thanksgiving

Tips for First-Time Thanksgiving Hosts

Holidays, Lifestyle

If this is your first time hosting Thanksgiving, I know it can be very intimidating!

How much food should I serve? How do you make sure all the food is ready at the same time? How long do I have to cook the turkey?

That’s just a small sample of the many questions that come with playing hostess for the nation’s biggest meal of the year!

If you’re looking for guidance on how to make Thanksgiving easier and less stress-free, I have pulled together my 6 top tips for hosting!

Tip #1 – Create a timeline and master to-do list

Make Thanksgiving Day a breeze with a little extra organization and preparation. I like to make a master dinner prep timeline that includes what I should be doing 2 weeks leading up to Thanksgiving Day, along with a master shopping list. You can see my 2-week Thanksgiving dinner prep timeline here.

Tip #2 – Make as much food in advance as possible

In my opinion, the worst way for a hostess to spend Thanksgiving is spending the entire day in the kitchen without the opportunity to mingle with her guests. The solution? Make as much food in advance as possible! I like to make most of my dishes the day before Thanksgiving, but most casseroles can be frozen two weeks in advance! On Thanksgiving Day, all I have left is the turkey, a fresh salad, fresh vegetables and rolls. If you need inspiration for great dishes to make ahead of Thanksgiving, check out this list of my favorite casserole recipes.

Below are my favorite casserole dishes for Thanksgiving and anytime of year!

Le Creuset Stonewear Pumpkin Covered Baker

Le Creuset Heritage Rectangular Covered Casserole

Tip #3 – Prep your table early

A week or two before Thanksgiving, check to make sure you have enough chairs, that your table linens are laundered and confirm that you have all the serving dishes you want to use. Growing up, we had a formal dining room in our home, and my mom would set the Thanksgiving table weeks in advance. Not only did it look beautiful in a space we rarely used, she didn’t have to scramble right before dinner to get the knives and forks on the table. My current home does not have a formal dining room, so I set the table immediately after breakfast on Thanksgiving Day.

Here are some simple tips I learned from Emily Post Institute to remember how to do a formal place setting:

  • Who’s bread plate is that? Holding your hands in front of you, touch the tips of your thumbs to the tips of your forefingers to make a lowercase ‘b’ with your left hand and a lowercase ‘d’ with your right hand. This reminds you that “bread and butter” go to the left of the place setting and “drinks” go on the right.
  • Picture the word “FORKS”. The order, left to right, is: F for Fork, O for the Plate (the shape!), K for Knives and S for Spoons. (Okay, you have to forget the R, but you get the idea!)
Informal Place Setting from Emily Post Institute

Tip #4 – Don’t turn down help!

If someone offers to help with the Thanksgiving meal, allow them! Appetizers, salads, side dishes and desserts are great to delegate to willing guests. Sometimes, all they have to do is swing by a gourmet grocer to pick up a ready-made dessert or side. I especially love Bristol Farms for desserts, because they have such a high-quality selection and everything is made with the best ingredients! Currently, they have a seasonal Maple Pecan Bundt Cake that is absolutely delicious and perfect for Thanksgiving. If you’re a guest at someone else’s Thanksgiving, I highly recommend offering to pick one of these up to bring to your host!

Tip #5 – Have a drink station ready-to-go!

Create a drink station for guests to serve themselves while you’re getting dinner prepared. If dinner is late, no one will care with a drink in hand! For wine, I love serving bottles with a story. My favorite for this Thanksgiving is Thorne Wine, as its my friend’s and neighbor’s family’s wine. The 2019 Pinot Noir is the perfect Thanksgiving dinner pairing. This vintage is the kind that will please a wide range of palates with notes full of juicy blueberry, blackberry and plum with hints of juniper and white pepper. If you’re more of a white wine lover, I recommend trying Thorne’s 2020 Chardonnay, which is full and rich with yellow apple, pineapple and lemon zest notes on entry with vanilla, clove and cream accents. Both wines are available at thornewine.com and can be at your Southern Californian home in time for Thanksgiving if you order by November 19, 2023.

