Thanksgiving Showstopper! Creamed Corn Bread Pudding ~ Holiday Recipe

Today I am sharing a different and delicious recipe for a creamed corn, bread pudding!  This is eggy and bready and delicious with homemade creamed corn eggs and sour cream making this a delicious treat that would also be a great alternative to a stuffing.  

I started out with a loaf of my homemade perfect sandwich loaf that I cut into 1 inch cubes.  You can cut the crust off if you like, but I did not.  It adds color, texture and flavor.  The custard is mixed together and poured over the bread and then I like to make sure that everything gets a good turn to coat.

If you like, you can dot the top with butter.  Because butter makes everything better.  You can also cover this with foil for the first 20 minutes to ensure a beautiful moist and puffy outcome.  You can remove the foil for the last ten minutes to crisp the top.  You don't have to do those things but they are lovely if you want to.

Baked this for right around 35 minutes and it was delicious!  You wouldn't think that this sounds like a great idea, but trust me!  It is delicious!

The combination of the homemade creamed corn folded into this delicious custard is the perfect side dish to roasted or grilled meats.  I served this along side a roasted chicken and steamed green beans and it was really delicious.  

You can choose a softer bread if you like.  A brioche would be great or an egg bread of some sort.  Soft potato bread would be great or even some hamburger buns cut up into cubes will do the trick if that is what you have.

I hope you give this creamed corn bread pudding a try and I hope you love it!  

Happy eating!

You can find a printable version of this recipe on my website here:

http://bit.ly/2eLTwpi

You can see how I did this in my YouTube video here:

Business Inquiries can be sent to:

info@noreenskitchen.com

Noreen's Kitchen

Creamed Corn Bread Pudding

Ingredients

6 cups fresh bread, cubed 2 cups creamed corn, preferably homemade 1 cup sour cream 4 eggs

1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon onion powder 4 tablespoons butter

Step by Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 9 x 13 casserole dish well.

Add bread cubes to the casserole, spread evenly and set aside.

Combine eggs, sour cream and creamed corn in a large bowl. Whisk well to combine.

Add seasonings and blend well to incorporate.

Pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and if desired use a spatula to coat the bread with the custard.  Be sure this is spread evenly in the baking dish.

Dot the top with butter.

Cover with aluminum foil

Bake for 30 minutes and then remove the foil and continue to bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven.  At this point your bread pudding should be puffy and golden.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

A Taste of the South! Southern Style Creamed Corn ~ Homemade Creamed Corn Recipe!!

Today we are starting our series of Thanksgiving dishes for this year.  Never too early to start thinking about the holiday and now is the time to start!  If you are just getting your thoughts together for your holiday meal, let me introduce you to something that I think would make a lovely side dish option for your holiday table.  Southern style creamed corn.

Creamed corn is an institution in the south to be sure! Did you know that there is actually no cream in creamed corn?  The creamy texture comes from the corn milk that is extracted from the cob.  This lends all the flavor and creaminess to the corn and it is something I think you are going to love.

The combination of sweet and savory marry perfectly in this dish.  It is so delicious you will want to lick the plate.  Yes, it is that good!  I started with 8 ears of bread and butter corn.  This is the last of the sweet corn for the season.  So if you are planning to make this for Thanksgiving, I suggest that you find a great place that still has some of this season's corn and grab it.  You can make this ahead of time and freeze it up to three months in advance of your event, so that is one thing you can do before the big day and just thaw, heat and serve.

When you remove the corn from the cob you want to be sure to only shave the outer parts of the kernels off the cobb.  Then go in with the back of your knife and scrape out all the juice and "milk" from the rest of the cobb.  This will look creamy and liquidy.  This is the magic of creamed corn.

