Q: I'm wanting to make a big Thanksgiving dinner, but won't have time to do it all in one day...So which ones can be made the day before and still taste great the next day???
A: I make the stuffing the day before,cool and then refrigerate for use the next morning. I pre- cook and peel sweet potatoes the day before so all I have to do the next day is add brown sugar and butter and bake to heat though and glaze. I make sure the turkey is thawed the day before and do all the prep-rinse the bird inside and out,remove the giblets-dry the bird and place it in the roaster,cover with plastic and wrap-refrigerate for the next day. I take the giblets and cook with onion,celery,sage,chicken broth and make a stock for gravy. I usually make the gravy the night before too-using the giblet stock,cut up meat off the neck(the cat gets the liver). The next day I reheat the gravy which is usually too thick-and add pan drippings from the turkey pan after the turkey has finished roasting to thin and add extra flavor. Pies can be baked the day before. Homemade cranberry sauce can be made several days in advance. If you are using celery for stuffing or as a raw cut veggie,you can rinse and pat dry the day before and store in plastic to save a step the next day-just don't chop or cut-it may dry out. Onion for stuffing can be chopped the day before and stored in plastic tubs to save another step.Green bean casserole or corn casserole are best made fresh on Thanksgiving Day-same thing with mashed potatoes no way to really prep those except to make sure you have all the ingredients. Hope that helps