by Stacey Mcclure

Created on: November 17, 2009   Last Updated: November 20, 2009

Whether you are an amateur or a seasoned professional, planning and preparing a Thanksgiving feast is not as difficult as it sounds. Most of the foods you will prepare are similar to any other meal. The only difference is you will be doing it on a larger scale. When you have cooked as long as I have, you get a feel for how much food to make. Sometimes, I refer to a little cookbook I purchased years ago at my daughters school. In the back of the book it lists quantities to feed 100 people. I just do a little math according to how many I will be feeding.

Take a deep breath and follow these simple guidelines. You will be surprised at how easy it will be to produce a delicious meal for your family this Thanksgiving.

The first thing you have to do is determine how many mouths you will be feeding. An easy way to do this is to make 3 columns on a piece of paper. Write each family's name in the far left column. Then, label the other 2 columns "adults" and "children". For each family, put a number under the adults and childrens' columns. Then, simply add up the columns.

The next question you may ask yourself is; how much food will I need to buy? This can get tricky because it depends on what kind of party your family likes. Our family does the whole nine yards. We get together early for appetizers so everyone can visit and enjoy all of the aromas typical to a Thanksgiving dinner cooking in the oven. Later, we all sit down for the main feast, followed by dessert and coffee. After everyone watches a little football, takes a nap, does the dishes or plays cards, it's time for round 2. Turkey sandwiches, potato salad, and of course, more dessert! I will help you plan your eat-a-thon according to what I am accustomed to.

Remember, everyone's family dynamic is different, so use the following as a starting point and adjust according to your crowd's preferences:

I will give you amounts for a party of 25 people.

A good variety of appetizers that won't fill everyone up before dinner should consist of light foods such as fresh veggies with a light dipping sauce, cheeses and crackers, nuts and fresh fruits.

Turkey - Typically, people tend to overindulge on Thanksgiving, so plan on doubling the usual portion of turkey which would be 6 to 7 oz per person (not including sandwiches). If you are planning to make a ham as well, plan on 6 or 7 ounces per person for both the turkey and the ham.

TIP: If you can get a good deal on your turkey, Purchase an extra, smaller turkey, cook it the

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