FREE Meal Planning Course--Thanksgiving Lesson

​© T.B. Cooper

Anybody that knows me knows that I have been cooking Thanksgiving since I was 15, and I haven't missed one, since. Every year the family gathers at our house, and I spend the day joyously cooking for more than 20 people. Now that's not saying much, since eight of those people already live with me, it really just sounds like I'm only doubling what I normally make-- But not really.

This is a FEAST. This is a feast that is meant to last for days, even if everybody doesn't stay for that long. I make sure there is enough food for dinner itself, second and third helpings, breakfast lunch and dinner for the next day for everyone in the house (which still includes almost all the guests), take-home boxes, and at least one pie per car to take with.
​
We don't do Thanksgiving at my house on Thanksgiving, anymore. With kids and family members expanding our family to include significant others/in-laws and grandparents, I found it to be too selfish of me to insist that they come to my house instead of anywhere else, on Thanksgiving. So we instead do it on Saturday after. This not only gives me a couple of days extra to prepare food/desserts, but it also allows me some down time-- after we of course, “prep” the one or two turkeys we have been raising for the table.

When I first started cooking Thanksgiving dinner (at 15), I used to get up at three or 4 o'clock in the morning, and dinner would not be ready until at least 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I grew up in a household where both parents were immigrants, and so Thanksgiving was not a tradition we celebrated. When I moved out (at 15), I took it upon myself to cook the meal for my family, for my first Thanksgiving. Back then, my very first meal was a cheat-- we bought one of those Albertson's boxed Thanksgiving dinners, that I had to do was heat most of it up. But I did add extra dishes, some that I still continue to this day to make-- such as the brown sugared golden sweet potatoes, that I list as part of the meal, but is really good enough to be considered a desert.

Over the last 22 years, I have not only perfected my methods and recipes, but I have shaved that 12 hour time in one day, to just barely 4 (maybe five) hours on the day itself. Which means if I actually did Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day like the rest of the country, you would find me sleeping in until roughly 8 o'clock, and dinner would be done no later than 1 PM.

Of course, Meal Prepping, has a lot to do with it, as I'm sure you've already figured that out...

​The chopping & dicing, etc. that we do every month, helps out in immeasurable ways as far as ingredients that I don't need to buy/spend money on, or spend time prepping.

When it's time for me to make my grocery list, I use the same logic and categories as I do with my regular Meal Prepping, but I also account for what I already have in my freezers, before that list is final.


See Lesson #2
How to Make a Grocery List for review,
if needed.

I've included a couple of Printables in this lesson. One is a copy of what our Thanksgiving menu has grown to look like… It is split into three sections: parts of the MEAL, DESSERTS, and where I COOK everything. And YES, this is really what our menu looks like. Of course, a couple of my kids have often joked and said that when I die and they take over cooking the Thanksgiving meal, it will consist only of ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, potato salad, and Green Bean Casserole. To make up for the other dishes, they will just buy Chinese take-out. But like I tell them, I don't cook the meal just for them. We have an eclectic family group, an extended family, and friends that are family… so I cook to appease everyone, even for some who have passed on from this life into the next.

Okay, as you can see from the picture of what my menu looks like... I'm probably crazy.

LOL
​
Or not.

This year we will still have two turkeys (one homegrown/one store bought) & two different hams(as usual). I've decided to do the pot roast instead of corned beef and cabbage. Traditionally, mom normally makes it, but I'll have her make that for Christmas, this year, instead. The potato salad I usually make is a white potato salad, so when you see the ingredients you'll notice there's no mustard. Not that I don't love yellow potato salad, but I came up with the white one on accident many years ago, and my daughter that loves potatoes-- loves this potato salad. I enjoy candied yams and mashed yams, some years I make both… this year is one of them. You'll also see Green Bean Casserole and green beans on this list, I have no other explanation other than I have people in our clan that like one or the other, some who like both. The cream cheese/garlicky crescent rolls are a must, that my sister insists I make dozens of. They are simply refrigerated crescent rolls with chunks of cream cheese rolled into them, brushed with garlicky butter, and baked until golden… But oh, so good!

​On the dessert side, the first thing you see is s'mores. Now before I tell you why it's there, let me just tell you that it's only been the past eight years or so that I've begun to let others join me in the kitchen/help me in any way, shape, or form. 
It all started when my youngest daughter was maybe six, and I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner as usual, and she desperately wanted to help make something. The only thing was, I didn't have anything for a six-year-old to make. But I thought quickly (like I usually do), and realized I had a cookie sheet, 10 to 15 minutes of free oven time, some left over graham crackers that were not ground-up, chocolate chips and extra marshmallows. So I taught her to make s'mores-- in the oven. Now, every year since it has been a tradition that she makes at least one cookie sheet of s'mores, right around the time everybody starts getting restless and hungry. Of course, we joke now than when she finally brings home a potential mate, that that individual might find it humorous that her contribution,
​is s'mores.

Moving on…

You will see a lot of pies on this list. We love pie, some love cheesecake, and no one likes the same thing… Plus like I said earlier, I have to make sure there is enough that each carload, at least, gets to take home one whole pie. You'll probably also notice there are two different kinds of apple pie in two different kinds of pumpkin pie on the list. The difference between the apple pies, is one has cinnamon rolls on it, the other doesn't. And the pumpkin pies, are either bake or no bake. I will be including recipes for most of these, shortly after I have this post up (within a day or two). I am still currently working on getting everything typed up/caught up.

