Stressing out over Thanksgiving dinner? Here's a refresher

I know for me, it's easy to get all wrapped up in the food on Thanksgiving. The menu, the timing of what to cook, the serving dishes and the place settings.

It looks a little something like this: Check the turkey. Do we have any more room in the oven for the gratin? Are there enough pan juices to make the gravy? Check the turkey again. Where in the world did the gravy boat disappear to? Send someone to the store for butter. How can we already have used all the butter? Is the store even open on Thanksgiving? Panic. Check the turkey. Have the yeast rolls risen yet? Don't forget to put the topping on the pie while the mashed potatoes are whipping. Dangit. We forgot the cranberry chutney. It's buried somewhere in the fridge. Let the turkey rest. Grab a snack from the cheese platter. Whisk the gravy into submission. Carve the turkey. Get all the food on the table while it's hot. Invite everyone to sit down. Drinks? What drinks? Of course I forgot drinks.

So we don't all make this mistake, I offer you a festive little beverage that can be enjoyed by the adults, but is easily adapted for the kiddos too. For the younger set, we call this sparkling pomegranate orange punch. For the over-21 crowd, we add vodka and call these pomegranate orange Moscow mules. And for the sake of your Thanksgiving sanity, learn from me and ask someone else to help you with the drinks.

Pomegranate orange Moscow mule

Serves 1

3 ounces ginger beer

1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice

2 ounces pomegranate cranberry juice

1 1/2 ounces vodka

Ice

Rosemary sprigs

Orange slices

To a copper mule mug, add ice. Add the ginger beer, orange and pomegranate cranberry juices and vodka. Stir. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a slice of orange.

*To make a nonalcoholic sparkling pomegranate orange punch, omit vodka and make as directed.

Maya Wilson lives in Kenai and blogs about food at alaskafromscratch.com. Have a food question or recipe request? Email maya@alaskafromscratch.com and your inquiry may appear in a future column.