I love the concept of Thanksgiving. When I lived in California, I really embraced the holiday. And this time last year I was lucky to be adopted by an American family living in Barcelona which renewed my love for the big family get together.
I mean taking the time to get together with your loved ones and give thanks for the joy of our family and friends, thrown in with a big feast.
What’s not to love about that?
But the sad truth is, Thanksgiving tends to be an incredibly stressful time for home cooks.
I still remember my first time cooking a whole turkey for my family. At the time I thought of myself as a pretty competent cook. But when it came down to it, the whole turkey thing terrified me.
I found myself stressing out and snapping at people, rather than enjoying the day. Not a good look.
With some help from my mum, the turkey ended up being edible but I learnt a very important lesson.
Cooking a big dinner is hard work and there’s a lot of pressure so it pays to be super prepared.
How to keep Thanksgiving stress out of your kitchen.
recognize the difference between family stress and cooking stress
It’s a fact of life that all families have their abnormalities. I remember thinking I was super philosophical when I came to the conclusion that there’s no such thing as a normal family. Now don’t worry, you haven’t signed up for a self improvement class. We are going to focus on cooking.
It’s important to remember that not all kitchen stress is about avoiding burns, and getting the timing right.
remember the rule about too many chefs
It can be hard for some people to let go, but if you’re in charge of the meal, make sure everyone knows their place. And if you’re not, be respectful of the ‘chef’ on the day.
delegate
People want to help. So make the most of their offers and you’ll have company and things done in record time.
plan
I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to think through your menu plan to avoid potential issues and stress. Invest in some time upfront to save you pain in the future. Think through how the whole meal will look on the table and on your plate. Then think through the cooking requirements for each dish and plan what can happen when.
be realistic about your talents and equipment
We can place a lot of unnecessary stress on ourselves. For most people it’s more important to spend quality time with loved ones rather than eating a 5 star meal.
allow enough time
I find when I cook, things always take longer than anticipated. Best to allow way more time than you think you’ll need. I’ve been there – stuck in the kitchen, still not in my party outfit, trying to get things done while everyone is enjoying themselves – it’s no fun.
How to plan a wonderful Thanksgiving menu with just the right amount of dishes.
don’t be afraid to under cater
I think the reason we tend to go over the top is a general fear of not having enough, or not being good enough. So we overcompensate with way too many dishes. My strategy to combat this is to always have a heap of excellent quality bread on hand. That way I can be positive that no one will go hungry, and use that knowledge to keep my menu and quantities on the lower side. Bread is great because it’s easy to freeze any leftovers and it compliments most dishes.
plan a simple menu
Less is more in so many ways. Not only does a simple menu mean there will be less types of food, it also means less for the cook to juggle, making it easier to cook the dishes you are serving to perfection.
skip the starter
If you must serve a starter, go for something super simple and small like a bowl of perfectly marinated olive or some excellent quality bread and extra virgin olive oil. With such a massive main course and dessert on the way, it’s best to save your guests appetites for the main event.
keep the sides simple
It can be tempting to keep adding to your side dishes but this is where things can quickly get out of control. I’d aim for one starchy side, like potatoes and something green, like a simple perfectly dressed green salad or some fresh green beans.
don’t plan for leftovers
It’s a natural human tendency to over cater. Trust that there will naturally be leftovers and skip the urge to increase your shopping list.
don’t serve multiple desserts
I love my sweet treats as much as the next girl, but I’ve noticed whenever I have people over for dinner and serve more than one dessert, everyone always overeats. It’s never as satisfying as enjoying a small portion of one perfectly cooked pie.
15 simple 5 ingredients holidays recipes – 3 simple menus
Please take these menus as a suggestion and feel free to mix them up to suit your family.
If you have special dietary requirements, please still explore all of the recipes, even if the title doesn’t sound like it would be a match for you. Mostly there is a way to adapt the recipe to suit your situation.
ham menu
dukkah with olive oil & bread
amazing glazed ham
potato gratin
green bean salad
chocolate pecan ‘pie’
I highly recommend the ham menu if you’re a bit nervous about cooking large hunks of meat. While it’s not as traditional as turkey, glazing a ham is practically fool proof. But the real reason to go for a ham is that it’s super delicious. I can’t tell you how often I’ve been surprised by how excited people get by a well glazed ham. Expect lots of compliments. Lots.
This menu is also nice and straight forward in terms of planning. The pecan pie is better after a night in the fridge, so find some time to make in advance. The dukkah only takes minutes so it can fit in wherever you have some spare time. The ham takes about an hour and a half. It’s great served straight out of the oven or after a rest for an hour or more, so you have a lot of flexibility if there’s an emergency.
Likewise, the potato gratin can be baked at the same time as the ham on the shelf below OR you could cook it ahead and then just reheat it for about 20 minutes in the oven before serving. And the green bean salad can be made whenever you have time. Just cook the beans and refresh under cold running water then toss them in the dressing and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve with their dill and almonds.
turkey menu
holiday marinated olives
roast turkey – orange & thyme
classic dressing with macadamia & sage
5 ingredient cranberry sauce
mashed potatoes
brown rice salad
pumpkin cheesecake
If only a turkey will do, this is the menu for you. I highly recommend forgetting about the risky practice of stuffing a turkey and coming over to the enlightened dressing side. Gravy is something I can do without – there’s enough things to do to get the turkey carved and on the table without worrying about lumpy brown stuff. The solution? Make a cranberry sauce with chicken stock and dried cranberries and have it all ready to serve. Then toss in some of the turkey pan juices, bring to a simmer and you have a wonderful sweet sauce that compliments your bird.
vegetarian menu
roast, stuffed portabello mushrooms
classic dressing with macadamia & sage
5 ingredient cranberry sauce
quinoa & broccolini salad
5 ingredient apple crisp
I’ve always believed that the stuffing or dressing is the best part of the turkey, so with this vegetarian menu we have the best of both worlds. The mushrooms can either be integrated to cater for vegetarians, or if you’re lucky enough for the whole family to be united veggies they can be the star of the show. The quinoa & broccolini salad serves both as some refreshing greens but also another all important source of veggie protein.
