I haven’t had cooking schedule anxiety in years since we started using this Gordon Ramsay concept of “resting the turkey for as long as you cook it.” The turkey comes out hours before the rest of meal, so your oven is free the rest of the evening and you don’t have to worry about it not being done in time! https://youtu.be/XO5DF8soxwM?feature=shared
Side note: the gravy from this video is the absolute best thing I’ve ever tasted. We even leave out the walnuts because of allergies and it’s still amazing.
One thing I’ve done for holidays where we have a lot of company (as opposed to ones where the food can be ready whenever because it’s just my small family) is to start by going through each recipe and writing down the temperature and/or cooking time of each dish. I also write down the pan it’ll be cooking in so I’m not scrounging around the day of, so it looks something like this:
Turkey 425 roasting pan 3 hours
Sweet potato casserole 350 big red casserole dish 1 hr
Stuffing small 375 small red casserole dish 45 min
That way I can see what can be put together (i.e. stuffing with sweet potatoes just adjusting for time). Looking over the recipes one by one also help to identify what can be done the day before, like chopping onions, roasting sweet potatoes, etc. Once I’ve got all that down I make a timeline counting back from the time we want to start eating. That way I can account for everything that has to go into the oven and when. Overall, it’s definitely cut down on my stress leading up to the day and makes me feel pretty organized and competent!
Another thing I do on my schedule is make three columns - one schedule for things I'll do, one schedule for things my husband will do, and one list of "anyone anytime" jobs (think setting the table or putting out cranberry sauce) for when people ask to help.
SO much good info here!!! When my kids were small we always went to two Thanksgiving meals 12:00 and 6:00. We learned that our Dutch family's noon meal was not great at Turkey dinner but pie making an art. And always there were 13 kinds of home baked cookies on pie table plus popcorn balls plus candies. It was an omg moment to behold. So I never had to be overwhelmed during those years. I would just bake a couple pies or rolls etc. dinner at my folks was sublime. Total perfection down to my moms gorgeous perfect Turkey. Pumpkin chiffon, apple, pecan every year. I do make a very simple overnight roll because I love to but there are such good bakeries now. Every one of Ina Garden bread puddings are phenomenal. We stay to tradition because it's such a comfort now that all our parents are gone. I would simply be tarred and feathered if a salad appeared on my table. However our green beans casserole is completely homemade. Soul style sweet potatoes for life. How I love your pages and being here. You are such a Godsend to all!!!! And funny as HELL and that is so key to a happy life❤️
This is so similar to what I do and have fully embraced outsourcing some things to make the day less stressful and more enjoyable-i love a partially catered Thanksgiving (and Christmas!)
Last year I served four things which included chicken instead of turkey and no one complained that there wasn’t more OR that I didn’t make a turkey. I figure if I don’t like turkey and I have to cook and host, then I don’t have to serve something I don’t like.
What chicken recipe did you make instead of turkey? One year, I made a Barefoot Contessa chicken-garlic-mushroom recipe (sort of a stew, made in a Dutch oven) and it was delicious. And easy. And a crowd-pleaser!
I always host Thanksgiving and make a nearly all make-ahead menu. The only thing I cook, from scratch, on the holiday is the turkey. Everything else is easily made ahead of time and reheated to serve. It makes for a very relaxing day for me and I wouldn’t want it any other way!
We are tossing the whole thing out this year and doing hamburgers on the grill with homemade fries. I will buy a pie or two because I do love pumpkin pie!
Oh my gosh, us too and I am so excited for it. My mom is coming, we're making enchiladas and margaritas and plan on going hiking on Thanksgiving day. Maybe we'll pick back up with the turkey and all the fixins' next year.... maybe not. #enchiladas4life
We don't like turkey and since it's just my husband and I we cook a beef tenderloin on the grill and I make popovers and either some jazzed up instant mashed potatoes or Hasselback potatoes and the good old pumpkin pie from Costco that we share with our neighbors. If I feel energetic I will make a green veggie too, no promises
Went out on a limb and am making the Ina Garten’s mushroom & leek bread pudding based on your rave review. I’m never happy with my other attempts at dressing so excited to give this a shot. I just assembled it and will let it hang out in the fridge. It smelled divine putting it together!!