I added a couple tablespoons of flour and sugar to the corn and stirred very well.  Then you want to add this mixture to a hot pan with 1/4 cup of melted and sizzling butter.  Mix this up and bring to a simmer.  Allow to cook for 6 to 10 minutes or until the corn is done.  When it turns a brilliant yellow color it usually means it is finished.  At this point you can add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

This creamed corn is a delicious dish to enjoy all by itself or next to just about anything you like.  I am going to be using this creamed corn in a recipe for another Thanksgiving side dish that will be shared in an upcoming video!

I hope this helps to clear up the mystery of creamed corn.  Now you can stop buying that grossness in a can and enjoy delicious creamed corn at the height of the corn season and make enough to stow in the freezer for later.  

I hope you give this Southern style creamed corn a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

A printable version of this recipe will be available on my website here: http://bit.ly/2enYmGk

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

Business Inquiries can be sent to:

info@noreenskitchen.com

Noreen's Kitchen

Southern Style

Creamed Corn

Ingredients

8 ears, fresh corn 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

4 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Step by Step Instructions

Remove corn from cob, by shaving the outer layer of the kernels into a bowl, then using the back of your knife, scrape the cob into the bowl, releasing the corn “milk” from the cob.  This will give you a creamy mixture that gives this dish it distinct texture and taste.

Add the flour and sugar into the corn mixture and stir well to combine.

Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy bottomed skillet.

Add the corn to the hot pan and stir well.

Bring the corn mixture to a simmer and turn down the heat to medium low.  Cook at a simmer for 10 minutes.  Be sure to stir often to avoid both sticking and scorching.  You may find it necessary to add up to ¼ cup of either water or milk to the corn during the cooking process so the pan does not become dry.

Turn off the heat and allow the creamed corn to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe is not suitable for canning of any kind.  You can freeze this for up to three months.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 1 week.

Enjoy!

Absolutely Apple Pie Spice and Baking Blend ~ Apple Pie Spice Recipe!!

I recently shared an apple pie rugelach recipe in which I used my homemade apple pie spice blend.  Today I want to share this blend with you so that you can make it for yourself and use it in your baking for the upcoming holiday season!

This blend is simple and contains many spices that you most likely already have on your spice rack or pantry shelf.  This one contains the basics, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice,clove and my secret ingredient, cardamom!  The cardamom adds a citrusy note that is not available anywhere else.  It really is delicious and reminiscent of many Scandinavian recipes for the holidays including Christmas Stolen.  

This recipe makes about 1/2 cup and will be very useful this season.  To  use, simply add up the amount of spices your recipe calls for and use an appropriate amount.  For instance, if your recipe calls for a teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 a teaspoon of nutmeg, a 1/4 teaspoon of clove and 1/4 teaspoon of allspice you can simply use two teaspoons of this blend.  The added cardamom will only add a delicious extra flavor profile to your finished recipe.

I have stored mine in a 1/4 pint mason jar and I think these would make lovely take away gifts for your holiday table.  Especially for your Thanksgiving dinner!  Then your guests could use these for their holiday baking and remember you while they do it.  These would make lovely place card holders for your guests to take home as well!  Decorate to fit your tablescape and you are all set!

I hope you give this homemade apple pie spice and baking blend a try and I hope you love it!

Happy eating!

You can find a printable recipe for this on my website here:

http://bit.ly/2eo1OAN

You can see how I made this spice blend in my YouTube video here:

You can find Molly Green Magazine on their website: http://bit.ly/2cTAqMh

Business Inquiries can be sent to:

info@noreenskitchen.com

Noreen's Kitchen

Apple Pie Spice and

Baking Blend

Ingredients

4 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground allspice 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 1 teaspoons ground cardamon 1 teaspoon ground clove

Step by Step Instructions

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container and give it a good shake.

Store in a cool, dry and dark place and use within 6 months for best flavor.

Use by the teaspoon in recipes calling for apple pie spice or cinnamon for a delicious alternative to the single spice. 

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Crunch Pie ~ A new Twist On An Old Favorite ~ Piesgiving 2016

Continuing on with our Piesgiving celebration, today I have a really nice way to push that pumpkin pie to the next level!  Today I am sharing my recipe for pumpkin crunch pie!  

