Thursday, May 22, 2008

Thanksgiving Dinner Timetable

This is just a guideline to help you plan your very busy two days of Thanksgiving cooking.

The Day Before:
Make the pies and refrigerate.
Make the bread stuffing.
Stuff the turkey and refrigerate.
Prepare the corn casserole and refrigerate.
Prepare the green bean casserole, leaving off the French fried onions, and refrigerate.
Prepare the sweet potato casserole, leaving off the marshmallows, and refrigerate.
Make sure the drinks are prepared.
Let the kids make the homemade butter.
Set the table.

The Day Of:
To be ready by noon-1pm/To be ready by 6 or 7 pm
Approximately 5:30 or 6am/11:30am or 12pm: Preheat oven and put in turkey. See Roasting Timetable and adjust accordingly. I like to have the turkey done early so I have time to cook the other items.
7 am/1pm: Baste the turkey.
7:30 am/1:30pm: Baste the turkey.
8:00 am/2pm: Baste the turkey.
8:30 am/2:30pm: Baste the turkey.
9:00 am/3pm: Baste the turkey.  Remove all casseroles from refrigerator and allow them to get to approximately room temperature before baking. (Otherwise the casserole dishes will burst in the oven.)
9:30 am/3:30pm: Baste the turkey. (If making rolls that need to rise, start now.)
10:00 am/4pm:  Baste the turkey.
10:15 am/4:15pm: Top green bean casserole with remaining French fried onions.
10:30 am/4:30pm: Remove turkey, if it’s done. Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake corn casserole, green bean casserole, stuffing and sweet potato casserole. (Baking times will be slightly extended due having so many items in at once.)
10:45 am/4:45pm: Make the salad.
11:00 am/5pm: Prepare Nana’s Angel Biscuits. (If using a roll recipe that needs to rise, start earlier.)
11:30 am/5:30: Check on casseroles. Remove those that are done. Top the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows and cook for five more minutes or until marshmallows are toasted. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Start mashed potatoes.
11:40 am/5:40pm: Put rolls in the oven. Set out the salad, relish tray, cranberry sauce, dressings, drinks, hot pads & trivets. Remove pies from refrigerator. (Whipped cream can be removed from refrigerator as needed.)
11:50 am/5:50pm: Remove rolls, cover with light cloth and set out. Mash the potatoes and make the gravy.
Noon/6pm: Set out everything and enjoy!

1 comment:

Irene said...

What a great service you did providing the timetable. I'm hosting one this year and with our small refrigerator and oven capacity here in England I've procrastinated on how to do the feast. Thanks for your detail-oriented self that surfaces very now and again to save me! Love you! - irene