Everything You Wanted to Know About Thanksgiving, but Were Popping Too Many Xanax to Remember
Yes, it's panic-attack time again! Consider this your prescription.
TRUE STORY: One year, I cooked Thanksgiving like I was auditioning for Survivor: Roxbury, CT, Edition. I started at dawn, juggling pies, stuffing, potatoes, sides, and a turkey the size of a mini-fridge. By the time dessert rolled around, I was slumped in my chair, fork dangling midair, too tired to taste the very pies I’d threatened to leave The One over if he even so much as touched them.
After our guests left, I crawled, and I do mean crawled, to bed, leaving the kitchen looking not unlike something out of a scene from The Walking Dead. When The One protested vociferously, I invoked the “I Cook, You Clean” mantra we’d been spouting since 1993. In truth, the kitchen was such a disaster that a reasonable person would’ve given him a pass on cleaning all the way to Valentine’s Day.
Alas, I am not a reasonable person.
Sound familiar? Thanksgiving has a nasty way of turning into an endurance test rather than a holiday. But here’s the secret: it doesn’t have to. You don’t need to play short-order cook while your guests circle like sharks. The magic word here is make-ahead. A few smart moves now, and suddenly you’re not sweating in the kitchen while everyone else is on the couch debating football calls and politics.
This year, let’s trade stress for sanity. Make-ahead isn’t just a strategy—it’s a lifeline that buys you time, energy, and, most importantly, a seat at the table when the pies appear.
WHAT’S INSIDE...
Thanksgiving Central
Everything you could possibly need, want, or wish for the holiday is right here.
99 of Thanksgiving’s Biggest Questions, Answered
This year, the Thanksgiving holiday is on November 27th. No matter if you live in Plymouth, Massachusetts, or Plymouth, North Dakota, you have questions. Lots and lots of questions. And we have answers for nearly every Thanksgiving question you might have. Ninety-nine of them, in fact. So read on!
LC’s Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes
Say hello to 11 Thanksgiving turkey recipes guaranteed to impress everyone at the table--and that goes for in-laws, too. Whether you’re a fan of tradition and prefer to roast your bird or you want to go for something a bit different and smoke or deep-fry it, you’ll find your masterpiece, er, centerpiece below. And here’s a foolproof guide to carving to make things even easier.
Make-Ahead Mastery for Thanksgiving
The freezer is your friend. Pie crusts, rolls, even gravy can be made weeks in advance and tucked away until needed.
Chop, don’t drop. Vegetables hold beautifully prepped a day or two ahead—just bag, chill, and you’re halfway to dinner.
Stagger your cooking. Braised dishes and casseroles taste better the next day anyway—lean into that.
Batch cocktails. A pitcher of sangria or punch frees you from bartender duty.
Write it down. A timeline taped to the fridge is the difference between calm confidence and full-blown panic.
Recipes
Wild Mushroom Stuffing
This wild mushroom stuffing combines a variety of umami-rich mushrooms with soft brioche bread, leeks, and nutty cheese to create an intensely flavorful, custardy stuffing. Be sure to make plenty, as everyone at your holiday table will be clamoring for seconds.
Classic Green Bean Casserole
This ain’t the OG, from-a-can green bean casserole. No, sireebob! This is made with green beans, mushrooms, and cream sauce. It’s a Thanksgiving tradition and a classic holiday side dish. Just say hell to the no when it comes to the can opener.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These roasted garlic mashed potatoes are like mashed potatoes gone to finishing school with sour cream, Parmesan, and sweetly caramelized onions suffused with red wine. Quite possibly the best mashed potatoes we’ve ever had.
Cranberry and Orange Relish
This cranberry and orange relish is made simply with cranberries, sugar, oranges, and water, and comes together in just 5 minutes of your time. Because we know you have other stuff to think about on Thanksgiving.
Classic Dinner Rolls
These classic dinner rolls call for flour, yeast, honey, salt, and butter--plus more butter to slather on top, natch. You won’t believe how fluffy and soft these rolls are or how easy and quick they are to make.
Food Processor Pie Crust
This buttery pie crust comes together easily in your food processor and is flaky and tender. It’s perfect for pies that require a par-baked crust.
