Have you started your Thanksgiving day food prep?

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msmofet

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T-day in 5 days.

I'm interested in seeing how far ahead you prep dishes, how you store (fridge or freezer) and how you cook/reheat them.

On the agenda will be:
Roast turkey wings and make stock
Uncooked cranberry tangerine relish
Cooked cranberry sauce
Marinate mushrooms.
 
Food shopping is done - I think ;)

On Friday, I roasted turkey necks and made stock. Got 3 quarts + 1 cup in the freezer.

Frozen turkey is thawing in the extra fridge.

I might make pie crusts today and stick them in the freezer.

That's it for now.
 
As I mentioned in another thread, I've bought my first turkey and made stock. All the shopping is done.

I'm about half way through sharpening my knives. I may finish today.

That's about it for now.
 
Shopping was done yesterday. Hoping the duck is thawed enough for me to break it down today. I'm going to be making a turducken roulade with thigh meat. Planning on confiting the duck legs and refreezing the breasts, which is why I want to break it down while still partially frozen. The wings will get thrown in with Turkey wings and legs to make stock and pug treats in next day or 2. I'll make the roulades Wednesday at some point, wrap them in plastic wrap, then they'll have a bacon lattice wrapped around them Thursday and Craig will smoke on the BGE, along with 1 of the turkey breasts and I'll roast the other in our new oven. Planning on making some reverse spherification cranberry pearls out of cranberry/cherry juice today or tomorrow.
 
Im a guest and was told not to bring anything .
I always bring something .
I plan on making a few appetizers. Not sure yet, but I have a few days to figure it out.
 
We agreed to "play nice" with each other for the foreseeable future. The master lists (plural) were copied from prev years and updated.

We did deep sea house cleaning Saturday. I chose the 2nd floor and basement/ family room. SO took the main floor. Nobody should need to go upstairs, apparently it cannot be ignored.

Food shopping was done mid week. Turkeys are thawing in frigs. I'm watching football.
 
Only in my mind. My Mom is in hospice (don't ask), Dad is depressed, and I am sorting through my deceased brother's stuff in Eastern Ontario before "this" passes and I have to enter the next phase of my life. No Thanksgiving here, but I am enjoying reading about others' preparations.
 
I am making my Thanksgiving sides ahead of time so I can just roast turkey and reheat sides on T-say.
Does anyone have a link to or a PDF timetable (with heating instructions) guide line? TIA
 
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Ok, I lied,because new information. Grands (ages 3 1/2 & 4 1/2) are having a sleepover T-night until probably Saturday. Good thing the upstairs bedrooms are spiffy, and for no reason except SO said do it-- I changed the bedding to flannel sheets for the winter too.

Ms M. We don't get too choosy about warming up foods and dishes others bring. 350 for 20 minutes, covered or uncover. The sister who thinks she can have the oven at 4-450 for oven roasted brussels again, will not be repeating. She's bringing wine this year.
 
Ms M. We don't get too choosy about warming up foods and dishes others bring. 350 for 20 minutes, covered or uncover. The sister who thinks she can have the oven at 4-450 for oven roasted brussels again, will not be repeating. She's bringing wine this year.

Lol, I see :blush:

I agree with Whiska. I also think that having everything perfectly hot is overrated. Some foods are better or just fine warm. If you have a gas grill, we have used it as a warming oven. Just put one burner on low.
 
I also think that having everything perfectly hot is overrated. Some foods are better or just fine warm. If you have a gas grill, we have used it as a warming oven. Just put one burner on low.

It's really a matter of strategies and logistics. A buffet line with 30+ people, including big people helping little people's plates, everything slows down in the queue and food will not be as hot by the time the last in line is served anyway. Mash potatoes go in a slo cooker to keep warm. Sweet potatoes arrive double wrapped in two towels. The 2nd turkey made Wed gets prime oven space to re-warm in a 9x13 pan. One of the dishes I added when more people rsvp'd they are coming is I think one of Ms M's recipes-- green beans in a red vinaigrette sauce, served room temp. It's a good alternative to The Green Bean Casserole. << This is a dish that simply will not go away. Now, Next generation, it's one of Jr's and two of his cousins favorites and they practically fight to lick the bowl, or at least the spoon. They have to decide who brings it.

I realize not everyone is blessed with as large a family as SO. It's a great family celebration.
 
yes I have veggies all cut that will be added to it items, like carrots, onion, celery, I have made turkey stock for gravy. I make the gravy day before and what ever drippings I get on Thanksgiving and save and put in the freezer for another time or along with the carcass I make turkey soup . I made pie shells and put in the freezer. Squash has been precooked and frozen last week. Stuffing/dressing made night before, along with sweet taters and along with our family favorite which us 8 kids called Fiber salad.


Fiber salad is just a lg pkg of orange jello a lg can of crushed pineapple well drained - grated carrots and finely chopped celery. add enough veggies to make so it is mostly veggies not jello and that's it, It is an odd salad but there was never any left.


Happy Thanksgiving to all
 
Fiber salad is just a lg pkg of orange jello a lg can of crushed pineapple well drained - grated carrots and finely chopped celery. add enough veggies to make so it is mostly veggies not jello and that's it, It is an odd salad but there was never any left.


l


I make that occasionally, but no celery and not for Thanksgiving. It's usually a summertime dish.



For T-day and Christmas, my mother always made a cherry jello salad using fresh orange/cranberry relish, pecans, crushed pineapple, and celery. It wasn't my favorite, but everybody else seemed to really like it. In fact, my aunt asked me for the recipe a couple of years after mother passed because they missed her making and bringing it.
 
We will be transporting:

Dressing (in the Nesco Roaster)
Holiday Broccoli Salad
Classic Cranberry Sauce
Pecan Pie Bars


I'll be making the Cranberry Sauce today (Mon) and the Pecan Pie Bars tomorrow.
The Dressing and the Broccoli Salad will both be put together on Wed with the help of my Darling Sous Chef.
Because SC loves my dressing so much, we always keep as much dressing as we take so I can bag up freezer portions to last for the year. Twelve quarts of dressing is quite a production, but fun for both of us.
 
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Doing as well as possible..SonInLaw was hurt on the job at the police department recently and is recovering from rotary cuff surgery on Friday. Yikes...will probably just be me cooking what I've already bought and and bringing dinner to their home....don't know yet. :ermm:
 
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I hope your SIL recovers quickly, Cheryl.

I'm so excited I get to make sweet potato casserole this year! DH does not like them, but my FIL and I do, so I'm making one! :yum: I roasted the potatoes last night and Wednesday, I'll mix in the rest of the ingredients - orange juice, a little honey, tahini, S&P., topped with pecans.Trying to decide whether to add a little homemade candied ginger.

What do you think? This is the recipe I'm using. https://www.thehealthymaven.com/orange-pecan-mashed-sweet-potato-casserole/
 
I purchased turkey yesterday. Rather whole turkey breast. It's only us and my mom this year. No need for whole turkey.
Planning on small lunch. Turkey. Mashed potato. Gravy. Something sweet.

Actually have to figure out how to make the breast. Haven't made one in a very long.
 
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