Thanksgiving Dinner Checklist from the Old Educator

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Parenting Tips from the Old Educator

Thanksgiving Dinner Checklist

Here's an easy-to-use checklist of how to prepare for your Thanksgiving feast.

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE THANKSGIVING:

	Plan your menu. If you want guests to bring a dish, list the dish next to the guest.
	Make your guest list.
	Order the turkey (if ordering a fresh one). Plan on 1-1/4 pounds per person. Make sure your oven will hold the turkey.
	Call to invite your guests and if they ask to bring something, let them know what you'd like them to bring. If they don't offer, ask them.

THREE WEEKS BEFORE:

TWO WEEKS BEFORE:

	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 BEFORE:

	Clean 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 sink full 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!

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