I hope someone can help me. I am having approx 8 adults and 6 little kids all 6 years and under including a one year old for Christmas dinner. I am busy enough with my own 3 little ones (the baby is mine) so I need to know what I can cook ahead of time and reheat without compromising taste & quality. Do you think if I cook the turkey and carve it the day before that it would take away from the delicious smells of christmas. How would I reheat it? I am also going to rent chafing dishes (hope I spelled that correctly) to serve the food buffet style plus hopefully help me in staggering the work load and heat up time. What procedures should I follow to insure fresh taste and correct temperature. Can the turkey go on the chafing dish or warming tray?

Here is my tentative menu. roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, squash, honey glazed carrots, peas, corn, roast potatoes, carved ham with honey mustard sauce, cornmeal biscuits, homemade rolls, variety of deserts.

I need simple recipes for stuffing & turkey gravy (big batch) as I always seem to cook dry stuffing if it is not in the bird and inconsistant gravy. My family are big eaters and this is the first time in our family that my mother is not cooking so the pressure is on to maintain tradition.

Sorry for the lengthy note, but I am getting frazzled. All suggestions and recipes will be welcomed. My goal is to enjoy the kids and company and not be tied to the kitchen. I especially want the dishing out of the food to go smoothly as that part is the hardest and most stressful.

Thankyou,

Sleep Deprived