Thanksgiving is pretty major, isn’t it? From turkey and
stuffing to sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie, it isn’t a trifling caloric experience.
In my household we cook for two solid days. We feast for a couple days, and
then we look at getting ready for the holidays.
For many of you, it may be your first year of cooking the
feast on your own, and I have some helpful guidelines.
- Break down your to-do list into time slots. Preparing
the whole trimmings can feel overwhelming, but when I break it down, it’s easy
peasy. Fix the jello, cranberry sauce and prepare the stock for gravy on
Tuesday. I can manage that. I do pies, stuffing and Company Mashed Potatoes
(recipe to follow) on Wednesday. Thursday is just roasting everything, popping
on the veggie, and making gravy.
- Delegate chores. My husband is a rotten cook,
God bless his soul, but he’s a great potato peeler and is fabulous at the helm
of a vacuum sweeper. Dusting is beneath him, but that’s okay. I can handle
that. See how that division of labor makes weeks of neglect a little less
overwhelming?
- Prepare a timetable. I parse it all out into
time blocks. Tuesday morning I prepare cranberry sauce while I’m drying bread
cubes. After lunch I get pies in the oven. After supper I put the stuffing
together. By being able to focus on just a single block of time, I’m able to
enjoy the preparations without feeling like it’s just too much.
After the holiday I assess the damage. I begin my remedial
exercise program and get ready for Christmas delights on the horizon. I begin
slowly. I take a walk. I bike an extra minute each day. I start using a smaller
plate for portion control. These recovery techniques help me reach New Year’s
Day without any regrets. Worry less about the pounds and more about the people,
incorporate a few tweaks of routine into each day, and make this year a great
season of Thanksgiving.
So…are you ready for my killer Company Mashed Potatoes?
Peel 5 pounds of potatoes. Cube, salt and boil until soft.
Mash them varying quantities of the following:
8 oz cream cheese
½ cup butter
½ cup sour cream
½ cup milk
2 eggs
Salt, pepper, onion seasoning
Fold them into a greased baking container, and on
Thanksgiving, stick them in a 350 degree oven for thirty minutes.
For many of us, the landscape is far different than we
imagined it might be. Our family is celebrating in waves, as we have one son’s
family in quarantine, one son’s family highly vulnerable, and one son’s family
in between. We recognize the change, but we are committed to a happier future,
so we are willing to respect the present. However you choose to celebrate
Thanksgiving this week, make sure it’s a day of giving thanks!
