If you're hosting Thanksgiving next week, here are five tips to help make things go as smoothly as possible . . .
1. Don't mess with success. On Thanksgiving, stick with the classic dishes and what works. Unless you come from a family of foodies, it's not the best time to get inventive and start trying out new recipes.
2. Make a game plan for fridge and oven space. So many dishes need to squeeze in the oven alongside the turkey, all for different amounts of time and temperatures. Come up with a game plan ahead of time to get through it.
3. Start with an empty dishwasher. Before your guests arrive, make sure the dishwasher is unloaded and ready to be inundated with dirty dinner dishes.
4. Set up a buffet. If you're hosting more than 10 or so people, a buffet setup is the way to go. It's better than putting a bunch of hot dishes on the table and trying to pass them around.
5. Remember what really matters. Thanksgiving is all about family and togetherness, right? Well, if you're all under one roof, you've accomplished that. So don't worry if dinner isn't served on time or some dish didn't turn out right.
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