We’re thankful for Martha Stewart for keeping us organized and inspired. Here’s her Thanksgiving timeline:
This week: Choose a menu. If you’re ordering a fresh turkey, do it now; if you’re buying a frozen turkey, you still have time, but don’t wait until the last minute. Remember: It’s best to allow four to five days for it to thaw. Floral centerpieces finish off a well-set table. Florists are busy this time of year, so order flowers now.
Sunday: Start defrosting the frozen turkey in the back of the refrigerator, where it is coldest. Compose a shopping list and purchase all nonperishables. Wait until the day before Thanksgiving to buy salad greens, fresh bread or seafood. If you’re baking pies for dessert, make the dough for the crust, roll it out, lay it into pie plates, and freeze.
Tuesday: Prepare the serving pieces, plates, flatware, glasses, etc. If you’re using cloth napkins or tablecloths, iron them now. Make the cranberry sauce; a couple of days in the refrigerator will give the flavors time to develop. Homemade stuffing often calls for stale bread; cut and cube the bread now, and set the cubes out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Wednesday: Pick up the fresh turkey from the market. Prepare the stuffing, but leave out any raw eggs until you stuff the bird. Make the giblet or chicken stock for the gravy. Defrost or make pie dough; assemble and bake pies. Peel the potatoes, then refrigerate them in a pot of cold water. Make the vegetables and other side dishes that require baking, such as casseroles, and reheat them tomorrow; or assemble them today, and cook them right before dinner. Set the table tonight or first thing in the morning.
