Thanksgiving is around the corner, and first things first, we’ve gotta have a menu.
1. Make it easy on yourself, make a plan.
The menu used to completely stress me out. Beyond.Freaked.Out. Here’s my thoughts on this matter (as in most things in the kitchen): keep it simple. Holidays should be a memorable occasion for all – in a good way. Will it take a little work? Well, sure. Do you have to be a ball of fire spitting stress when the last dish is dried? No, pumpkin, no.
Stick with the classics, and go from there.
My grandmother used to get up and put the turkey in at 4am (I swear it’s true). Um, why, you might ask? I have no answer for this, except she was my hero for getting up that early to cook a gigantor bird. I’m not her. I’m not a morning person. So imagine my delight when I found out a bird only takes a few hours to cook. Take THAT 4am.
Whatcha wanna eat?
Your family might be different. You might like an Asian infused turkey with curry and spaghetti on the side. Me? My meal is pretty darned simple, and very classic (at least in my own mind). Here’s what’s on our menu:
Turkey = Salted + Cut Up
I like to salt my turkey instead of brining it. It’s wayyyy easier than a carcass floating on ice in a cooler in my garage. Get a big roasting bag, put in a big ol’ pan, put the turkey in the bag, dump the salt mixture on it, rub, and park in the fridge. I use Bon Appetit’s salting method, and Sunset magazine’s recipe to cook a precut turkey. Yes, I cut up the turkey. So easy: just have your butcher or meat department cut that bad boy up before you take it home. Keep all the insides for stock… which we’ll cover later.
The Starchy Sides: Dressing, Mashed Potatoes and/or Rice Pilaf
So, it turns out the boys (the one I married + the one I birthed) don’t like mashed potatoes or stuffing. Seriously, how did this happen to me? BUT, I found a couple great recipes for this awesome stuff. Yes, I pour gravy on my pilaf, deal with it. Better still? Stick around for MY OWN pilaf recipe currently testing in my kitchen. (It’s almost ready!)
In the meantime, check out this Wild Mushroom & Spinach Stuffing or .
I’ve made both of these with great success. You can make either in advance and warm it up the day of. Yay!
Gimme Bread.
I LOVE making bread. But I’ll be honest, for this meal, I tend to farm it out to one of the guests, or buy it at a great local bread shop. With all the other things going on, I just don’t have it in me to make it, unless I’m a guest at someone else’s house. So, this is in the “buy” category for me. See? Easy.
The Veggies (aka the green stuff)
Traditionally green bean casserole or salad for us. But, you don’t have to use a can to make this happen. I like the look of Simply Recipes Green Beans with Shallots & Pancetta. Everything is better with bacon! Bonus points: if you get everything ready, this will only take a few minutes on the stovetop.
Green salad is also simple to do. Pick out veggies you like, add it to your favorite leafy lettuce, and mix in a big ol’ bowl. Easy, right?
The Sweet Stuff
Cranberry Sauce: Alright kids, I’d like to go on the record as saying I have nothing against that canned jiggly sauce. However, making cranberry sauce is so easy, so why not try it? If you can mix a bag of cranberries and some sweetener (like maple syrup) in a small pan and turn the burner on, you can make cranberry sauce too. Here’s one I like from Everyday Food, or SimplyRecipes has a good one made with Pinot Noir. Fan-CY!
Sweet Potatoes: I LOVE sweet potatoes. LOVE. However, there’s no need to bathe them in sugar. I like the looks of this Roasted Sweet Potatoes Recipe with Double Truffle Flavor & Parmesan recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen for a savory choice. However, You can also roast sweet potatoes (large chunks coated in canola oil or butter) at 450F for 25-35 minutes. Then drizzle them with (real) maple syrup and some pumpkin pie spice. Sprinkle them with mini marshmallows (yes I buy them) and broil if you wish. YUM. Especially for breakfast the next day. (Don’t judge.)
Pumpkin Pie. Oh BABY. This is the favorite. My husband is so crazy about this stuff, he’s asked me to make it for his birthday. In September. I’ve gotten away from the cans (except the pumpkin) on this one too. This year, I’m going to try out Simple Bites Maple Pumpkin Spice Pie. It’s sweetened with maple syrup! But hey, we have to make sure it’s good, so there will be a test run. Or two…
Appetizers.
These are really just to keep the troops occupied (and out of the kitchen.) Use the easy button, and purchase some little bites. Fruit, cheese, crackers, olives, nuts or a veggie tray are all easy to set out for guests to nibble on. Also, some of these ingredients go to make leftover magic the following weekend. Yeah baby.
Phew! So, that’s my menu. I also found a couple resources if you’re feeling stuck… or in the mood to read more on this super awesome sauce holiday:
Simply Recipes’ Thanksgiving Planning
Bon Appetit’s Thanksgiving Guide
Epicurious Menu Planner (has a fun interactive quiz)
Everyday Food’s Easy Thanksgiving Menus
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