Thorne 2019 Pinot Noir

If you’re into cocktails, try Bristol Farms seasonal mixers, which are made in-house daily at the Fresh Juice Bar. For Thanksgiving, the Winter Rosemary Grapefruit Mixer (great with gin) and Citrus Dragon Fruit Mixer (nice with tequila) are perfect options to impress your guests!

I also always have a pitcher of water and glasses available at our drink station, so our guests don’t have to go hunt down their own water.

Cocktail bar of my dreams | Photo by David Tsay

Tip #6 – It’s okay to do store-bought

Look, hosting Thanksgiving can be a lot, and no one will blame you for outsourcing a few (or all!) of your dishes — especially if they taste great! When choosing where to purchase premade meals, Bristol Farms is a top choice to trust because the chain is known for its excellent quality in SoCal for over 40 years. Their meat department only serves the freshest, highest quality meats, which is hugely important when the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey. However, they do offer vegan and vegetarian options, as well! Bristol Farms is offering a wide selection of premade, read-to-heat and eat dishes, like Cornbread Stuffing, Butternut Squash Risotto and Cranberry Relish. And, don’t forget the Roasted Mary’s Turkey, of course! It’s free-range, antibiotic free, simply seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and fresh thyme, and slow roasted for full-flavored tenderness. Make sure you order your Bristol Farms Thanksgiving dinner orders by Tuesday, November 21, 2023 in time for pickup or delivery before Thanksgiving.

Bristol Farms Ready-to-Heat Thanksgiving Dinner

Now, here’s the most important tip: Relax and have fun with the people you love!

What other tips do you recommend for first-time Thanksgiving hosts? Let me know in the comments below!

I hope you’ll connect with me on Instagram and TikTok for more lifestyle tips and party hosting ideas!

XO Maggie

Best Thanksgiving Casseroles

Cooking, Holidays

It’s Thanksgiving prep time, and I’m whipping up my favorite dishes in advance so that I don’t have to scramble the day of Thanksgiving to get the big feast on the table. As the host, I want to enjoy the day with my guests instead of spending all my time in the kitchen.

Enter the casseroles… Would it even be Thanksgiving without casseroles?! I love that you an make casseroles ahead of time, so Thanksgiving day can be a bit more enjoyable.

I grew up in the South, and the Southern women I knew growing up loved a casserole. I specifically remember one ginormous Thanksgiving I went to where everyone was asked to bring a dish and almost every single dish was a casserole except the turkey. Seriously, I’ve never seen so many casseroles! Green bean, corn souffle, au gratin potato, sweet potato, macaroni, broccoli and cheese, 10 different versions of dressing… it was a sight!

Now, I understand that some people despise casseroles. I mean, I get it. If you grew up eating casseroles at potluck dinners in the South, there is a strong chance that you’ve had some yucky casseroles! But, as someone who loves cooking for the selfish reason of wanting to eat tasty food, I have made it a priority to make my Thanksgiving casserole recipes yummy!

The best part about Thanksgiving casseroles? Most of them can be made and frozen weeks before the holiday to help eliminate cooking on the actual T-Day. Simply take them out of the freezer the night before to thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven.

If you’re looking for a tried and true Thanksgiving side dish, I’ve shared a list of my favorite casseroles below!

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole

This was my favorite Thanksgiving side growing up, and I’m certain that’s because it tasted more like dessert than a vegetable. I’ve never been a fan of adding marshmallows to the sweet potato casserole, though. That’s just too dessert-like. This dish from Food Network is simple to make and a perfect accompaniment to your holiday meal. Find the full recipe here.

