The Game Plan

The Game Plan
Up to 7 days before serving:

• Make the biscuits and freeze
• Do you have low protein bread for stuffing?  If not, make, slice and freeze
• Make the pie crust and freeze

 
Up to 5 days before serving:

• Make the cranberry-orange sauce

 
Up to 3 days before serving:

• Make the ice cream

 
Up to 2 days before serving:

• Dry bread for stuffing
• Blanch the string beans, transfer to a Ziploc bag and refrigerate
• Dice the vegetables for the stuffing
• Place frozen pie dough in the fridge

 
The day before serving:

• Assemble the string bean casserole, wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate
• Assemble the butternut squash dish, wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate
• Assemble the stuffing, wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate
• Make the Salad dressing
• Wash and spin the salad
• Make the smoky shitakes, cool and store in an air tight container
• Prepare the pie recipe through step 5.

        
Thanksgiving Morning:

• Make the glazed carrots
• Marinate the mushrooms
• Complete apple pie recipe and bake

 
2 hours before serving:

• Roast the mushrooms – don’t forget to deglaze the pans for the gravy (see recipe for instructions)
• Make the potatoes; keep warm in a slow cooker set on low

 
1 hour before serving:

• If the smoky shitakes are not crisp, place in the oven for five to 10 minutes.
• Make the gravy
• Take butternut squash with apples, stuffing and string bean casserole out of the fridge

 
45 minutes before serving:

• Place butternut squash with apples, string bean casserole and stuffing in the oven
• Assemble the salad (do not add dressing or shitakes until ready to serve)

 
15 minutes before serving:

• Bake the biscuits
• Reheat gravy and mushrooms on low simmer and put roasted veggies in oven to reheat
• Reheat the carrots

 
SIT DOWN, HAVE A GLASS OF WINE, ENJOY THE MEAL & YOUR COMPANY – YOU DESERVE IT!