Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, for obvious reasons. This year holds an even more special place as I will be celebrating it two days before I marry, with soon to be in-laws. I was put on notice by my mother-in-law to be that she was counting on me to be a full participant in this years dinner. Up to now, I have been just a guest only helping in the most minimal ways when visiting. I'm really looking forward to it, and have already begun racking my brain thinking of dishes I've done for previous Thanksgiving dinners, and dishes I think everyone will enjoy.

Like most people on Thanksgiving, the idea is for the dinner preparation to be as smooth and painless as possible, to allow everyone to spend time together, rather than be stressed out in the kitchen. Preparation and planning is the key to any good meal, whether it be one of the biggest of the year, or mid week family meal.

So beginning this week, I will be outlining steps anyone can take to relieve some of the pressure of the big day. This Thursday signals two weeks out, so I will focus on things that can be done this week, and leading up to the holiday. First up will be making chicken stock. Homemade chicken stock is far superior to the can/boxed variety you get in the store, and is invaluable for many Thanksgiving dishes.

So I hope you check back over the next two weeks for tips on planning as well as ideas and recipes for specific dishes.