The Best Sweet Potato Casserole from Food Network

Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole

When I was a kid, my mother taught me that Southern Living ALWAYS has the best recipes. So far, she’s been right. I’ve yet to try a recipe from the premier southern magazine that hasn’t been delicious. Just like this Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole. I grew up only eating green bean casserole at Thanksgiving but have taken to loving brussels sprouts in my adult years, so I love that this recipe combines them. Plus, every dish with bacon is better! This recipe calls for frozen green beans, but I like to use fresh. Find this full recipe here.

PHOTO: VICTOR PROTASIO; PROP STYLING: GINNY BRANCH STELLING; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL

Cornbread, Chorizo, Cherry and Pecan Stuffing

When I first hosted Thanksgiving a decade ago, I was really interested in impressing my guests with some stellar sides. My foodie co-worker recommended this cherry-chorizo stuffing recipe to me, and it did not disappoint! I’ve always preferred cornbread stuffing, and the pecans are reminiscent of the dressing I ate growing up. Get the full recipe from Bon Appetit here.

Cornbread, Chorizo, Cherry and Pecan Stuffing

Mashed Potato Casserole

I have a confession… I don’t really love mashed potatoes! I’ve always found them to be a bit bland. A loaded baked potato with bacon, butter and cheese, though? Heck yes! That’s why I love this Mashed Potato Casserole — its a combination of mashed potatoes and a loaded baked potato in one! So creamy and so delicious! Get the full recipe from House of Yumm here.

Mashed Potato Casserole from House of Yumm

There you have it, folks! These are the Thanksgiving casseroles I swear by and the ones our family enjoys each year.

Let me know in the comments below which of these you’d like to try! Connect with me on Instagram and TikTok for more easy recipes and family-friendly holiday ideas.

XO Maggie

The Ultimate Timeline for Planning Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Holidays, Lifestyle

The nation’s biggest meal is upon us! If you are playing host(ess) this Thanksgiving, I’m delighted to share this 2-week dinner prep timeline to help you manage your time and stress leading up to the holiday. No one wants to be frazzled and rushed on Thanksgiving Day! As the person who is sacrificing their time, their home, their kitchen, their money and their sanity to host such a monumental meal, you deserve to mingle with your guests, have a glass of wine… heck, you even deserve to take some time to sit down and rest!

How gorgeous is this outdoor Thanksgiving tablescape? Stole this inspo from andeelayne.com.

You’re probably wondering what makes me qualified to share this Thanksgiving dinner prep timeline. As I’m writing this post, I’m preparing to host my 9th Thanksgiving in California. While I’m probably not as experienced as your granny who’s been making Thanksgiving for decades, I feel like I’ve learned all the rights and wrongs of how to prep for the “big feast” over the last 9 years with minimal help. You see, while I host 6-12 family members for Thanksgiving every year, I don’t actually have any family that lives close by to help prepare dinner (all of our relatives live in Texas). Other than my mother lending me a hand in the kitchen the day of Thanksgiving, there’s rarely any other assistance or delegation for the meal. My family is usually staying in hotels, so unless they pick up something from a restaurant or grocery store, no one is bringing appetizers and side dishes to contribute. And, to be honest, that’s okay with me. There’s no old auntie who insists on bringing her infamous green jello salad (thank god), so I have full liberty to craft our family’s Thanksgiving to my liking. Wow, that makes me sound like a control freak, which I promise I’m not — or am I?! No, what its really about is that I’m delighted to GIVE this meal to my family for Thanksgiving. What an honor it is to have so many family members travel thousands of miles to spend Thanksgiving with us. My husband and I are both the babies of our families, and it’s our way to thank our parents and older siblings for everything they’ve done for us over the years and thank them for making the trip to be with us on this holiday.

Our simple 2021 Thanksgiving tablescape. Rather than making our table busy with decor, I wanted to guests to enjoy each other and the view!
Our 2014 Thanksgiving tablescape. We hosted 8 adults and 1 baby in our small condo. Now, we have 6 children in our family!

Below, you’ll find my 2-week Thanksgiving timeline with suggestions for food, drink and table preparations. This is the timeline I follow every year for a nearly seamless Thanksgiving Day where I can actually relax, sit on our balcony and chat with with my family and sip sangria while taking in our home’s beautiful SoCal mountain views.

