Only 64 days until Thanksgiving!
64 Days til Thanksgiving! You all know Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. First and foremost, I love that this holiday is about being with loved ones and giving thanks. I am hopeful that our kids and grandson will be able to be with us this year. After loved ones is the food…the seasonal squashes and stuffings and turkey roasting in the oven. And pie. I have created my own holiday around pie…
I have been hard at work on my menu, scouring the internet for tablescape ideas, and making lists upon lists of what to do, when to do it, and how to streamline it all so I can actually enjoy my guests. An added event this year is a small cocktail party I’m throwing the Saturday before Thanksgiving to celebrate a milestone birthday for my husband. Hey, go big or go home, right?
In order to make sure I don’t go completely out of my mind the week of, I plan to front-load October with as much as I can do in advance as possible. That includes making and freezing turkey stock, pie crusts and breads. All of those I have successfully made ahead in prior years, and I feel very comfortable with this. I plan to prepare a few freezer meals to free up time while my guests are in town. That will allow us to eat healthy and minimize clean up. Some options I’m considering are: Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, Vegetable Lasagna, and Bolognese Sauce. These, I can make in quantity since they freeze well.
Wine, Beer, and Cocktails
I can also purchase beer and wines and mixers in advance. Last year I discovered Gamay wines, and I’ve been drinking them all year. They are red wines which pair well with turkey. If your crowd likes whites, Pinot Grighio and White Burgundies are a great choice. But really, go with what you and your crowd like rather than what others tell you to drink. Despite what some might say, there are no wrong choices.
My eldest son typically comes up with our Thanksgiving cocktail, but this year I came across a recipe for a Ginger-Cranberry Whiskey Sour that screams ‘Thanksgiving!’ I may need to test it out ahead of time. Just to be sure. Scroll to the bottom for the recipe or click the link below to jump to the recipe.
Jump to RecipeThanksgiving in October – Advance Prep
I ordered my turkey last week. It’s a big ‘un. I’m already late to the game for a pasture-raised turkey, and I normally order 2 – one for roasting, a smaller one for smoking. This year I was only able to find a large one for roasting which I will pick up the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I’m asking around to see if I can find a smaller turkey to smoke; however, the large one is much larger than I typically buy (21-24lbs!!!), so it might not be a bad idea to skip the smoked turkey this year.
For the outside of the house, my husband will help with lighting in the back and side yards. I’ll clean up the cushions on the furniture and store them so they will be ready, and I’ll also plant fall color in the beds. I’ve already stocked up on pinion wood for the chiminea, and the propane tanks are filled and ready for the tabletop fire pits. My windows are scheduled to be cleaned (they haven’t been professionally cleaned since before our kitchen remodel 2 years ago…aagh!). Other than some last minute touch ups, the outside should be ready for our company well in advance of the big day.
For inside, I will have the guest rooms readied. Along with that, I aim to iron any linens: tablecloths, napkins, etc. I am not much of an ironer, but I do like a crisp tablecloth and linen napkins to highlight my table setting that day. I don’t decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving, so no need to do any of that in advance. However, I will take the boxes out of storage before guests arrive so we will be ready to jump in on Pie Friday. 😉
Thanksgiving Spreadsheet Items
On my Thanksgiving spreadsheet this year (doesn’t everyone have a Thanksgiving spreadsheet?!), I added a ‘To Be Delegated’ column. Any of you who know me well know how awful I am at delegating in all matters kitchen related. I’m dreadful at it! I’ve gotten a little better over the years, but it is still difficult. I hope to delegate some of the food prep, maybe the table setting, and possibly some of the flower arranging. Maybe. We’ll see what I’m able to let go of this year. LOL
Obviously, I go a lot bigger for Thanksgiving than many. But it is my Joy…with a capital J. I spend much of the year thinking about it and planning for it and dreaming of ways I can make it even better. I realize not everyone has the same passion as I do. But if you are looking for tips to make your Thanksgiving a tad less stressful, I wrote about that a few years ago (here). Feel free to pick and choose any of the ones that work for your holiday.
Until next time,
Gobble, gobble, Y’all!
Ginger-Cranberry Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz ginger simple syrup* (see notes, below)
- 1 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
- ice
- 1 egg white (optional)
- candied ginger, cranberries and/or dried orange slices for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, ginger syrup, cranberry juice and egg white. Fill shaker with ice and vigorously shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.Strain into a rocks glass or couple. Garnish as desired.