Pecan Pie Cobbler
Skip fussing with pie crust this Thanksgiving and make this easy pecan pie cobbler, which delivers all of the rich caramel and nutty pecan flavors of the classic pie with a fraction of the effort.
Caramel Apple Pie
This caramel apple pie takes classic apple pie to the next level. For this beloved autumn dessert, warmly spiced apples are embraced in a nutty whole wheat pie crust and baked until golden. A lacquer of sweet caramel to finish takes this pie over the top.
Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 from 10 votes
These festive cookies are adorned with sweet-tart dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios. They’re the perfect addition to your holiday cookie collection.
Chocolate Espresso Shortbread Cookies
These slice-and-bake chocolate espresso shortbread cookies are studded with bits of semi-sweet chocolate and laced with espresso to create a slightly bitter, oh-so-chocolatey cookie.
Scottish Shortbread
This Scottish shortbread is made with butter, flour, granulated and powdered sugar, and salt to create a perfectly crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth biscuit.
Your Make-Ahead Game Plan (Pro Tips)
Read the “Store Separately” Rules: For gratins and casseroles (like the Green Bean and Broccoli), the secret to success is prepping the elements separately. Store crispy toppings (like fried onions or breadcrumbs) in an airtight container at room temperature, not in the fridge, or they’ll get soggy.
Label Everything: If you’re like me, you’ll never remember what’s in that foil-wrapped dish. Use painter’s tape and a Sharpie. Label what it is, what day it was made, and the reheating instructions (“Broccoli Gratin – BAKE 350°F / 20 MIN”).
The 24-Hour Rule: Most casseroles (like the Sweet Potato) can be fully assembled without their toppings and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
The 2-Day Rule: Most individual parts (like blanched green beans, gravy, and mashed potatoes) can be prepped and stored for up to 2 days.
The Freezer is Your BFFF (Best Frozen Friend Forever): The Cranberry Relish and Gravy can be made weeks, even months, ahead and frozen. This is the single biggest gift you can give your future self.
Create a Reheating Schedule: Don’t forget your turkey needs to rest for at least 30 minutes. This is your golden window. Plan your reheating around that time. Anything that needs to be baked (like the gratins) goes in the oven then. Anything that can be reheated on the stove (mashed potatoes, gravy, spinach) can happen simultaneously.
Your Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Questions, Answered
What types of side dishes are best to make ahead of time?
The best dishes are those that reheat well or are served at room temperature. This post has several great examples, like the Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (above), Creamed Spinach, and Basic Pan Gravy. Other sides, like our Sweet and Spicy Cranberry Relish, actually improve with time!
The general rule is that any side served cold (like cranberry sauce) or that reheats well (like mashed potatoes or gravy) is a perfect candidate. For other dishes, like the Broccoli and Blue Cheese Gratin, creamy gratins, or Roasted Brussels Sprout Hash, the best trick is to prep the components in advance and just bake them before serving.
Can I use frozen vegetables for these recipes?
For some, yes! For the Creamed Spinach, you can absolutely use frozen spinach; just thaw it and squeeze it bone-dry before using. For the Green Bean Casserole, fresh is best, but frozen will work in a pinch. Just make sure to thaw and pat them dry. Do not use canned green beans.
How many side dishes do I need for Thanksgiving dinner?
There’s no firm rule, but we recommend you aim for 4 to 5 side dishes, plus your gravy and cranberry sauce.
A good mix includes a couple of starchy sides and a couple of vegetable sides. This list gives you great options, like the Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes and Wild Mushroom Stuffing for your starches, and the Classic Green Bean Casserole or Roasted Carrots with Allspice for your vegetables.
If you’re looking for even more ideas, check out these other recipes from our collection, like Easy Roasted Carrots and Pan-Fried Green Beans, Black Pepper Mashed Potatoes, and Herbed Bread and Celery Stuffing. Of course, if your family demands a Buttery Sweet Potato Soufflé, then who am I to argue or disagree?
What’s the best way to store leftover side dishes?
Most side dishes will keep in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Some sides, particularly gravy and cranberry sauce, freeze well and can be stashed in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Chow,
P.S. Won’t you consider tapping the ♥️, restacking this post, and/or leaving a comment? It takes but a moment, but its impact is enormous! xx
Thoroughly enjoyed all of this and a thank you for some recipes I might try outside of Thanksgiving