Cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner is a LOT, especially if you're doing it yourself. So maybe these Thanksgiving hacks can help you save time:
1. Don't peel your potatoes. Boil them with the skin on. Then put them straight into an ice bath. The skins will slide right off. (Here's video)
2. Don't make a whole turkey. A turkey breast is faster and easier to make. One feeds up to four people, and two feeds up to eight. This is great if you're not having a ton of people over.
3. Preheat your roasting pans. Leave them in the oven while you're preheating it, and things will cook faster. It's especially good for roasting vegetables.
4. Make gravy in a blender. Instead of stirring and simmering, you can thicken it and get all the lumps out with a blender. Google "gravy blender recipe."
5. Make Your Vegetable Side Dishes a Day (or More) Ahead. Do a quick search for freezer-friendly, make-ahead Thanksgiving side dishes. Or check this list for some options. You’ll save yourself several hours in the kitchen on the big day by preparing and freezing your side dishes before the holiday.
6. Use store-bought ingredients to your advantage. For example, most people expect green bean casserole to be made with cream of mushroom soup. So making the sauce from scratch probably isn't worth it. And do your guests actually WANT homemade cranberry sauce? Or would they be happier with a can of the goopy jelly stuff?
7. Serve Dinner Buffet Style: Instead of spending the first half of your Thanksgiving dinner serving the meal, go buffet style and make it self serve. This way everyone can sit down to eat at about the same time and enjoying the meal and the company.
You're welcome - and happy Thanksgiving!
