If you have “side dish stress� at Thanksgiving it may help to know that you are not alone. One of the biggest challenges of Thanksgiving just may be getting all those little casseroles and accompaniments to the table at the right temperature and on time. With a large menu and usually limited cooking space this can be a struggle as chef/hosts work to bring all the food to the table at the same time. The stress of the logistics may lead you to want to give up and pare down your menu. But before you give up and resign yourself to just eating turkey this Thanksgiving here are some Thanksgiving side dish tips to make sure they work out-
• Organize Your Cooking Space-It is crucial that you think about all of the cooking methods available in your home and plan your side dishes accordingly. Planning extensive side dishes when your cook top/oven and kitchen space are very limited will just give you more stress to worry about. Make sure your menu is doable.
• Don’t wait until the day before-Experts recommend that at least three days before Thanksgiving you write down a list of the side dishes you plan to make and consider which cooking method you will use to prepare each one: oven, stovetop or microwave. Then you must decide if the side dishes must be cooked right before the meal or if they can be made a day in advance and reheated. It may not seem important but you should also think about a place for the turkey when it comes out of the oven. Many people put the cooked turkey on their stovetop to “restâ€? before carving, only to have to move it again when they realize they have to cook on the stovetop. While you are still three days away from Thanksgiving it can be helpful to make a sixty minute countdown cooking plan. This plan will let you know what items will need to be cooked right before dinner and help eliminate that last-minute chaotic rushing around. A plan of action only works if you can easily follow it. Take the time to write it down!
• Know what works-You can dream of the most delicious side dishes for your Thanksgiving meal but if you do not have the right cooking tools, space and cooking method to complete the dish you may end up frustrated with a bunch of ingredients you can’t put together. Following is a list of the best success side dishes along with their cooking and reheating methods:
Oven:
•Stuffing in a casserole dish for a crispy top
•Marshmallow or streusel-topped sweet potatoes
•Vegetable bakes or casseroles that require a browned topping
•Bread or rolls
Stovetop:
•Sauteed veggies
•Gravy
Microwave:
•Cooked mashed sweet potatoes without toppings
•Cooked plain mashed potatoes
•Hot cranberry relish or sauce
• Prep some foods in advance-There are some side dishes and components of side dishes that you can do in advance of the big day. For example: You can mash the sweet potatoes one day in advance and then reheat before dinner adding delicate toppings that need browning like marshmallows or streusel. Just be sure that you cover the dishes or wrap them in plastic to keep them fresh. You can also put food in microwave-safe containers that you can simply pull out of the refrigerator, reheat when ready, and pour into serving dishes.
• Prep your serving pieces in advance-Simply take out all of the empty pots, pans, casserole, and microwave-safe dishes and the cooking utensils that you plan to use and label them. Also you should consider taking out serving dishes and utensils as well. This way you can visually inspect all of your needed equipment and serving pieces and know that you are either ready to go or missing some vital pieces.
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