Turkey talk

[Christina]

I need help. Im hosting turkey day and am excited but I have no idea where to start. There will only be 6 of us. What are your recommendations and what dishes can I do the day before?
Thanks ladies.

[redheadbaker]

I would probably get a turkey breast instead of a whole turkey.

You can do most dishes the day before, especially the stuffing/dressing, mashed potatoes, veggies. Make things a little easier and use store-bought dinner rolls.

Stick with recipes you know and have made before -- T-day isn't the best time to find out this new recipe sucks, or didn't come out right.

[udscoobychick]

You can prep stuffing the day before...just bake it day-of. Green bean casserole could be prepped the day before minus the French onions...just top with those day-of and bake. Potatoes can be cut the day before...store in water so they don't turn brown. You could re-heat mashed potatoes, but you'll likely have to add more milk--they tend to dry out. I prefer to make them day-of. Sweet potato casserole could be assembled day before and baked day-of. I think that covers the bases? And most desserts can be made ahead of time, too (pies, cakes, cheesecakes, cookies, whatever).

Eta: ditto PP on the turkey breast, unless you REALLY like leftover turkey.

[winnied]

Ina Garten and Jenny Steffens Hobick have tasty turkey breast recipes that I'd recommend. Other than that, pps have it covered.

[nandipandi]

I prep everything possible the day before. My dressing can't be refrigerated overnight, so I chop the onion and celery and refrigerate it overnight. For mac and cheese, I grate the cheese and cook the macaroni, but wait until the day of to stir it all up and bake. Same with the GBC - I snap the green beans, but blanch them the day of while I'm making the sauce. I usually just make the sweet potato casserole and mashed potatoes the day of because they don't seem like that much work after everything I do the day before. ; ) I make the cranberries the day before, the salad my family always has, spinach gratin, and the pumpkin cheesecake and pie. I always forget about rolls, but I'm trying really hard to remember them this year!

[cookaholicwife]

When I make mashed potatoes for the holidays I make them the day before and add too much butter and milk to make them almost soupy like. The day of, I put them in the crock pot on low and add extra milk as needed. It saves me the hassle of extra dirty dishes that day plus I just use the crock pot as a serving dish for them.

Like others have said, desserts, rolls, and most other side dishes can be made the day before. Usually the only thing I do the day of is the turkey and the stuffing.