With Halloween merely a memory, it’s likely that Thanksgiving is now on your mind.  We still have a few weeks, but it’s never too early to start thinking about your Thanksgiving meal.  Here are just a few tips to help you get started with planning Thanksgiving dinner.

How Many? The sooner you know how many guests you’ll be entertaining, the better.  Then you can plan the menu, and how much of everything you’ll need.  Give everyone a call, and start a list.

Menu? My family always does a large carry-in Thanksgiving dinner so that no one has to prepare everything.  If you don’t want to make it all yourself, assign someone to bring a pie, and others to bring all the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes.

Equipment? Even if you do have a carry-in dinner, as the host or hostess, you’ll still have plenty to do, including roasting a turkey.  Do you have a roasting pan, large serving dishes, and plenty of silverware?  If not, now is the time to start shopping for the things you need.

The turkey roaster above is made by Sante .  It has a non-stick surface, and includes a moisture infusion tube for placing inside the bird, which reduces cooking time.  The roasting pan is available at Cabela’s.

Related posts:

1. Electric Roaster Ovens…Not Just for Turkeys
2. Thanksgiving Favorite: Pumpkin Pie
3. Thanksgiving Prep: Check Your Spices!