Assembling Thanksgiving

This is a personal checklist of how I set up Thanksgiving for my family, generally serving 10-16 people.

Household Preparation

First, check on Halloween if I am hosting. Check fridge filter

1 Week Before

• Clean Range
• Clean Oven
• Take out and clean Roaster
• Recyclables
• Tidy Yard
• Chairs/Tables out of Garage
• Check paper/plastic plate count
• Stain clean cups
• Rinse and clean Wine Glasses
• Deep clean fridge & freezer
• Start Thawing Turkey
• Prep Guest Rooms (change bedding, set up inflatable mattress)
• Dust
• Clean Windows
• Deep clean Bathrooms
• Prelim sweep/vacuum whole house
• Wash tablecloths
• Deep clean Countertops
• Defrost Drink Fridge
• Move Drink Fridge to Dining Room

1 Day Before

• Ensure all necessary cooking equipment is clean and available
• Clear countertops as much as possible
• Set up roaster
• Stock Drink Fridge
• Wipe down and set out serving dishes
• Sweep/Vacuum whole house
• Mop bathrooms and Kitchen
• Clean tables/chairs

Day Of

• Set out flatware, plates, cups, and wine glasses on buffet
• Set trivets on dining room table
• Move plants to divider and set out coffee cups on plant table
• Move bulky living room furniture to laundry room
• Set up tables/chairs
• Set table

After Meal

• Bag turkey carcasses for stock
• CLEAN ROASTER
• Pack takeaway meals for guests
• Pack leftovers into fridge
• Throw away paper plates
• Do as many loads of dishes as possible

Things to Purchase aside from Food

• Ice
• Takeaway Storage

Food

I'm not doing all of this but I'm doing most of it; stay out of my kitchen and trust the process.

Appetizers

• Deviled Eggs - Amanda
• Charcuterie Plate - Apricot Stilton, Cubed Gouda, Cubed Sharp Cheddar, Brie, Pita Chips, TJ's cracker variety, Blackberries, Blueberries, Salted Almonds, Hot Honey
• Pasta Salad - Candice

Beverages

• Peferred sodas/Seltzers - Dad & Amanda, TJ's Cranberry Clementine
• Shirley Temples - Grenadine, Cherries, 7Up
• Iced Tea - Drew
• Wine - Jesus
• Beer - Kirk
• Coffee - Coffee, Half & Half, Sugar Cubes

Mains

• Turkey(s)
• Ham - Drew/Candice/Brandon
• Tri Tip - Kirk

Sides

• Mashed Potatoes - 10lb golden potatoes, Half & Half, Heavy Cream, Salted Butter
• Boxed Dressing - Mrs. Cubison's, 2 boxes
• Gluten Free Sage Dressing - Bread, Stock, Dried Sage, Onion, Celery, Salt, White Pepper
• Creamed Onions - Onions, Bacon, Heavy Cream, Red Wine
• Peas - Frozen Peas, Salted Butter
• Rolls - Brown & Serve
• Grape Salad - Amanda - Red grapes, green grapes, cream cheese, cool whip
• Dinner Salad - Romaine, Green Onions, Tomato, Cucumber, Salt, Pepper, Mayo
• Cabbage Salad - Red Cabbage, White Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, seasoning
• Yams - Candice
• Brussels Sprouts - Candice
• Ambrosia Salad - Whipped Cream, Mini Marshmallows, Canned Fruit Cocktail (Drained)

Garnishes

• Cranberry Sauce - Canned, TJ's Cranberry Orange Relish
• Gravy - Potato Starch, stock, turkey drippings, garlic, white pepper, tamari

Desserts

• Pumpkin Pie - Candice
• Apple Pie - Candice
• Pecan Pie - Pecans, Maple Syrup, Eggs, Unsalted Butter, All Purpose G-free flour, Brown Sugar

Shopping List

• 1-2 16-20lb Turkeys
• 2 bags white onions
• 2 bags celery
• 1 bag carrots
• TJ's frozen garlic
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 bag green onions
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 head red cabbage
• 2 packs pearl onions (or 2 bags frozen pearl onions)
• 10lbs golden potatoes
• Frozen Peas
• Red Grapes
• Green Grapes
• Cream Cheese
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Apricot Stilton
• Brie
• Gouda
• Cheddar
• 1qt heavy whipping cream
• 2qt half and half
• 1 Gallon Whole Milk
• 3lbs unsalted Butter
• 3lbs salted butter
• 1 pack bacon
• 3-4 dozen eggs
• Pita Chips & Crackers
• Almonds
• Grenadine
• Cherries
• 7Up
• Ice
• Takeaway Storage
• 3-4 TJ's rice bread
• 2 Packs Brown & Serve Rolls
• 2 boxes Mrs. Cubison's Dressing
• Dried/Rubbed Sage
• Ocean Spray Cranberry Sauce
• TJ's Orange Cranberry Relish (2)
• Potato Starch
• Chicken Stock - 8 quarts
• Pre-made normal people gravy
• Whole Pecans
• Pecan Pieces
• Brown Sugar
• Maple Syrup
• Sugar Cubes
• Bagged Sugar
• Morton's Salt
• Black Pepper
• Whipped Cream
• TJ's Mini Marshmallows
• Canned fruit cocktail (IN JUICE! NOT SYRUP!)

Food Prep/Order of Operations

Now is the time to take the turkey out of the freezer.

Two days before

• Final shopping trip
• Cube cheese
• Cabbage Salad (MUST be prepped 2 days before at a minimum to soak)

Day Before

• Bake pecan pie
• Peel & Dice potatoes, submerge in water
• Dice 5c onions & celery
• Pull neck & organs from turkeys, prep turkeys
• Hard Boil Eggs
• Dice & Dry g-free bread

Day Of

6AM

• Turkeys in Roaster
• Wash and dry all remaining produce

10AM

• Deviled Eggs
• Charcuterie Tray
• Brew Iced Tea

11AM

• Grape Salad
• Ambrosia Salad

12PM

• Potatoes on Stove
• Prep dressing

1PM

• Dressing in Oven
• Gravy
• Pearl Onions
• Prep Coffee Pot

2PM

• Dinner Salad
• Peas
• Rolls

3PM

• Carve & Serve

5PM

• Coffee