How on earth is Thanksgiving exactly three weeks away from the day I am writing this? By the time you read this, it will be two weeks. TWO WEEKS!? Holy cow. Time to get prepared. Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays, and I’ll share why toward the end of this month, but first, let’s get prepared.

Do you host Thanksgiving? I think hosting Thanksgiving is such an honor and it’s fun to do, but it is a lot of work to prepare. If you aren’t organized, it could get stressful for some people; I get that. You work full time, have kids, and are having twenty people for the holidays. Start now! Don’t wait until the week of to get everything done.

For instance, yesterday, I stopped into Weis while waiting for my daughter to finish up at Kidz Club. I was on the phone with my momma as I walked into the grocery store, and she told me she had just been there and got some deals. I was going in to grab my almond milk for my protein shakes. Yes, Stepdaddy/Mark Metzger, I know you are rolling your eyes right now, and I am aware that almonds don’t have nipples. Thanks for always making me aware of that. Now I’m sharing with the whole county, so I know instead of the eye roll when I mention almond milk; you have a big smile right now. Anyway…see how easy I get off track?

So, my momma said their hams were $1.49 a pound. I thought I’d check it out. She told me exactly where I could find them, and there they were. Only a few left too. I grabbed two. One for Thanksgiving and one just to have in the freezer. At that price, you can’t go wrong! Some of you are probably thinking — ham for Thanksgiving? Don’t worry; we have turkey too. Usually, my brother and sissy-in-love get one free from Weis with all their points, and we love having turkey and ham on our Thanksgiving table. If you don’t have points you can use, stop into Aldi. They have Butterball turkeys for pretty darn reasonable as well, but they won’t last long. I’m not 100% on the price, but it was a dollar something. Don’t wait, go get your meat like asap. While you’re at Aldi, stock up on canned pumpkin, baking needs, canned veggies (for casseroles), and Jiffy cornbread mix for the recipe below. *wink wink*

Stop by at ‘It’s my Party Store’ down on Sheridan Street in Williamsport and see Josie. She has all your party needs, and you can find any paper products you may need for Thanksgiving, and upcoming holiday gatherings as well, at a great price. Get all that stuff now, don’t torture yourself the week of Thanksgiving when everywhere is packed with everyone trying to get their things as well.

Making a pumpkin roll or pies? Get all the ingredients you need. Pumpkin rolls you can make ahead and freeze along with some pies. Stuffing? Cut and cube the bread to have it ready and also chop up celery and onion. You can put all that into the freezer as well; just keep the bread and veggies separate when you freeze. If you do enough small things a few weeks ahead, there is so much less on you the week of if you are hosting.

Maybe you are spending Thanksgiving at a family or friends’ houses and bringing a dish or dessert. You could still prep ahead too. Never hurts to be prepared.

Another good idea if someone else is hosting is to take a small hostess gift. It’s such a nice gesture to someone who has put a lot of time into preparing for this holiday. Whether it’s a bouquet of flowers for the table, a candle, or a box of chocolates, it’s always a kind idea.

I’ll be making adorable Ball jars filled with cookie ingredients for Thanksgiving and Christmas to sell at Rust and Shine in Williamsport, along with my cookbooks. These will make great little hostess gifts or gifts in general for the upcoming holidays, and I may end up selling pre-made soups, breads, and more if they turn into a hit during the holiday season. Easy homemade cooking and baking straight from a jar with only adding a few ingredients. They will be pre-made mixes to make a batch of holiday cookies just by adding the eggs, butter, and vanilla. The jars will be available starting Tuesday, November 9th. Rust and Shine’s open house is on November 13th, with many vendors having sales for your Christmas shopping needs. So, while I’m out stocking up for Thanksgiving, I’ll be getting a jump on that Christmas shopping too. It’s never too early to get a jump on things; then, you can kick back and enjoy the holidays with a little more ease. The holidays are coming. Are you ready?

Jiffy Baked Corn

Ingredients:
• 1 (15 oz) can whole corn, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can cream corn
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 6.5 oz Jiffy cornbread mix
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. After mixing well, transfer to a casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.