Holiday Turkey Tips

Whether You're Cooking or Reserving a Table, Tips for Enjoying Thanksgiving

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

Every year I volunteer to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my extended family --about 10 people-- and every year on the day after Thanksgiving I swear I will never do it again! My house ends up a total disaster area and I nearly get an ulcer trying to be sure that everything is timed right when I'm cooking.

I considered not offering to do the meal this year, but I'm worried that my mom will be the one doing the cooking in that case, and I think it's probably too much for her to handle at this point. (No need to get her all worked up the way I usually am!) Do you have any tips that will help keep my holiday stress to a minimum? Or maybe you know some magic that will just make Thanksgiving disappear?

Sincerely,

Turkey Burnout

April Masini's advice:

Dear Turkey Burnout,

Magic isn't something I practice and I certainly wouldn't want to see Thanksgiving disappear, but there are some really simple solutions to your problem. The holidays always cause stress; it's almost unavoidable. Still, there are some ways to minimize it when you're entertaining.

Cooking isn't your only option. Consider going out to eat or using pre-cooked meals.

Here are some Thanksgiving Dinner ideas:

Come up with new ideas for cooking:

Don’t be wedded to turkey. Duck is a great special treat. A bouillabaisse or lobster is a terrific celebratory spin on a traditional holiday meal. You can serve a turkey liver pate if you want to keep a little turkey in Thanksgiving. Trying something new for a change may give you a burst of creative energy. In fact, deep fried turkey is making a comeback, if you’ve got a big enough fryer.

Make a reservation instead of a turkey:

Cooking the feast is only one of several ways to host a lovely holiday dinner. Going to a restaurant for Thanksgiving, at first, feels like having a C-section as opposed to giving birth vaginally — for those who don’t have children, that means you feel like you didn’t do it right. But the important thing is that as long as dinner is served, it doesn’t really matter how it got there. Everyone eats and has a great time. In fact, having dinner at a restaurant really cuts down wear and tear on the cook and the host/hostess. Which means there is time and energy for lots of other activities — from Thanksgiving sex to ice skating with the family!

Going out to eat also makes it easier to get dolled up, which is a nice tradition, too. When you’re not lolling around the house all day waiting for the dinner bell to ring, you’re more likely to feel like putting on something festive and fancy. Leave the flannel shirts in the armoire and put on something spiffy with a spray of great perfume and some winter make up.

Special Thanksgiving restaurant dinners can be had anywhere from a fancy hotel dining room for those who like a formal meal to ESPN Zone, which is jam packed on Thanksgiving Day with families who want something informal for their traditional dinner.

Remember, however, to make a reservation if they’re taken, or arrive early, if they’re not.

Have a cozy Thanksgiving at home -- oven-free:

Thanksgiving in a box. Most supermarkets, from garden variety to gourmet, make Thanksgiving dinner in a box for four. If you’re having 12for dinner, order four boxes. All you have to do is order it in advance and pick it up. The food comes with heating instructions and is much easier than cooking yourself, again, leaving you energy and time for other endeavors from touch football to a matinee of any of the newly released Christmas feature films.

And if you're trying to keep to your diet over Thanksgiving, check out these tips for making turkey dinner more healthy!