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How to Set a Formal Place Setting

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:36:36 -0800

Since so much thought, time, and preparation goes into making the Thanksgiving meal I think it's important to properly set the table. Thanksgiving is only three short days away, so why not do the place settings tonight? From the utensils to the water glass, it can be hard to remember where everything goes. That's why I've put together this helpful slideshow - learn how to create an elegant place setting now.

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Thanksgiving Tip: Freeze the Butter Before Making Pie

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:32 -0800

When making pie dough, it's very important to use really cold butter. This will ensure that the crust is rich, flaky, and buttery. Most recipes remind you that the butter should be cold, but whenever I'm baking a pie, the first thing I do, before measuring anything, is cut the butter into 1/4-inch cubes. I put the cubes in a small dish and place it in the freezer. Then, I start making the dough. The butter is in the freezer for only a few minutes and doesn't really freeze; instead it gets really cold. Do you have a tip for great Thanksgiving pie?

Thanksgiving Tip: Refill Your Ice Trays

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:50:35 -0800

Before a party or a big feast like Thanksgiving, there are a couple of minor - yet impactful - things I always make sure to do. One is to empty the dishwasher; another is to refill my ice trays completely with fresh water. There's nothing more annoying than reaching for ice to go with water, punch, or cocktails, only to find that there's one cube left.

Add a note to your Thanksgiving planner: The morning of the big dinner, fill your trays with distilled water, which will prevent ice from appearing cloudy in the center. When guests arrive, you'll be able to serve them drinks with a just-made batch of ice. What little tasks help you stay on top of all the Thanksgiving mania?

Thanksgiving Tip: Have Extra Place Settings Ready

partysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:00:11 -0800

Besides setting the table early - a couple of days before Thanksgiving - I also put aside several extra place settings. I'll stack two to three plates, chargers, napkins, and utensils in a hidden spot in the dining room.

My Thanksgiving is a "the more, the merrier" type of event, so if someone shows up with an unexpected friend or family member, all I have to do is grab the extra place setting that's ready and add another chair to the table.

It's one less thing to worry about, and will ensure that you don't have to go digging into your China cabinet looking for extra plates on the big night. Got a great Thanksgiving tip? Please share it with us below!

Thanksgiving Tip: Save Takeout Containers For Leftovers

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:50:45 -0800

Since the vast majority of you love turkey day leftovers as much as the meal itself, I thought I'd share my favorite post-supper pointer for those who are hosting this year.

Any time you order takeout, delivery, or take home a doggy bag between now and Thanksgiving, be sure to hand wash and reserve some of the plastic takeout containers that you get from restaurants. That way, on Thanksgiving day, you can send your guests home happy with leftovers of their choice - and you won't be short any servingware.

Got any tips for Thanksgiving leftovers? Share them below!

Don't Have Day Old Bread? Make It Yourself

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:28 -0800

Recently, I decided to try a recipe that called for day-old bread. I wanted to make the dish that night and headed to the grocery store hopeful that I could find a loaf of day-old bread. Although I was out of luck, I chatted with the baker about my dilemma. How could I turn new bread into stale bread? Here's what she told me to do:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Slice the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. If your recipe calls for no crusts, remove them now.
Place the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Do not season or coat with oil.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the bread cubes are toasted and dry, but not browned.

Use the dried out bread to make your recipe. This technique worked perfectly for me! How do you dry out bread?

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How-To: Orchestrate a Last-Minute Thanksgiving Dinner

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:00:17 -0800

Still deliberating over what to serve for Thanksgiving?

While it's true that there's less than 24 hours until the biggest meal of the year, don't let the timing deter you from preparing a fabulous feast that's still outrageously indulgent. Unless you reveal your secret, your guests won't know the difference between this meal and one that you spent days preparing. To get our top suggestions if you've only got a couple of hours to put everything together, read more.

Skip the tedious roasting and carving. Serve this 60-minute turkey platter instead.
Need a hasty vegetable side? Heat up frozen creamed spinach, plated with a garnish. Creamed spinach is such an all-around favorite dish, we promise it'll be a winner.
While the turkey's cooking, make stuffing squares with saltines and vegetables on hand.
Punch up frozen mashed potatoes by stirring in chicken broth, half a cup of Parmesan cheese, and a teaspoon of truffle oil. Nobody will know you didn't make it from scratch!
Store-bought, whole-berry cranberry sauce does double duty as a both a condiment as well as a sweet and tart topping for pound cake.
Pour a cocktail made of ingredients you likely have on hand, such as this cranberry mimosa, which simply calls for cranberry juice, orange juice, and sparkling wine.
Still scrambling to get everything together? Employ your guests to help out in the kitchen.

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Thanksgiving Tip: Make an Oven Plan

partysugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:45:15 -0800

If you are hosting Thanksgiving tomorrow, it's most likely your oven is going to see a lot of action. To ensure that everything gets cooked, I suggest making an oven plan to keep you organized. Here's how:

Start by listing every dish that needs oven time. Write the name of the dish, the temperature it cooks at, and how long it takes to bake/roast.
Take note of which dishes can be made in advance and which can be cooked at the same time.
Make an oven time frame. For example, bake the pie in the morning, the turkey in the afternoon, and while the turkey rests, cook any other side (sweet potatoes, cornbread, stuffing, etc.).

Cooking a bunch of dishes on the stove? Adapt this plan to include stovetop space. How have you gotten organized for Thanksgiving dinner?

Thanksgiving Tip: Give Your Turkey a Break

YumSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:00:19 -0800

It's easy to get excited when the star of dinner - the Thanksgiving turkey - is done, but the key to a moist meal is to remain patient. Once you've tested the turkey with a thermometer and it's reached 160-165°F in the middle of the thigh, remove it from the oven and let the bird sit for 20 to 30 minutes.

There are several reasons for doing this. First, the temperature will continue to rise - in fact, by as much as 10°F - even after the resting bird's out of the oven. This will ensure your turkey is fully cooked.

In addition, while a turkey roasts, its juices tend to move away from the heat to the middle of the turkey. Cutting into the turkey immediately, therefore, will result in all of the juices running out.

Instead, focus your attention on the sides, and give the bird time for its juices to redistribute. Even the leanest parts of the turkey, such as its breast, will remain succulent. A juicy turkey is also significantly easier to carve than a dry one.

How long do you like to let your turkey rest? Do you have any other tips for keeping your turkey moist?

Thanksgiving Tip: Stock Up Early

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:00:46 -0800

If you're hosting Thanksgiving at your house, then hopefully you've started planning your menu. Once you've decided on the menu lineup, don't wait to stock up on seasonal essentials. Three days before, shop for herbs, spices, seasonings, and other specialty Thanksgiving ingredients, as they'll be the first to go out of stock at the store. These include items such as:

Fresh cranberries
Herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage

To see other items I suggest stockpiling, read more.

Canned pumpkin and cranberry
Mixes for stuffing, cornbread, and mashed potatoes
Spices such as pumpkin pie spice, allspice, and cumin

One Thanksgiving, I waited until the last minute to obtain ingredients, and I visited three supermarkets before locating fresh thyme! Taking inventory on these items early guarantees that you'll have one less thing to worry about amidst the chaos of preparing the meal. What ingredients do you plan to shop for ahead of time?

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