Can you believe we are just 10 days away from Thanksgiving Eve?!?! The day before Thanksgiving is my busiest cooking night of the year. I absolutely LOVE cooking for this holiday and I’m excited to share my favorite Thanksgiving Kitchen Essentials & Menu Inspiration with you!
I distinctly remember being intimidated to cook my first turkey.
I mean….it’s kind of a big deal, seeing as though it’s the focal point of Thanksgiving dinner. I remember worrying that my first turkey would look like the one from Christmas Vacation (that Eddie’s wife cooked). I was so worried l would do something wrong and ruin the meal. So, I was quite motivated to do a little research on methods to ensure a perfect turkey. I’m happy to report my first (and ALL subsequent turkeys) have been delicious and beyond juicy.
I’ve put together a collection of my favorite food essentials and kitchen gadgets I use to help me prepare my meal. There’s nothing worse than spending HOURS in the kitchen only to have the meal be…well….meh!
Ok…enough chit chat from me. Let’s get down to business since we only have a few days and you need to get cracking on this! Without further delay….here are my favorite Thanksgiving Kitchen Essentials & Menu Inspiration!
Menu
Thanksgiving 2017
*APPETIZERS*
Goat Cheese with Apple Cider Jam and Assorted Meats and Crackers
* FIRST COURSE *
Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Prosciutto
Pear Salad with Blue Cheese, Walnuts and Pomegranate
* MAIN COURSE *
Brined Roast Turkey with Cranberry Port Chutney
Sausage, Chestnut and Mushroom Dressing
* DESSERT *
Pecan Pumpkin Butter Pie with Butterscotch Cream
Classic Apple Pie a la mode
My Thanksgiving menu is almost always solely inspired by Williams Sonoma. I’ve been using their recipes to craft my Thanksgiving menu for as long as I can remember. I would get SO excited to go to the store and pick up the free Thanksgiving recipe booklet they published every fall. I have every one dating back to 2009. I was bummed when they switched to the online format…it just wasn’t the same. (I’m a little old school sometimes…still prefer printed recipes and cookbooks!)
Every fall, I look forward to a quiet weekend morning with a cup of coffee and my old recipe booklets to figure out my turkey day meal. I’m certainly not a chef BUT, I’m great at following a recipe and love to make food pretty! These recipes aren’t overly complicated and the flavors are amazing!! Here are a few food items I purchase directly from Williams Sonoma to make my cooking job just a bit easier!!
Kitchen Essentials
Every Thanksgiving I add a new kitchen gadget (or two) to my collection to help me cook. If there’s one item that I would tag as my absolute MUST HAVE…it would be the Dual-Probe Roasting Thermometer. I always cook my turkey with a digital thermometer that stays connected to the turkey the entire time it’s in the oven. I never have any surprises and I know exactly what’s happening with my turkey at all times. This is the best investment I’ve made to ensure a perfect turkey!
Second fav would be the brine bags. Taking the time to brine the turkey for 36 hours before roasting it is always worth it. The first year I brined my turkey, I remember freaking out because there were no drippings in the pan to baste with…I was positive the turkey was going to be awful and dry. When we cut into that turkey it EXPLODED with juices! I may have screamed from relief!! Hands down, this is my favorite way to prepare my turkey. I follow the recipe linked above and use the digital thermometer…and it makes for perfect, delicious turkey every time!
My favorite baking essential is the Emile Henry pie dish. The beautiful ruffle on the edge of the pie helps you make a beautiful pie (even if you don’t have “baking skills”!) The curve of the pie plate does all the work!
Below you will find these items a few more favorites linked.
I’m getting so excited to prepare my turkey day meal! Not sure what I like better…the meal that day OR the leftovers we have until Sunday!!! Hope this helps you brainstorm some fun menu ideas!
To learn more about my Thanksgiving holiday and how I styled my dining room table be sure to visit my Grateful Gatherings Home Tour.
Happy Thanksgiving Fancy Friends!
