step Yourself
Planning and preparing certainfoodsahead of the big twenty-four hour period smooth the preparation and cleaning process . Cookbook author and TV cooking host Nathalie Dupree suggest create and freezing your gravy a calendar month in advance of Thanksgiving Day [ source : Dupree ] . you may also put casseroles together two days before the spread , and bake pies the daylight before . When your guests get in for Thanksgiving dinner , the muddy dishes from these preparations will be long forgotten .
Another crucial do - ahead timesaver : Clean out and prepare therefrigeratorso theleftoversfit in without a lot of fuss .
Enough Is As Good As a spread
When planning your Thanksgiving dinner , keep the card sensible . drill " restraint , " say renowned chef and restaurateur Thomas Keller , peculiarly if you ’re new to hosting the Thanksgiving meal [ source : French Laundry ] . " Just do three or four thing instead of trying to do eight or nine . " This advice cuts stress levels on meal preparation and clean up .
Make a Clean Start
assay to stay on top of the muddle by wiping counters and washing and clarification pots and Pan as you cook . Before your guests arrive , run and empty the dish washer , even if it is n’t quite full . This way , you’re able to whisk many of the dinner party dishes out of sight when the meal is over . Empty the trash can , too , so you wo n’t have to discontinue and take out the codswallop during the table clearing . It ’s a good theme to place a couple of redundant handbag in the bottom of the can so replacement are on hand .
When the preparation ’s all done and you ’re quick to carve the turkey , jump - start the cleanup . As presently as you channelize the turkey to the suffice platter , fill your roast cooking pan with soapy water and let it hock in a 250 degree Fahrenheit ( 121 point Celsius ) oven . The bake - on solid food yield up while you relish your guest ' company and the repast .
Container Savvy
Get your cooking , serving and storage containers on your side with these tips :
Finally , do n’t labor alone . Thanksgiving is a kin affair . If you have helpers on hand , call on them , even if you only involve someone else to take out the trash .
