Your Thanksgiving Planner

Keep this Thanksgiving Planner handy to help you create a stress-free Thanksgiving feast for family and friends.

It may seem early to think about Thanksgiving in October but once Halloween has been celebrated, the countdown begins. A few years back, I created a Thanksgiving planner for new subscribers to this blog and I've updated it for 2024! This handy checklist will take you from three weeks before the holiday to Thanksgiving Day (this year, Nov. 28), enabliing you to stay in control and on top of your culinary game! Here we go!

Three weeks out

This week, plan your menu and get out the Thanksgiving decorations you want to display.

Two weeks out

It's time to finalize your guest list, inspect your china and silverware, get out your recipes, and buy the frozen turkey and non-perishables. If you don't have a silver polishing cloth, here's a hack you can use. Mix one cup of white vinegar with four tablespoons of baking soda. Submerge the silver in the mixture and let it sit for an hour. Rinse and dry well.

One week out

You'll be busy this week cleaning your home; washing, drying, and ironing table linens; buying wine; and getting out your serving pieces and washing/drying those. If you're having guests staying over for the holiday, this also is a good time to make and freeze meals to enjoy during their stay. (You can eat turkey three days in a row!)

Speaking of turkey, remember you will need to thaw old Tom in the refrigerator. Plan for 24 hours per four pounds of turkey. Keep the bird in original wrapper and store breast side up. Once thawed, it can rest up to four days until your ready to roast. If you brine your bird, don't forget to add that time into your poultry prep.

Two days out

Time to head to the grocery store to get those perishables and finish up your list. Bake your pies and set the bread out to make stuffing. You can make some dishes ahead, including mashed potatoes, and reheat them on Thanksgiving in the slow cooker with a splash of chicken stock and cream. Make and refrigerate your casserole sides, too.

Thanksgiving Day

Remove the turkey one or two hours and bring to room temperature before roasting. Set your table. Bake the bird first; this can be kept warm on your countertop. Bake your casseroles. A tip: A buffet food warming tray will help keep those casseroles warm for guests. Lastly, make your gravy.

And should you need some advice on the fly, Butterball Turkey Talk Line is available through November and December! Call 800-288-8372 or chat live with an expert at Butterball.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Devilishly Delicious Halloween Snack Mix

This salty and sweet combo includes pumpkin spice flavor to make the best autumn snack mix.

Devilishly Delicious Halloween Snack Mix

Do you love Halloween? My adult daughter says it’s her favorite holiday. I’m in the “eh, it’s OK” camp but judging by the two-story skeletons, giant inflatables, and miles of orange twinkle lights popping up around my neighborhood and those surrounding it, Halloween is a big deal for a lot of folks.

According to the website Statista.com, last year Americans spent over $12 billion for Halloween celebrations, although this year spending is expected to drop by half a billion dollars. We may be spending less this year but 7 out of 10 Americans surveyed said they will celebrate Halloween.

No matter how you observe Halloween — even if it’s just popping in a DVD of Young Frankenstein like I will do—you must include this Devilishly Delicious Halloween Snack Mix in your plans. This salty-sweet delight also includes fall’s favorite flavor — pumpkin spice — plus pretzel nuggets, candy corn, and an assortment of honey-roasted nuts. Great Caesar’s ghost, this stuff is irresistible! I predict it will be the first thing to disappear at your Halloween gathering.

It's easy to make (you just need a microwave) and only costs 67 cents per serving so let’s get to it!

The mix includes rice squares, butter, peanut butter, white chocolate chips, and a Pumpkin Spice blend.

To make Devilishly Delicious Halloween Snack Mix, which makes 22 ½-cup servings, you will need:

• 5 Tablespoons Pumpkin Spice Cheeseball Mix

• ¾ cup powdered sugar

• 6 cups rice squares cereal

• 1 cup white chocolate chips

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

• ¼ cup butter

• 1½ cups mini pretzel twists, slightly broken

• ¾ cup candy corn

• ½ cup honey-roasted snack mix

• Dash of salt

The great thing about this simple recipe is its versatility. If you don’t have the Pumpkin Spice Cheeseball mix in your pantry, try using instead 3 Tablespoons of your favorite pumpkin spice blend. If you don’t have that, mix 2 Tablespoons cinnamon and ½ teaspoon each of ground ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and clove. (However, the cheeseball mix is handy to have because you can use it in a variety of recipes, from cookies to a delicious fall fruit dip, or adorable mini cheeseballs that are shaped like pumpkins.)

The candy, pretzels, and nuts can be swapped, too. If candy corn makes you cringe, look for the Halloween-colored M&M’s® (it’s called “Ghoul’s Mix). I thought the honey-roasted snack mix with peanuts, sesame sticks, and cashews I found at The Dollar Tree looked good, but you could use salted or honey-roasted peanuts. Butterscotch chips could be swapped for the white chocolate. You get the idea.

