The Easiest Thanksgiving Ever

The Menu

Plan ahead so that Thanksgiving
is as enjoyable for you, the
cook, as it is for the guests.

Before the big day, experiment with recipes to familiarize yourself with preparation. Piecrusts can be rolled out and frozen weeks ahead of time. Cranberry sauce tastes better after "curing" in the refrigerator for a few days.

Herb-Butter-Roasted Turkey Surround the glorious baked bird with festive trimmings, including herbs, baby squash, Seckel pears, crab apples, quinces, and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

Pear-Pecan Stuffing Pears, pecans, and nutmeg create a festive holiday twist on old-fashioned stuffing. It's equally delicious when baked in a casserole and served as a side dish.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips The subtly sweet flavor of parsnips makes ordinary mashed potatoes exceptionally delicious.

Vegetable-Puree Gravy Scraping up the crusty, flavorful browned bits of turkey and using some of the drippings left in the roasting pan make this wine-flavored concoction extra delicious.

Glazed Carrots with Pistachios Toasting the pistachios brings out an irresistible nutty flavor in this fast and festive side dish.

Cranberry Sauce with Lime and Ginger The perfect accompaniment to the holiday bird, this maple-syrup-sweetened sauce cooks in less than 15 minutes and can be made several days before the feast.

Brandied Pumpkin Pie We've added a little brandy for a tasty variation on classic pumpkin pie. Topped with whipping cream and ginger, it's the perfect finale to your Thanksgiving feast.