Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet

Thanksgiving day is almost here!! As I posted a few days ago, I am trying to keeps things simpler this year. However, simple doesn't mean that I can't still have a wonderful centerpiece for my table. Check out this link for 60 second centerpiece ideas. There are 5 designs, and they all look extravagant. No one will know I just spent a few minutes. Sunlit (pictured above) is my fave. I may use tangerines instead of lemons for a more traditional orange theme.

Another great site I found offers all the Turkey Roasting tips I could ever need. Tips on buying, thawing, and roasting. It covers everything except carving, which is covered here. I think that one simple secret is to make sure your carving knife is sharp. The knife needs to glide through to meat without crushing it.

My husband wants to try cooking the turkey on his charcoal grill this year. We have made them using a smoker before and the process sounds very similar. This is a great way to clear up some oven space and it gives my dear hubby a chance to break out his grilling apron. Something that never takes any coaxing.

Another new idea this year is a recipe from Food Network. Tyler Florence has a super idea for these cute Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. They are so adorable and fitting with this years theme, he rates them as easy.

Ingredients

• 12 large sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup toasted pecan pieces
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the sweet potatoes, scrubbing them well to remove any dirt. With a fork, prick the sweet potatoes in a couple of spots and place them on a sheet pan. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center goes in easily.

In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and flour together until it's crumbly-looking. Add the cinnamon, salt, pecans, and marshmallows; fold the streusel topping together to combine.

Slice the sweet potatoes lengthwise down the center and push the ends towards the middle so it opens up. Stuff the sweet potatoes generously with the streusel topping and return to the oven. Bake for another 20 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and brown.

If you prefer mashed, try this recipe for Sweet Potato Mash from the Skinny Chef.

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Remember Thanksgiving is time to celebrate and relax with friends and family. Have fun! Use these tips to stay relaxed and organized. Try having a cup of warm herbal tea before your guests arrive. I do and it helps me to get a quick calm moment before everything gets busy again.

Have a Great Thanksgiving Everybody!!!

Timely Tip: Thanksgiving is a great time to buy Sweet Potatoes. They are at great prices this time of year and they store so well that you can take advantage of a holiday sale to really stock up. I bought 40 pounds yesterday!!