Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Free Online Articles Directory
Why Submit Articles?
Top Authors
Top Articles
FAQ
AB Answers
0 && $.browser.msie ) {
var ie_version = parseInt($.browser.version);
if(ie_version Hello Guest
Login
Register
Hello
My Home
Sign Out
Email
Password
Remember me?
Lost Password?
Home Page > Food and Beverage > Cooking Tips > Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Posted: Nov 11, 2008 |Comments: 0
| Views: 119
|
]]>
What Every Cook Should Know About
Hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner.
By, Stephanie Maggio owner/chef of Maggio’s Personal Chef Service.
Hosting a Thanksgiving dinner can be quite stressful. The holiday season is already upon us and it seems we are busy even before the day gets here. First Thanksgiving, then Christmas, with New Years Day to follow. First, calm down. Here are some tips to relieve some of the stress so you too can enjoy the day with your guests.
First, decide how you want your Thanksgiving dinner to be set-up. Do you want buffet-style? With this set-up you would need a fairly large place to set the food. Your guest would then serve themselves and sit where you have provided. This is a very casual dinner and works well with a large guest list. Another way to serve your holiday meal would be pot-luck style. This way is much less stressful on the host as each of your guests would be bring a dish and usually a dessert. The host usually provides the main dishes such as the turkey, stuffing and gravy. So a sample way to work this would be to let each guest know what items to bring such as mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls and such. Make sure your specific though so you do not end up having tons of greens beans! And yet another way to serve Thanksgiving dinner would be a more formal dinner setting at the table. This is my favorite and is a more intimate setting. To have a formal setting you would need a large table and smaller guest list. What we do at our home is set up two tables next to each other. One for the adults, and one for the kids. The kids can chat amongst their selves and the adults can visit with each other without everyone being separated. So deciding now what kind of Thanksgiving dinner style you want lets you plan accordingly.
The second thing you should do is start you baking now. Most baked goods freeze quite well. You could make and freeze pies, nut breads, unfrosted cakes and cookies. You can freeze fruit pies uncooked, wrapped in plastic wrap then cover in foil. To bake, place frozen pie in center oven at 375 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours or until bubbly and golden brown. To freeze nut breads, you will need to bake as usual and let cool completely. Wrap cooled bread in freezer bread according to size of loaf. To thaw just place on counter for about an hour, then slice as usual. To freeze unfrosted cakes, cool cake layers completely and wrap separately in parchment paper and then in foil. Let thaw on counter completely before frosting. Cookies freeze very well. Just bake according to recipes and cool completely. Store cookies in freezer bags or freezer containers such as lock-n-locks. Just thaw on counter until ready to display and eat. Doing this now will certainly help take a load off.
Plan your guest list. This may seem simple, but as you think about who you want over at your home, your list can grow to impossible numbers! Do you have a large family? If so, you may not be able to have many friends over. This is where you need to decide who you want to spend the day with. Traditions also play a part in this. Maybe you have the same people year after year, such as Grandma and Grandpa. If so, this will be easy because you already know. Ok, you now have your guest list ready.
Start your grocery shopping early! Don’t wait until the week of Thanksgiving to buy what you need. Not only are you risking empty shelves, but it is expensive to buy at the last minute. There are great sales starting around Halloween for baking supplies and such. Stock up now. If stuffing mix is on sale when you are at the market for milk, pick it up. You are going to need it anyway. You can also get cranberries cheap way before the big day. Cranberries freeze well too. As you buy items you know you will need, mark them down so when you get the rest of what you need, you do not over buy items. Turkeys also are on sale sometimes weeks before. You can get great deals like turkeys limit 1. When you see this, go back again and pick up another to freeze!
Plan your cooking day. This will most likely be the day or two before. Decide what you have left to do and prep as much as you can. Mix up the stuffing for the bird and put into bowl and store in fridge. Also, you can make your rolls ahead. Cook up those cranberries. They will be much better the next day anyway after setting. You can also make your molded salads the day before as they also will need setting up. This is when you will defrost all those baked goods you froze the weeks prior to now. So if you need to frost the cake, now is the time. You can also bake up those pies you froze. Doing as much as you can on this day will help you to have more time with friends and family.
And Finally Thanksgiving Day! Your turkey is in the oven. When your guests start to arrive you need to enlist help. You may want to do it all and get all the glory for the hard work you have put in, but it is much better to let others help out and enjoy your day. Delegate tasks such as setting the table, organizing serving dishes and setting out appetizers for your guests to enjoy while the meal is being prepared. Snacking is an important part to hosting a party. This is a must when entertaining. So set out the appetizer trays and mingle with your guests because you have planned for this day and you will now enjoy it too!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Stephanie Maggio
928-503-4922
www.maggiospersonalchefservice.com
A sample Thanksgiving meal menu:
Roasted Turkey with Herbs
Cider Crusted Baked Ham
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan topping
Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Pan gravy
Cranberries with Grand Marnier Sauce (YUM!)
Molded Raspberry/Cranberry Salad
Homemade Rolls with Honey Butter
Green Bean Casserole (kids love this)
Bread Stuffing with Italian Sausage,Pecans,Raisins and Apples
Pumpkin Pie
Apple Pie
Pecan Pie
Retrieved from “http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/stress-free-thanksgiving-dinner-637281.html”
(ArticlesBase SC #637281)
Liked this article? Click here to publish it on your website or blog, it’s free and easy!
Stephanie Maggio -
About the Author:
Stephanie Maggio is the owner and chef of Maggio’s Personal Chef Service. They are a full personal chef service offering in-home catering and specialty desserts.
www.maggiospersonalchefservice.com
Questions and Answers
Ask our experts your Cooking Tips related questions here…200 Characters left
HOW CAN I GET A FREE COOK BOOK FOR DIABETICS?
