Houston Home Maintenance Tips

Last Minute Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner

The countdown is on…Thanksgiving is tomorrow and it’s almost time to put the food on the table. If you are lucky enough to be the host this Thanksgiving, here are some tips to help you maintain your sanity during the final hours. Last-minute survival tips are sometimes the only tools to help your event run smoothly.

• Always start your party with a clean dishwasher and a clean trash can, advises Diane Phillips, author of the “Diva of Do-ahead” series of cookbooks.

• Run your wine glasses and other party ware through the dishwasher the night before the party. Set the table and (if you’re picky,) cover it with a sheet to protect it from dust.

• Do the cutting, chopping, slicing, dicing and other food prep a day ahead of time, says Michael Chiarello, host of Food Network's “Easy Entertaining.” Assembling a recipe is easier when your ingredients are prepped.

•  If you're really strapped for time, buy vegetables pre-cut and garlic already minced, says Falan Taylor, an Austin, Texas, personal chef who focuses on entertaining. These ingredients cost more, but reduce prep time to opening a bag.

• Don’t have time to make dessert or appetizers? Embellish something store-bought. Buy cookies and then decorate or frost. For an easy appetizer, use cream cheese with homemade jam and serve it with fancy crackers.

Thanksgiving Day:

• Use your crockpot to keep the mashed potatoes or vegetables warm. Hint: Spray or grease the inside liner with a little olive oil.

• An electric fondue pot can keep the gravy hot on the buffet table. Just add a ladle. 

• A roaster oven that has a buffet tray can be used for keeping vegetables warm. 

• An electric skillet or wok on a low setting can keep sliced ham or turkey warm. 

• Maximize your stove space. If you have a four-burner stove, you may be able to use the space in the middle to warm up cranberry sauce.

• Make coffee ahead and pour into a thermal carafe. 

• Arrange your desserts on a serving platter early in the day or the night and refrigerate until shortly before needed. 

• After carving your turkey, place the bones you want for soup in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate.

• If roasting your turkey in a low-sided or foil roasting pan, placing a cookie sheet under it will ensure no grease drips into your oven, and the roasting pan is more stable for easy removal.  

Call John Moore for Home Services

The last thing you need during Thanksgiving dinner crunch-time is an unexpected home emergency—such as a plumbing problem or electrical short. In such an event, call John Moore! We specialize in all types of home maintenance and comfort systems.  Our team of qualified technicians will provide emergency or same-day service, if necessary. Give us a call or schedule service online.