Regina Charboneau knows how to make Thanksgiving easier. Here are some of her timesaving tips.
Do all the shopping at least a week in advance, except for salad produce.
Set out all of your serving platters and bowls a week ahead, and decide which dishes will hold which food. Do the same with serving utensils. Mark them with a sticky note.
Consider making table arrangements with pumpkins or gourds or potted mums that last for a long time so you aren’t fussing over flowers at the last minute.
Start saving drippings from chickens or roasts to make gravy ahead of time. These can be frozen, along with homemade stock.
Do the math to plan how much food you will need. Most people will eat about six ounces of meat and another 10 to 12 ounces of other food. If you want a lot of leftover turkey, plan on a pound on the bone per person.
Mash the potatoes early in the day. Peel and dice the night before, and submerge the cut potatoes in a large pot of water. Set the pot on the stove and turn it on as soon as you wake up, salting the water well. Mash the potatoes with warm milk and butter. Melt a little butter on the bottom of a slow cooker with a ceramic insert. Keep the cooker on low, stirring occasionally to keep potato edges from browning, until serving time.
If you are serving store-bought rolls or chutney or even a turkey, always use the most attractive dishes you have to serve them.
Don’t be a martyr. Cut corners where you can so you never appear flustered or rushed. Guests will appreciate a relaxed host more than a homemade dish.