It looks a bit haphazard in the mixing bowl, but trust me, this Devilishly Delicious Halloween Snack Mix satisfies your sweet tooth.

Follow these directions for Devilishly Delicious Halloween Snack Mix

 

In a small bowl, combine the pumpkin spice mix and powdered sugar. Set bowl aside (after you clean up the sugar that will get all over your counter if you’re like me. What is it with that stuff?). Place rice cereal in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl (preferably with a lid), combine white chocolate chips, peanut butter, butter, and salt. Microwave on higher for 30 seconds. Stir and microwave another 20 seconds. You want a smooth consistency.

Pour this mixture over cereal and fold evenly to coat, being careful not to crush the cereal. Sprinkle with sugar mixture and gently fold or toss to coat.

Add pretzels, candy corn, and nuts to bowl. Stir to combine. This yields 22 1/2-cup servings but I dare you to eat just one serving. I couldn't — the devil made me do it.

Keep the snack mix in an airtight container; it should stay for a few days.

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake

Indulge in Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake for an autumn brunch or a cozy morning treat.

Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake

Food triggers powerful memories for me. This recently happened when my box of Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Cake mix from Tastefully Simple arrived at my home. The first thing I thought of was, “This reminds me of our family’s Hungarian coffee cake.”

And who doesn’t love a good crumb cake? When I was growing up my mom and grandma often baked Hungarian coffee cake, which was a cinnamon-forward cake made with flour, brown and white sugars, and buttermilk. I still have the baking pan they used. I’m not sure where they got the recipe, but I’m thankful for the times they baked this cake. The family often enjoyed this after dinner with a cup of coffee. It was reprised the next morning with a glass of cold milk and was equally divine.

The Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake that I baked using the Tastefully Simple mix was—dare I say it—even better! My daughter and I enjoyed it throughout the week.

Every now and then, I want to break free from the routine breakfasts of eggs or cereals. This Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake was perfect with a cup of my morning coffee and a small bowl of mixed fruit. You certainly could add a scrambled egg on the side, too. This would be perfect on a brunch buffet this fall, too! And all this goodness costs just $1.54 per serving. Let’s get baking!

Ingredients for Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake

To make Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake, which yields 10 servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 package Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Cake Mix

• 6 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

• ¾ cup low-fat milk

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 1 cup finely chopped apples

• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Choose apples are in season near you but look for those with firm texture. I used one large Honeycrisp red apple for this recipe. Gala, Ginger Gold, or Fuji would work, too. Avoid Red Delicious or Golden Delicious, which are best used for applesauce or apple butter. If you’re interested to learn more about the Red Delicious apple’s history, click here; Missouri’s oldest nurseries had a hand in making this variety so popular.

While it’s super handy to have Tastefully Simple baking mixes in the pantry (convenience, clean ingredients), scroll to the end for tips to help you make this cake without the mix. I can help you order this mix, as well as other Tastefully Simple products; just send me a message!

Follow these directions for Apple Pecan Crumb Coffee Cake

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine packet no. 1 of the cake mix with melted butter. Mix together until small crumbles form. Set aside ¼ cup of this mixture in a small bowl.

Add milk and eggs to large bowl and stir to combine. This will be a thicker batter, so don’t be alarmed if you see a few lumps. Spread half into a greased 9-inch round cake pan. You also can line the pan with parchment if that’s your preference.

Remove 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar from the mix’s packet no. 2 and add to the small bowl with reserved crumbles. Evenly sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over batter in the pan. Top with apples and pecans. (Note: I used about 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar, saving the remaining amount for later use. Use your judgement.)

Spread remaining batter, gently covering the apples and pecans. Sprinkle the sugar crumbles over the tip and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

No mix? No problem!

You might follow the Hungarian Coffee Cake recipe if you don’t have the Cinnamon Sugar Crumb Cake mix on hand. You’ll need:

• 3 cups flour

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 cup butter, softened

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, butter, and salt together in a bowl until crumbly. Set aside 1 cup for later use.

Stir in milk, eggs, baking soda into the original crumb mixture until batter is smooth. Pour half into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Top batter with apples and pecans. Pour remaining batter and top with crumb mixture and sprinkle cinnamon over the top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

There’s something to be said for convenience

Look at the list of ingredients in the swap. This is why I like to start with a good baking mix! It’s not any more expensive, and I’m sure all the ingredients are fresh and activated. If you make the cake, leave a comment which method you used! Either way, you will have a wonderful coffee cake to enjoy in the morning—or any time of day. And remember to store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.