the easiest pre Thanksgiving meal to prepare!

This past Sunday, we had an early “Thanksgiving” celebration with friends thanks to our friends at Raley’s. We got to sample their Holiday Dinner selections a bit before the actual holidays, and let me just share that they were fabulous!

A few years back, we discovered the brilliance of the “prepared” holiday meal… and without fail, have used it to our advantage on multiple holidays since then! Because… no everyone wants the chance to eat a frozen turkey or destroy their kitchen for hours RIGHT BEFORE guests arrive every single year. So I went to Raley’s on the Wednesday before and picked up all of the goodies (using their brilliant large burlap tote bag) and threw it all in the fridge until Sunday morning!

Raley’s Holiday Feast consisted of an 11.5 lb Diestel Turkey (happy sustainably grown local turkeys from Sonora, CA), gravy, Cranberry bliss sauce, Artisan Ciabatta Bread Stuffing, Classic mashed potatoes with herb butter and Green beans almondine.

Preparation began 90 minutes before serving time, when I popped the turkey into the oven with a meat thermometer in the breast! Then, with 50 minutes left, I popped in the mashed potatoes, and with 40 minutes left, the stuffing ingredients were mixed together and and thrown in the oven as well!

And this is what emerged… mmmm….

This pre-cooked turkey was just as moist and juicy and delicious as you can imagine, but all I had to do was “heat it up.”  I think everyone was happy that this was foolproof as well!

.Sometimes it’s just wonderful to host a party and have a meal that you KNOW will turn out delicious without the stress and worry of a crazy timetable in the kitchen. And it’s also nice to wake up at 9am, before said party, and leisurely enjoy coffee and donuts while doing the final prep.

If you’re in the “neighborhood” of a Raley’s/Nob Hill/Bel Air and are looking to make your holiday feast a little easier (or perhaps host a second party at your place?), it’s easy to order a meal right online for pickup this Thanksgiving! 

AND… if you’re planning to order a meal, just send me an email at contests@kimberlymichelle.com before 11/23/14 and you’ll be entered to win a $20 off coupon to use on your purchase!