I prep any casseroles the day before and keep them in the fridge. Then a few hours before I ready to serve I pull them out, let them come to room temperature (to not shock the dishes for one thing), and add any of the toppings (fried onions etc) and pop them in the oven. It means the only thing I really have to focus on the day of is the bread and turkey and any other thing I might be making.

Ooh, good luck! We might host our first this year too. We use organic cranberries and simmer over the stove with spices. Practice the recipe a few times and you'll make a splash. Also make mashed potatoes French style. Not the healthiest but very easy and they'll be impressed by its silky creaminess. Just add cream and extra butter.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-spi-159433

My favorite thanksgiving leftover is the stock I make from the turkey carcass afterward.

I agree with Bobette, prep as much as you can ahead of time. And, since you don't have a lot of oven space, you could make the turkey and/or stuffing, or heat up sides in slow cookers. Turkey breasts or tenderloin that I've made in the slow cooker has always been very good, and its moist too.

My MIL is the queen of sensible holiday dinners. And when its just been four of us, her turkey, potatoes, stuffing, a vegatable, a salad and pie meal has worked out well.

Also, keep in mind that the turkey needs to rest for about 45 minutes to an hour once it's done cooking, so you can bake any side dishes during that time. Then bake any hot desserts during dinner, and everything should run smoothly. And remember the best part about Thanksgiving is eating a ton, and then stealing bites of whats left for the rest of the afternoon- so nothing needs to move at a break neck pace!

A slow cooker can also be handy, if you or one of our guests has one, for keeping mashed potatoes warm. I make mine about two hours before sit-down time and pop them into the slow cooker on warm. They stay lovely and hot and don't dry out. That way I'm not trying to keep those warm at the last minute.

And as ccindy said, you have time AFTER the turkey's out (resting and carving time) to use your oven. Personally I cook my stuffing and one of our side dishes (parsnip pudding) then, as they take the same time & temp (1 hour, 350).

And remember to thaw your turkey out in plenty of time, if you're buying a frozen one. The internet has a million pages that list thawing times per pound. (Ditto for cooking, actually.)

Good luck & have fun!

I might agree with Faith in the cooking the turkey in pieces idea. One of my first Thanksgivings I hosted in my tiny NYC apartment which had one of those similarly tiny gas ovens. I used the oven a fair amount, so thought everything was all set, but I had never cooked something as large as a small turkey in it before. Dinner came and went and we were all very happy with the meal, but as we turned to cleaning up and breaking down the turkey to put in the fridge... we realized the bottom half of the turkey wasn't cooked! No one got sick, but we certainly didn't keep any leftovers...

I would cook up most of your sides the day before and then either warm them up in the microwave or in the oven after the turkey is done.

Can you cook your turkey a day early? We do that and serve it on a platter cut up as cold meat. It frees your oven and the day of for other items.

I discovered this year folks cook everything from cranberry sauce, to birds, to dressing, and sides and even rolls in their slow cookers.

Casseroles can be cooked in microwaves. Make sure your dish will fit inside and turn.

For that matter, if you use a roasting pan, make sure it will fit in your oven. Different sized pans and ovens out there.

Menu-wise, do not try any new-to-you recipes for the first time Thanksgiving Day. I tested all my new-this-year recipes a few weeks ago on just us. Caught some deal breaking issues on technique and flavor.

Protein- roughly a pound per person. keep in mind teenagers can put food away and so can some adults
dressing/grain dish
salad
veg casserole
another seasonal veg
rolls/bread? up to you
dessert

in my case, 6 guests this year:
*14-16 lb bird- we like leftovers and can freeze them- cooked day early.
*dressing- family recipe, partially made ahead, but completed day of
*cranberry gelatin salad- make ahead and un-mold to plate before serving.
*butternut squash casserole- family recipe made ahead and reheated
*roasted veggies- day of cooking, (other option is microwaved green bean casserole)
*Store bought frozen rolls- mine must thaw day before, bake day of.
*dessert- I'm making apple cider cream pie, and impossible pumpkin pie-- both can be made ahead, cream pie just needs its topping done day of.
* we don't bother making gravy, it was made and never touched at our gatherings. Everyone wanted it on the table, nobody ate it. Waste of my time.

The casserole/veg dishes are brought by guests. The desserts have been provided by guests too. Most guests are happy to help out/contribute with food.

Our bird is divided into 1-2 cups servings and frozen for the fantastic pot pies, soups and leftover recipes out there. Dressing is parceled into 2 servings and frozen. Carcass goes into a stock pot with water, neck and cooks into stock for soups as we please later. Every single item is packaged in small sizes, dated and labelled for later memory aids.

Cranberry sauce is quite easy to make. You can follow the recipe on the bag of fresh berries. (Make sure you put a lid on the pot because cranberries are hollow inside and pop or explode as they cook. I cleaned up exploded splashes in an all-white kitchen one year.)