We’re also doing:
- turkey on the Big Green Egg (we’re going to spatchcock her this year since we can’t brine anymore after my husband’s heart issue)
- Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot
- boxed Mac & cheese because my children are heathens
- my MIL is making her usual green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole (neither are faves for me, so we’re also doing a roasted Delicata squash salad for something lighter)
- my grandma’s cranberry sauce (cue the Taylor Swift singing “what died never stayed dead, you’re alive sooo alive”)
Desserts are store bought pies & chocolate cake from HEB (I don’t care for pie and this chocolate cake is literally to die for, so making it easy!)
Appetizers will be your pumpkin biscuits with rum butter and prosciutto (it’s my 3rd year to do these and I’ll never stop!!)
Such good suggestions!! Saving this post for next year! This year we’re trying something new - my husband is taking our boys to Hawaii and get a quiet house all to myself!
Love the idea of editing the menu! When we first started hosting Thanksgiving, we included EVERYTHING that my in laws had done and that people wanted to bring. Turned out that no one ate the salad, and things like carrots were unnecessary since they're too similar to sweet potatoes, etc. So we really pared it back but kept the things that they truly found special.
I also keep a list of post-Thanksgiving recipes to transform leftovers when we're tired of reheating the same things. Makes cooking over the next weekend easier! Examples:
Stuffing waffles
Mashed potatoes croquettes
Stir fry with leftover green beans, radishes, green onions
Closer to directly waffling the stuffing! Mix another egg and some water or broth into the leftover stuffing so that it will spread and not crumble apart. Spread it out on the waffle iron since it won't spread itself like a normal batter. Cook like a normal waffle - waiting for less steam to rise - though it takes a little longer to cook since it's more hefty.
They're delicious and crunchy and savory, good with leftover gravy or cranberry sauce.
Love this! Any ideas for vegetarian mains? It’s really all about the sides for my family anyways, but thought I might try something new if you have any suggestions…
What are your thoughts on butterflied / spatchcock turkey? I’m tempted to try it because I love doing my chicken this way but curious if it actually makes a difference (aside from cooking faster).
I made a spatch-cocked turkey last year (the recipe may have been from Food & Wine magazine) and it was delicious! So easy to cook evenly, no dry spots.
This is the best video I have ever seen. The guy is a New York butcher, and while I didn't get it quite right the first time (hello dull knife!) I did after that. I found it super helpful (and it works on any poultry). https://youtu.be/jh-ejR_OloM?si=QmIHPcTNYiht8SXG
take a look at the Ina Garten "make ahead" turkey recipe - it includes instructions for carving - and the best thing about it is that you do all the messy cutting earlier in the day before guests arrive instead of having all that juice all over the kitchen (and all over you) with everyone watching...
Can you share what your cooking schedule would be like? That’s what’s overwhelming me the most, the timing.
Ooooh, let me work on that!
I haven’t had cooking schedule anxiety in years since we started using this Gordon Ramsay concept of “resting the turkey for as long as you cook it.” The turkey comes out hours before the rest of meal, so your oven is free the rest of the evening and you don’t have to worry about it not being done in time! https://youtu.be/XO5DF8soxwM?feature=shared
Side note: the gravy from this video is the absolute best thing I’ve ever tasted. We even leave out the walnuts because of allergies and it’s still amazing.
Yes, please! I am having major anxiety over this!!
