Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes

12 years ago

I always cook the day of. I wake up at the crack of dawn and am totally exhausted after dinner is over. Because the week before Thanksgiving is one of my busiest for work, I want to see how many things I can get done over the weekend.

I made the gravy today and it is probably the best I've ever made. I bought some turkey breasts and necks and made stock with the necks and roasted the breasts for dinner tonight. I then reserved the drippings for the breasts. I put the gravy in the freezer and then will thaw the day of.

Since that was so successful, I really want to make whatever I can. I'm going to set the table this weekend, make pie crusts, cranberry sauce, icebox cracker dough and spiced nuts.

What else can I do? What about stuffing? Will it freeze? I'm also making a squash lasagna (in the latest M. Stewart mag) and would love to make and freeze as well. What about the lemon curd for a tart? Freeze or refrigerate? Will it last?

I'm a very good cook but I really don't know much about make-ahead cooking. If it works out, this could open up a whole new way of cooking for me.

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Comments (18)

texanjana
12 years ago
Will it freeze?
YES, these dishes freeze and reheat well, with no loss of flavor or texture:

* Dressing (without hard-cooked eggs)

* Mashed sweet potatoes,

vegetable purees, mashed potato casseroles

* Pecan pie, fruit pies

* Most soups

* Simple fresh cranberry relish

* Corn or squash casseroles

* Breads, rolls, tea breads, muffins, cakes

* Cookies

* Gravy, unless it includes eggs

* Herbed butters, flavored butters

NO, these dishes are poor candidates for freezing:

* Fresh fruit or vegetable salads

* Baked potatoes, potato gratins

* Pumpkin pie, cream pies, custard pies

* Soups with diced potatoes or chunks of potatoes

* Fresh cranberry relish with fresh apples or other crisp fresh fruit or vegetables

* Hard-cooked eggs (the whites turn rubbery)

* Fried or breaded food

* Cream cheese, soft cheeses

Sources: "The Freezer Cookbook" and "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook"
work_in_progress_08
12 years ago
kellyeng - your menu sounds delish and very ambitious. The only thing I usually do ahead is my fresh cranberry dish - a week ahead. I am going to try natal's chipoltle pecans this weekend. Also hit the spice shop and Italian Market on Thursday to buy some specialty items needed. I do a big prep on Wednesday nite. Chop everything that needs chopping and measure it out, storing in ziploc bags. Always cut up my brioche to dry out in my ovens overnight for stuffing. I don't make my own pies, DM brings those;). The rest of the work happens on Thursday morning.

Table is prepped the night before and all china, serving dishes, crystal and silver have already been washed/polished and are sitting in the pantry with the ironed napkin bundles. All serving dishes have a post-its in them, as to what goes inside. Much easier if those things are done in advance. Fortunately, I did that stuff last weekend, since my DD surprised us with a visit home this weekend! Now I can spend some fun time with DD and not worry that there are things waiting to be done.

Great thread, I'll be following to see if there is anything else I could make ahead. It is a long day when you're the cook on Thanksgiving day.
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OrchidOCD
12 years ago
Any type of casserole is a good candidate for make ahead, refridgerate, then bake day of. Baking time is increased by about 10 minutes if they are just refrigerated, not frozen; if frozen, put in fridge from freezer at least 24 hours in advance of baking to thaw. I'll be making my broccoli rice and cheese casserole, asparagus mushroom and cheese casserole, artichoke and spinach dip and praline sweet potatoes in advance and refrigerating them to then bake day of. Lots of baked goods are also good candidates for bake, freeze and reheat. I'm a big fan of making ahead and giving myself the time to enjoy family!
awm03
12 years ago
kellyeng, love your gravy idea. That's the first leftover we run out of. If I make extra in advance, we'll have plenty for leftover potatoes & stuffing. Thanks!
graywings123
12 years ago
Lemon curd will last a week in the refrigerator.
maddielee
12 years ago
The Pioneer Woman's mashed potatoes are excellent and can be made the night before. I put them in the crock pot to warm a couple of hours before dinner is served.

5 poundsÃ¯Â¿Â½Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes

Ã¯Â¿Â½ cupsÃ¯Â¿Â½Butter

1 packageÃ¯Â¿Â½(8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened

Ã¯Â¿Â½ cupsÃ¯Â¿Â½(to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half

Ã¯Â¿Â½ teaspoonsÃ¯Â¿Â½(to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Ã¯Â¿Â½ teaspoonsÃ¯Â¿Â½(to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When theyÃ¯Â¿Â½re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 Ã¯Â¿Â½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about Ã¯Â¿Â½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about Ã¯Â¿Â½ teaspoon of LawryÃ¯Â¿Â½s Seasoning Salt and Ã¯Â¿Â½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.
maddielee
12 years ago
Sorry about those weird symbols in the above recipe...here's the link to the recipe so you'll have the correct amounts. Why does that do that?

