Traditional
Thanksgiving Dinner
Menu

Dates for 2008
Canada: October 13th - USA: November 27th

Would you like a stress-free, yet utterly delicious, traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu for your family and guests this year? If the answer is yes, then look no further! This menu has been designed with YOU in mind. As so much of the preparations can be done ahead of time, it takes away much of the usual last minute pressures.

Give yourself plenty of time - start planning at least two weeks in advance. Print off the planning notes below and all of the recipes. You now have the basis of your shopping list. Here too, don't leave everything to the last minute - shop ahead as far as the perishable nature of the foods will allow.

This traditional Thanksgiving dinner menu would also be absolutely perfect for a family Christmas lunch or dinner.

Gourmet food........the EASY way!

Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

For an alternative Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
CLICK HERE.

Planning Notes & Timetable

Up to 1 week ahead.......

• Prepare the cranberry & orange relish. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
  

• Prepare the pastry shell for the apple pie and freeze it, unbaked.
  

• Prepare the streusel topping for the apple pie. Cover and refrigerate.
  

• Prepare the ginger ice cream.

The day before.......

• Brine the turkey (follow the instructions carefully for storage and temperature control).
  

• Prepare the giblet stock. Once completely cool, refrigerate.
  

• Prepare the pork and herbed apple dressing. Cover and refrigerate.
  

• Prepare the green bean casserole without the topping. Do not bake but instead allow to cool completely before covering and refrigerate.
  

• Prepare the green bean casserole topping. Cover and refrigerate.

A few hours before.......

• Prepare the Waldorf salad, cover and refrigerate.
  

• Begin roasting the turkey.
  

• Peel the potatoes for the roasts, blanch and shake with semolina as directed. Leave uncovered at room temperature ready for roasting later.
  

• Assemble and bake the apple pie. If you intend to serve it warm, it can be reheated later by putting into a medium oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

About an hour before......

• Turn the oven up and brown off the turkey. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cover loosely with foil. Allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes.
  

• Bake the sweet potatoes, and finish as directed just before serving.
  

• Roast the potatoes.
  

• Bake the green bean casserole.
  

• Bake the pork and apple dressing.
  

• Prepare the gravy.

You are now ready to serve your traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Make sure that you have some willing volunteers to help you bring everything together. Aim to serve the Waldorf salad around 15 minutes before the roast potatoes are cooked. Then, by the time the turkey is carved and ready to serve, the potatoes will be crunchy and perfect.

ENJOY!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ONE AND ALL.

To go from my Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Menu to
A DIFFERENT THANKSGIVING MENU
CLICK HERE