Thanksgiving Made Easy: The Essentials

An immense amount of planning goes into preparing Thanksgiving. It’s the holiday focused on being grateful and of course delicious food. It’s a day to spend with family and friends-you want to enjoy it so make sure you get most of the work done beforehand. But don’t leave the look of your carefully thought out Thanksgiving menu out of the fun too. It is still possible for cooking to be easier and meals more enjoyable with functional yet lovely Thanksgiving essential pieces. Here’s my list of everything from kitchen gadgets to helpful tips you need to pull off a flawless feast.

Kitchen Gadgets You Can’t Do Without

Save time mashing your potatoes with a potato ricer, and as Chef Curtis Stone said “it makes potatoes more fluffier” 1.Williams-Sonoma Potato Ricer from Williams-Sonoma

With so many recipes, you’ll need plenty of mixing bowls, and don’t forget the stirring utensils too. 2.Glass Mixing Bowls from Williams-Sonoma

The key to getting things done right in the kitchen is with a large heavy roaster, that is pretty enough to serve with and a cast iron casserole, so invest in pieces that will last you many holidays. 3.Roaster from Williams-Sonoma. 4.Enameled Cast Iron Casserole from Martha Stewart Collection

Have a classic dinnerware set that shows off every meal beautifully, and also goes perfectly with multiple holiday looks. 5.Threshold Scalloped Dinnerware Set from Target

Place your showstopper turkey atop a pretty trivet that flows into your decor. 6.Japanese Brass Trivet

You’ll need cutting boards a plenty to prep all your meals, and even to serve small bites on. 7.Grano Cutting Boards

Have a classic and versatile sauce server that can pour gravy, fresh chutney, dressing or be filled with custard, cream or warm chocolate sauce for dessert. 8.Luna Sauce Boat from Jaime Oliver

And make sure you serve my favorite part of Thanksgiving in style. 9.Natural Stone Deep Dish Ruffled Pie Pan from Target. Gold Pie Serving Set from West Elm

There will always be leftovers, so be prepared with different sized containers that will perfectly fit tomorrow’s meals for everyone. 10.Food Storage Containers from Martha Stewart Collection

Make Ahead Time Saving Essentials

Choose Your Menu. Most people will say you’re crazy for planning your Thanksgiving menu a month before, but it’s crucial. Remember if you’re ordering a fresh turkey you need plenty of time to do so. Plus, it gives you extra time to find out about guest food restrictions, what works best for the amount of guests attending, and allows you ample time to find and prep your ingredients.

Buy Accordingly. These tips and suggestions below are great to keep on hand when determining how much food to serve the number of guests attending your Thanksgiving meal. No one wants to be left with too little or too much food for the occasion. 

Appetizers. Creating a bountiful cheese board is super simple and will please all guests. Something like this would just be delicious, and easy to put together ahead of time. Cranberry sauce is the one thing you definitely should make ahead. It can withstand the freezer and refrigerate very well, and will have more time for flavors to develop.

Dessert. Freeze disks of dough, pie plates with rolled out crust, or freeze an entire pie. Freezing the pie will actually produce a better crust, since it will have time to solidify and not become soggy once baked.

Prep and Pre-bake the Day Before. Defrost doughs, assemble and bake pies, rolls or biscuits. Peel potatoes and refrigerate in a pot of cold water. Make the vegetables and other side dishes that require baking, such as casseroles, which can be reheated the next day, or if needed, just assemble the day prior and cook right before meal.

Set the Table. Set your table the night or a few days before, so you don’t have to worry about that during precious cooking time. Lay platters and serving ware out too, so that you know what know what you’ll using once the food is ready. Make any floral arrangements, place cards, or table decor one to two weeks before {of course flowers should be assembled day prior}. If you have a few children coming to your feast create the perfect kids’ table for them to stay busy at. {image above via}