The turkey timer is ticking! Santa isn’t the only one who should be making a list and checking it twice.

If you are hosting family and friends at your home for the holiday meal, it’s time to get organized.

List #1: Organize flatware, (polish if needed), inventory china (who wants to eat a special dinner on paper or plastic?), iron the tablecloth and napkins, order centerpiece for the table, and spiff up guest rooms if you’re having overnight guests.

List #2: Get all your serving pieces out, wash, dry and label with what goes in it. I even put the serving spoons right in the bowls so that’s one less thing to remember. It may sound like overkill to some, but when I have a house full of people that I love, I want to be able to spend time with them and not be stuck in the kitchen the entire day. (Nor do I want to be scrambling at the last minute because I cannot find my gravy boat.) Organization is kefy!

List #3: Make the final decision on your menu and gather all your recipes. Go through each item listed in the recipe and check against what you have on hand in your pantry or fridge and then list what you need to shop for.

List #4: This is what I call my “road map” for preparing the actual meal. My list is organized by day/date and sometimes even time, noting what I can do ahead of time in the way of prepping or cooking or thawing.

Remember, turkeys get thawed in the fridge and not on the counter and allow 24 hours for each 5 pounds of weight.

I try to have at least half of the dinner prepped and/or cooked by Wednesday evening. Most desserts can be made the day before, stuffing can be made ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the fridge, and many veggies can be cooked ahead and reheated. I even make my gravy a couple of days before Thanksgiving (recipe included below).

The wonderfully helpful folks at the Butterball turkey talk line are gearing up for their 32nd year answering all your turkey related questions. (And the big media buzz is that Butterball has hired men to help you this year!) Give them a call from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (EST) at 1-800-288-8372.

Make ahead Turkey gravy

May be prepared up to 3 days in advance. To reheat, warm gently over low heat, whisking often.

For the stock:

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 lbs. turkey wings (or combo of wings and necks if you can get them)
• 5 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 12 cups canned chicken broth

For the gravy:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 8 cups turkey stock
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To prepare the stock: Place olive oil in a large roasting pan set over medium high heat (stove top). Add turkey wings (and necks), celery, onion and garlic and cook, stirring a few times, until they begin to brown. Transfer pan to a preheated 400 F oven and roast 45 minutes; turn the wings and necks over and roast another 45 minutes. Add broth to the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking in the oven for 1 hour or until liquid has reduced to about 8 cups. Remove pan from oven and strain; set aside. (Discard solids.)

To prepare the gravy: Melt butter in a large pan set over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add strained stock, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil; simmer 2-3 minutes or until gravy starts to thicken. Reduce heat to medium low; cook 10 minutes stirring often. Add vinegar and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Yield: 8 cups.

Scotty B’s favorite stuffing

I line the empty cavity of the turkey with a layer of rinsed cheesecloth, leaving some outside the cavity. Add the stuffing and fold the cheesecloth over the opening. To easily remove the stuffing, grab the edges of the cheesecloth and pull out all the stuffing at once.

• 3/4 lb. mild, bulk sausage (I use Jimmy Dean™ brand)
• Butter
• 1-1/2 cups diced white onion
• 3/4 cup diced celery
• 1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning
• 12-14 cups dry bread cubes
• 2 cups turkey (or chicken) broth, divided use
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Cook sausage in a large skillet set over medium heat, breaking up with spoon. Drain fat into a measuring cup and add enough melted butter to make a total of 6 Tbsp. Transfer cooked sausage to a large bowl and set aside. Add the fat to the same skillet set over medium high heat. Add onions and celery; sauté 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender. Transfer mixture to bowl with sausage and stir; add bread cubes and poultry seasoning and mix gently. Combine beaten eggs with 1 cup of the turkey broth and add to bread mixture, tossing to combine. Add the remaining broth a little at a time to achieve desired consistency. Stuffing should clump together but not be wet. Yield: enough to stuff a 20-22 pound turkey, or a smaller bird with some left to bake separately in a casserole dish.

Baked cranberry orange sauce

You can substitute walnuts if you don’t have pecans.

• 4 cups fresh cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 jar (13 oz.) orange marmalade
• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans (optional)

Wash cranberries; drain and place in a large bowl. Add sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Spoon into a 9-inch square baking dish; cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350 F oven 45 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in marmalade, lemon juice and walnuts. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days ahead of time. Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

Browned butter bourbon mashed sweet potatoes

• Sweet potatoes, bour­bon, butter and cream — yummy!
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 3 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. bourbon
• 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

Place garlic and sweet potatoes in a Dutch oven; add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer 16-18 minutes or until tender. Drain and place potatoes in large bowl.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Add butter; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in bourbon and sugar; bring to a simmer. Return potato mixture to pan and add salt and pepper. Mash until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Horseradish creamed carrots

The sweet carrots are complimented by a little zip from the horseradish.

• 2 lbs. carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup half-and-half
• 3 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
• 2 Tbsp. finely minced onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes
• 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
• Cook carrots (covered) in simmering water for 8-10 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain.

Combine mayonnaise, cream, horseradish, onion, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well; add carrots, tossing to coat. Transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. casserole coated with non-stick spray. Combine cornflake crumbs and butter in a small bowl; sprinkle over carrots. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 F oven for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 6 servings.

Pumpkin parmesan biscuits

These tender biscuits can be made ahead, cooled, wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 5 days. Reheat (covered with foil) for 10 minutes at 350 F.

• 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
• 8 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter (for brushing biscuits)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk in 1 Tbsp. Parmesan. Add diced butter and work it in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine the pumpkin and cream in a small bowl and pour over the flour mixture, mixing gently to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cut out biscuits using a 2-inch-round cutter and space 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp. Parmesan. Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving. Yield: 16 biscuits.