If you have never had a pumpkin crunch pie, you are in for a real treat!  Traditional pumpkin pie is great, but this pie had the extra added bonus of a crunchy streusel topping that give this pumpkin pie just enough oomph to take it over the top.  I love streusel and paired with the pumpkin custard filling, this pie aims to please.  

I have made my old stand by, traditional pumpkin custard pie in a deep dish shell and then prepared a streusel topping to add to it.  You can add pumpkin pie spice or plain cinnamon to the streusel, but I did not this time, but you can if you want.  Make this one your own! 

Pioneer Woman Pie Plate:  http://amzn.to/2dtEgHv

The secret is in the baking!  You initially might think that you are going to sprinkle that topping on top of the loose custard after you pour it into that prepared shell.  NO!  That is where you have to make some adjustments.  First you need to put this pie, sans, topping into a screaming hot oven at 425 degrees.  Then bake for 15 minutes.  That is when you will remove it from the oven and sprinkle that delicious streusel over the partially set custard.  Return that to the oven, reduce the heat and bake for an additional 45 to 50 minutes until your pie is almost completely set, the streusel has turned a beautiful golden brown and a knife, inserted in the center comes out clean with no indication that there is still a lot of moisture in that custard.

Now comes the hard part!  Waiting!  Allow this pie to cool completely.  In fact, I would suggest that you bake this pie a day before you plan on serving it.  Pumpkin pie is always better when baked a day ahead and this gives the custard the opportunity to set to perfection as well as allow all those warm spices to really permeate the filling and give you that delicious pumpkin pie flavor that you love so much!

Rada Pie Server:  http://amzn.to/2eycEBU

I always think that serving pumpkin pie with ice cream is not great.  However, I would serve ice cream with this.  The crispy streusel will soak up the ice cream and give you a delicious treat.  Of course whipped cream is almost always a given when it comes to pie, so since this is most likely for a holiday, I say go for it!  

I hope you will give this pumpkin crunch pie a try and I hope you love it!  Stay tuned for more Piesgiving recipes coming very soon!

Happy eating!

You can see how I made this delicious pie in my YouTube video here:

You can get a printable version of this recipe on my website here: 

http://bit.ly/2eo0bDc

Business Inquiries can be sent to:

info@noreenskitchen.com

Noreen's Kitchen

Pumpkin Crunch Pie

Ingredients

One prepared deep dish pie crust unbaked 1 1/2 cups pumpkin or 1, 15 ounce can * 2 eggs 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice* 1 cup granulated sugar 1 can evaporated milk, 12 ounces

Topping 1 cup all purpose flour ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice ¼ teaspoon salt 1 stick cold butter.

Step by Step Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix pumpkin, flour, salt and spices together being sure to combine thoroughly.

Add sugar and eggs and whisk well to incorporate.

Add milk and blend until smooth.

Pour custard mixture into an unbaked 9 inch, deep dish pie shell.

To make streusel, using a mixer, cream butter and both sugars together until creamy.  Add flour, salt and spices and mix until crumbly but not overmixed.  Set aside.

Bake pie for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the streusel, evenly over the pie.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 and return pie to oven and continue to bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow pie to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

NOTE:  Do not use "pumpkin pie mix" in this recipe. 

NOTE: This pie can be made with cooked butternut squash if you do not have access to pumpkin.

NOTE:  If you do not have access to pumpkin pie spice you can use 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground clove.

Enjoy!

Gearing Up for Holiday Baking!! Perfectly Pumpkin Pie Spice & Baking Blend!!

You asked for it!  Here it is!  I have recently used my homemade pumpkin pie and baking spice blend in a few recipes and the response to share was overwhelming!  

This is super easy to throw together with spices you already have on your spice rack or pantry shelf.  This gives you another opportunity to run through your spice supply and always have something fresh and delicious available for holiday baking!  This spice blend will not disappoint!  It is the perfect combination for using in pumpkin pie, but so many other things like pumpkin bread, muffins, butter, latte, you name it!

