5 Tips to Make Thanksgiving Dinner Stress Free:
Eureka! I actually have had to Conquer this Holiday Cooking Monkey before, so I have learned a few Tricks!
For those who are not gourmet, and / or are not interested in wrestling a big ole' turkey and making a million side dishes, here is some advice:
1. GOBBLE GOBBLE MUTHER CLUCKER!
Order a seasoned & partially cooked turkey from Whole Foods or another local gourmet butcher / market (depending on where you live).
*I have done this twice for Holiday dinners and it makes life SO much easier. There are cooking instructions, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN THE BIRD YOURSELF!!!!!
**Typically I have added a few extra spices to the top of the bird, and maybe even stuff some fresh herbs into the cavity like garlic, rosemary sprigs etc. But, this will save you so much time and I have found it turns out just as well as when I do the entire process from scratch.
*** You can also spruce this baby up by wrapping your bird with some fancy thick cut apple wood smoked bacon, we have done this, and it's deeeelightful. As the cookbook says, Everything really is Better with Bacon!
(yes, I DO own this cookbook, thanks Tiff!)
2. Sides, the BEST PART!
* Again, Whole Foods (or another high end market in your area) is an Excellent Source for those who do not want to cook OR who want to make a couple items from scratch, then purchase a couple pre-made to re-heat.
* Their mashed potatoes were great & the stuffing was ok, I think you might want to spruce up their stuffing by adding some extra flavor, maybe even mixing in a browned up ground sausage or some bacon :) Everything IS better with Bacon after all!!!
5. Delegate! Take up your guests on their offer to bring a dish, dessert, or beverages. I used to want to do every single thing myself, wanted to put on the big show because it is so fun for me. But, let's face it, as we get older life gets MORE complicated, so it's time to say "YES" to the offers of help. This will greatly cut down on your work load!!!!
By the way, I thought you might enjoy @djevoke's list on How to Host a Potluck Thanksgiving Dinner!