1) Why the hell NOT cook everything in advance for Thanksgiving? - 2) wrapping up too soon?

[FormerDittoHead]

I suggested we make the mashed potatoes today, and get it out of the way.

They looked at me like I had crabs crawling out of my ears!

My thinking: make EVERYTHING in advance and then put it in the oven (OK, not the cranberry sauce) and... RELAX.

What's wrong with day old turkey if you put gravy on it?

Also: it BUGS me that my inlaws (I'm an orphan) put EVERYTHING AWAY the INSTANT we're done. The way I grew up that bird stayed out for HOURS. But it's almost like my inlaws are WAITING for me to take that last bite before they hermetically seal everything up and put it away...

[Bunny]

1. Well, day-old turkey is nasty, IMO. The flavor is so much better

when it is fresh out of the oven. As for the mashed taters, cook them in the morning, then keep them in a crockpot on low until you need to serve them. I think basically everything else can be made ahead of time.

As for the in-laws - my family is like that in a way. The very instant more than four people put their forks down, the dishes begin getting cleared and washed. There is no such thing as lingering around the table, picking at the food, and just enjoying the company. The dish patrol swoops in and you have to physically hold your plate down to keep them from taking it away. Weird, isn't it?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Day-old turkey might get too dry.

Everything else should be fine though.

[windlight]

3. NPR this morning

give tips one what you can cook early and what can quicken cook time... like removing the back bone of a turkey and cooking it flat in the oven in half the time (after some rubber maleting..;)