This year, the family is not going over the river and through the woods to my house. My daughter is doing it up and I'm thrilled. She's a good and creative cook. There'll be eight at the table. She'll be doing the turkey and stuffing. I like oyster stuffing, but since my father died, I am the only one in the family who will eat it. So, it'll be a seasoned bread stuffing. I'm assuming she'll do mashed potatoes, we always have that. She is also doing the green bean casserole. I think all of us prefer it in a non-casserole version, but we're doing it in remembrance of my mother, who always brought that, and this is the first Thanksgiving in our life-time she is not here to share or cook the meal. I know she'll bake bread, as she is the family's bread baker. She'll also do the cranberries and a pumpkin pie with real cream she'll whip herself. I'm bringing the candied yams since they make her gag to even look at them. I'll also bring the homemade noodles cooked in chicken brother. LOL. I'll bring deviled eggs thanks to the gals in the henhouse. I've turned several egg customers away today to make sure I have the raw materials. I'll bring the five cup salad a concoction of sour cream, mini marshmallows, coconut, mandarin oranges and pineapple, and another pie, likely pecan. I make a killer cheeseball so that too to snack on with wine before the meal. My new DIL is also a cook at heart, and I suspect even if told she needn't bring anything..........she will.

Thank you for your kind words! I like you all very much and admire your own talents in decorating, so it means a lot to know that my own efforts look good to you. OA, I'm really incredibly touched that you think my home looks very welcoming. This has always been my main goal and I'm happy that it shows. A place that's a showplace but unwelcoming and not warm is a house, not a home in my mind. Here's a pic I took recently of my living room. It was heading towards dusk, so it's not the greatest picture. I'm also including one of the table's edge, too. Jeanne, it's so nice to "meet" you! I love your turkey in a cage. What a fun idea! It looks to be the same one that Jane has this year. Lynn

I find that cleaning and chopping vegetables always takes more time than I plan for so I do as much as I can the day before. I totally assemble the veg casserole the day before and put the topping on just before it goes in the oven. I have a recipe for make-ahead mashed potatoes that I like even better than freshly made! Cranberry sauce is tastier if made a few days early and allowed to sit. Even though I don't assemble the dressing until that day I have all of the veggies chopped (and this year I am adding sausage to the dressing and will pre-cook the sausage). Same thing with the salad - components all prepped and ready to assemble that day. I'm making a pumpkin trifle this year and will probably make the cake on Tuesday, assemble on Thursday. Butternut Squash Chowder will probably be prepared on Tuesday and reheated in a crock pot on Thursday. The bottom line is that if there is anything that can be made or prepped ahead of time, it should be. I find I do a lot more cooking the day before than actually on the holiday. Thanksgiving day I mostly throw stuff in the oven and make the turkey. The week before gather all of your serving pieces and label them with post-it notes as to which dish goes with what food. Set your table Tuesday. You can arrange the bar on Tuesday as well, except for ice. Skewer olives on plastic swords and place in a bowl, cover with water, refrigerate. Make lemon twists, dump in a glass and cover with a damp paper towel, refrigerate. I'll say it again - anything that can be done ahead of time should be! Lists are your best helper on days like these. Make them and use them! Also, I am not one to turn down an offer if someone likes to bring a dish. If your SIL wants to know what she can bring, tell her to do the sweet potatoes (or whatever). If you need table linens pressed or purchased, do it now! Plan your decorations and centerpiece this week as well. Candles? Candlesticks? Plan or order your flowers. Guest towels. Music. Kids games. Arrange or plan for house cleaning as well. All of this can be done in the next few days. Oh, and I love the turkey gravy base from Williams-Sonoma. It is a huge time-saver and the gravy always comes out perfect. Be sure to add the turkey drippings to the pan while you are heating it up! Nicole

Anne, looks like you hit the Thanksgiving Dinner jackpot! I won't have my TDay dinner until tomorrow. Don't know if you read the TDay "Duh" thread or not but I mentioned my pecan pie mess, and had to miss the family dinner because of a tummy ache. Anyhow, my DD brought me food and desserts, but I didn't want her to drive out here after dark, so she is bringing it tomorrow. It will still be good. Sue