Next week is Thanksgiving. I'm hosting. This is a good thing. My kids "get" the hospitality thing. They know when we're going to have a bunch of people over that it takes us all working together to make it happen. And we do and it does. So I'm not at all stressed about hosting. But I am thinking about it, a little bit each day, wondering how much I should start doing now to prepare.
I guess it's probably not too early to plan out the menu and let my mom and mother-in-law and aunt know what parts they can bring. And after I've done that it would also be a good idea to map out what things I need to make when and which pieces can be done ahead of time. A wise friend (and kitchen whiz) already gave me some great tips for make-ahead stuff. The day before: cut the onions for the stuffing, peel and cut the potatoes, make the turkey stock. (Btw, I'm half listing all these things so I don't forget them myself).
And here I was thinking I was so on top of things to already have made a pumpkin pie and put it in the freezer. Hmm...maybe not so much.
I suppose once I've mapped out my Thanksgiving dinner prep plan, I might as well dig out my Christmas binder and start updating the Christmas card list and begin planning out the gift buying and so forth. Because, you know, I'm so organized and all (ahem!).
I do know that any of this that I do will make DH a very happy man. He is a planner to the nth degree. I think he's constantly annoyed at my "lack of organization" (which really and truly isn't that lacking, but when you are hyper organized like he is, anything short of that seems disorganized). He is the consummate planner. Me? Well, I'm not a "seat-of-the-pantser", but probably somewhere in between. All the planning I've mentioned here is kind of pushing it for me, but I get that it works and try to work it when I can.
How about you? Are you a planner or a SOTP'er? How do you approach things like hosting Thanksgiving dinner?
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
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5 musings:
I'm hosting this year, only because I won't be able to travel.
It's an interesting change for me, knowing that the house might not be clean, we might not have all the perfect T-day dishes... it's just going to have to be a time to enjoy being together!
We're making the turkey and letting everyone else bring as much as possible. I guess it's good when the circumstances of life force someone who likes to be organized to be an SOTPer.
I have hosted Christmas dinner for a couple of years. I actually prefer to do everything myself so I can have the flavors coordinate...and we only had one person willing to bring something. Anyway, I would plan my menu, and then make a written schedule with prep time and everything taken into consideration. I would also write the times on the printed copies of recipes. Example. 2pm chop potatoes, 2:30, stuff roast, 3pm, put roast in oven, start water boiling for potatoes...everything was like that. My aunt actually sets the table the night before and has all the serving dishes labeled with post it notes of what is supposed to go in them, so she doesn't forget to make anything. My pet peave- cold holiday dinners because everything is ready at random times. Plan accordingly!!!!!!! So I guess I am a planner.
I'm a planner...big time. But not Thanksgiving. My job is to clean the house and set the table. My wonderful husband cooks the turkey, stuffing, potatoes and anything else not made by someone else. My stepmother does dessert. We have this plan down...we're in year 12 of this tradition of hosting it. :)
everydayMOM - let me know what it's like for you on the other side. Hope it's not too stressful!
hlp - Hmmm...I might write the timing on my recipes. That's a good idea. I at least want to write down the timing somewhere. And I've been planning all along to do like your Aunt with the table. With kids off of school on Wed., we've got to have something to do. Why not get the table ready?
Sarah -whoa! Good for you and kudos to your husband. My DH loves to cook too. Never thought about handing him the job. He is considering cooking our turkey on the grill. But I still think the rest of it will fall to me. No big deal, but it is kind of cool to get the guys in the kitchen for a big occasion (if they can handle it).
You are one of the most organized people I know, Lara! Give yourself some credit. ;-)
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