Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and that means lots of time in the kitchen preparing dinner and lots of side dishes.
Grandma is a practiced hand at preparing things beforehand so that the day of flows smoothly. From preparing treats early to having ingredients organized, Grandma has several tricks to keep the holiday stress at bay. The simple tips below will keep you on track and anxiety free while the family is dreaming of the feast you prepare.
Prepare Dough for Rolls
Prepare dough for dinner rolls ahead of time. This one is Grandma’s ace in the hole, as Thanksgiving dinner and rolls are a match made in heaven. Make a large batch of dough a few days before and you can either freeze the dough unbaked or bake the rolls and then freeze them for later re-heating.
Prep & Freeze Pies
Freeze pie crusts or freeze whole pies to keep them fresh and out of the way on Thanksgiving Day. There is already so much going on during the day of, so why add making pie on top of that? Putting aside the crust in the freezer means when you heat it back up, it has less of a chance to bake up soggy or too tough.
Prep & Freeze Gravy
Roasting a few turkey legs allows you to make the necessary stock and drippings. Freeze once complete. Frozen gravy is quickly reheated on the stove. It also allows you to prep extra gravy for the members of the family who like to put the gravy on everything (who can blame them?).
Make A Plan
Get Organized
Finally, the best way to stay ahead of things is to keep your home organized and clean the week of Thanksgiving. Hopefully, you have help for this last part as you spent a majority of the week preparing food! Cleaning your house before guests start arriving and having it clean can mitigate some of the stress of having your home packed with family.
Thanksgiving the perfect time to connect with family and friends. A little bit of planning and intentionality can help you plan a day that keeps the focus on gratitude rather than stress. Grandma would also like to share her secret for keeping your hands prepared for the big day…. Her Grime Away Bar keeps hands clean without drying out skin!
Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Grandma’s Lye Soap! Have a lovely Thanksgiving Day with your family and friends.