October 8, 2010

Thanksgiving prep and event day scenario

So the Thanksgiving weekend is upon us, and I'm excited.  Preparations began on Wednesday with a trip to the grocery store for turkey (I feel bad for those poor souls that haven't bought one yet). Since then, I've been planning away, from the menu right down to event day execution (that's right, I pulled together an event scenario for this).  
      
In an extremely nerdy way, I'm proud of my schedule. Let's hope the execution goes accordingly. See below for what my Sunday will look like (those closest to me who've already seen this think I'm completely insane).
      
Please keep your fingers crossed for me! If things work out, I'll share recipes (let's just say a great deal rests on Martha's shoulders as well).


And if I don't post again this weekend - Happy Thanksgiving everyone!


Menu:
- Turkey (|20 lbs!)
- Brown butter brussel sprouts
- Hearty garlic greens (swiss chard, kale, mustard greens)
- Garlic mashed potatoes
- Stuffing
- Mac and cheese
- Sweet potato foccacia
- Apple dessert 
- Carrot cake 
- Small pumpkin tart


Friday, October 8
- Brine the turkey


Saturday, October 9
- Clean the kitchen
- Bake the carrot cake
- Bake the coconut cookies for PL
- Prepare fire place for bread dough
- Clean out the dishwasher
- Prep cooking area
- Wash second cooking board




Game Day: Sunday, October 10

TimingTask
7:00 a.m.Wake up!
7:30 – 7:40 a.m.Start fireplace
7:40 – 8:30 a.m.Prep for apple pie cake
  • Flour mixture
  • Carve apples
  • Etc.
8:30 – 10:00 a.m.OVEN in use for apple pie cake
  • 1.5 hours
8:30 – 9:10 a.m.Cut and caramelize sweet potatoes
  • Stove
9:15 – 9:35 a.m.Sweet potato focaccia
  • Preparing bread dough


9:35 – 9:55 a.m.Dough rises
10:00  a.m.Remove apple pie cake from oven
9:50 – 10:05 a.m.Prep focaccia dough
10:05 – 10:35 a.m.Let dough rise
10:10 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Grate gruyere for focaccia
10:35 – 10:50 a.m.Focaccia
  • Preheat oven to 400 F
  • Finish topping focaccia
10:50 – 11:20 a.m.Bake focaccia
10:50 – 11:20 a.m.Mac and cheese
  • Grate cheddar and parmesan
  • Store in container
11:15 a.m.Preheat oven to 330F for turkey
11:30 a.m.Roast turkey
  • 20 minutes/lb @ 325F (330F)
  • 20 pounds = 6.6 hours
11:30 a.m. – 12:00 noonLunch
12:30 p.m.Prepare Brussels sprouts
  • Wash and cut
1:00 p.m.Cut chives / herbs for mashed potatoes
  • Wrap garlic into foil
  • Prep garlic for garlic greens
1:30 – 2:15 p.m.Prep all garlic greens
  • Wash, etc
3:00 p.m.Throw wrapped garlic into oven
3:15 – 3:45 p.m.Stuffing
  • Cook sausage
  • Add celery and onion
4:00 – 4:30 p.m.Put mac and cheese together
4:30 – 5:00 p.m.Prep potatoes
  • Wash and cut into smaller pieces
  • Start boiling water
5:00 p.m.Boil potatoes and remove garlic from oven
5:15 p.m.Round convection oven - prepare
5:30 p.m.Preheat small toaster oven to 400 F
  • Mac and cheese
5:45 p.m.Put Mac and cheese into toaster oven
Remove foil from turkey to allow skin to brown
5:45 – 6:15 p.m.Remove potatoes from water
  • Mash potatoes
  • Add ingredients (except for chives)
  • Keep warm on stove
6:00 p.m.Prepare garlic greens for cooking
  • Cook partially
  • Place on top of stove to heat (under foil)
6:10 p.m.Preheat round convection oven to 350
6:20 p.m.Put stuffing into round oven
6:30 p.m.Remove foil from Mac and cheese – continue to cook
6:45 p.m.Remove turkey from oven to rest
  • Cooked = 170F in thickest part of leg (unstuffed turkey only)
6:45 p.m.Remove mac and cheese from the oven
6:45 p.m.Pre-heat oven to 450F to brown butter
6:45 p.m.Place cooked focaccia on top of oven to heat up
6:55 p.m.Brussel sprouts
  • Place butter into oven
7:00 p.m.Remove butter and toss in Brussels sprouts
7:05 p.m.Remove stuffing from the round oven
7:10 p.m.Toss water onto Brussels sprouts
7:15 p.m.Make the gravy
7:15 p.m.Carve the turkey
7:17 p.m.Remove Brussels sprouts from the oven





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