If you’d like to learn from some of my past Thanksgiving hosting mistakes (or just have a good laugh!) scroll to the bottom of this post where I share three “Turkey Day Dinner Blunders.”

Ultimate Thanksgiving Dinner Prep Timeline:

2 Weeks Before

  • Plan out your table – Pull out your serving ware, dishes, table linens and décor you plan to use for Thanksgiving dinner. Make sure you have enough chairs for everyone.
  • Take inventory of kitchen tools – Is your food processor still missing that one blade? Do you know where your turkey baster is? Is it time to upgrade your mixer? Now is the time to locate and update your cooking gadgets, especially if you haven’t seen them in a while.
  • Plan your dinner and make your shopping list – List everything you plan to serve. Make note of the spices and ingredients you already have on hand and make a list of what you need to purchase.

Weekend Before

  • Buy your turkey and non-perishable food products and drinks – If your turkey is frozen, put it in the refrigerator to thaw. Stock up on your canned beans and vegetables, dried seasonings, nuts, seeds and beverages.
  • If you’re planning to make casseroles and desserts ahead of time and freeze them, make them now – For less stress on the day of Thanksgiving, desserts, dressing and casseroles, like sweet potato casserole, corn casserole and macaroni and cheese, can often be frozen then reheated in the oven.

3 Days Before

  • Shop for perishable food products – This is when you purchase your produce and dairy so it’s fresh for cooking the big meal

Day Before

  • Move frozen casseroles and dessert to fridge – If you made and froze your casseroles and dessert ahead of time, this is now the time to start letting them thaw.
  • Make remaining casseroles and dressing – If you didn’t already make your casseroles and freeze them, make them now and keep in the refrigerator until one hour before dinner.
  • Prep for remaining dishes and sides – Chop vegetables, make yeast rolls recipe to rise overnight, try to do as much as possible to make your holiday easier, and make a list of when everything should go in the oven tomorrow to be ready at the same time.

Thanksgiving Morning

  • Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and start prep – Let your turkey sit for 2 hours at room temperature before roasting. Plan on 13 minutes of roasting time for every pound or 15 minutes per pound if stuffed. You can view my Thanksgiving Turkey recipe here.
  • Set the table and arrange any centerpieces.
  • Get wine chilling and get your cocktail/drink station ready.

3-4 Hours Before Dinner

  • Assemble appetizers and remaining side dishes – Get as much completed as possible. You can always reheat dishes the hour before dinner.

2 Hours Before Dinner

  • Turn on music – Before guests arrive, set the mood for your party with music. Town & Country created a great Thanksgiving music playlist if you need inspiration.
  • Set out appetizers – The focus of the day is Thanksgiving dinner, so don’t stress about this too much. Some simple cheeses, crackers, fancy nuts and a fruit bowl is perfect. I also love the ease of premade snacks from my grocer’s freezer section and premade cheeseboards and dips from the deli section.
  • Set out drinks – Have your chilled wine and signature cocktail (if you’re making) easily accessible to guests. If dinner’s late, they won’t care if they have a drink in hand and some simple snacks! My guests have always enjoyed this Thanksgiving Sangria. I also fill a large pitcher with ice water and sliced lemons.
  • Let casseroles come to room temperature.

1 Hour Before Dinner

  • Take turkey out of oven – You turkey needs to rest 30 minutes to 1 hour before carving.
  • Reheat casseroles – Adjust oven temperature to

30 Minutes Before Dinner

  • Carve the turkey.
  • Assemble salad if making.

15 Minutes Before Dinner

  • Set out food – Take everything out of the oven and set on your dinner table or buffet table.
  • Light candles if using.
My 2022 roasted turkey was beautiful! My secrets for the best-ever juicy turkey include (1) cooking the bird breast side down for the majority of the roasting, (2) seasoning with Williams Sonoma turkey seasoning paste and (3) topping with Williams Sonoma turkey roasting glaze the 30 minutes of roasting.

