​​Turkey Day is almost here! For some of us, it's the ONLY time of the year we cook a turkey, and we rack our brain to get everything right again.

To help you prepare the perfect Thanksgiving, I've included some FREE Turkey Tip downloads for you in this email! Just click on the bold text below and download!

• Use the ​​​Thanksgiving Dinner Serving Sizes Planner​, to help you estimate how much of each dish you need to make for the guests you are serving.
• You also can use the Turkey Thawing Cheat Sheet to plan for defrosting your frozen turkey.
• Use the Thanksgiving Bingo and a Thanksgiving Word Search download to keep the kids (young and old) entertained while you are scrambling in the kitchen.
• You have two menu plan ideas in this email to get inspiration from also!

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Thanksgiving Menu Ideas

Menu #1

• Appetizer: Baked Brie with Cranberries​

• Salad: Broccoli Crunch Salad or Orange Fluff Salad​

• Turkey: Dutch Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Ocean Spray Cranberry Orange Relish​

• Starchy Side: Baked Sweet Potato Slices or Spinach Artichoke Pasta Bake​

• Starchy side 2: Bob Evans Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or Citrus Yukon Golds​

• Veggie side: Long​horn's Brussels Sprouts or Roasted Aparagus​

• Dessert: Angus Barn Chocolate Chess Pie or Cinnamon Stewed Pears​

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Menu #2

• Appetizer: Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip​

• Salad: Minted Melon Salad​

• Turkey: Air Fried Turkey Breast and Ocean Spray Cranberry Orange Relish​

• Starchy Side: Southern Sweet Potato Casserole​

• Starchy side 2: Gouda Au Gratin Potatoes or Creamy Baked Gnocci​

• Veggie side: Roasted Carrots with Gremolata or Sauteed Spinach & Carmelized Onions​

• Dessert: No Bake Key Lime Pie or Peach Pie Crumble​

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Turkey Thawing Chart

Here is that handy Turkey Thawing Cheat Sheet if you missed the link above. I keep mine in a clear protective sheet and in one of my recipe binders. ​​

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I remember cooking my very first Thanksgiving as a newlywed of an enlisted Navy sailor. We were alone, so we did an Orphan Sailor Thanksgiving.

That's where married sailors in the unit invite seamen that are stuck on base, single, and would otherwise just be dinning in the mess hall for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

We were on a pauper's pay, poor with only one 'o', but I found a 28 lb turkey at the commissary. I forgot though that our studio apartment only had a 3/4 size oven!

I had to use bungee cords to keep the oven door closed during the roasting! Part of the skin actually baked on the window of the oven door. The turkey still tasted amazing though!

I hope these tips, menu ideas, and cheat sheets help you plan your best Thanksgiving meal EVER!

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