tables & chairs
Make cranberry sauce and applesauce
Write placecards
Monday
Prep for tonight’s class
Make salad vinaigrette for salad
Make 2 qts. ice cream
Dry mix for sweet potato casserole with a note about adding butter
evening: Cooking class
Tuesday
Pick up turkeys and produce
Buy and arrange flowers (last year I made arrangements with white hydrangeas, flowering kale, roses, and snapdragons)
Brine turkey for 24 hours
Set tables
Wash and dry greens
Shred cheese for tart, salad
Toast pumpkin seeds for salad
Dry bread cubes for stuffing
Chop onions for soup, stuffings, gratin
Defrost spinach for gratin
Make apple caramel sauce
Dinner: pumpkin and black bean chili, spinach quesadillas
Wednesday
Make butternut squash soup
Steam cauliflower; bread and refrigerate
Make sweet potato casserole
Clean mushrooms and slice for bean casserole
Make stuffings
Prep Brussels sprouts
Prep zucchini
Blind bake tart crust
Defrost turkey stock and chicken stocks
Prep delicata squash for salad
Blanche green beans
Make pumpkin pies
Make pecan pies
Make spinach gratin
Bake gingerbread muffins
Set up coffee and tea service
Check powder room
Uncover turkeys
Leave butter, eggs and sour cream out for cake
Dinner: spice-rubbed salmon, brown rice, sautéed Swiss chard
Before bed: make sure garage refrigerator door is closed! (Five years ago, I left the door open to my extra fridge in the garage all night long. OMG. Disaster! Needed to buy two new turkeys on Thanksgiving morning!)
Thursday
6 am Wake and shower
Make coffee cake
Make decaf coffee
Make cornbread
Make apple pies – All pies must be out by 10:45AM
9:00 Take turkey out of refrigerator
Roast delicata squash and apples for salad
Prep turkeys
11:00 Put turkeys in oven
Get dressed and do hair
Make crispy onions for bean casserole
Prep coffee machine for after dinner
12:00 Reheat soup
Herb oil for tart
Prep gravy ingredients
Remove salad dressing from refrigerator
Add melted butter to sweet potato topping
Blanche brussels sprouts
Assemble fruit platter
2:00 Peel potatoes; make mashed potatoes; keep in bowl over simmering water
Prep tart
2:15 Bake tart
2:30 make cauliflower and serve hot
3:00 sweet potato casserole in small oven
start green bean casserole
3:15 Take turkey out to rest, oven to 350
Reheat stuffings at 450
Make gravy
3:30 remove foil and add topping to sweet potatoes
Add green bean casserole to oven
Bake gratin for 20 minutes at 425
Sear brussels sprouts
Light candles, water, butter, cranberry sauce, applesauce, assemble salad
3:45/4:00 Carve turkeys
After dinner: whip cream, coffee and tea, sparkling water
After everyone leaves, write notes for next year!
Friday
Segment on Thanksgiving leftovers on KTLA Morning News. Stay tuned for time!
10 Comments
Pamela
I want to make your green bean casserole recipe. You have it listed x4. I’m serving 20. Does that mean I am making the recipe times 4?
Thanks so much,
Cynde
Hi Cynde! It depends on what else you are making. Last year I had 34 people, including kids and I made a note that 4x was the perfect amount. I have 20-21 adults and 7 kids coming this year and I am sticking with 4x the amount. You might be fine with 3x if you’re making a lot of other sides.
Thanks for all of the planning tips! I’ve been making Ina’s Spinach Gratin for years for Thanksgiving and was excited to see that the guru (that’s you!) also serves it. A few of our guests this year are gluten free. Is there a good sub for the 1/4 cup of flour in that recipe? Thanks!
I would use a good GF flour blend, like Kind Arthur Multipurpose Gluten-free Flour or a GF oat flour. I’m not a huge fan of using all rice flour, which to me can get a little gritty. Let me know what you try!
Ultimately, I was too nervous to experiment on the big day. If I try a gluten-free version in future, I’ll certainly let you know how it goes. Thanks for the tip!
Totally understandable. It’s always more comfortable to try something new beforehand. Hope you had a good holiday!
When do you make the gingerbread muffins?
Ahhhh! Good catch! Wednesday night 🙂
YOU ARE MY HERO! This is the best Thanksgiving menu,recipes and most comprehensive to do list ever. Take that all major food magazines! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Naz
Haha! Thank you, Naz. You are the best. Happy Thanksgiving!