HOW CAN I GET A FREE DIABETIC COOK BOOK
]]>
Rate this Article
vote(s)
0 vote(s)
Feedback
RSS
Print
Email
Re-Publish
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/stress-free-thanksgiving-dinner-637281.html
Article Tags:
thanksgiving, dinner, baking, cooking tips, catering, persnoal chef
Latest Cooking Tips Articles
More from Stephanie Maggio
How to Carve and Serve a Turkey
Bobby Flay shows his way of carving and presenting the Thanksgiving turkey. (02:17)
How soon is too soon to be invited back to his house for Thanksgiving? If subtle hints don’t work, how can you get the message across to him that you’ll be spending it alone? (04:44)
After hours of prepping and cooking your turkey, you’ll want to make sure that you carve it in a way so that it looks its best and you get the most meat from the bird. (02:15)
How to Make the Perfect Turkey Gravy
Chef Jim Davis will show you how to make the perfect turkey gravy for your thanksgiving dinner. (02:54)
Setting Up a Table for Thanksgiving
Christina Haire shows us how to set up a table for Thanksgiving Dinner. (01:19)
Dean & DeLuca Coupon Codes for the Finest in Gourmet Cooking
If you are a food connoisseur who either loves to eat or cook gourmet dishes (or perhaps you both love to eat and cook them), I recommend that you avail of Dean & DeLuca coupon codes and enjoy great value from a first-class online shop that sells the finest in food, wine and kitchenware.
By:
David Stackl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 20, 2010
Here are some really simple canapé ideas with recipes to help get your party going.
By:
Ryan Turnerl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 20, 2010
Low Sodium Diet Gets Flavor Boost Using Salt Free Seasonings and a Crock Pot
When someone is first told to go on a low sodium diet, many at first think, I can do that. Just give up the salt shaker. Right? Not exactly. You need much more flavor. Good tasting salt free seasonings and letting your food cook for hours in a crock pot will really give a boost of flavor which is needed on a low sodium diet.
By:
Debbie Bensonl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 19, 2010
Salt Free Seasonings Offer Help Living With a Low Sodium Diet
Salt free seasonings are the key to living with a low sodium diet. Low sodium diets do not have to be bland. You need good quality salt free seasonings.
By:
Debbie Bensonl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 19, 2010
What is induction? Will it suit my lifestyle?
Induction cooking is a safe, advanced, efficient and economical cooking technology. It works though electromagnetic vibrations generating heat directly in the pan, rather than indirectly through heating the glass surface like other ceramic cooktops.
By:
Fisher & Paykell
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 19, 2010
When purchasing a sauce in the future, make sure you take a look on the back where the label is. This will give you a great indication of what is in the jar and what is about to go into your body. Always keep in mind, that you truly “are what you eat”.
By:
Chef Brianl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 19, 2010
Crank Baits Faster than Constantly Snagging
The sport has unwavering the developing of organic practice of fishing gear, including rods, reels, lines, lures, electronic depth also Fish, finding instruments, purport boats, float tubes, also exclusive bass boast’s.
By:
mybass fishingl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 19, 2010
Seven Ideas For The Frugal Cook
Experts warn us that food prices may be going up in the New Year. If you are looking for ways to be a frugal cook, then this article will help you. It will teach you seven ways to save on your food bill.
By:
Kerry Hookl
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Dec 18, 2010
Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner
How to host a stress free Thanksgiving Dinner.
By:
Stephanie Maggiol
Food and Beverage>
Cooking Tipsl
Nov 11, 2008
lViews: 119
Add new Comment
Your Name: *
Your Email:
Comment Body: *
Verification code:*
* Required fields
Submit
Your Articles Here
It’s Free and easy
Sign Up Today
Author Navigation
My Home
Publish Article
View/Edit Articles
View/Edit Q&A
Edit your Account
Manage Authors
Statistics Page
Personal RSS Builder
My Home
Edit your Account
Update Profile
View/Edit Q&A
Publish Article
Author Box
Stephanie Maggio has 1 articles online
Articles Categories
All Categories
Advertising
Arts & Entertainment
Automotive
Beauty
Business
Careers
Computers
Education
Finance
Food and Beverage
Health
Hobbies
Home and Family
Home Improvement
Internet
Law
Marketing
News and Society
Relationships
Self Improvement
Shopping
Spirituality
Sports and Fitness
Technology
Travel
Writing
Chocolate
Coffee
Cooking Tips
Crockpot Recipes
Desserts
Drinks
Home Brewing
Low Calorie
Main Course
Pasta Dishes
Recipes
Restaurant Reviews
Salads
Soups
Tea
Wines and Spirits
]]>
Need Help?
Contact Us
FAQ
Submit Articles
Editorial Guidelines
Blog
Site Links
Recent Articles
Top Authors
Top Articles
Find Articles
Site Map
Webmasters
RSS Builder
RSS
Link to Us
Business Info
Advertising
Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2010 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved.
Stephanie Maggio is the owner and chef of Maggio’s Personal Chef Service. They are a full personal chef service offering in-home catering and specialty desserts.
www.maggiospersonalchefservice.com
Video courtesy of www.itsallaboutcoventry.co.uk Celebrity chef Raymond Blanc officially opened national potato day in Coventry. If embedding this video please provide a link to the site. Thanks. Hundreds turned out for an event that boasted more than 80 different varieties of the vegetable. Mr Blanc took time out of his schedule at the event at Garden Organic to talk to Its All About Coventry. Here he talks about his favourite potato dishes, exotic tubers and, of course, the best variety to use to make perfect chips.
Video Rating: 5 / 5
