Thanksgiving Dinner Planning & Organization

I love Thanksgiving and even more after going to Massachusetts last year and going to Plymouth, Boston and all the New England colonies.  

The Pilgrims were such courageous people who took so seriously the call of God in their lives, seeking God's will, fighting for religious freedom, and wanting to create a new country, a new start. Also they way it ties with the Civil War in USA, when Abraham Lincoln made it an official holiday right after the bloody war to give thanks to God for his goodness and provision despite all the bad. 

Anyway, ramblings of a English Philologist...

But Thanksgiving dinners are so much work!  So this year, I have organized myself better and I don't wanna forget how I am doing it, so I thought I would write before I forget.

Thanksgiving dinner (my main basic recipe) has basically 6 main dishes and desserts and then all the others little additions: 

MAIN DISHES:

-Turkey.

-Stuffing.

-Mashes Potatoes.

-Sweet potatoes casserole.

-Green beans casserole.

-Spinach salad.

SAUCES:

-Cranberry sauce.

-Gravy for turkey.

DESSERTS:

-Pumpkin pie.

-Apple pie.

-Chocolate cake.

DRINKS:

-Apple juice.

-Cranberry juice.

-Red and white wine.

-Apple cider.

So the way I have done it this year is the following starting from the Monday of the Thanksgiving week:

1. On Monday: 

-Order turkey, or even Friday of the week before 

 -Make a list of ALL the ingredients necessary and shop for all of them in Taste of America and normal supermarket, including plates and cups.

2. On Tuesday: 

-Prepare 2 dishes: the mashed potatoes and the sweet potatoes and stick in fridge. 

-Prepare and toast the bread for the stuffing. Leave outside. 

-Prepare decorations and possible play.

3. On Wednesday: 

-Prepare the stuffing until step 3 in my recipe.

-Prepare the green casserole, by boiling the beans.

-Prepare the spinach salad, except pouring dressing on top.

-Clean your house.

4. On Thursday:

-Prepare turkey first of all because it will take many hours!

-Then, finish cooking stuffing. 

-Finish the cooking in the oven of green beans casserole, sweet potatoes, drizzle salad, heat up mashed potatoes in the microwave.

-Prepare table.

-Carve turkey.

-Do the brie starters.

-Make sure people arrive on time 7pm is quite perfect.

That's kinda it! 

I have not prepared the desserts up until this point, but with desserts you can ALWAYS freeze them.  I hope this helps you as it has helped me this year.