Every year, I like to plan my Thanksgiving menu with delicious dishes I can make ahead. Here’s the schedule I’m planning to follow — you can take what you want and also add your own!

Monday: My Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions & Sage can be made and refrigerated up to a week in advance. There are more important things to think about on Thanksgiving than worrying about a lumpy gravy! I’ll also use Monday to start dry-brining my Make-Ahead Roast Turkey.

Tuesday: There are always so many apple, pecan, and pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving so I decided to make Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel this year. The flan can be prepared and refrigerated in the pan for up to three days. I’ll turn it out on Thursday, and it’s a great Thanksgiving dessert because I don’t have to reheat it!

Wednesday: I’ll assemble my Leek & Artichoke Bread Pudding and Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes. Both can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days, then baked before serving on Thursday. On Wednesday, I’ll also remove the plastic wrap from my dry-brined turkey and leave it uncovered in the fridge.

Thursday: Now all that’s left to do on Thanksgiving is to roast the turkey and make one more side! I hate carving a turkey at the last minute. I discovered that I can roast the turkey early, carve it an hour before people arrive, and arrange the pieces on an ovenproof serving platter on top of a puddle of gravy. Then, I just put the platter in the oven 30 minutes before serving to reheat the turkey. And since the oven will be full, I think I’ll make Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts on the stovetop.

It’s a few steps, but how much easier is that??

Cookbooks & Links

Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Onions & Sage - Make It Ahead, page 103.
Make-Ahead Roast Turkey - Make It Ahead, page 101.
Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel - Cooking for Jeffrey, page 201.
Leek & Artichoke Bread Pudding - Make It Ahead, page 178.
Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes - Make It Ahead, page 157.
Sautéed Shredded Brussels Sprouts - Cooking for Jeffrey, page 160.