Getting the Thanksgiving meal cooked and on the table isn’t for the weak of heart. There’s a lot to do if you’re hosting a holiday meal.
We consulted several cooking sites, TikTok, and cookbooks for these quick Thanksgiving Day hacks that should help take some of the stress out of the day.
🦃 The Cooking Channel had some nifty tips. Running out of burners on the stove? Keep dishes warm by stashing them in a slow cooker. Set the device on low to hold mashed potatoes and gravy until you’re ready to serve them. The Food Network also suggests keeping gravy warm in Thermos before transferring it to a gravy boat.
🦃 If you don’t have a fat separator, The Cooking Channel says to pour all your drippings into a heatproof cup or bowl. Then, put the cup or bowl in the freezer for a few minutes. As it cools, the fat will solidify on top, and you can scoop it off with a spoon.
🦃 Don’t have a heavy pan to roast the turkey? Sliding a baking sheet under a disposable foil pan is another thrifty Cooking Channel suggestion. The sheet will bolster the bottom and make the flimsy pan much easier to move in and out of the oven.
🦃 A teaspoon of baking powder will make mashed potatoes “fluffy and fabulous,” according to TikTok’s Jason of Easy Recipe & Hacks. “Before you mash, he says, add the baking powder. The leavening agent will make them “super fluffy.”
🦃 Don’t want to hand out your dishes to guests who want to take home leftovers? Use disposable muffin tins with lids. Guests can take a little bit of everything for individual servings.
🦃 Did you forget to make or buy a pumpkin pie? Here’s a super-fast dessert with two ingredients and almost no work, according to Brook at mealsandmunchies on TikTok. On Thanksgiving Day, go to the store and buy a can of cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing, such as Pillsbury rolls, and a can of pure pumpkin puree. Spray a baking pan with vegetable oil. Cut up the cinnamon rolls into bite-size pieces. Place in a pan and add a can of pure pumpkin. Spread it all around. Bake the mixture at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Stir it after 15 minutes. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the top with some cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. While it’s cooling, microwave the icing for 10 seconds. Drizzle it on top.
🦃 Is the gravy too lumpy or salty? TikTok says you can make an easy gravy with a 10-ounce can of cream of chicken soup. Add it to a saucepan and add 1 or more cups of water. Whisk well. If it’s too thick, add more water. Let it come to a simmer. Taste for salt and pepper or add some chicken bouillon.
🦃 Using recipes from your smartphone while cooking is hardly convenient. Instead, print out recipes and tape them at eye level onto the kitchen cabinets. Throw the paper away when you are finished cooking.
🦃 Want crispy turkey skin? Before roasting, pat dry the entire bird with a paper towel. Then rub it with butter or oil. This step will ensure the skin is brown and crispy.
🦃 Don’t feel like basting the turkey? (Some experts say there’s no real point to basting turkey since all it does is lower the oven temperature). But if you’re unconvinced, try making a compound herb butter. Mix 1 or 2 sticks of softened butter and mash it with a fork in a bowl with salt, pepper, minced garlic, and finely chopped fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Spread it under the turkey’s skin before roasting to keep the meat juicy.
Contact Patricia Talorico at [email protected] or 302-324-2861 and follow her on X (Twitter) @pattytalorico Sign up for her Delaware Eats newsletter.
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