THANKSGIVING DAY MENU AND RECIPES

Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner and every other food magazine, Food Network chef, and food-blog writer is serving up their favorite Thanksgiving dinner recipes, (both figuratively and literally), I thought I might as well add my 2 cents worth.

Although there are literally thousands of recipes and menus out there for the perfect turkey dinner, my approach to serving a killer holiday meal starts with a character flaw. I’m lazy! I don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn Thanksgiving morning and start slaving in the kitchen. I want to get up at my usual 8:00am, read the morning paper while sipping a perfect Americano (thanks to Mr. C). I see absolutely no reason why Thanksgiving morning should be any different than any other morning. So my approach is to get the lion’s share of the work done ahead of time (or by friends and family who are coming for dinner, which is even better!)

So in order to guarantee myself a stress free Thanksgiving day, I plan the menu based around several dishes that can be prepared ahead of time.

The following are my favorite recipes for a perfect Thanksgiving dinner:  (BTW – the recipes marked with an asterisk (*) are my choices for this year)

3 APPETIZERS – set out and ready to be nibbled when guests arrive

  • Rosemary Roasted Cashews*
  • Cheddar and Port Wine Cheese Ball – serve with crackers*
  • Two Brie, or Not Two Brie: That is the Question
  • Marinated Goat Cheese – serve with crackers
  • Creamy Curry Dip with Crudités
  • Savory Cheese Spread – serve with crackers
  • Castelvetrano Green Olives*

1 SIGNATURE DRINK – plus wine, Pellegrino, sodas, and other types of hard liquor

  • Cosmopolitan*
  • Maker’s Mark Perfect Manhattan

1 FIRST COURSE SOUP – I serve small coffee cups of soup about an hour before my guests sit down to the main meal. Because I use small coffee cups, the soup can be served while people are still standing around. Just hand them a cup and a spoon and life is good!

  • Roasted Mushroom Cream Soup
  • Crab Bisque*
  • Gruyere Soup

TURKEY (thinks it’s the star of the show!)

  • Herb Salted Turkey*

GRAVY (really the star of the show!)

  • Cognac Gravy*

DRESSING

  • Turkey Dressing With Oysters* or Sausage

MASHED POTATOES (got to have mashed potatoes!)

  • Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes*

CRANBERRY RELISH

  • Brandied Cranberries*

PICKLES

  • Bread and Butter Pickles*

2-3 VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES

  • Roasted Ruby or Garnet Sweet Potato Chunks
  • Sweet Potato Casserole*
  • Creamed Swiss Chard
  • Green Beans*
  • Roasted Sugar Snap Peas
  • Creamy Caramelized Pearl Onions*
  • Creamy Caramelized Pearl Onions and Petite Peas
  • Pea Salad

0 GREEN SALADS (No one is going to eat a green salad on Thanksgiving. Believe me I have tried! Thanksgiving seems to be the one day of the year when no one is on a diet or thinking about their daily dietary needs. It’s after all a feast day and a celebration of the fall harvest. Just because most of us aren’t harvesting anything but paychecks from corporations or our social security benefits, doesn’t mean that we can’t join in the spirit of the occasion. Just remember the old saying: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we diet!)

ROLLS

  • Breakfast Rolls
  • Refrigerator Whole Wheat Rolls*
  • Picnic Buns

1-2 DESSERTS

  • Italian Dream Cake
  • Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Apple Pie Bars
  • Peach Kuchen
  • Pumpkin Pie Bars with Bourbon-Caramel Whipped Cream*
  • White Chocolate Dipped Coffee Bean Shortbread*

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!