Thinking About Thanksgiving

I can't believe it's already the middle of November!  Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means I better start thinking about it!  Adam's family is coming to visit the weekend before Thanksgiving and we plan to have a Thanksgiving spread cooked up for them to enjoy.  

I am all about organizing and planning, no matter what I'm doing.  Thinking about a Thanksgiving meal is no different.  So, I've started to consider a few things and plan ahead.  I thought I'd share my plans with you on the off chance they may help you out, as well.  

Plan the menu ahead of time. 

Thinking about what dishes you plan to serve ahead of time helps you be more prepared when the big day arrives.  Dreaming up and writing down your menu helps you figure out exactly which dishes you need to cook and also helps you buy ingredients when they are on sale in the coming weeks.  It also prevents you from having to go to the grocery store on the day before Thanksgiving, which makes me quickly forget all the things I'm thankful for and utter ungrateful comments under my breath at the lady who is blocking the whole baking aisle with her cart.  Sorry, I got a bit sidetracked.  Planning ahead also allows you to gather new recipes you might like to try.  

Schedule a time and place for each dish.  

It really helps to make a cooking schedule.  That way you can think about which items you can make ahead of time.  And on the big day, you are better able to keep track of when each dish needs to go into the oven.  

It's equally helpful to set aside a baking dish for each item with a label of what goes inside.  This allows you to make sure each item has a proper dish and if anyone is helping you out, it allows them to do so more easily.  

Consider cooking a turkey breast in a crock pot for smaller gatherings. 

I do not pretend to be a cook.  Adam and I were in charge of cooking one year and the turkey was by far the most difficult part of the meal.  We spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out where the bag of random turkey parts was hiding in the turkey.  (Eventually I had to call my mom, who helped me realize they were hiding in the neck cavity.  Gross.)  And then we spent another large portion of time trying to figure out how to tuck the wings under the bird so they wouldn't burn.  We also didn't realize you were supposed to cook a turkey with stuffing in it longer than without it.  It turned out alright, but I'm not quite sure it was worth all the effort.  

Since Adam and I will only be cooking for 5 people, I am toying with the idea of just cooking a turkey breast.  And to make things even simpler, I might even let my trusty crock pot cook it.  I haven't asked Adam about it yet, but I have a hunch he'll be on board with my idea.  

Add some cute Thanksgiving decor.  

Gatherings are always made more special with some themed decor.  I plan to keep the paper pumpkins I talked about here as my centerpiece.  They are nothing fancy, but help bring a bit of Thanksgiving charm to the table.  

I also hung up my "Give Thanks" banner recently.  It helps remind us of the meaning of the holiday and also looks pretty darn cute.  I got the idea and printed the letters for the banner from here.  

Don't forget about your dog! 

I have to give Adam credit for this one.  He picked up some Turkey and Cranberry dog treats at Trader Joe's the other day.  We are certainly thankful that Jazzy is a part of our lives.  Giving her a little something special helps us show her just how much we love her. 

Jazzy has been practicing not eating her treats until she has permission.  She can wait patiently, but she can't look at the treat.  It must be too tempting.  

Happy Thanksgiving planning!