Yikes! Thanksgiving is Thursday.
As in THIS Thursday.
At least I have the Mr. & Mrs. Pilgrim Salt & Pepper shakers out.
Priorities, my friends, priorities.
I’ve been running (and flying) around like a crazy person and admit that this year I am totally unprepared for this auspicious day of fine eating.
Thankfully, we covered Thanksgiving pretty thoroughly here at Idiot’s Kitchen last year.
First, the bird.
I have always used a cooking bag for the turkey. It’s easy, requires no fussy basting, keeps the turkey moist and happy, and creates tons of juice that you will use to make gravy.
When I buy my turkey, I buy one of these Reynold’s Oven Cooking bags too.
I also pick up one of those disposable foil turkey pans because my bird is usually bigger than any pan I have in the house.
Even though I’m cooking for very few people, I tend to buy a gigantic turkey. I just can’t deal with those little ones that look more like chickens. Besides, leftovers are good!
Click HERE for everything you need to know to roast a delicious, Idiot-Proof Turkey!
When I said you get a lot of juice to use for gravy, I meant A LOT.
Click HERE for step-by-step instructions on how to turn those juices into amazing gravy.
And if you’re me, you’ll also need a gravy boat that looks just like the one your grandma used.
Every year I make the same bread and sage stuffing — or since I don’t actually stuff it in the bird, you could also call it dressing.
The only change I’ve made to the tried and true family recipe was to add carrots at my lovely sister’s request.
I like to use a couple of different kinds of bread – white, wheat, sometimes a bit of rye sneaks in there – and lots and lots of sage.
Homemade stuffing is SO much better than that stuff in the box.
Click HERE for this tasty and easy stuffing recipe.
If you make only one recipe from this website, I beg of you to make this Sweet Potato Casserole.
There are just no words for how delicious and sinfully good this recipe is. And don’t think you can only make this for Thanksgiving….it’s AMAZING with pork chops.
Click HERE (do it!) for the world’s best sweet potato recipe.
Need some cranberries that don’t come out in the shape of a can?
We’ve totally got that covered. Bonus! They’re boozy!
Click HERE for the recipe for Drunken Cranberries.
Last year I took some of these leftover cranberries and made Cranberry Mimosas. Spoon a few of these babies into a glass and fill it up with champagne. You’re welcome.
Green beans. Okay, I’ll be honest, I usually open a can of green beans and cook them “Grandma Style” with bacon and onions. They’re good. They’re easy. They’re what Grandma made every year.
However, if you want something a bit fresher, I don’t think you can do much better than
Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots.
These green beans are the vegetable that I make the most. They’re quick and easy and go with everything. We probably have them once a week.
HOLY COW! I just realized that I have no pie recipes on this website! That’s just wrong.
I’ll try to fix this grievous error this week, but in the meantime, if you need something sweet and pumpkiny, why not mix it up and try Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.
If I can tell you one thing, it is this: Please don’t freak out about Thanksgiving. Yes, it’s about good food and lots of it, but more importantly, it’s about family, friends, and being thankful for the many blessings in our lives.
You don’t have to cook everything in sight. You don’t have to make everything from scratch.
Make a few things, find your groove in the kitchen, and be sure to enjoy the day.
A very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from me and Mr. & Mrs. Pilgrim up there.
I am EXTREMELY thankful for YOU!
Don’t forget to make a wish!
