One of my good friends is going to Paris over Thanksgiving break, and I promised her I would make her a Thanksgiving dinner to make up for the one she will miss. There definitely has to be turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. Pumpkin pie is also a possibility if there is time. In order to make this dinner without missing class I am breaking the preparation up into phases.
Phase 1: Weekend Before
-Celery and Onion Stuffing: My mom's classic stuffing is just a cup of onion and celery per serving, the instructions are on the bag. If the stuffing has actually been inside the turkey it can last for a few days in the fridge and I think the condensation from the plastic wrap adds moisture, somehow.
-Cranberry Sauce: I have never made this before but Alton Brown always makes recipes in a classic sort of way, and classic seems to be the theme.
Phase 2: Day/Night Before
-Cook Turkey: My turkey is coming from Whole Foods, but I think the most important thing is that it has a plastic popper to tell you when it's done cooking. Even a small turkey takes several hours, so I will put it in the oven as soon as I get back from class the night before and refridgerate it over night.
Phase 3: Day of the Meal
-Bake sweet potatoes: My friend is in charge of sweet potatoes; she covers them in maple syrup, brown sugar and mini marshmellows -delicious!
-Make instant gravy: Because it's necessary, but a pain to make.
-Buy fresh bread: Optional, but I think every good meal could use some good bread.
Dinner is planned for Wednesday night, so I will be recording all my problems and successes for the first thanksgiving dinner in my own apartment.
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