How to organize your cooking so that everything is ready and at the right temperature at the right time.
Each recipe has a ‘prepare ahead’ section which can help with planning your time. Usually the bottle neck with cooking for large groups is oven space, so plan around your oven. For those of you happy to follow one of the menus above, here’s how I would organise my time:
ham menu
This menu is also nice and straight forward in terms of planning. The pecan pie is better after a night in the fridge, so find some time to make in advance. The dukkah only takes minutes so it can fit in wherever you have some spare time. The ham takes about an hour and a half. It’s great served straight out of the oven or after a rest for an hour or more, so you have a lot of flexibility if there’s an emergency.
Likewise, the potato gratin can be baked at the same time as the ham on the shelf below OR you could cook it ahead and then just reheat it for about 20 minutes in the oven before serving. And the green bean salad can be made whenever you have time. Just cook the beans and refresh under cold running water then toss them in the dressing and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve with their dill and almonds.
turkey menu
Cooking the turkey is the critical path for planning this menu and everything else is designed to fit in and around the big bird. My favourite turkey cooking method is to cook it straight from frozen. It’s safe and saves any need to clog up your fridge for days with a defrosting turkey. Which means you can get the cheesecake done before the big day and safely stored in the fridge.
Prepare the dressing and have it all ready to go in your baking dish, then when the turkey is cooked, drizzle the pan juices over your dressing and get it cooking while the turkey rests for at least 1/2 hour. Too easy.
Gravy is something I can do without – there’s enough things to do to get the turkey carved and on the table without worrying about lumpy brown stuff. The solution? Make a cranberry sauce with chicken stock and dried cranberries and have it all ready to serve. Then toss in some of the turkey pan juices, bring to a simmer and you have a wonderful sweet sauce that compliments your bird.
With the turkey and dressing pretty much monopolising your oven, the smart choice for potatoes is to serve a wonderfully creamy mash. This can be prepared ahead – cook the potatoes, drain and return to the pan to keep warm until you’re ready for action. Then heat up the milk, mash the spuds into the hot milk and stir over a low heat while the butter melts in and you have perfect fluffy mash.
Brown rice salad add some much needed green freshness. It may not be traditional, but the wonderful flavours of mint and parsley are just the thing to brighten up a winter menu. Add in the bonus that it’s great made even a day ahead and stored in the fridge, and we’re talking win-win,
vegetarian menu
The mushrooms can be baked at the same time as the dressing. When they’re both done, cover and keep warm in a low oven (100C / 200F) until you’re ready to serve. And while all that is happening you can make the broccolini and quinoa salad with almonds (for some extra veggie protein) and have it in the fridge when you’re ready to serve.
The apple crisp can be assembled when you have a spare few minutes, then just pop it in the oven to turn into warming appley magic while you enjoy the main course.
The best way to serve and present your creations.
serve family style
For me, the only way to serve and present is to pop everything in the middle of the table so that everyone can help themselves. It keeps things more informal and I love the camaraderie of passing the potatoes in amongst the general conversation. I also think that food looks better all together on a large platter than on individually served plates.
I used to shy away from serving ‘family’ style because I wanted to make sure each persons plate looked beautiful, but I’ve learned to let go. And I’m a much more relaxed host as a result.
If there are more than 6 or 7 people, I tend to divide each side dish into 2 and serve a platter at each end. But for the main events, I make space in the middle of the table. If you’re nervous about carving in front of a crowd, either delegate or do most of it in advance in the kitchen then finish off at the table.
set the table first
To keep things simple, I set the table with the plates at each place. When there are a lot of people to consider, this makes it easier to make sure you have enough plates and for everyone to find their own space.
designate a wine master
You’ve got enough official duties with the food. Nominating a wine master means you don’t have to worry about what to open next or if everyone’s glasses are kept topped up.
appoint a dj
Another easy job to outsource. With the added bonus that it can be so fascinating what people dig up from your itunes.
How to carve like a pro.
There are 3 secrets to carving like a pro:
1. a sharp knife is critical.
2. always cut away from your body and hands
3. practice makes perfect.
But this is one skill that’s best explained by watching.
Tips for using up leftovers.
Each individual recipe has a leftover potential section. But I though’t I’d share a few general tips.
share the load
The other night I was faced with a mountain of ham that would have taken me months to get through. So rather than hunker down for weeks of ham sandwiches, I got my mate Toby to carve practically the whole ham and we wrapped individual ‘doggy bags’ for everyone to take home. Happy guests and happy host.
turkey
Pretty much anywhere you’d use chicken or pork, you can substitute in turkey. My first choice is a turkey & cranberry sauce sandwich. So good. But I’ve also recently become a fan of a turkey and brown rice salad if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers of both.
ham
My ham sandwich of choice is grilled with cheese. But I find ham to be wonderfully versatile. Pretty much anywhere you’d use bacon or pork, ham will make for an excellent substitute.
How to cater for different dietary requirements including vegetarians or people with food allergies.
Again, this comes back to planning. Each recipe has suggestions for alternatives for people with allergies and different dietary requirements. Every situation is different but with the exception of a vegetarian ham or turkey or a diary-free cheesecake, most recipes can be adapted to suit.
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