One thing I’ve done for holidays where we have a lot of company (as opposed to ones where the food can be ready whenever because it’s just my small family) is to start by going through each recipe and writing down the temperature and/or cooking time of each dish. I also write down the pan it’ll be cooking in so I’m not scrounging around the day of, so it looks something like this:
Turkey 425 roasting pan 3 hours
Sweet potato casserole 350 big red casserole dish 1 hr
Stuffing small 375 small red casserole dish 45 min
That way I can see what can be put together (i.e. stuffing with sweet potatoes just adjusting for time). Looking over the recipes one by one also help to identify what can be done the day before, like chopping onions, roasting sweet potatoes, etc. Once I’ve got all that down I make a timeline counting back from the time we want to start eating. That way I can account for everything that has to go into the oven and when. Overall, it’s definitely cut down on my stress leading up to the day and makes me feel pretty organized and competent!
I love that, thanks for sharing!
All of this!!
Another thing I do on my schedule is make three columns - one schedule for things I'll do, one schedule for things my husband will do, and one list of "anyone anytime" jobs (think setting the table or putting out cranberry sauce) for when people ask to help.
Yes yes, this this!
SO much good info here!!! When my kids were small we always went to two Thanksgiving meals 12:00 and 6:00. We learned that our Dutch family's noon meal was not great at Turkey dinner but pie making an art. And always there were 13 kinds of home baked cookies on pie table plus popcorn balls plus candies. It was an omg moment to behold. So I never had to be overwhelmed during those years. I would just bake a couple pies or rolls etc. dinner at my folks was sublime. Total perfection down to my moms gorgeous perfect Turkey. Pumpkin chiffon, apple, pecan every year. I do make a very simple overnight roll because I love to but there are such good bakeries now. Every one of Ina Garden bread puddings are phenomenal. We stay to tradition because it's such a comfort now that all our parents are gone. I would simply be tarred and feathered if a salad appeared on my table. However our green beans casserole is completely homemade. Soul style sweet potatoes for life. How I love your pages and being here. You are such a Godsend to all!!!! And funny as HELL and that is so key to a happy life❤️
two thanksgiving meals!!!! that is incredible. stretchy pants all week!!!
All week!!! We became professional eaters!!!!
This is so similar to what I do and have fully embraced outsourcing some things to make the day less stressful and more enjoyable-i love a partially catered Thanksgiving (and Christmas!)
partially catered (or all the way if you need to!!!) is seriously the way to go. makes everything so much more joyful!
i recently heard ina garten refer to things like mashed potatoes/pureed parsnips as "puddles" - "slouchy" is in this same camp and i'm here for it 🤣
omg love this so much
Last year I served four things which included chicken instead of turkey and no one complained that there wasn’t more OR that I didn’t make a turkey. I figure if I don’t like turkey and I have to cook and host, then I don’t have to serve something I don’t like.
This is the GOSPEL
OMG, I have been advocating for roast chicken in our family for years! Congratulations on breaking that barrier!
I say just do it and see if anyone complains ;) and...if they do, they can make the turkey ha!
we go to my in-laws, so I'm not in charge of the cooking - I just keep gently suggesting that roast chicken might be easier and more delicious!
What chicken recipe did you make instead of turkey? One year, I made a Barefoot Contessa chicken-garlic-mushroom recipe (sort of a stew, made in a Dutch oven) and it was delicious. And easy. And a crowd-pleaser!
Always the Queen’s recipe. It never fails.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/perfect-roast-chicken-recipe-1940592.amp
Copy & paste 🙏🏼🤤
I always host Thanksgiving and make a nearly all make-ahead menu. The only thing I cook, from scratch, on the holiday is the turkey. Everything else is easily made ahead of time and reheated to serve. It makes for a very relaxing day for me and I wouldn’t want it any other way!
We are tossing the whole thing out this year and doing hamburgers on the grill with homemade fries. I will buy a pie or two because I do love pumpkin pie!
Oh my gosh, us too and I am so excited for it. My mom is coming, we're making enchiladas and margaritas and plan on going hiking on Thanksgiving day. Maybe we'll pick back up with the turkey and all the fixins' next year.... maybe not. #enchiladas4life
Please don't wash your birds! It's a recipe for food poisoning. If the meat is cooked then any bugs will be killed anyway 👍🏻
We don't like turkey and since it's just my husband and I we cook a beef tenderloin on the grill and I make popovers and either some jazzed up instant mashed potatoes or Hasselback potatoes and the good old pumpkin pie from Costco that we share with our neighbors. If I feel energetic I will make a green veggie too, no promises
Went out on a limb and am making the Ina Garten’s mushroom & leek bread pudding based on your rave review. I’m never happy with my other attempts at dressing so excited to give this a shot. I just assembled it and will let it hang out in the fridge. It smelled divine putting it together!!
