Because of Winn-Dixie

first, opinion on my turkey day menu,

This year Im going to be in a VERY small house coking for only 7 people. Im used to being in my own home cooking for lots of heads. Is this good for a low-scale satisfying dinner?

16 lb bacon roasted turkey
homemade white wine turkey gravy
sourdough/cornbread stuffing w pecans, apples, cranberries
cheddar sour cream roasted garlic mashed potatoes
cinnamon maple apple-topped sweet potatoes
herbed veggie medley (green beans, yellow squash, carrots)
fresh sauteed corn
homemade applesauce
paula deens sour cream muffins
rhubarb cheesecake cupcakes
pumpkin custard pie.
cranberry orange chutney
then my aunt (whos home it is) is making a broccoli cheese gratin

since im making all these things in my home and BRINGING it to her I need to make some short cuts…

would it work if i made the mashed potatoes the night before. microwaved them the day of, and then keep em warm in a crock pot!

thanks for your help!

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I would not crock pot them, the condensation from steam could mess with texture. Just microwave or oven warm them when you arrive.
Honeybeered | Nov 21, 2009

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You sound like quite the cook! Everything sounds absolutely amazing, in fact I don’t that you need that much variety! However, I feed only my family of 4 with 2 additional guests (my parents) totalling 6 ppl and I wouldn’t dream of cooking a turkey smaller then 22 lbs. Maybe you could just add a solid turkey breast pre cooked for extra meat.

Also about the mashed potatoes…its just my opinion but reheated or premade mashed potatoes are absolutely gross! Their flavor changes completely! Maybe ask your Aunt to make that one item fresh.
denise | Nov 21, 2009

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Just about all that you are going to make, can be made "days" before hand, stored in air tight container, refrigerated, and reheated on the stove, in oven, crock pot, or microwave.
We use to make all our T-Day veggies two days ahead of time, then reheat them on T-Day, and no one knew the difference.
The mashed potato idea you have will work just fine!
I would like to suggest that you might sometime try adding a 1/2 pound of tube breakfast sausage to your stuffing mix. It not only gives extra depth and flavor to the mix, it also provides much needed moister to both dressing and turkey.
This added item has been done by family for 70 plus years, and in my 50 plus years of eating this type of dressed bird, I can not recall ever having a dry bird, or dry dressing.
I hope that this helped you!
Good Luck!
Happy Holidays!
Mr. Curious Rides Again | Nov 21, 2009

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I am going to be making these this year. I haven’t tried them, but they’ve gotten really good reviews, and alot of the reviewers have done just that, with the crockpot. That’s how I’ll make mine. Good luck!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Day-Before- Mashed-Potatoes/Detail.aspx
wendy j | Nov 21, 2009