Make a dinner that dazzles without getting frazzled

With a week to go until Thanksgiving there's plenty to be done. Fine-tuning the menu, shopping, baking, and cooking are on the list—reminders of why the first Thanksgiving was potluck.
 
And yet Thanksgiving is the American holiday, with millions of folks traveling long distances to be with family and friends. Hosting the feast can become stressful, taking some of the joy out of it. So we asked Chef Lisa Schroeder, who owns and runs two acclaimed restaurants in Portland, Oregon, for ways to save time in the kitchen. "Less stress means fewer accidents," says Lisa. She adds that while ambitious cooks may try new recipes, for this once-a-year holiday you'll save time and energy by making the staples your family knows and loves. Here are her tips for getting a head start:

Dressing. Make salad dressing a week in advance and refrigerate until the big day.
 
Stuffing. For made-from-scratch stuffing, cut the bread and store it in freezer for up to a week.
 
Piecrust. Make and freeze. Remove from freezer and fill when you're ready.
 
Turkey. Buy a fresh turkey up to three days in advance; if cooking a frozen bird, allow at least two full days for it to defrost in your refrigerator.
 
Veggies. Slice or chop then blanch up to two days in advance; store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Gravy. Make a starter gravy the day before using chicken stock and giblets from your bird. Refrigerate until you take the turkey out of the oven. Use the starter gravy to deglaze the pan and pick up all the brown bits.
 
Side dishes.  Casseroles and roasted veggies can be cooked the day before and reheated on Thanksgiving. They'll hold up well and retain lots of flavor.(Here's a recipe for make-ahead mashed potatoes from Cooks Illustrated.)

Table. Assign family members to set the table the day before.
 
Thanksgiving day. When roasting the turkey, do not rely on the automatic pop-up timer, says Lisa, as it won't pop up until well after your bird has reached its ideal temperature. Take the turkey out of the oven when its internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F and let it rest, and continue cooking, for at least 15 minutes. Do not place the turkey on an open oven door. It's not meant to support that weight.

Above all, safety is key, so keep a box of baking soda handy for small grease fires and a degreaser for minor spills and have a fire extinguisher in reach. And be sure to check out these safety tips from Underwriters Laboratories.

Happy Thanksgiving.
 
—Kimberly Janeway