Turkey Day Dinner Blunders

As promised, here are some of the silly mistakes that I’ve made when hosting Thanksgiving. Learn what not to do from my past blunders!

But it ain’t got wing: My first year hosting, I was intimidated to make a turkey, so I bought a premade smoked turkey from a local BBQ joint thinking that my barbecue-loving Texan relatives would get a kick out of it! I ordered a 12 lb. turkey to feed 8 adults. Well, when I went to pick up the turkey on Thanksgiving Day, they gave me a turkey that was 9 lb. because they “ran out” of the larger turkeys. I had no other choice so last minute, so I took the smaller turkey. Not only did we not have enough meat to happily feed everyone, the turkey was missing a wing… so it was ugly! I’m thankful to my mom and sister-in-law for offering to only have a “taste” of turkey that year. Lesson learned: If you’re going to order a premade turkey, make sure its from a reputable seller who guarantees the size of the turkey you ordered! This was my first time ordering from the restaurant and found them on an internet search. There wasn’t many restaurant reviews, so I should have taken it as a sign to order something else from them to test before Thanksgiving or at least be a bit skeptical!

When more is a bore: My second year hosting, our house was being renovated, so we rented a condo in Newport Beach to host everyone. Because I had a 3-month-old baby and wasn’t stoked about cooking a large meal in a kitchen I was unfamiliar with, I ordered a premade Thanksgiving dinner from a local grocery store. I was scarred from not having enough turkey the year before, so I over-ordered. I justified spending the extra money with that we’d be able to eat leftovers for a few days and I wouldn’t have to cook (I was an exhausted first-time mom and business owner at the time!). Not only did we have way too much food — think three 9×13 baking dishes of mashed potatoes — the food was TERRIBLE! The stuffing was so bland. I kept adding butter and seasoning trying to spruce it up. The salad was so boring with only iceburg lettuce, diced tomatoes and mini croutons. The turkey was so dry that I was dipping it in BBQ sauce. It was the saddest waste to dump multiple containers of uneaten food in the trash. We considered trying to donate it, but couldn’t figure out all the logistics in time. Lesson learned: Don’t overdo it on food. Again, if you order premade anything, make sure its reputable with good reviews — it’s even better if a friend who’s tried it recommends it!

Don’t dispose-ALL: One year, I was doing a lot of prep work the day before Thanksgiving. As I was cutting and chopping all of the vegetables that I would use in the stuffing, green bean casserole, and sweet potato casserole, I put all of the veggie waste in our sink’s disposal. I grew up in a house where we put everything in the disposal (banana peels, rotten bunches of lettuce, egg shells… seriously, everything!) in an effort to not stink up the trash, and I didn’t realize that this is not normal behavior until I started living with someone else. Sure enough, I clogged our sink, and boy did it STINK! Every time I turned on the disposal, smelly toxic green-brown sludge came spewing from the drain! It took us the evening and half of Thanksgiving Day to fix, so I was so delayed in prepping my meal without access to the kitchen sink. Needless to say, my Mr. Fix-It (A.K.A. my husband) was not very pleased. And, I hated feeling rushed to make all our dinner the day of Thanksgiving. Lesson learned: Not everything needs to go in the disposal. Also, have a handyman on-call who can come help fix any last-minute house repairs before guests arrive. It seems something in our house always breaks right before we host guests!

Now that I’m looking back, these Thanksgiving mishaps are hilarious! And, I realize that this is what Thanksgiving is about… It’s about the effort. It’s about wanting to create a meal that’s meaningful for your family. It’s not going to be perfect, but you’re going to learn a lot. I also believe that hosting Thanksgiving and the mistakes that can come with it is almost like a rite of passage. I watched my mother host Thanksgiving so many times, and while most of my memories are of how it appeared as though she effortlessly perfected an elaborate meal, I also remember her burning rolls, undercooking the turkey, forgetting to thaw the dessert and other funny little blunders. If you’re not able to execute your perfect Thanksgiving meal as you envisioned, brush it off. From my Thanksgiving missteps examples, I hope you can rest easy knowing you’re not the only one. And, you have 365 to try again (haha!).