I also have a very special announcement to share with you.  I have been keeping this a secret for several months.  6 to be exact.  I will soon be published in my first nationwide publication.  Molly Green Magazine contacted me and invited me to write an article and share recipes in their winter edition which will be on new stands at the beginning of December!

I was invited to write about "gifts in a jar"  I focused on homemade spice blends for both sweet and savory preparations.  These are some blends that I have already shared here on my channel and some that are brand new and I will be sharing in the future.  The pumpkin pie spice and baking blend is one of those that will be featured in the magazine.

If you are not familiar with Molly Green Magazine, they are focused on homesteading and homeschooling.  They are a Christian publication and strive to help people make a better, self sufficient life for themselves.  I hope that you will seek out their magazine and see if it will help you in your own life!  You can find them on their website to learn more about what they are all about! http://bit.ly/2cTAqMh

I want to take this time to thank each and every one of you for being a part of this community and my journey.  For eight years I have shared videos, recipes and myself and my family with you.  We have become our own version of a family, right here on the internet.  I have shared triumphs and failures with you all.  Many of you have gone out of your way to share your life with us as well.  I appreciate each and every one of you and what you bring to our, ever growing table!  Keep it up and who knows where the journey will take us all!

I hope you will enjoy making the pumpkin pie spice and baking blend for yourself and using it in your holiday baking and cooking!  I think this is also an excellent holiday gift or pre holiday gift for the foodies in your life so they will be already for their marathon baking sessions for Thanksgiving and Christmas and everything in between!

I hope you give this spice blend a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Baking!

Get a printable version of this recipe on my website:

http://bit.ly/2dzBpDh

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:

Noreen's Kitchen

Perfectly Pumpkin Pie

Spice and Baking Blend

Ingredients

4 tablespoons ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground clove

Step by Step Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and give a good shake.  This will make approximately ½ cup of spice. 

Keep in a dark, cool, dry place.  Use as you would when a recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice.

Enjoy!

The Key to An Organized and Thrifty Thanksgiving

In this post, I would like to touch on a few points that will help you prepare even further for your Thanksgiving feast.  Some you may already know and some may be new to you.  Either way I hope these tips help you in your quest to the best Thanksgiving meal ever but don't forget what the day is really about.  That is family, togetherness and thankfulness.

If you have never made the Thanksgiving meal yourself or if you have only ever had a small part in the preparations or maybe you have this thing down pat.  We can all use a little help and maybe even a few ideas that we had not thought of before.  This week I wanted to concentrate mainly on the hardest part, aside from the cooking and that is the shopping!  Shopping for the Thanksgiving or any celebratory meal should never be done at the last minute.  I wanted to help you prepare to make this year's holiday happy, not horrible!

Since this week, I am getting this newsletter out a day late, and I sincerely apologize for that, it is going out on a Wednesday.  That means that in my area as in many parts of the country, the new grocery ads were delivered in this morning's newspaper or if you are like me to your e-mail box or grocery store app on your smart phone.  These things can all be very helpful when preparing your shopping list for, not just your holiday meal, but for the upcoming holiday season in general!

Now that you have your menu planned the next logical step is taking a kitchen and pantry inventory and figuring out what you are going to need and what you already have.  Nothing is worse than getting knee deep in preparations for a big dinner only to find out that you forgot the corn starch, flour or some other necessary item that you didn't realize you needed.  Don't leave anything to chance!  Go through your recipes, item by item and make sure you either have them, or put them on the shopping list.  This may seem like a simple thing, but life gets busy and time gets short, so taking the time to really dig deep is important because being prepared is the best tool you can have when it comes to making your dinner easy as pie.

