Gathering The Family For Thanksgiving Feast

Whether you've planned one Thanksgiving feast or twenty, you sometimes question, "Is it even worth all this work?" Then, when your family is seated around the dinner table, bellies full and smiles wide, you know the answer to that question is always "yes."

However, you may have that underlying suspicion as the Thanksgiving weekend approaches that there is, in fact, an easier way to pull this off. Perhaps there is some pre-planning that you are missing or a new recipe that could wow your guests. This year, do your homework and enjoy your best holiday meal yet!

Planning your first Thanksgiving feast can certainly keep you up all night worrying. Many first-timers set their sights on mastering the turkey, the mashed potatoes, the gravy and the stuffing, allowing other family members to prepare a side, an appetizer or a dessert. You may have to cut corners somewhere by buying a store-bought cheese platter or cake initially, but don't agonize over it.

Finding the right recipe can take time and you've already got so much on your plate. Curb your Thanksgiving dinner menu if you must. If you have tons of last-minute oven sauté items, think again. Or if you've got sweet potatoes, stuffing, potatoes and biscuits, consider sacrificing some of the carbohydrates. Be sure you make, and double-check, your list well in advance to avoid last-minute heart attacks.

If you are on a budget for your Thanksgiving feast, then Rick Rodgers, author of "Thanksgiving 101," says you can serve eight people for only $80, without skipping any of the Thanksgiving dinner favorites. Treat your family to roast turkey, scalloped yams with praline topping, broccoli and garlic, sausage-apple-cranberry-lemon chutney dressing and pumpkin walnut roulade with whipped cream.

You can find some of these recipes at CBS: www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/16/earlyshow/saturday/chef/main3513428.shtml, or in Rick Rodger's book. Of course, another option would be to ask guests to each bring a dish or keep an eye on the sale ads all year long for certain ingredients.

Cut back on the side dishes, have your butcher cut the turkey in half if you're not having too many guests and make your own pie crust to save on your Thanksgiving meal this year.

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