A No Fail Thanksgiving Menu

So you tried to make reservations but they wouldn't take you, you tried to contact your favorite restaurant but they stopped taking orders. Or, maybe this is your first year in your own home, and well, the time has come. Turkey time, that is! With a little know how, you can make a fabulous menu this Thanksgiving that will wow your guests without overwhelming you.

First things first, what to prepare? Picture your favorite Thanksgiving dinner. No, it won't be that great (memories are always better), but it is a place to start. Unless you are vegetarian, lets start with the basics: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, yams, and pumpkin pie. Ham is on some lists, but that is up to you. If you have never prepared a turkey before, you have two choices. Make a go at it, or order one from a restaurant. The choice is yours. I say go for it, but before the actual dinner. Make one a few weeks before; call your mom, grandma, or the neighborhood grandma to teach you how. Get the hang of it, and you will be prepared for November. Should you run into a problem come turkey day, the folks at Butterball are waiting to take your call! Check them out at: butterball.com. They have a menu planner and lots of tips to help you get the perfect turkey every time.

Before I continue, let me say this: if you are making a turkey, you might as well prepare all of your other dishes too, ensuring you have it down before Thanksgiving. This single step will save your sanity. By keeping it simple, you will do just fine.

Stuffing is a tricky thing; in different parts of the country, you will find different types of stuffing. In fact, stuffing is dressing in some places. For the sake of this article, I will stick with stuffing, as not to confuse. As a southerner, I am a big believer in the use of cornbread rather than bread cubes, but whatever your family goes for will do. Or, seeing as how this is your Thanksgiving, try something new this year, start your own traditions!

Mashed potatoes are a fairly easy dish to prepare, but can be ruined by too much mashing and seasoning. Potatoes can take a great deal of salt and pepper, but taste as you go (and don't double dip!) and leave a few lumps. The potatoes are usually one of the last dishes prepared, but you can store them for up to two hours in a Crockpot set on low. As for the gravy, you will either have to learn how to make it from Mom, or buy it in the jar at the grocery store. They make pretty good ones, but please, do put it in a gravy boat (ask grandma for hers) to save face.

Cranberry sauce. It is a tricky topic in the culinary world. Some would never eat cranberries that did not look like cranberries, while others believe that God created the cranberry sauce can shape during the sixth day. I am of the canned variety choice, but it is fairly easy to create a sauce from scratch. Then of course, there are the yams, which are not really yams, but sweet potatoes. You know if you come from a family who adds the marshmallows. If you are not, well, you don't know what you are missing! Anyway, the yams are really easy to prepare, don't stress yourself, and frankly, if you add enough marshmallows, no one will notice anyway!

As far as pie goes, if you are a novice, I would suggest a good bakery. There are the frozen variety too, some of which are quite good. If you do decide to bake them yourself, and they come out fabulous on your test run, make extra on Thanksgiving to send home with your guests. They will love you for it!

Some would say there is so much more to Thanksgiving, the various casseroles and local specialties. Green bean casseroles, roasted veggies, and the like can be easily added to your menu at your choosing.

For your holiday menu, you will of course need recipes. Here are a few websites that will help get you ready for the big day:

Foodnetwork.com
Some great recipes, some super fancy, some really good and simple. Check out Paula Deen's Southern Cornbread Stuffing, or Sandra Lee's Candied Yam Souffle.

Verybestbaking.com
A great site for desserts. Try Libby's Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. They label the recipe's difficulty level too.

Kraftfoods.com
Good recipes made with ingredients in your pantry and fridge. Try their Cranberry and Toasted Walnut Stuffing. They label the nutritional content per serving, and offer light cooking recipes.

Campbellskitchen.com
Where to find the classic Green Bean Casserole and other great recipes.

No matter what your menu, by keeping it simple, trying out your recipes beforehand, and knowing your limits, you will be the host with the most this Thanksgiving.