Written out, our Thanksgiving menu always looks like so little. But it has fed 8 adults and a couple of kids with plenty left over, and nobody has ever left our table hungry. These are the classics my family still asks for every single year: simple, mostly make-ahead, and all from scratch.
Here’s the whole menu, with links to every recipe.
Thanksgiving morning
- Bread Machine Cinnamon Rolls, made the night before and baked in the morning
The main event
- Turkey, soaked 24 hours in The Best Brine Ever and roasted like Mom makes it
- Pan gravy made from the drippings and giblet broth
- Homemade Dressing, baked in a casserole dish, not the bird (or try my copycat stuffing mix)
- Cranberry or Currant Relish
The simple sides
- Sugared carrots, fresh green beans, sweet potatoes, cream cheese corn and buttered Brussels sprouts
- A fresh salad. Throw in a few edible flowers (borage or rose petals) to make it special.
- Sweet Dinner Rolls, with honey butter if you’re feeling fancy
Just desserts
- Super Simple, Killer Pumpkin Pie and New York Style Cheesecake, both baked the day before
The day after
- Turkey noodle soup from the carcass
- Turkey Tetrazzini
How much turkey?
Plan on about 1 to 1½ pounds of whole turkey per person. I always go big. If we don’t have at least three days of leftovers, it just doesn’t feel like Thanksgiving.
Ready to put it all together? My Thanksgiving Game Plan walks you through what to make when, from four weeks out to the minute dinner hits the table.
Planning the whole feast? Find every recipe, my week-by-week countdown and the free printable Thanksgiving checklist on the No Ordinary Thanksgiving page.
