Prepping for Turkey Day!

One of the things I've learned the most from cooking for Thanksgiving is prepping big time the day before. That way I'm not overwhelmed making all the sides and stand in the kitchen for 5 hrs. I don't usually cook for a lot of people, but we do make a lot of food — the hubby loves the leftovers — so the more I prep the better. Here is what I'm doing today to get ready for tomorrow... just wanted to share some tips!


Sides::

- Make the cornbread (from a mix of course!) for my cornbread, bacon & sage stuffing. I might also cook all the veggies for this, then just assemble & bake tomorrow. 

- Roast the chestnuts for my brussels sprouts w/ caramelized mushrooms and shallots side. 

- Roast 1 garlic head for my garlic mashed potatoes.

- Make the cranberry sauce. It'll be even better and thicker tomorrow.
Desserts::

- Make pie doughs. I'm making 1 apple and 1 pumpkin pie, so Ill just make the dough, separate them into disks, wrap them in plastic and pop them in the fridge.
- Mix pumpkin filling. The recipe says it's better to make it the day before so that sounds good to me!
Turkey::

- Make turkey brine. I'll be brining it over night, so I want to make sure the brine cools so it's ready tonight.

It might sound like a lot to do, but it'll be worth it! Tomorrow I'll get a chance focus on our 12lb turkey, relax with my hubby and auntie and drink good wine :) You might not want to do it all, but I hope this helps you and gives you some ideas on what to start today. 

Have a great Turkey day!!