Thanksgiving tablescape inspo! I dream of hosting an outdoor Thanksgiving like this one day! Image is from kpetersondesign.com.

Please let me know if this timeline is helpful and if you have any questions in the comments below. Connect with me on Instagram and TikTok for easy recipes, party ideas and tips to simplify your life!

XO Maggie

Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

Cooking, Holidays

I’ll never forget the year I slaved over creating a gourmet Thanksgiving feast for my family and my 2-year-old son only ate a crescent roll. The audacity! Didn’t he know that I had been Pinning recipes for weeks, woke up at the crack of dawn to properly season and dress the turkey, and my cherry chorizo stuffing is the best ever?! Of course not — he was only 2!

Despite being a bit miffed at my son’s lack of interest in our Turkey Day meal, it made me rethink how I should prepare Thanksgiving moving forward. I realized he had no idea the amount of preparation that went into Thanksgiving. He didn’t yet know the traditional foods. How could I expect him to love green bean casserole when he doesn’t even like regular green beans? Right then and there, I decided I would involve my children in preparing our Thanksgiving meal next year, and I’d introduce more kid-friendly recipes!

Below are six kid-friendly Thanksgiving recipes that the whole family will love! These recipes give kids confidence in the kitchen and encourage picky eaters to enjoy their Thanksgiving meal. These delicious recipes are so easy that both kids and parents have stress-free fun in the kitchen, plus they have the joy of indulging in their scrumptious Thanksgiving meal together.

Be sure to scroll to the end for additional Thanksgiving meal preparation tips!

6 Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes The Whole Family Will Love:

Veggie Turkey Plate with Healthy Veggie Dip

The best way to get my kids to eat veggies is to introduce them first and make it fun! A veggie plate appetizer shaped like a turkey is sure to get your kids interested! Arrange cucumbers, carrots and celery for the turkey feathers and use bell peppers to create turkey wings and face. I like to pair veggies with my favorite Healthy Veggie Dip, which is so easy to make! Go to Favorite Family Recipes for tips on how to create the veggie turkey here.

Make Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes

What kid doesn’t love mashed potatoes? Make this elevated version of mashed potatoes using Cacique Oaxaca Cheese, Crema Mexicana, Pork Chorizo and bacon for a side dish that the whole family will love! Cacique brand makes my favorite hispanic foods, including their high-quality, authentic Oaxaca Cheese which has a mellow, earthy flavor with a superior melt. It’s the perfect cheese to add a special spark to your favorite dishes like classic mashed potatoes. My children love helping sprinkle the shredded Cacique Oaxaca Cheese as the final touch on the casserole, and my 4-year-old is great at mashing potatoes! Another thing that’s fabulous about this mashed potatoes recipe is that you can assemble it the day before Thanksgiving, then pop it in the oven for 30 minutes when you’re ready to serve. This makes the day easier to enjoy relaxing and visiting with family instead of stressing out in the kitchen. For more information about Cacique, including mouth-watering recipes made with authentic ingredients, head to www.CaciqueFoods.com. You can find this Make Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes recipe here.

Stuffins

Stuffins = stuffing muffins!! My kids always love making muffins with me, so why not make stuffing muffins! These are easy for little hands to eat and perfect for dipping in gravy or topping with mashed potatoes. I also love that stuffing in muffin form makes sending home leftovers easier. Just pop one of these in a to-go bag! Now you can eat one of everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving side dishes on-the-go! These stuffins are sure to be a big hit with the whole family! Find the full recipe from Forkly here.

