5 Things You Can Do This Week To Make Thanksgiving Easier

We are a little over a week away from Thanksgiving, which is one of my favorite holidays. I mean, it's all about food and wine and leftovers... and shopping in sweatpants the next day.

Despite the fun involved, Thanksgiving can also be a lot of work, especially if you are hosting and/or cooking dinner. My mom is the biggest cheerleader of making things ahead. Sometimes I argue with her because I'm a procrastinator, but I have realized that some times can be done in advance and taste and look just as good as if you woke up next Thursday at 3am to start prepping.

Make and Freeze Your Pies In Advance

• If you are making pies, you can totally make the crust tonight. Crust making isn't super quick, but the plus side if you can freeze them. In fact you can make the entire pie and freeze it a week in advance. Sara Lee does it, so can you. Just remember when you go to bake the pie next week that you will need to cook it about 20 minutes longer, because it's frozen.

Learn How to Carve a Turkey Like Bobby Flay

• No offense to my dad, or your dad, grandpa, brother or weird uncle, but carving knives are not needed near Thanksgiving. Or really anytime after 1982. They're dangerous and pretty messy. Use a regular knife and cut your turkey like this. It will look so much better on the table, and I feel like it tastes better too.

Make Your Mashed Potatoes in a Slow Cooker

• Not only does making your potatoes in the slow cooker allow you to free up space on the stove, it'll keep them perfectly warm until it's time to eat AND you can make them the night before.

Set the table Monday

• I know, this is a no-brainer, but set your table as soon as physically possible, and take a tip from my mom, put out all of your serving dishes that far in advance too, with sticky notes in them letting you know what goes in there.

Make Honey Butter

• Honey butter is the yummiest thing that ever hit a brown and serve roll. It's really easy, you can do it in advance as long as you let it soften for an hour of so before eating and it makes you look fancy, without being fancy at all. You can use my recipe, but really it's just honey and butter. A little vanilla if you're feeling funky.

And finally, remember, no matter how much you prepare in advance, something will go wrong. Just make sure you have wine and extra whipped cream and you'll be fine.