Which Thanksgiving dishes work to make a day ahead?

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

My husband and I were just having a discussion of how not to get totally exhausted on Thanksgiving. It won’t be a large gathering, just 6 adults. Though of course adult kids will ask if they can help, it’s not easy to tell someone else how to follow your recipe. The position of the stove / oven also means only one person can comfortably work in front of it at a time. We have 2 ovens, only one full size.

We are buying a pre-roasted turkey: that will help. Buying pies. Appetizers will be simple.

So if it’s possible, what works to make in advance? (I don’t mean to freeze, we don’t have the freezer space. Plenty of refrigerator space.) Just to prepare on Wednesday. The cranberry sauce is an easy do-ahead, of course.

Apart from what we are buying, the menu will be:

Salad (red leaf lettuce, strawberries, toasted pecans or walnuts, bleu cheese, vinaigrette including a little walnut oil and balsamic vinegar),

Mashed potatoes

Baked butternut squash (with butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, seasonings like cinnamon, cloves). This is a must-have and everyone eats it.

The rest is flexible:

Some kind of sweet potato dish, yet to be determined: I’m open as long as it’s not too sweet or too similar to the butternut squash.

Some kind of green vegetable like broccoli (we usually make steamed broccoli because everyone eats it, but my husband thinks we should have something more impressive for new DIL.) I did a from-scratch hollandaise last year and it was not worth the effort.

Thanks for your help.

Featured Answer

annie1992

8 years ago

linnea, I'm assuming the squash is a mashed casserole type dish? If so it can be made ahead and reheats well. Sweet potatoes can usually be made ahead too, depending on the application. I'm cooking all the sweet potatoes the day before, then making a gluten free sweet potato torte, that sticky-sweet-marshmallow-topped casserole and probably chipotle mashed sweet potatoes for Elery and I, all the day before. Broccoli can be cooked ahead for most applications and will also rewarm well, the sauce can be added at the last minute if the broccoli is already cooked or if it's something like broccoli cheese it can all be done a day in advance.

I also bake the pies and other desserts the day before, they all keep well, and I make butterflake rolls the day before and keep the unbaked rolls in the fridge, bake them the day of. I've never had anyone complain about a homemade dinner roll baked the day before, though. (grin)

All the salad ingredients could be washed/cut/prepared ahead and then tossed with the viniagrette the next day, and someone here has made the mashed potatoes the day ahead too and I think they were warmed in the crockpot, but I might be confusing two techniques. Anyway, I know even the potatoes can be made the day before.

Good luck and happy Thanksgiving!

Annie

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Comments (8)

sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
8 years ago
Annie has prep nailed down. Energizer bunny. And also the right attitude. Enjoys it but if something fails, no big deal. The point is being together.

Refreshing/researching time and temp for the Turkey, mine should hit thigh temp 150 in about two hours.

We aim for 4pm sit down, so lots of time to pull the sides together am. But all washing, chopping, cranberry sauce, salad dressing, ...made/bagged in kits the night before.

One thing I do that I forgot is to set the table a day ahead and pull out all serving dishes, gravy boats...one at each end. Might do that tonight and make sure I have fresh candles, etc.
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@Fori - the traditional cream sauce doesn't include flour at all. You cook the cream down to thicken it, but we mainly eat meatballs without the gravy as does a huge majority of the country when doing it at home. I'm talking only of bringing the meatballs as those not eating Turkey also doesn't eat gravy or can't have the gravy which is likely part of why not eating the Turkey either because it is just very plain without. Many recipes of swedish meatballs uses bread crumbs, but others uses potato flour or potato fibers. I use potato fiber as it is more bloodsugar friendly. Not sure if that would ruffle feathers or not with ham as it could potentially be used as part of an appetizer, but being a type 1 diabetic and since all ham in the US appears to have sugar as part of ingredients it isn't my first choice so since I'm bringing it I'm being a bit selfish there. As to ruffling feathers with another non-traditional protein dish - yes that has happened.
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pkramer60
8 years ago
You can also make the mashed potatoes the day before. The do ahead potato recipe is perfect and you can freeze leftovers for later.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/13608/make-ahead-mashed-potatoes/

For the gravy, make the roux, chill and drop into the broth and drippings the day of.

Brussels sprout, cut in half, and sauteed in olive oil with a dash of balsamic at the end is wonderful. If you want to chiffonade them, do it the day before also.
Sherry8aNorthAL
8 years ago
I make my dinner rolls ahead of time. Bake until set, but not brown. Next day or so, you can butter if wanted and finish baking. They also freeze well this way.
Marilyn Sue
8 years ago
I have my yeast roll dough made and in the fridge. I have been making this recipe for fifty years. The kids always want it. It is such a help being able to fix things before hand, especially when your battery is running down!

Sue
aviastar 7A Virginia
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Shredded Brussels sprouts with candied bacon and pine nuts. Candy the bacon the day before, pre shred the sprouts, pre cut some sweet onions. Toss it all in bowl with melted butter, salt pepper garlic, spread on baking sheet and roast at 350 for about 20 mins. Everything is more impressive with bacon, especially candied bacon!
annie1992
8 years ago
sleevendog, you're right, I love everything about Thanksgiving. It's so underrated, all I have to do is eat and be thankful, and thankful I am! Well, I have to cook, but I like to cook, although the most important thing to me isn't the meal, but the people I love that I'm sharing it with. My family is very laid back and if something doesn't turn out well or gets forgotten, they eat more of something else, no one ever goes hungry, somehow. If I'm very lucky I get all three granddaughters "helping". The Princess is 14 now and actually helps. The two monkeys are 4 and 5 and not so much help, but lots of fun. They like to shape dinner rolls and taste test the pimento cheese and tear bread for stuffing and make sure we have enough dessert. (grin)

I also set the table the day before and I make a menu, go shopping then come home and make a list of tasks that can be done the day before and what absolutely must be done the day of (like roasting the turkey). That way I know what I need to do and when I need to do it and I'm not stuck an hour before the meal realizing that I never made the fruit salad.

Annie
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)
8 years ago
I shopped last night. Just two stops. Rather than the usual dreaded traffic hell and rude shoppers, it was pleasant, almost fun.

Everything I needed, I found easily. The head of Escarole was the size of Shrek, local grown, and only one dollar. (unheard of). I bought two. I'll test that recipe tonight as I'll be chopping anyway.

I kept loosing my list in this or that pocket. Once found I was relieved I had all listed.

Both check-out lines empty. Maybe I beat the rush. Home early enough to make a batch of meatballs. Table cloth and napkins in the wash to freshen.

I'm thankful to not be traveling this year, fly or drive.

Which Thanksgiving dishes work to make a day ahead?

annie1992

Comments (8)

sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)

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