Thanksgiving is just a few days away and it's time to prepare for a spectacular feast with your family. Most of us will gather with fewer folks this year however prepping, cooking and entertaining is still happening in homes all over the Gulf Coast!
Here are my top 5 tips to help you get ready:
#1 Take your Turkey out of the freezer!
Frozen turkeys can take 3-5 days to totally defrost. Once yours is fully thawed take it out of the packaging and remove the giblets.
Wash your turkey with water, pat dry and go ahead and season it with kosher salt. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to season & cook. Allow at least 20 minutes per pound. Click here for instructions.
#2 Plan Ahead! This is an awesome tip from HGTV! Figure out what serving dishes you are going to need for your menu. Place them on your buffet, kitchen island or wherever you are going to display the food. This will save so much time since you will have the ideal dishes ready for cooking! I like the idea of using different heights to make the arrangement more interesting. Click here to go to the article for more crafty ideas!
#3 Bake your Desserts in Advance! This year I am lucky to have a couple of pies and a cheesecake lined up for the holiday. Despite all of these gifted sweets, I will make a couple of Lynn's Buttermilk pies. My favorite brother-in-law sent me a special request! I love baking for my family and will be happy to cook them on Wednesday morning. They will be chilled to perfection for our feast.
#4 Spruce up your yard! I spent most of last weekend outdoors in the yard. Trust me, if you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE being outside. This fall weather has been delightful. Acme Pressure Washing is coming on Tuesday afternoon to really enhance the look of our home! Jeff & Daniel have state of the art equipment and only use products that are safe for your family & pets.
#5 Clear Your Calendar for Wednesday! If at all possible, don't schedule anything for Wednesday. Try to get your shopping done earlier in the week. Wednesday can be a day that you enjoy getting your meal started and your table set for company! Having a full day dedicated to your Thanksgiving menu will take loads of pressure off of you.
Be Sure to Clean that Turkey!
I want to share a funny story that my Grandmother Smith recounted for me. We were in her small Laurel, Mississippi kitchen preparing the turkey for the oven. She washed it, patted it dry and placed it in a roasting pan. Next thing I know, she was giggling so hard tears started rolling down her cheeks.
It seems, there was a young newlywed couple in her church. The new bride wanted to host her family for Thanksgiving. (A Herculean Endeavor.) She baked a seemingly perfect turkey, that is until everyone tasted it. There was an unusual flavor that no one could quite put their finger on. Her mother asked her daughter how she prepared the turkey.
The young lady proudly told everyone that she washed the turkey really good with Joy dish soap! Oh my goodness...I'm glad her Uncle had brought a big ole' ham!
My grandmother got such a big kick out of that cooking disaster story! I guess it was the talk of 2nd Avenue Baptist Church in Jones County! I love those memories with her and plan to create some of my own this week with my family!
The Camille Wilkinson Team at Direct Mortgage Loans
This week I was on location with Camille Wilkinson and her awesome team of mortgage professionals. I snapped this candid shot with my phone however I'll be updating the page on this website with some incredible pictures from the photo shoot.
The positive energy of this group of people is contagious! Camille has done a stellar job of putting together a team of professionals that customers love working with. I left there feeling so happy and energetic!
If you are thinking about buying a home or refinancing the one you are in, they are delighted to help. Be sure to check out their page on the website by clicking here. Real estate is hot on the Gulf Coast and interest rates are at an all time low! Now is the perfect time to buy a new home!
Shop Local on Saturday
2020 has been the year of make or break for many locally owned businesses. In fact it has been tough on corporate owned retailers and restaurants too. On Friday my sister and I are going local all the way! We are dining at a locally owned restaurant in Baldwin County, then I am taking her to Fairhope. She loves browsing antique stores, boutiques and small shops. We'll continue our girls time on Saturday visiting other locally owned places in the area. Every dollar you spend with a local goes back into that family whether it's used for salaries, tuition, groceries or utilities. You can make a difference!
~ Charlsie
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