» Meet 
Been so busy this year that you haven't gotten around to planning your Thanksgiving feast yet? Afraid that the supermarket shelves have been cleaned out of all their holiday foods? Can you hear the clock ticking? Panicked yet? Relax. You can create a delicious and memorable holiday meal "at the last minute" in less time than you may think. Simply scale down, shop smart, and be creative.
First, don't worry about cooking the whole bird. You may feel obligated in order to impress guests, but at this point you just don't have time. Simply buy a bone-in turkey breast instead. There are usually more of those left in stores after the whole frozen turkeys have been sold out. It will cut cooking time and still fill your kitchen with the aroma you (and guests) crave. Before baking the breast, put some fresh or dried herbs (try sage, rosemary, and/or thyme) under the skin for more flavor.
To accompany the meat, make my very easy cornbread dressing with apples and sausage (from my first cookbook Back to the Table -- see below). Save even more steps by using Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage and pre-made corn muffins from your grocer's bakery department.
Another incredible time-saving tip: Make a beautiful salad instead of lots of side dishes. I promise you, one impressive salad will satisfy your guests well enough. One of my favorite salads is simply a combination of Bibb lettuce, diced pears, crumbled blue cheese, and candied pecan halves. Toss it all with some bottled (saving more time) dressing -- and you've got a hit!
And if you're afraid that you're still sacrificing too much tradition with all of this last-minute, time-saving strategy, add a quick cranberry relish to the table. (You know everyone expects it!) Don't worry, it's easy. Simply add one bag of fresh cranberries and one cup of cranberry juice to a pot and bring to a boil. Then, stir in one can of cranberry sauce. Remove from heat, pour into a dish, and refrigerate until chilled. (A bit more elegant than "sauce" in a can shape sitting in a bowl.)
Don't forget the bread! Since time is of the essence, disguise ordinary packaged dinner rolls by brushing them with a melted herb butter made with some dried rosemary and thyme before baking per package directions.
Since no holiday dinner would be complete without desserts, take the opportunity to graciously accept desserts from guests if they are kind enough to offer. Otherwise, save time by not making any from scratch; buy some pies instead.
I recommend serving all of this buffet-style, as I do with most of my parties. It's relaxed and comfortable, and your guests can help themselves to as much as they want.
Remember, it may be the "last minute," but your guests don't have to know it.
Cornbread Dressing with Turkey Sausage and Apples
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. turkey sausage links, casings removed
2 large onions, chopped
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 tbsp. poultry seasoning
1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
8 cups of baked cornbread
4 cups cubed (1-inch cubes) stale white sandwich bread
3 cups chicken broth, heated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with oil.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet, add the turkey sausage, and cook, breaking up the meat with the side of a spoon, until it loses its pink color, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat. In batches, if necessary, add the onions, apples, and celery and cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the poultry seasoning, sage, and thyme. Mix with the sausage in the bowl.
Add the cornbread and bread cubes and mix well. Gradually add enough of the broth to moisten the dressing; it should not be soggy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread evenly in the baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. (The dressing can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead and refrigerated.)
Bake until the dressing is heated through, about 30 minutes (about 45 minutes if the dressing has been chilled). If you like a crusty top, remove the foil halfway through baking. Serve hot.
12 Comments
LEAVE YOUR COMMENT
You must sign in to leave a comment