While you are taking time to make your list and inventory, be sure to check your spices!  If you are going to need spices that you don't use often you are going to want to replace them if they are older than six months old.  If you only use these spices during the holidays, chances are that you have spices that are a  year old and these are not going to make your dishes taste wonderful.  Pitch them and add them to your list.  They will most likely be on sale.  Another great suggestion is to purchase spice blends if you tend to not use them very often.  Poultry seasoning, salt free seasoning and apple and pumpkin pie spice can go a long way this time of year.  No need to take out a second mortgage purchasing a ton of individual spices if you are not going to use them up in about six months time.

We are currently two weeks away from Thanksgiving Day.  So this is the perfect time to undertake this task because you have breathing room.  The closer you get, the more time you lose and the more stressed you may become.  So get your menu, your grocery list and your grocery ads out and take a good hard look at what is currently on sale.  This time of year you are going to find all the basics for your Thanksgiving meal on sale.  Potatoes, sweet potatoes,  fresh and frozen veggies, artisan breads, all the fixings for your meal and of course the turkey!  Be warned though!  In recent years grocery stores have chosen to offer rock bottom prices for turkeys only if you purchase a certain amount of other items.  A good example is what is happening in my area.  Turkeys are currently on sale for .47 cents a pounds but only with an additional $40.00 purchase.  I asked the cashier this morning how that worked and was told that they will ring up your entire order before the turkey and then total it out.  At that point if you are at the minimum amount of $40 then they will ring up the turkey and the computer will give it to you for the .47 cents a pound price.  So it is worth it to pay close attention to those little tid bits because they like to put them in seriously small print just below the giant price.  It is your responsibility as a smart shopper to pay attention to these details.

Now that you are ready to shop, your list, menu and ads in hand here are a couple other suggestions. When you are going through the sale ads, have a look at the bigger picture.  Are you planning a Christmas dinner?  How about holiday baking?  Are there things on sale right now that you can take advantage of and squirrel away in your pantry, closets or cabinets that you will be needed later?  Will having them on hand save you money in the long run and logically, will any of these non perishables go to waste?  If these things make sense to you then buy the ham at a great price and toss it in your deep freeze. Stock up on a couple extra bags of $2 flour and sugar.  Buy the butter at a great price and freeze it as well.  Anything you can do now that will hedge your bets against rising prices later will be good for you in the long run. 

So I hope this helps give you some ideas about how to get busy now, to save time and stress later.  I personally hate grocery shopping this time of year.  Stores full of grumpy people who just want to get in and out.  Then there are the people who are visibly stressed because of financial strain and are adding up the items in their cart.  They want to make a great Thanksgiving but have little resources.  So while you are out shopping, please consider putting a few things in your cart to help out your local food bank if you are able.  I know how hard it is right now for many people, but even the least of us can  help in some way.  A can of beans or corn or a box of stuffing or even a small donation can make all the difference.  Be thankful for what you have, no matter how much or how little and make this holiday the best it can be for yourself and others.


Until Next time, I'll See Ya!

Thanksgiving Menu Planning Guide

Thanksgiving is on the way!  In a recent post I shared some tips and tricks on how to make your Thanksgiving stress free and do a bit of pre-planning and make things a lot easier on yourself in the end.  Today I wanted to talk about planning a menu for your Thanksgiving celebration.  Whether you are having, the all popular "Friends-giving" or planning your own family feast, planning is the key to a successful and happy celebration.  The menu is not something that you should stress over.  However you should have some cohesive idea about what direction you want your fall feast to take.  These are my suggestions.  Some are traditional and some are a bit offbeat.  No matter what you do, make sure it is done with the style you love and for the people you love!

My first suggestion is to decide what your main protein will be for the meal.  Turkey is the most popular choice however, there are people who (gasp!!!) don't like turkey!  Some people have turkey and ham, some only ham, some a standing rib roast and even some have one type of seafood on the table, oysters, clams, or salmon for instance.  Everything that you will serve will stem from this choice.  Today we are going to go with the Turkey and Ham combo.  That is what we love to have in our house.  Now we can work on building the rest of the meal.

