HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

No place better to be than cuddled up on my couch with my precious puppy, contemplating what I'll be eating and DRINKING later on.  Here are some last minute Thanksgiving cooking tips.

1. If your bird is not defrosted yet, do NOT panic.  Open a beer. Stick that bird in a big tub and put it in the sink.  Run some water over it....like until it's defrosted.  Make sure you get the inside, and remove all the gibberish.  Classic restaurant way to defrost fast!

2. Make sure all your beer is in the fridge NOW.  No one likes warm beer.  Except the English.

3. Sides are the best part of T-giving so make sure yours are AWESOME.  Make those mashed potatoes with whole cloves of garlic, and they will be tasty and help boost your immune system.  Which I need because I am fighting a beast of a cold.  Just add peeled garlic cloves to your potatoes when you are ready to boil them, then mash them right in.  Delish, and not at all overwhelming.

4. Pace yourself.  If you are opening up some big guys today (I have a Beerhive from +Brett VanderKamp at New Holland, a special little something from Southern Tier, several Backwoods...) remember they are MUCH higher in alcohol.  No one likes a drunk at the the table.  At least not DURING dinner.  So keep it classy.

5. Pre-whip your cream for your pie and store it in the fridge.  It will last at least 6-8 hours in there, and you won't have to do it later.

Hope you all have an amazing day with your family and friends!  Let the tryptophan induced coma commence!