I'll be testing a Christmas brisket recipe early this next week. Already tested another gathering's pork roast recipe.

Honestly, everything can be made in advance except fresh breads and salads. Consider getting desserts from a local bakery. Chances are, a mom and pop bakery knows how to do a great pie! It'll save you a lot of time as well.

I'd keep it simple on the sides too, maybe just 2-3 things. I find when I go crazy and make like 6 things, it makes my life harder and it's too much food anyway. If you've got to have mashed potatoes, make them in advance and reheat in the micro (or in a double boiler) with a little milk to thin. I know they're not exactly the same as fresh, but close! Or if you don't need mashed, make a gratin. Cook it in advance and put in the fridge. Take it out to warm up about an hour before dinner, then pop it in the oven while the turkey is resting. You can make one simple veggie side dish like maybe steamed broccoli (great in the microwave) or a casserole like green bean or something similar that can be cooked and reheated like the gratin. Another option would be sweet potatoes, either a casserole type dish or mashed sweet potatoes, which I think reheat beautifully. You might just skip bread/rolls, but for me it's not a holiday without some! Buy some good quality rolls, or else make them in advance and freeze. (Just thaw that day and pop in the oven for 10 minutes to reheat.) Another option would be a kale salad. I'm making one myself for thanksgiving! You can cut the kale and any add ins and mix up the dressing in advance, then just toss it together before dinner. No need to even do it last minute--it will hold just fine for a couple hours or more. There are lots of recipes out there, but his is my personal fav for parties because it's sweet and kind of accessible, even for those who aren't big on "healthy" stuff:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/massaged-kale-salad-recipe/index.html

General advice would be to focus on making things you feel comfortable cooking. Your first time cooking for thanksgiving isn't really the best time to try new stuff! I always write out a cooking schedule for myself and post it on the fridge for a major holiday. It's a little obsessive, but I find that if I do that my dinner goes more smoothly. I write down what time each dish needs to go into the oven, at what temp, what time it should come out. I even write down stuff like what time to put water in the glasses or open the wine. That way I don't forget things and I can make sure I leave plenty of time for everything. I also lay out all my serving bowls/plates/spoons/etc in advance so there's no scrambling to find a dish at the last minute. Set the table in advance too. And check your baking dishes to make sure they'll fit in the oven together too! I threw a party once where I intended to put a baking pan and a casserole dish in at the same time and didn't realize until I went to do it that they didn't fit. Oops. Have a couple light snacks on hand for guests while you finish cooking--you don't want anything to fill people up, but if your dinner is a little later than you intended they can nibble (ahem, something else I learned the hard way!). Good luck!

Can you make it a pot luck? If not then it's helpful to have a helper who can pitch in - peeling potatoes, making gravy, opening wine, whatever.
Also a comprehensive list is important. A chronological timeline from start to finish, so you know what time things need to go in the oven, etc.
Think about how you want your table to look and set it up the night before.
Simple is fine. Don't overdo the sides. Stick to the basics. Be sure you have plenty of wine!

For me, planning any dinner with guests is about having a plan. I like to plan what I'll cook in advance, and in what order I will cook things on the say of. I try to plan things so I can have fun with guest arrive. I like to have starters that people can nibble on. I like to leave a few things that someone who wants to help can do (usually making the salad) and I like to have a main dish or side in the oven, so I'm not standing over the stove while everyone else is having fun. Then if you have a way way to keep other items warm like a crockpot...that helps. Have fun!

REALLY IMPORTANT: If you haven't done all the shopping for your Thanksgiving dinner, do it right away, as soon as you've decided on your menu. Grocery stores get increasingly and unpleasantly crowded during Thanksgiving week.

I try to keep it simple. Deviled eggs for the appetizer, Kahlua turkey and Kahlua yams, fresh cranberry sauce, a simple mushroom stuffing and salad. Pumpkin pie, and something chocolate for dessert. I skip the mashed potatoes and the green bean casserole, since it's already such a heavy meal. I've added rolls to the menu from time to time, but they just don't get eaten, so I skip those as well.

Hi Liz, We are in the same boat this year - 7 people, tiny kitchen and oven. Lots of great cooking advice has already been offered. I would add this on overall organization: set up a bar area in your living room, far from the kitchen, and include ice, water, alcoholic beverages and mixers, and some non-alcoholic options. This will keep your guests from getting underfoot while you are nervously basting the turkey, and you won't have to be refilling their drinks for them. It does *wonders* for the peace of mind of the cooks.

We have a tiny stove but a 10-lb turkey will fit, and will be plenty for 7 people. Aside from that, we are trying to hit the basics: turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans, and cranberry sauce - without going too crazy on additional items. When our guests asked what to bring, I suggested wine/champagne or pie: two things that I can't make myself and which require no time in our kitchen. I hope this helps - good luck.