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melanie
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 2:38pm | IP Logged
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I'm so glad the forums are unlocked, cuz ARGGGGGHHHH!
I'm kind of unexpectedly hosting dinner, and more than I'd planned/cooked for before. I need lots of pies,  . What can be done ahead of time? what can freeze well, etc? The pies, especially, are going to be an issue. I'll need a couple of each. I'm making,,,
turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce
mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes with cranberries
green bean casserole
7 layer salad
rolls
pecan pie
pumpkin pie
apple pie
probably some cookies or something for non-pie eating kids
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Stephanie_Q
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 2:54pm | IP Logged
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Something we've done is to pre-cook the turkey - carve it and serve it cold. I'd pre-bake all the pies and cookies. Rolls freeze well. I prefer cranberry sauce cold.
Thanksgiving Day you would cook stuffing in the oven with the sweet potatoes; mashed potatoes and gravy from drippings saved from the pre-cooked turkey on the stove-top. Make the 7 layer salad and get the green bean casserole ready to throw in the oven at the last minute.
Good luck!
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dd 6.02, dd 8.03, ds 3.05, ds 12.06 at Catholic school.
dd 12.09 at home.
Baby boy due 10.13
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JenPre
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
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I've made the 7 layer salad as early as the morning before an event (think Wednesday morning).
The pies....I don't know about pecan but a pumpkin would still be good if you made it tonight or tomorrow morning. Apple would be good if you made it tomorrow afternoon/evening. Just make sure you have enough room in your fridge!!
I've never made a green bean casserole but my aunt makes it every holiday and I know that's made the morning of the day before the holiday and placed in the fridge then re-heated in the oven for about a half hour before we eat it.
For cookies for the non-pie eating kids could you pick up some of those pillsbury holiday slice cookies? Those are really quick and easy to make! And kids love them too. And those could easily be made tomorrow or Wed. too and still be good.
I'll be praying for you....I'd be in a MAJOR PANIC if I found out today that I was hosting Thanksgiving dinner and needed all this to be ready by then!!!
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Mommy to Marie-Therese born 12/4/09
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Tami
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 3:23pm | IP Logged
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Can someone bring a pie, or two? 
And what about a store-bought pie - from the bakery area of the grocery store, or even frozen ones - I'm thinking Mrs. Smith's here?
I'd warm the store-bought in the oven while dinner is being served, and cook the frozen ones the day before, and re-heat the same way.
Once you top with ice cream and/or whipped cream, your guests may not notice that they aren't homemade. Especially after such a big, heavy meal.
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Tami
When we are crushed like grapes, we cannot think of the wine we will become. (Nouwen)
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 4:50pm | IP Logged
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You can also freeze an unbaked pie and cook it the day of. I think if you bake it from frozen, you just need to add a half hour to the cooking time.
And I freeze baked cookies all the time. Just pull them out a couple hours ahead of time to defrost.
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Celeste
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mrsgranola
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 5:21pm | IP Logged
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Sweetpotato pies freeze well.  I'm making a bunch tonight to freeze for over the holidays.
Here's my recipe (again):
www.sweettater.com
After they are frozen, just set them out a few hours to thaw enough to eat. Although I have fond memories of us sneaking pieces of frozen sweetpotatoes pies when we were kids...
HTH!
JoAnna
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melanie
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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Oh, I should say, I'm not making it Thursday!
This all started because we usually go to my parents for Thanksgiving Day, and my dh always has to work Thanksgiving (he's a nurse) in order to have Christmas off. So we go see my parents and then I make a turkey dinner for us when he's off. My parents , long story short, can't do it this year, so they were going to go out to eat with my grandmother and I was going to just make our turkey dinner on Sunday. My brothers, who are single guys that we never consistently hear from, decided they wanted to come for Thanksgiving, so I invited them to join us on Sunday. Then my mom heard that they were coming, so she and my dad decided to come too so they wouldn't miss the rare opportunity to see their sons. And of course, we had to go ahead and invite Grandmom too. So...that's how it all went down. 
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Melanie
homeschooling Maria (13yo), Kain (10yo), Jack (5yo), Tess (2yo), and our newest blessing, Henry Robert, born 4/23!
slightlycrunchycatholic.blogspot.com
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Michaela
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| Posted: Nov 23 2009 at 8:24pm | IP Logged
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As the other ladies mentioned, it looks like almost all of your menu could be completed ahead of time.
Especially the WORK (prep and cleanup). -- Season your turkey the day before. Prep it so you just need to put it in the oven.
You probably already know this, but peel and cut your potatoes the day/night before. Put them in a bowl or even the pot you plan to cook them in, covered with water (they will NOT turn brown as long as water covers them), then just cook the day of the event. Someone shared a crockpot mashed potato recipe in the past. Either way, the mess (peels) and large part of the work will be done ahead.
Last year was my first time completing all the prep work ahead of time. clean kitchen, less stress.....
Have a wonderful time with all your family, Melanie!
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Michaela
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Angel
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 7:22am | IP Logged
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Can you freeze pumpkin pie?
Fruit pies freeze well... it just takes a lot longer for them to bake.
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Angela
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 7:51am | IP Logged
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I'll be
brining turkey and roasting on day of
chopping veggies today for gravy and making on day of
doing mashed potatoes today and freezing to be reheated
roasting sweet potatoes today, peeling and mashing and adding rest of ingredients for casserole on day of
chopping stuff for green bean casserole today, crockpotting (is there such a word?) it on day of
making rolls today or tomorrow and freezing them
making crust for pumpkin pie, mixing filling today, baking on day of
making crust for apple pie, mixing filling today and freezing, baking on day of
making cornbread for stuffing today, chopping up ingredients and cooking tomorrow, reheating day of (we like stuffing reheated)
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lilac hill
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 3:03pm | IP Logged
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Great plan ahead menu-gravy, stuffing (not cooked in bird so I make extra broth with the giblets and extra turkey legs), mashed potatoes (reheat for 3 hours in a low crockpot on T-day) green bean casserole,and cranberry sauce (this is DD#3's task and she makes it during the parade) and the pie crusts , cookies.
Working on my stuffing now and the turkey is getting ready to brine.Gravy and potatoes are done too.
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Viv
Wife to Rick (7/83), Mom to dd#1(6/87), dd#2(1/90), and dd#3(6/94) in central PA.
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Nina Murphy
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| Posted: Nov 24 2009 at 9:49pm | IP Logged
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I do stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes (there are good recipes specific for make-ahead) day before and bake on day. Cranberry sauce and cranberry up to three days ahead. Gravy and green beans on day. Turkey can be prepped night before in pan, then put in oven first thing in morning....
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: what can you make ahead for Thanksgiving?
