Thanksgiving at my house, part 1!
I'm sharing my make ahead menu and wine suggestions for turkey day.
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Every year, I like to plan my Thanksgiving menu with delicious dishes I can make ahead. Here’s the schedule I’m planning to follow — you can take what you want and also add your own!
Monday: My Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions & Sage can be made and refrigerated up to a week in advance. There are more important things to think about on Thanksgiving than worrying about a lumpy gravy! I’ll also use Monday to start dry-brining my Make-Ahead Roast Turkey.
Tuesday: There are always so many apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving so I decided to make Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel this year. The flan can be prepared and refrigerated in the pan for up to three days. I’ll turn it out on Thursday, and it’s a great Thanksgiving dessert because I don’t have to reheat it!
Wednesday: I’ll assemble my Leek & Artichoke Bread Pudding and Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes. Both can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days, then baked before serving on Thursday. On Wednesday, I’ll also remove the plastic wrap from my dry-brined turkey and leave it uncovered in the fridge.
Thursday: Now all that’s left to do on Thanksgiving is to roast the turkey and make one more side! I hate carving a turkey at the last minute. I discovered that I can roast the turkey early, carve it an hour before people arrive, and arrange the pieces on an ovenproof serving platter on top of a puddle of gravy. Then, I just put the platter in the oven 30 minutes before serving to reheat the turkey. And since the oven will be full, I think I’ll make Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts on the stovetop.
It’s a few steps, but how much easier is that??
All recipes can be found in Make It Ahead or Cooking for Jeffrey, or by clicking on the links above!
Ask Ina:
“What type of wine do you serve on Thanksgiving?”
I always choose something special to celebrate Thanksgiving. Traditionally, I like to serve a light red such as a Morgon. If you prefer white, I’d choose a Burgundy like a Meursault or Montrachet, which tastes delicious with turkey.
Since turkey day is, after all, an American holiday, I often opt for an American wine—say, a light red pinot noir from the Sonoma Valley. With dessert, pop the cork on a good champagne like Perrier-Jouët or a less expensive Italian Prosecco. Clinking of glasses is encouraged!"
This Week’s Favorites:
I’m rereading Nora Ephron’s incredible book I Feel Bad About My Neck. In times that are stressful, I find that a good laugh is the best antidote and Nora is funny!
I rewatched The Holiday the other night. Jeffrey wanted to watch something really intense, but I thought a Nancy Meyers Romantic Comedy sounded a little more relaxing!
The make ahead gravy is THE BEST....and can save your turkey. A few years ago, not realizing my mom had set the cook mode to convection, we over cooked the turkey. It was very dry. Thankfully I had tripled the gravy recipe. I carved the turkey and let it sit in the gravy while I finished everything else. As we were eating, everone was raving how delicious the turkey was. My mom and I just gave each other the "if they only knew look". LOL The gravy is so delicious you will want to at least double the recipe. I also used it to make turkey pot pies with the leftover turkey, green beans and stuffing.
Oh to be a guest at your thanksgiving table!