Scroll down to the actual recipe....

Here is a link that might be useful: Make ahead mashed potatoes
tinam61
12 years ago
Those are the potatoes I'm making Maddie - can't wait to see how they come out.

I really don't make much of anything earlier than the day before. I will make cornbread maybe this weekend or early next week for my dressing. Will do much of my cooking Wednesday. I have one dessert and corn and beans that need to be cooked Thanksgiving day. I don't freeze alot so I'm not much help on your questions.

tina
kellyeng
Original Author
12 years ago
Texanjana - Thanks for posting that list. Very helpful!

So it looks like I'm going to have a busy cooking weekend. I read that veggies can be blanched the day before so I think I'll do that on Wednesday along with my mise en place.

I would like to cut my potatoes (garlic mashed potatoes) the day before then put them in the fridge submerged in water. They won't get water-logged will they?
graywings123
12 years ago
OMG, that potato recipe has a half-cup of butter, 8 oz of cream cheese, and a half cup of half-and-half cream for only 5 pounds of potatoes. It must taste heavenly, but I don't want to think of the calories.
Oakley
12 years ago
I haven't read the replies yet, but I'm glad I don't do TG anymore at my house, except I do miss the leftovers when everyone has gone home!

You can do the old-fashioned mashed potatoes early, no need for a special recipe. Put it in a casserole, refrigerate, take out TG morning and get it to room temperature, then bake until heated.

I don't recommend doing stuffing early. It can easily change texture on you. I make a killer stuffing and made the mistake of making it early, taking it to a dinner, and boy was I embarrassed when we served it. lol.

Make all pies the day before.

Oh, and have fun TG night, in your jammies, watching a good movie, and pigging out!
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
12 years ago
Graywings, you are cracking me up! First, lemon curd. Sorry but I've never seen it on a Thanksgiving menu, and then the potatoes, they only have one stick of butter and the rest, the half and half and the cream cheese can easily be cut to neufchatel cheese and whole milk without any discernible difference. But still, it's Thanksgiving!
Eat what you want and skip a few meals over the next couple days.
tinam61
12 years ago
Graywings, did you know there's fat-free half/half? I always use it - love it in my chowders, etc. I will use that, lite cream cheese (can't stand the fat-free), and real butter. We're pretty healthy eaters, but like Bumble said, it's Thanksgiving.
natal
12 years ago
Fat free half and half is an oxymoron.

I rarely make mashed potatoes, but when I do it's just butter and milk (low-fat). I figure the butter is my guilty pleasure.

Anything lemon lightens the load ... or at least makes you think it does. ;) Don't care for pumpkin or pecan pies, but a lemon (curd) tart with a chocolate crust would be right up my alley.
graywings123
12 years ago
Natal - I'm still drooling over the recipe for strawberry lemon curd trifle you posted on Shee's thread. Lemon curd anything would be great, but adding in some chocolate sounds like an excellent idea.

And I agree, anything goes on Thanksgiving. It's not the day to scrimp.
kitchendetective
12 years ago
"Fat free half and half is an oxymoron."

And an abomination of nature.
kellyeng
Original Author
12 years ago
FF half and half has corn syrup in it so you're really not doing yourself any favors. I use the real stuff in my coffee and it's so rich and creamy I end up using less calories than I would using the fake stuff.

Okay, I'm done for the weekend. It was really fun making all my Thanksgiving favorites without the stress. DH even helped by being my dishwasher and sous chef!

I think the squash lasagna is going to be the bomb! Lots of flavor depth. I decided to wait until Wednesday to make the stuffing but I got the bread ready.

The lemon tart is so great for after a big dinner. Hardly anyone in my family likes pumpkin pie and pecan pie is on just about every restaurant menu around here, so nothing special about it. I'm making a bunch of 4" tartelette that will be lemon curd, cherry and chocolate pudding. The cherry and chocolate will have sugar free options for my diabetic step-dad. I've made sugar free lemon curd before but it just tastes like a lemon flavored cough drop.

Thanks for everyone's help. The weekend was fun!
patty_cakes
12 years ago
Just an FYI......

Is stuffing the turkey the night before a good time saver?

No! It is a dangerous practice. Why? Harmful bacteria can multiply in the stuffing and cause food poisoning even when the stuffed bird is refrigerated. The cavity of the bird actually insulates the stuffing from the cold temperatures of the refrigerator and acts as an incubator for the harmful bacteria.

The ingredients for the stuffing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated separately. To save time, chop vegetables such as onions and celery the night before. The safest method is to mix the ingredients and lightly stuff the turkey just prior to popping it into a preheated oven.

Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes

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