We’re also doing:
- turkey on the Big Green Egg (we’re going to spatchcock her this year since we can’t brine anymore after my husband’s heart issue)
- Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes in the Instant Pot
- boxed Mac & cheese because my children are heathens
- my MIL is making her usual green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole (neither are faves for me, so we’re also doing a roasted Delicata squash salad for something lighter)
- my grandma’s cranberry sauce (cue the Taylor Swift singing “what died never stayed dead, you’re alive sooo alive”)
Desserts are store bought pies & chocolate cake from HEB (I don’t care for pie and this chocolate cake is literally to die for, so making it easy!)
Appetizers will be your pumpkin biscuits with rum butter and prosciutto (it’s my 3rd year to do these and I’ll never stop!!)
Happy early Turkey Day everyone!
loved this entire comment so much. happy turkey day lauren, so thankful for you!
Such good suggestions!! Saving this post for next year! This year we’re trying something new - my husband is taking our boys to Hawaii and get a quiet house all to myself!
Love the idea of editing the menu! When we first started hosting Thanksgiving, we included EVERYTHING that my in laws had done and that people wanted to bring. Turned out that no one ate the salad, and things like carrots were unnecessary since they're too similar to sweet potatoes, etc. So we really pared it back but kept the things that they truly found special.
I also keep a list of post-Thanksgiving recipes to transform leftovers when we're tired of reheating the same things. Makes cooking over the next weekend easier! Examples:
Stuffing waffles
Mashed potatoes croquettes
Stir fry with leftover green beans, radishes, green onions
Twice baked sweet potato skins
Stuffing waffles?!?! Do you put your leftover stuffing directly into a waffle iron or mix it into a batter? Please share!
Closer to directly waffling the stuffing! Mix another egg and some water or broth into the leftover stuffing so that it will spread and not crumble apart. Spread it out on the waffle iron since it won't spread itself like a normal batter. Cook like a normal waffle - waiting for less steam to rise - though it takes a little longer to cook since it's more hefty.
They're delicious and crunchy and savory, good with leftover gravy or cranberry sauce.
Love this! Any ideas for vegetarian mains? It’s really all about the sides for my family anyways, but thought I might try something new if you have any suggestions…
I’ve made this recipe several times, not for Thanksgiving, but it’s a delicious vegetarian main course. https://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/01/ultimate-vegan-lentil-walnut-loaf/
What are your thoughts on butterflied / spatchcock turkey? I’m tempted to try it because I love doing my chicken this way but curious if it actually makes a difference (aside from cooking faster).
We’re going to attempt spatchcocking it this year! We’re cooking ours on the Big Green Egg. Fingers crossed it works out!
I made a spatch-cocked turkey last year (the recipe may have been from Food & Wine magazine) and it was delicious! So easy to cook evenly, no dry spots.
Do we have any turkey carvers in the chat...? For some reason I’m stuck cooking that damn bird every year and need a fool proof carving technique!
This is the best video I have ever seen. The guy is a New York butcher, and while I didn't get it quite right the first time (hello dull knife!) I did after that. I found it super helpful (and it works on any poultry). https://youtu.be/jh-ejR_OloM?si=QmIHPcTNYiht8SXG
fantastic TYSM for sharing!
take a look at the Ina Garten "make ahead" turkey recipe - it includes instructions for carving - and the best thing about it is that you do all the messy cutting earlier in the day before guests arrive instead of having all that juice all over the kitchen (and all over you) with everyone watching...
Yes!! It’s the people watching me slaughter the bird that gives me the most anxiety. Thank you!!!
here's the link: https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/make-ahead-roast-turkey