Cranberry Crescent Rolls

This is the easiest recipe that combines two traditional Thanksgiving sides – Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and cranberry sauce! Simply add a spoonful of cranberry sauce to your crescent roll dough and roll up as usual. Your kids will love helping you assemble these Cranberry Crescent Rolls! Our family always looks forward to a night when we serve Pillsbury Crescent Rolls with dinner, and the cranberry sauce makes this dish feel more festive. You can even serve these as an appetizer! Find the full recipe from Beauty From Imperfection blog here.

Healthier Pumpkin Pie

I have two priorities when cooking for my family: make it easy and make it healthy-ish. I’m not a dictator about removing sugar from our house, but I do try to cut back where ever I can. That’s why I love Truvia Sweet Complete Monk Fruit Sweetener to replace sugar in baking. It’s a 1:1 replacement, so no additional measuring when following your favorite recipes for cookies, cakes, brownies and pies. Speaking of pie, Libby’s Famous Pumpkin Pie recipe is our go-to because, well, it’s easy as pie! My children help combine and stir the ingredients in a big bowl, then I pour it the filling into a pie crust and place in the oven. Voila! Traditional pumpkin pie without all the sugar!

Turkey Handprint Cookies

How adorable are these handprint cookies? Trace your child’s hand on card stock and cut out the handprint. Use it as a stencil as you cut handprint cookies out of sugar cookie dough. Your children will love decorating the turkey feathers with colorful chocolate covered sunflower seeds. These cookies are perfect to give to our dinner guests! Set them at each place setting for a thoughtful take-home treat! I got the idea for these Turkey Handprint Cookies from Stephanie over at Somewhat Simple. Find the full recipe here.

My Thanksgiving Meal Prep Tips:

Use the best cookware! As someone who loves to cook, I’ve learned that the quality of your cookware makes a huge difference! Le Creuset has been my favorite cookware brand for years because of its superior quality, versatility, and its beautiful! Their dishes are crafted from the fineest quality stoneware to ensure excellent heat distribution for uniform browning and even cooking with no hot spots. The dishes are finished with a beautiful glaze that is virtually nonstick for easy cleanup. This Thanksgiving, I’m using the Heritage Rectangular Casserole to make the Make Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes, but the dish also is perfect for making comforting casseroles, marinating meats, broiling fish and more. I love that it comes with a stoneware lid that locks in moisture and heat while baking and makes it easy to transport and serve dishes at a holiday buffet or potluck. For my pumpkin pie, I’m using Le Creuset’s Pumpkin Casserole to create a perfectly even-cooked pie, plus its so festive with its pumpkin shaped lid! My favorite Le Creuset glaze color meringue, and you’ll be happy to know the glaze is non-porous, non-reactive, scratch-resistant, and resists stains and flavor absorption! Le Creuset really is the best with its unmatched thermal resistance for temperatures ranging from -9°F to 500°F, and it’s safe for the freezer, over, microwavem broiler, dishwasher and metal utensils. These are dishes that you will use and treasure for a lifetime! Check out all their fabulous products at http://www.lecreuset.com.

My favorite Le Creuset cookware

Cook the day before Thanksgiving. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving Day to make your meal or else you’ll be miserable trying to balance cooking and entertaining guests. I always make my stuffing, potatoes and dessert a day or two before Thanksgiving, and save the vegetables and turkey for the actual holiday.

Enlist help! If you can get a guest to bring a dish, do it! I usually have family visiting from out-of-state for our Thanksgiving, so it can be challenging to ask them to bring a dish when they can’t cook in their hotel rooms. However, I solicit them to bring easy items, like wine or a pre-made appetizer or dessert from a gourmet grocer like Bristol Farms.

Set your table the night before. One less thing to do on Thanksgiving Day! The worst is when all the food is ready and you’re rushing to get the table settings out. I like to do a full tablescape with florals, poppers, formal napkins and china. It makes for a beautiful space for guests to take photos throughout the day, too!

What are your best recipes and tips for hosting Thanksgiving? Let me know in the comments below! For more recipe ideas, parenting and lifestyle tips, follow me on Instagram and TikTok!

XO Maggie

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