Thanksgiving Tip: Wednesday

Short and sweet.

Today is the day to go find which serving dishes you will use. 

Pair and match the correct spoons and utensils too.
Wash, dry, and set these aside. (Use paper plates today)
I also add a piece of paper in or on each day that indicates which food goes in what dish. **This is huge. Before I used to do this I was frantic at serving time.

Turkey Tip for tomorrow:

I create my own spicy/  flavor filled butter. 

Every year its different, but delicious.
Do this as you prepare to dress your turkey for baking.

• Add more butter than you care to confess to adding into a zip-lock bag.
• Dump in your favorite spices. ( I use thyme, salt and pepper, sage, zest of lemon, and anything else I think will taste great)
• Squish everything together until its well mixed.
• smear all the butter to the bottom of the bag and roll it into a tube shape.
• freeze for about 20-30 minutes.

Carefully put your hand in between the turkey breast meat and the skin.
Your goal is to gently lift the skin without tearing it. It's quite easy.
Wash your hands.
Remove the butter wheel from the freezer and cut the bag away.
Cut butter into tabs and place in between the turkey skin and breast. The butter will flavor the meat as it roasts... Heavenly!

Table Setting:

You probably have this predetermined, but I always forget I have to decorate my table. You would think I would remember this sooner.
Set your table as soon as you can insure no one will mess it:).
Plan your place setting, centerpiece, and decorations in advance.
Consider adding place cards just for fun (even if its just you and your hubby!)
You can find thousands of ideas online. Here are just a few cute ones I just found.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

Thanksgiving Tip: Tuesday

Remember to be thankful as you busily prepare for the "big feast".
When I was 17 I prepared my first Thanksgiving meal. My father told me on Tuesday that I would be the chief chef for our 30 guests.

I cried.

I begged.

I stomped my feet.

Nothing worked. 

I had to figure out what the heck to do. I asked my dad for help.

He sat me down, made me make a menu, and prepare a time line for my big day in the kitchen. In the end, I made a great meal. Almost everything was warm all at the same time, and I felt really proud of myself.

Tuesday is a great day to write out your plan of attack.

• Write down your checklist of meals. 
• Figure out when you need to begin cooking each item in order for it to hit the table just right. 
• Decide when you will do any preparation. (For example, I peel potatoes the day before and store them in the refrigerator in a bag or bowl of water).
• Create your master schedule. This piece of paper is magical for those who have never tackled such a complicated meal. It saves me every time!

Thanksgiving Week is Here!

With the holidays upon us its a great time to make a few meals in advance so you can relax and enjoy the holidays even more.
Yes, this requires planning, shopping, and even cooking but a few meals in the freezer can make all the difference in the world!
Have you heard of iMom? I get these email updates almost everyday. I love them because they are short and to the point.
Today's email was all about preparing in advance for all the craziness, by doing a bit of advance cooking. Love it!

Check out these ideas for make ahead meals!

Thanksgiving Tip Monday: It's late in the day so just breathe:). Make sure your turkey is defrosting! A bird can take a few days to be ready for roasting. While this may seem obvious, many people forget to thaw their birds.

Popcorn! Get Your Popcorn!

My kids love popcorn.
Whether its an afternoon snack, or a special movie night they always get big smiles when I tell them what I have cooking.
Next time you are  looking for a quick, easy, nutritious snack: try homemade microwavable  popcorn.
I personally love the convenience of microwavable popcorn, but do not love the taste. I was introduced to "do it yourself" microwavable popcorn about 5 years ago and have been sharing it with my family ever since.

This recipe is quick, easy, and very economical.

What you need:
A Garden Variety Paper Bag.

Buy these in bulk. I pick up at least 200 at a time, specifically for popcorn.
The "Magic Ingredients"

This is super easy. You simply need a large bag of popcorn kernels, a can of cooking spray, a brown bag, and a microwave.
Simply open the brown bag and spray inside with cooking spray. I do not measure much of anything that I prepare in my own kitchen, so cover the bottom of the bag with popcorn kernels (a good guess: 1/4c.)
Now, fold the top of the bag over about an inch, then another inch fold again.
Do a staple fold.
"Staple Fold"

You simply tear the bag about a 1/2 inch in two places and fold in the opposite direction of the bag folds.
Voila! You are ready.
Place bag in microwave, laying it flat. Every microwave is different, so you will need to experiment on time. My microwave is a new model and I cook my corn for 3 minutes.
Empty contents into your favorite bowl, add butter, salt or whatever you enjoy on your popcorn and serve.

A word of Fun/Warning. For me, this new way of preparing our favorite snack came with a learning curve.
I had to experiment with the time and amount of popcorn to get it just right. The first few times I over cooked the bag or added too many kernels. The result is a bag that "popped" open while cooking creating a new look for the inside of my microwave. In the end it was worth all the effort (plus popcorn cleans up super easily!).
Popcorn is a healthy, convenient, and now even better snack choice.

Some of our favorite toppings:
Burnt butter (My husband's favorite! Scald butter until its brown)
regular butter and salt
Cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top
Spark mix sprinkled on top and mixed well

No matter how you serve your popcorn I am confident this will a big hit in your home as well!