Friday, November 15, 2013

The Actual Timeline-Part 2

Are you prepared to see just how type-A and neurotic I am?

(Disclaimer, I already know I am neurotic and don't need you telling me I am nuts)

After I went through all of my dishes that I am going to serve and determined when I was going to make them, I needed to put them in chronological order because I am OCD like that. And, I want to make sure I add in other tasks that need to get accomplished in the next few weeks too- tasks such as cleaning, shopping, and decorating.

So, here goes the official time line. 


Saturday, 11-16-13


  • Figure out if I have every dish/serving ware, etc  I need as well as enough table room and chairs, and table settings
  • Decide on "decorations"
  • Make shopping list 
Sunday, 11-17-13

  • Shop for any items needed to cook, host, decorate, etc.
  • Do big shopping trip #1 for all non-perishables and anything I need to cook before the next shopping trip

Tuesday, 11-19-13

Wednesday, 11-20-13


Friday, 11-22-13

  • Defrost extra pumpkin loaf and batch of chocolate chip cookies for upcoming Friendsgivings
Saturday, 11-23-13
  • Food shopping for all perishables
  • Initial house clean -all clutter gets put away, etc. 
  • Make bacon wrapped dates and put in oven at 2:45, cook for 15 minutes and head on over to Friensgiving part 1
Sunday, 11-24-12

  • -Morning: make mashed potatoes for Friendsgiving
  • Leave house by 1:30-ish for Friendsgiving 2
Monday, 11-25-13

  • Prep green beans/almonds/garlic
  • Peel potatoes (Right after I peeled all the potatoes last year, I clearly remember saying that I refused to peel a potato for a minimum of six months)
  • Make applesauce
Tuesday, 11-26-13

  • Defrost butternut squash soup
  • -Set table, chairs, decorations
  • Deep clean both bathrooms (enlist help of teenager and boyfriend)
  • Pick up reserved turkeys. Yes, two turkeys (Ryan and his cousin had the great idea to fry a turkey as well. I'm staying completely out of the fried turkey fiasco) 
Wednesday, Pre-Turkey Day

  • Morning: Defrost chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin loaf, apple bread
  • Prepare Veggie tray and dips
  • Prepare cheese and crackers
  • Prepare bacon wrapped dates
  • Prepare ingredients for stuffing
  • Cranberry sauce
  • Prepare fruit platter
  • Turkey: clean, season, and other stuff. 
Thursday, Turkey Day
(I plan to have dinner served at 4:00. This day is a little more scheduled in terms of exact times) 



  • 9:00: Preheat oven, take turkey out to come to room temperature
  • 9:30-9:45: Put turkey in
  • Late morning: Begin mashed potatoes
  • 1:00: Begin re-warming butternut squash soup. I'm going for efficiency and will put it in the microwave to begin the process and then into the mini-crockpot. 
  • Set up drink station, cheese/crackers/veggie tray, put bacon-wrapped dates in oven, put potato latkes in oven
  • 2:00 Guests arrive. Put mashed potatoes in crockpot to keep warm
  • 2:30: Put sweet potatoes in oven and begin working on stuffing
  • 3:15: Take out turkey and let sit. Begin cooking green beans
  • 3:30: Begin gravy
  • 3:45: Microwave corn. Teenager begins with crescent waffles. 
  • 4:00 EAT

There isn't really much prep for desserts other than put them on the table so no need to bother with any of that. 
Also, I opted against making the cinnamon pin-wheels (it just became too much) and added in potato latkes (the pre-made kind from the kosher butchery) because it will also be the second night of Chanukah.


Found this here:

Roasting times are for a preheated 325 degrees F. oven.
Approximate Roasting Times for Stuffed Turkey
Turkey Weight
Hours
6 to 8 pounds3 to 3-1/2 hours
8 to 12 pounds3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours
12 to 16 pounds4-1/2 to 5-1/2 hours
16 to 20 pounds5-1/2 to 6 hours
20 to 24 pounds6 to 6-1/2 hours
Approximate Roasting Times for Unstuffed Turkey
Turkey Weight
Hours
6 to 8 pounds2-1/2 to 3 hours
8 to 12 pounds3 to 4 hours
12 to 16 pounds4 to 5 hours
16 to 20 pounds5 to 5-1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds5-1/2 to 6 hours

In case you missed the previous posts on how to host a Thanksgiving dinner, here you go:

I'm feeling significantly more prepared for Thanksgiving-although not less stressed about it! I'm currently freaking out that my 20 pound turkey is not going to fit in our oven and Thanksgiving will be ruined. 

Holy shit. What the fuck would I do if it didn't fit?!?!?! 

Question for you:
What would you do if you screwed up the turkey?
Have you ever had a major kitchen fail? On an important meal??


2 comments:

  1. My honey makes a brined, smoked and fried turkey. You're lucky all he wants to do is fry it. Haha. The first year I had Thanksgiving at my house was the first year I had ever made a turkey. I had my in-laws bring a second turkey just in case (mine was better). That same day I was peeling potatoes in the sink and too many peels went down the drain...mini flood in the kitchen. Good times.

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  2. last year was the first time i ever made a turkey too (other than the trial turkey/thanksgiving i did for the three of us the week before...just in case!) I haven't made one since and I'm started to get nervous about it again!

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