Turkey Day Wrap Up

So, how was your big FEAST this past week?  

We had a great time cooking some of our favorite dishes, spending time with family and friends, and just lying around on the couch as we tried to digest all that yummy food.  

Despite all of our efforts to make the preparations as smooth as possible, there are always little "hiccups" that are just unavoidable.  For us, like most people, the last 20 minutes before dinner are just NUTS.  Trying to get all the food out on the table and hot almost seems impossible.  And there were some things we definitely would have done differently...

So, to make sure next year's Thanksgiving is even better, I am going to make a list of what worked and didn't work while it is still fresh in my mind.  I'll put this list right next to my Turkey recipe so that it will be easy to find next November.  Here are a few things that will be on our list:

1. Buying the fresh turkey a few days ahead of time was 

MUCH better than getting a frozen one.

2. I need a bigger cuisinart for grinding up the cranberries 

(that was a huge mess I would not like to repeat!)

3. Dinner rolls are yummy

4. Buy extra disposable tupperware for leftovers

5. Create an oven schedule- heard about this from our cousin 

and thought it was genius!

What is going to be on your list??

~Leah

(photo credit: Lockette)

Confession

I am terrible at meal planning. 

Instead of thinking ahead and buying groceries strategically, I just wander around Trader Joe's picking out yummy stuff haphazardly.  What I end up with is a mish-mosh of good food but nothing that creates full meals.  I also waste food and then cry as I throw out moldy strawberries and peppers.  Ugh, it's a disaster.

But, look at what I found in my Real Simple Magazine!!  

This Meal Planner helps you plan out the meals that you are going to make each day of the week, AND it helps you figure out what to buy at the grocery store!  I just used this form and did some strategic shopping.  Wish me luck this week.... here's to yummy meals and no wasted food!

~Leah