While your turkey or ham may be the star of the meal, the side dishes are certainly playing star supporting roles!  Here is a list of some of our favorite side dishes that we will often enjoy for Thanksgiving.  We would not have all of these, but maybe perhaps three or four.  The truth is, it can be hard to whittle the choices down to just a few but then there are the lovely leftovers now aren't there?!   Favorite Side Dishes Include:

Mashed Potatoes
Duchess Potatoes
AuGratin Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes
Roasted Squash
Stuffing/Dressing
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows
Streusel Sweet Potato Casserole
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Green Beans Almondine
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Shredded Brussels sprout Salad
Beet Salad
Corn Pudding
Scalloped Corn
Broccoli Souffle
Cranberry sauce or jelly

That is a lot of sides to choose from and we really haven't even scratched the surface!  If you host a number of guests and you ask them to bring a favorite dish, then you may end up with a lot of one thing or a selection of dishes that will make your head swim!  Inevitably, you will have some sort of Jell-o mold and something you have to ask "Oh, my!  What is this?"  Then you will have to smile and say thank you and take another sip of wine or two!

As if all of that deliciousness wasn't enough, now it's time to consider dessert!  Since my mom and I share a birthday on the 26th of the month and my daughter Molly celebrates hers on the 28th and since this year, Thanksgiving will actually fall on her birthday, there will most definitely be birthday cake on our table.  Then there will be pumpkin pie, pecan pie and I will most likely make chess pie for later in the weekend.  Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving to me without chess pie!  Dessert is always a personal choice for this celebration meal.  Here are some favorites that we have had on our table in the past:

Birthday cake
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie
Chess Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie
Chocolate Mousse Pie
Cheesecake Pie
Apple Cake
Chocolate Ganache Cake
Mom's Crustless Cheesecake
New York Cheesecake
Mom's Strawberry Pretzel Jell-O (amazing!)


Again, just a few things that can be chosen from.  What is your favorite?  Always make what people love because you love them.

In the end Thanksgiving is, indeed a time to give thanks for what we have, which is each other.  Not a time to give thanks for the "stuff" that we have that can sometimes pollute our lives and make us forget what is truly important.  Being together and eating this meal is all that is needed to celebrate Thanksgiving.  Bowing our head in thanks is the order of the day.  No matter if you present chicken chow mein, lasagna, pizza or a stack of hot pockets, be sure to take a look around at those you surround yourself with and give thanks for them being in your life. 

You can get wrapped up in the importance of making a meal for Thanksgiving and in the end there will still be a mess to clean up and dishes to load into the dishwasher.  No matter what you cook, people are going to love it.  You are going to make mistakes and that is no reason to not even try.  If this is your first year preparing the big meal, don't worry!  It will all be alright!  Even if it isn't, you learn from your mistakes and you move on.  I promise you won't ever make those mistakes again!   Enjoy yourself, enjoy the process of making the meal and serving and eating the meal.  Enjoy the people you surround yourself with on that day.  You won't get these moments back.  You get them once so make them last and make them memorable!

In closing I will give you a look at my holiday menu for this year.  One of my favorites and it proves to be tried and true!

Maple & Cider Glazed Turkey with Sage
Cranberry, Apple Stuffing made with homemade stuffing bread
Cider Gravy
Broccoli Souffle
Steamed Green Beans
Buttered Corn
Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Maple Cranberry Relish
Yeast Dinner Rolls
Birthday Cake
Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie

I hope this is helpful to you in planning your Thanksgiving meal.  I hope you learned something and I hope you never lose sight of what is really important on Thanksgiving.  surrounding yourself with the people you care most about in the world!

Until Next time, I'll See Ya!

You can find several of these helpful recipes on my website: www.noreenskitchen.com

Making Your Thanksgiving As Easy As Possible!

Some of you may have spent many years preparing your Thanksgiving meal.  However there are those who are new, up and coming cooks, homemakers, wives and mothers who have yet to take on this task.  This can be a rather daunting thing to face.  If you have never so much as purchased a turkey, you may be wondering how on earth you are going to cook an entire meal!  I am here to help you.  I have some tips and tricks that will be helpful for you to consider when getting ready to make your Thanksgiving debut.
 
