When you’ve had your fill of turkey sandwiches and turkey soup, but there are still leftovers waiting to be eaten in the fridge, choose greatness. And by greatness we mean a towering lasagna filled with layers of roasted Brussel sprouts, creamy sweet potatoes, Thanksgiving stuffing, and of course, the turkey. One might even argue that this next-day meal is even better than the main event itself.
You’ve roasted your turkey, and now it’s time for gravy. You don’t need a recipe; this step-by-step guide will show you how to make delicious gravy to pour over your mashed potatoes and turkey with wild abandon.
The deeply browned and rich scrapings from the bottom of the roasting pan might not look like much when you first take the turkey out of the oven, but those drippings are Thanksgiving manna. Let’s make some gravy.
Often the trickiest part of hosting and cooking Thanksgiving dinner isn’t the major planning and prep you tackle in the weeks leading up to the year’s most delicious holiday — it’s all those big and small snafus that pop up at the last minute. Don’t sweat it, though! You’ve got this. And to make sure, we’re here to help.
From cracked pie crust and lumpy gravy to a frozen-solid turkey, here are the best solutions to 15 very common, last-minute Thanksgiving problems.
When it comes to Thanksgiving sides, there’s no question that mashed potatoes are an absolute must. And there’s another thing to love about this crowd-pleasing dish: It’s actually easier than you might think to make ahead. So get a jump on your Thanksgiving prep by making your mashed potatoes now, freezing them, and then reheating on the big day.
Just over a year ago, my husband and I decided to separate, but since it was the holidays, we agreed we would wait to tell our kids about this life change. We both felt like we were wearing a mask to get through it all; I felt comfort and despair in continuing with some of our beloved family traditions. I knew it was going to be the last year we shared the same roof and did certain things together.
I became very good at taking the days minute by minute and not looking too far ahead. I dove into some of my favorite recipes like homemade applesauce, fudge pie, and roasted butternut squash soup. The kitchen became my church. I was able to be in the moment and tell myself I could worry about what the holidays would look like after our split, later.
And now it’s later.
If mac and cheese is not part of your Thanksgiving spread, it should be. And if it does make a regular appearance on the holiday table, consider this twist on the classic this year instead. Made with spaghetti squash instead of real-deal pasta, this recipe offers a respite from the sea of carbs while still being rich and indulgent.
My family and I live in Brooklyn, where we are, in many ways, utterly stereotypical yuppie eaters. I shop at farmers markets, our local butcher, and Whole Foods. Coffee and cereal and toast are in our breakfast rotation, while dinner, my main duty, might be simple steaks or braised chicken thighs.
The exception is that we cook, most of all, Chinese food: a sweet and luscious braised ground pork from Taiwan, a quick stir-fry of pork and dried tofu, steamed egg with soy sauce, and always leafy greens with garlic.
Simmering a pot of chili for hours on a cold winter day is one of my favorite things to do — or at least it used to be.
Last winter I planned on making a batch of chili, got all my ingredients together, and … life happened. After spending all day running around, I thought that chili was no longer an option. Then I eyed my Instant Pot. To be honest, even though I love pressure cooking, I was skeptical. Would the fast cooking time rob the chili of the deep flavor that I love?
Answer: Nope!