The last thing you see in the Desserts column is Libby's-type Desserts. These are whatever assortment I can find when I go shopping, that I pick up, for all of the other children that will be at my house, wanting to help.

The last section, is all about where I cook everything.

So where do I cook everything?

Well, in my kitchen, of course!

Or, I should say kitchens…

One of the selling points when we bought our house, was that one of the prior owners added an extension, which included a large kitchen, but chose to keep the original smaller kitchen. Which meant I automatically had two stove tops, two spaces for refrigerators, two ovens, and one sink... and somehow to this day, still not enough counterspace or cupboards--
​which is just funny, because it's more than I have ever had.

A few years back we ended up upgrading all the appliances so my two ovens became three. My two four-burner stoves became one 4-burner and one 5-burner. But it still is not enough appliances to cook the full meal.

​When I discovered roaster ovens, almost 10 years back…
​My way of cooking changed forever.

Again, I would just say that I have perfected my method, and hope that you don't insist that I give you all of the details of the journey that has led me to where I am now.

Yes, I have three roasters, and I use all three. Two contain a turkey each, with the stuffing. One contains two half-hams, since one group likes a honey brown sugar ham and another likes a Dijon mustard one. I mentioned I have three ovens. One is a wall oven with two racks. The other two ovens are part of a stove/oven unit, that has a smaller one rack oven on top, and a larger two rack oven on bottom.  

I've mentioned before that for Meal Prepping I use an electric skillet. Two years ago for Christmas I asked for an additional one, because I found it was necessary. You will also see that I have listed “stove & oven.” This is for meals such as the sweet potatoes, yams, and stuffing that doesn't go in the bird, that will be cooked on the stove and then later baked.  

Lastly, you will see “make & freeze,” and “night before.” These should be self-explanatory, but to illustrate-- the pies and cheesecakes I make and freeze days before the dinner, and stuff like the potato salad,
​I cook the night before and refrigerate it.

**Clicking above might financially benefit me if your click becomes a purchase. Above (Amazon) links are Affiliate Links. Just FYI.

Each one of the “methods” in the “Cook Where” section, has a code next to it, such as Roaster #1—code-(R1). In the next picture of the same menu, there are codes written on each line next to each menu item. Which by the way, I do just like my Pre-make List(Lesson #3)
​and stick inside of a sheet protector, that I then hang on my refrigerator with magnets.  

Down in the “Cook Where” section,
you'll see 'dots' above or below each method.
These dots represent each item & where each one is cooked, so I can see what appliances are used & when.

For example, Stoves #1 & #2 have 4 dots above= representing use of the stove top in the early part of the day, and then 2 & 1 dots underneath= representing use of the stove tops later, closer to dinner time.

*One more thing, the letters to the far right of some of the lines-- like “corn” (has a 'D'), represent which family member (other than me)is in charge of that dish.

As I start each item to cook, I put a check mark next to it.

Once that item is done, I then cross it out, all with an eraser marker of a different color other than the one I used to write in the codes.

I don't write anything in next to cranberry sauce, because all I do is open the can.
​
Anything I'm not making/using I automatically line through them/it.

Click to get your FREE Thanksgiving Menu PRINTABLE either the already filled version or the Blank version. Or both!

mealplanningthanksgivingmenu_tbcooper.pdf
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File Type:	pdf

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mealplanningthanksgivingmenuprintable_tbcooper.pdf
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Thanksgiving Lesson Part #2

This is where I make my list for groceries, for this epic meal.
Just like I do for Meal Prepping, I go through each item on my menu and write down what each dish requires for ingredients.
​ As you can see from the two pictures below, I first do a run through of every item/ingredient I can think of, regardless if I have it or not,
keeping in mind how much of each one I might need.*
*Making sure I forget something, so my husband has a convenient reason (or three) to get out of the house! (Kidding!!--not really)

*I do however, do one small thing differently with my Thanksgiving Shopping List/Rough Draft.

I grab all of my colored highlighters, divide the groceries into (7) different aisles/sections
(6 colored markers + 1 non-colored/misc. category), and then highlight away. 

​P.S. I'm sorry the yellow doesn't show up that well! :(

Then I do the fun part… Fill in the blanks!

​BTW, my picture of the list looks slightly different than the PRINTABLE, just FYI.

And also, I told you--I need to get new toner!

Now, you may notice on the PRINTABLE as well as on my copy, I divided further.
​That's because I noticed I could divide the Miscellaneous section down by adding another section for the 'Bread Aisle.'

Click below, for your FREE Grocery List Printable!!

thanksgivinggrocerylist.freeprintable.tbcooper.pdf
File Size:	57 kb
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And... well...

Besides the recipes, that's it for this Lesson.

Recipes I will post, tomorrow and Monday:

Turkey
Ham #1
Ham #2
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Cream Cheese/Garlicky Crescent Rolls
Apple Pie (or Berry, or any other kind of fruit)
S'mores
Cinnamon Puff Apple Pie
"Healthy" Cheesecake (That tastes too good!)

If there is anything on the "Menu" that you'd like a recipe for, please Contact me.

Also, I did promise in an earlier Lesson, that I'd show you (briefly) how to budget a Grocery List.
Unfortunately, that is not gonna happen this week.
I do sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, but I did not forget & will post it soon!

If you don't stop back by this week for the recipes-- Have a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving!

YOU are one of my blessings I am Thankful for! <3