Every couple of years, it's our turn to host my husband's giant family Thanksgiving celebration. These great make-ahead dishes are fantastic for both hosting and traveling. Brown butter bourbon spice cookies, cider mashed sweet potatoes, wild rice for stuffing, blistered green beans and sheet pan roasted brussels sprouts and butternut squash can all be prepped in advance for an enjoyable holiday.
Brown Butter Bourbon Spice Cookies |
Even with two ovens in the house, a large Dacor range oven and a smaller GE microwave-convection oven, there is usually intense competition for oven space on Thanksgiving Day. Given that the large oven will be occupied by a 22 pound turkey, while the smaller oven roasts an 8 pound turkey breast, it's helpful to make sure the other dishes are either stove-top dishes or those that can be at least partially made in advance. These same dishes are easy to reheat, assemble or finish while the turkey rests and the gravy is made. That makes them great for potluck gatherings as well!
After selecting the dishes to be made, the first step is lining them up by baking temperatures. The recipes are prepped and prepared, starting with the lowest oven temperature. While the oven is preheating to the next temperature, other dishes can be prepped, with some stovetop or Instant pot recipes thrown in the middle.
Maple-Cinnamon Glazed Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts |
Dry-Fried Szechuan Style Green Beans |