Happy November! We are officially 11 days out from turkey day and my excitement is through the roof! Clay and I are headed down to South Texas for the holiday and my whole family is coming to town. I haven’t seen my family in so long so my heart is swelling with happiness at the moment. I’m planning on cooking everything so I’m glad I’m testing recipes now and figuring out what is going to be the best. For the past week I’ve been preparing, prepping and cooking all the gorgeous food for the big day and it has turned out better than ever. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that unfortunately gets overlooked and doesn’t get the credit it deserves. I mean… it’s the best meal of the year! Am I right? I will always have a special place in my heart for turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Every year we have our staple recipes that never alter, but sometimes I love to switch it up and try something new! I’m not your typical traditional gal, so you can expect me to always be looking for new and improved recipes.
This year I have been cooking a good mix of some of my favorites. I’ve got a baked brie appetizer, two different types of potatoes, two veggie side dishes, a gorgeous turkey recipe, and of course the best stuffing you will ever eat in your entire life. It’s been quite the feast in my apartment the last week, and my husband is not complaining one bit! He appreciated this meal as much as me (thank goodness!). Over the next week, I’m planning on a few more thanksgiving friendly recipes which i’ll add to this post for easy access. It makes me so happy to be able to share these recipes with you!
When it comes to Thanksgiving, it’s so important to prepare.. which is why I’m going to share a bunch of my favorite tips and tricks with all of you!
- Shop ahead of time! I cannot stress this enough. The grocery stores usually stocks up on turkeys two weeks in advance, so snag one while you can! Buy anything and everything you can a week or two prior to the big day. If you grocery shop the day before, you can expect a very big crowd! Believe me, i’ve been there and done that.. it’s not fun! Stock up on canned goods, your turkey, and anything that will save good before thanksgiving. As soon as you’re a couple days out from Thursday, head back to the store and get any produce you need. I promise you’ll be much happier not stressing out over it the day before!
- Cook things the day before! If you’re planning on cooking pies, mashed potatoes or stuffing.. they can be cooked the day before and be reheated very easily the day of. If you don’t have to cook everything the day of thanksgiving, then you won’t be as stressed out. Don’t overload yourself and put too much on your plate! It’s okay to make ahead and reheat!
- Ask for help! If you’re whole family or a bunch of friends are coming to Thanksgiving at your house, ask them to bring something. That way you won’t have to make the whole meal for all your guest! I’m a freak when it comes to the kitchen and never ask for help, but thanksgiving is an acceptation. We could all use a helping hand.
- Don’t make anything you haven’t made before! This is my most important tip… if you haven’t made it before, don’t try it for the first time on thanksgiving. If you happen to screw up the potatoes or stuffing, you can expect everyone to be disappointed. Be sure to test your recipes before the big day so you don’t end up with a disaster.
- Know how many people you are serving! It’s the worst when you don’t have enough food to serve everything. Make sure you know the exact number of people you are feeding so you can buy the right size turkey. Since people love leftovers, plan on 1 lb. of turkey per person. Maybe a little bit more than that to be safe.
I would love to hear your favorite tips! Comment below on this post if you have any valuable tips to share for turkey day!
Below i’ve compiled all of my favorite thanksgiving recipes that we’ll be serving this year. I’ll link every recipe to its separate post to make it easier for you guys to find.
2. MY GRANDMOTHERS CORN BREAD STUFFING
3. GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC BUTTER, BACON BITS & TOASTED ALMONDS
4. BRUSSELS SPROUTS IN A CREAMY GRUYERE CREAM SAUCE
6. LOADED TWICE BAKED POTATO CASSEROLE
7. BAKED BRIE WITH A MAPLE PECAN RUM SAUCE
Who loves to decorate for the holidays as much as I do? I’m in the process of doing my shopping right now and am loving all the fall inspiration i’m seeing!
I’m obsessed with Anthropologie home during the holidays. They come out with the cutest tabletop decor, wall hangings, and other decor items that scream “its the holidays!”.