I am going to share an excerpt from my cookbook, Noreen's Kitchen Holiday Helper.  These are some important time and stress saving tips and tricks that I always employ, year after year to make my holiday preparations much easier.  I have often said that it matters not, if you are eating Pizza, Chinese food or a full blown, meal with turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings.  What matters is that you are sharing the meal with people that you love.  It does not matter how meager or grand your meal may be, you should give thanks for what you have and for those who you are sharing it with.  You should always find room at your table for one more and revel in the day and those who are around you.
 
Here are my tips and tricks for a happy and stress free holiday meal:
 
The key to a successful holiday dinner is time management!  If you follow these steps you will be able to get your dinner on the table with little stress, strain or hair pulling.
 
Make a menu plan.  If you don’t do anything, do this!  Stick to the plan and you can’t go wrong.
 
Get out all of your recipes and take an inventory of what ingredients you have on hand and what ingredients you will need.
 
Make a shopping list and do the shopping for your meal at least 5 days in advance if possible.  
 
Make a schedule based on the recipes you choose to prepare.  This will help you know what takes the longest and what takes the least amount of time.  The hardest part of any meal is making everything ready at the same time.
 
Prep your ingredients you will need such as celery, onions and herbs one or two days before.  Place them in zip top bags or plastic containers in your refrigerator so when you get ready to make a recipe that calls for those ingredients, you can just reach for them.
 
Cranberry sauce can be made up to 5 days before you need it,  cook it, store it in an airtight container and when the day of your celebration arrives, take it out about 1 hour before serving.
 
Make all of your desserts a day before.  This will free up oven space as well as save you time.  Desserts take a bit more time and concentration.  They require more precise measurements than roasting a turkey or mashing potatoes.  Doing these a day before will help you manage your time on the day of your celebration.
 
If you will be using the “good” china for your holiday meal, take it out a week before, make sure you have all the service pieces you need, wash everything, use the dishwasher if you can.  Anything you can do ahead of time will save you stress later.
 
Set your table the night before if you are able to.  It saves a lot of trouble on a day when you will be doing a lot already.
 
On the day of your big meal.  Start the day with a good breakfast.  It will help you get off on the right foot.
 
Assign others to make sure everything gets done.  For instance, give one of the kids the job of taking out the trash, wiping up the counters or making sure the pets stay out from underfoot.
 
Promise yourself to clean as you go and you will not be under a pile of dirty dishes.  Fill one side of your sink with soapy water so you can quickly rinse out measuring cups and spoons that you may need to use again.
 
Use disposables like paper plates, bowls and aluminum pans for prep work, cooking and easy clean up.  In the end, you will spend less time stressing and more time enjoying when you don’t have to go back to a stack of pots and pans to scrub after a giant meal.
 
Try to make sure the components of your meal are ready 1 hour before you are going to serve.  Place the sliced turkey, the veggies, the sweet potatoes etc. in foil pans covered in a warm oven.  If you choose to do this with mashed potatoes, just make sure you add a bit more milk because they will thicken up as they sit.
 
When you are ready to serve, plate up and lay out your spread.  You won’t believe what a difference a little time management and thinking ahead can do for you!
 
So there you have it!  An  excerpt from my first cookbook, Noreen's Kitchen Holiday Helper.  I hope this is some good information you can use and apply to preparing for your upcoming holiday events.  Whether you are new to cooking the holiday meal or you are an old pro, hopefully there are some things here that can help your holiday be much more beautiful!
 
If you would like to get your own copy of my Holiday Helper cookbook or my Cocoa's Cookies and More, Galore cookbook, you can find them here: at Lulu.com 
 
So sit down and start planning your Thanksgiving meal!  The earlier you start, the easier it will be and the more you will be able to enjoy your family on that special day!


Till Next time, I'll see ya!


You can find my cookbooks here: