Why Tuesday is the Most Crucial Day for a Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner

Y’all, if you are cooking or hosting Thanksgiving this year, the best piece of advice that I can give you is that today, yes, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, is the critical day that will determine how relaxed (and clean!) Thursday will turn out to be.I asked on Instagram (do you follow me @modestbread?) what cooking questions you all had for the big day — and the most popular question: How do I cook the turkey and all the sides with one oven? Tuesday. The answer is Tuesday.To start, look at your menu and decide which items can taste great (and sometimes even better) made in advance and which prep items can be completed so that on the big day all you have to do is heat to finish.  1) Turkey prep: Did you read about how to cook a turkey last week? If so, you know today is the day to prep your turkey or pick up your turkey.2) Make cranberry sauce. Yes, make it and yes today. It tastes even better after it sits a day or two!3) Get started on stuffing, green bean casserole and/or sweet potatoes. Toast your cubed bread and store on the counter. Bake sweet potatoes. Blanch green beans.4) Peel potatoes for mashed potatoes and hold them in cold water to keep them from taking on color.5) Do all your vegetable cleaning, chopping, and peeling - celery, onions, garlic, herbs.  6) You don’t have to bake them today (although I would recommend you do) but at a minimum, collect and measure out your ingredients for any baked goods or pies you are making. Whipped cream should definitely be made today.7) Pull your butter for the table. Nothing is worse than trying to spread cold butter on rolls. Set it out on the counter and leave it until the big day so it is perfectly tempered.8) If you are making a salad, make your vinaigrettes today - they will taste better.9) Finally do an inventory and make sure you don’t have to do a last-minute store run and do it now or assign it to a guest.10) Pre-batch a cocktail, make sure wines are chilled. You can do a low alcohol option, like a cider. Combine the following:

• 1 cup aged rum
• 1 cup sweet vermouth
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup simple syrup
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters
• ½ red apple, very thinly sliced, plus more for serving (add Thursday)
• 3 3x1-inch strips orange zest, very thinly sliced (add Thursday)
• 1 12-ounce bottle dry hard apple cider
• Serve with ice

  11)  If you do go to the store, scoop up a rotisserie chicken and make nachos for dinner. They are so easy, delicious, and don’t taste like anything else you are eating for the rest of the week.12) On Wednesday, complete your Tuesday list. I also like to set the table on this day and pull any appetizer plates I might be using. Place silverware and cups. Go to 7-11 and grab ice. Run errands, do life, clean your bathrooms.On Thursday, turn on your oven while you drink your coffee (pro tip, turn off your heat now), start your turkey first and be sure to pull all of your preassembled items out of the fridge. Nothing will go bad and tempered food cooks more quickly and tastes better. Just let them hang out for the day.While the turkey is roasting — assemble all of your sides and complete any stove top preparations. Start drinking wine about 30 minutes before you think it is appropriate. It will relax you!While the turkey rests (I like an hour minimum) cook your sides. While your sides are cooking, make the gravy. While you are placing dinner and carving the turkey, bake your breads. While you eat dinner, turn off the oven and place desserts in the oven to warm.Biggest pro tip; assign dishes to everyone else.