Order your turkey--especially if you want a fresh one. (Plan on 1 1/4 pounds per person.)
Measure your oven to make sure your turkey will fit.
Invite your guests. (Before you get on the phone, have a list of guests and a list of dishes. Then, if someone offers to bring a dish, accept the offer. And if they don't offer, ask them.)
THREE WEEKS OUT:
Check your equipment:
- Table (one large enough for all your guests)
- Chairs for all of your guests
Linens:
- Clean napkins
- Tablecloth (large enough to fit your table)
Cooking and serving items:
- Roasting pan: Is it the right size for your turkey? Will it fit into your oven? (Don't laugh: It's easier to buy the right pan today than it will be on Thanksgiving morning.)
- Big-enough bowls, pots and serving platters
- Trivets
- Bread basket
- Sauceboat
- Gravy pitcher
- Well-sharpened knives
- Coffeepot--Can yours make both regular and decaf for a crowd? Maybe you should get a thermos.
- Sugar bowl
- Cream pitcher
SUGGESTION: If you can afford it, having someone to do the dishes will make an immense difference in your enjoyment of the meal.
TWO WEEKS OUT:
Make a seating chart.
Work on your shopping lists--don't forget tonic, seltzer and apple cider for the kids.
Begin cooking--relish will keep in the fridge for a week; gravy freezes well.)
Select a wine--Caterers recommend providing a half bottle for each guest--not counting children, of course.
ONE WEEK OUT:
Tidy up the house.
Put clean towels in the bathroom.
Make a final shopping list--Remember ice, cream for the coffee and nuts for nibbling in the living room.
THANKSGIVING WEEK - MONDAY:
Defrost your turkey (if it's frozen).
Remember that you have to allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds if you're going to defrost a turkey in the refrigerator. That means a 15-pound turkey will take three full days, so get started on Monday.
SUGGESTION: If you miss that deadline, you can defrost the bird faster in a sinkful of cold water, allowing about half an hour for each pound of turkey and changing the water occasionally. (It will still take 7 1/2 hours for that 15-pounder, so do it after work on Wednesday, then refrigerate it.)
THANKSGIVING WEEK - TUESDAY:
Do your final food shopping.
Make a cooking schedule for Thanksgiving Day.
If guests are invited for 5 P.M., count backward from a 6 P.M. dinner, writing down the time everything goes into the oven or the microwave. Don't forget the dishes that will have to be reheated.
THANKSGIVING WEEK - WEDNESDAY:
Set the table.
Clear out the coat closet for guest coats.
Clean the guest bathroom. If possible, make it off-limits to the family.
Take the gravy out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator so it can defrost.
THANKSGIVING DAY:
You'll be so caught up that you'll be looking around for things to do. Have a great Thanksgiving!
