How to Have a Worry-Free Thanksgiving
Plus a slew of last-minute easy dessert options
“It’s just dinner.”
— My mom, on the subject of Thanksgiving
You know if I could, I would help each and every one of you plan your Thanksgiving dinner. Damn, I’d chop the onions, make all your pie crusts and listen and nod supportively as your Trumpy relatives discuss The Big Lie, if it would make your holiday cooking easier.
However, due to issues with the space-time continuum, this is not a possibility.
Plus, I’m unable to sit quietly as someone, even if it’s your adorable Great Aunt Doris, yes, the one who has promised you her small fortune and brings a pound of creamy fudge each year, spouts the hateful, inciting and deranged ideas of Trump and his acolytes. (Anyway, she’s probably already given your inheritance to some Trump PAC that covers his legal fees and calf implants anyway.)
Instead, I offer you some recipe and planning ideas to make your Thanksgiving as pleasant as possible.
Don’t forget to defrost your turkey.
Defrost in the refrigerator. Do not run the risk of giving your family a nasty case of salmonella. The refrigerator is the only place to defrost it. Not the counter, not in a sink of water, not with a fox, not with a box.
The Kitchn has a smart article on this if you need to give nay-sayers scientific proof.
Appetizers
I’m of the keep-it-simple school. As much as I want to serve pigs in blankets at every holiday meal, cuz that’s what my mom did and lordie, I love them, did you see the list of desserts? I need to save room.
So, I will make sweet and spicy nuts and serve popcorn drizzled in warm olive oil and Trader Joe’s ranch dressing mix, or make cacio e pepe popcorn by tossing popcorn with melted butter, salt, pepper and grated Parmesan and pepper. And olives. And a few other things.
Never mind that I didn’t have mashed potatoes made from fresh potatoes until I went to college—my house was a Hungry Jack mashed potatoes kinda house, which explains A LOT. It turns out real mashed potatoes are key to Thanksgiving dinner.
Hint: Use a catering trick and make the mashed potatoes an hour before eating, put them in a heat proof bowl, place a knob of butter on top and cover with foil. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, which will keep the potatoes warm until dinnertime.
Better hint: Make the mashed potato casserole from the New York Times the night before and reheat while the turkey rests.
Most Important: My dessert plan
Cranberry-apple pie,
Basque cheesecake from Serious Eats
But I saw my friend Allison was making my passion fruit pie, and now I think I have to make that as well.
I’m also planning to send my guests home with pumpkin bread and rugelach with a cranberry-blueberry jam.
More dessert ideas
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Set the table the night before if you can
…and if your cats won’t shed all all over the table. My cats like to climb onto the set table, lay down, and then stretch their entire body out in a way that pushes silverware onto the floor.
Hint: Make your guests help set it. It will make them feel useful. You do not have to be Martha Stewart. She has a staff. It’s all fake.
Make a schedule, then make a timetable for the actual day.
Figure out everything you can do in advance, from peeling sprouts to making pie crust to cutting potatoes and soaking them in cold water overnight. Then remember there’s no shame in buying food and pie crusts ready-made.
For Turkey Day proper, make a timetable starting with when you want to serve dinner and count back how many hours you will need to cook your turkey (and leave at least 30 minutes for resting. How much free oven time will you need to reheat sides? Keep a list on the counter with you and check of things as you do them.
Make a pitcher of cocktails or mocktails
Find a recipe you like, multiply it by 4 or 5 and then taste it to make sure the balance of flavors is right. My husband fills a large mason jar with sidecars. He substitutes Laird’s apple jack for the standard cognac. Want the recipe? LMK in the comments.
When in doubt: Make spaghetti carbonara and forget the rest.
My family and I long ago decided that spaghetti carbonara should really be what’s served at every holiday meal.
TELL ME:
What are your secrets for sanity (or otherwise) on Thanksgiving. Did you ever eat the turkey-stuffing frozen TV dinner? No matter how much we like the Thanksgiving dinner menu, the Rothkopf side of my family daydreams about having spaghetti carbonara in place of, well, just about anything else. What is your Desert Island Thanksgiving Meal, as it were?
Also: Please know how thankful I am too all of you, for being part of my substack family. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. May all your carbs be buttery and all your pies, a la mode.
THIS IS GREAT!!! You swoooooop in! Just the nick of time, Marissa!
THANK you!
And.... a salute to your mother!!!
When my wife was very ill and I still had my mother-in-law to deal with, we went to a Cracker Barrel. And, believe it or not, it was a good, traditional meal. And, back then it was all inclusive - all the way to pumpkin pie and coffee.