Thanksgiving Gathering of Foodie Friends

Up to 1 Month Before

• Place order for fresh turkey.
• Read All About Brining and Turkey Cooking Tips.

Up to 2 Weeks Before

• Make Pear-Cranberry Chutney.
• Decide whether to prepare Easy No-Knead Wheat Bread or purchase artisan bread loaf.

Up to 4 Days Before

• Make Easy No-Knead Wheat Bread (if served), refrigerate until ready to bake loaf.

The Day Before

• Thread olives of rosemary twig skewers; wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.
• Make Curried Squash Soup; cool and refrigerate.
• Peel and section grapefruit, seed pomegranate and prepare vinaigrette for Tossed Greens with Grapefruit Vinaigrette.
• Bake Honey-Walnut Tart and/or Ginger Pumpkin Tart; refrigerate.
• Prepare brine. Add turkey; cover and refrigerate.

About 4 1/2 Hours Before Serving

• Prepare vegetables and turkey for roasting. 
• Roast the turkey.
• Prepare vegetables for Roasted Vegetable Medley.
• Prepare salad greens and slice onion for Tossed Greens with Grapefruit Vinaigrette.

About 1 Hour Before Serving

• Prepare cheeses and assemble Cheese Tray with Olive Rosemary Skewers.
• Set up bar area for preparing and serving Crantinis.

About 45 Minutes Before Serving

• Finish preparation of Roasted Vegetable Medley.
• Make Cheesy Vegetable Risotto.

About 30 Minutes Before

• Remove turkey from oven; place on carving board or platter, and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Raise oven temperature; roast vegetables.

About 20 Minutes Before

• Heat bread wrapped in foil until hot.

About 15 Minutes Before

• Carve the turkey and arrange on a platter. If serving time is delayed, cover carved turkey with foil to keep warm.
• Heat Curried Squash Soup.
• Toss salad.
  

Make It Special!

• Be a copycat. Find centerpiece ideas you like in magazines or online. Take them to your favorite florist to customize for your home and dishes.

• Print the menu restaurant style on autumn-inspired stationary. Have copies guests can take home to remember your day together. Even better, send guests home with a custom booklet of the menu with recipes and wine selections!

• Put together music you enjoy, including selections that include giving thanks. Send guests home with a custom CD.

Success Strategies

Vegetarians at the Feast

• Remember there are vegetarians and vegetarians—ovo-lacto and vegan—so ask, don’t assume, you know what foods and wines work and don’t work for them. They'll appreciate it.

• With some easy adaptations and substitutions—maple syrup for honey, vegetable broth for chicken broth—all the recipes in the menu, except the turkey, of course, can fit most vegetarian eating. Ask your friends for help or consult online sources.

• There are many ways to enjoy the flavors of the season. Put your creativity to good use. Praline Apple Crisp in place of Ginger Pumpkin Tart for dessert without eggs? What’s to give up?

Share the Cooking

• Accept all volunteers for help!

• The appetizer, salad, chutney, desserts and wines are the logical choices for family and friends to help supply. Just make sure that the one who always arrives late isn’t who brings the appetizer!

• Make two shopping lists, one for items that can be purchased up to two weeks ahead and the other for items to purchase one or two days before Thanksgiving.

• Sit down with your spouse or friend who cooks with you. Go through the Preparation Guide. Divide and conquer, including those jobs like housecleaning and setting the table.