Lynne's fresh do-ahead Thanksgiving feast

November, 2005

Serves 16 to 18

In response to a listener's frantic e-mail about how to get the Thanksgiving turkey and all the side dishes onto the table at the same time (with one oven and four burners), Lynne came to the rescue with advice and a do-ahead feast.

Take a deep breath and strategize a fresh approach. Forget any recipe ending with "serve immediately." Anything requiring concentration (cooking a vegetable just right, arranging a casserole, etc.) has to be a recipe you can do ahead. The last minutes should be given to making gravy, reheating, and carving - more than enough tasks for anyone.

This game plan pivots on the turkey, which occupies the oven for hours. But since turkey should rest 30 to 45 minutes before carving, you'll have 45 minutes of oven time for reheating.

To make vegetarian eaters (and the rest of us) happy, lay on lots of veggie choices, with each one either reheatable or eaten at room temperature. Use shallow oven-to-table dishes for fast heat absorption and have the oven at 350° to 400°F.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fresh Basil-Orange Roast Turkey
(Do seasoning blend two days ahead)

Pan Gravy
(Do after turkey comes out of oven)

Your Own Favorite Cranberry Sauce
(Do four to five days ahead)

Herman's Fantastic Cornbread Stuffing
(Do all but adding cornbread three days ahead. Add cornbread just before stuffing turkey)

Simplest of All Green Beans
(Boil while turkey roasts, serve at room temperature)

Cauliflower Garlic "Mashed Potatoes"
(Do three days ahead, reheat in oven)

Oven-Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Autumn Fruits
(Do one day ahead, reheat in casserole)

Baked Yams
(Bake in their skins with turkey until soft)

Apple Cake with Crackly Meringue
(Do up to two days ahead)

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