Be thankful for slow cookers and crescent roll dough.
Christine ByrnePublished on November 20, 2014
1. Coat your turkey with butter before you cook it instead of brining or marinating. Macey Foronda / BuzzFeed
No brining means no need to clear out your entire fridge for two days before Thanksgiving in order to fit a five-gallon cooler in there. The butter will keep your meat moist and add flavor. Just remember to thaw your turkey a few days in advance.
Recipe: Easiest Thanksgiving Turkey and Gravy
2. Use crescent roll dough to make tiny apple pies. 3. Cook mashed potatoes in a slow cooker... 4. ...then use an electric mixer to mash them! Macey Foronda / BuzzFeed
Because mashing takes a lot of time and a lot of forearm strength.
Recipe: Easy Whipped Potatoes
5. If you make a root vegetable mash instead of mashed potatoes, you can puree it in a blender. 6. Or, if you're willing to break from tradition, roasted potatoes are way easier than mashed. 7. Cook baby carrots instead of whole carrots so that you don't have to peel or cut them. 8. Bake a soft cheese in its wooden box for an easy appetizer that looks fancy. 10. Use frozen hash browns to make your potato casserole . 11. Cook sweet potatoes in the microwave, then peel and mash them. 12. Swap the green bean casserole for easy stovetop green beans. 13. Bake a semi-homemade pie with premade pie dough and homemade filling. Macey Foronda / BuzzFeed
Using store-bought crust means all you have to do is unroll it into a pie dish, then mix your filling ingredients together and pour them in. No waiting for the dough to "come together," no flour-coated countertops!
Recipe: Easy Pumpkin Pie
14. Add cheese and nuts to a simple green salad for lots of added flavor and minimal added prep. julieblanner.com
"Easy salad" doesn't have to by synonymous with "lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a bowl with bottles of store-bought dressing on the side." Easy salad can actually taste like something (preferably nuts and cheese).
Recipe: Irresistably Easy Salad
15. Make a quick, sweet appetizer with cream cheese, caramel sauce, and toffee pieces. 16. Cook squash with the skin on so that you don't have to waste time peeling it. jellytoastblog.com
The skin will add color, and lots of people like to eat it. Leave the squash in big pieces too. This will save you time, but it'll also make it easier for skin-averse guests to peel it off.
Recipe: Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
17. If you're cooking for fewer than 5 people, don't bother with a whole bird. butterwithasideofbread.com
Just the breast will be enough. Cooking it in a slow cooker will keep it moist and save you valuable oven space. Recipe here .
18. Dress up frozen dinner rolls with garlic and cheese to make them more special. 19. Use prepackaged bread cubes for stuffing instead of slicing your own.
20. Make a 3-ingredient green bean casserole with canned soup, canned green beans, and boxed fried onions. 21. Ditch pie and make a pumpkin icebox cake instead. Still worried about cooking for Thanksgiving? Click here for step-by-step instructions on exactly how to cook a simple Thanksgiving dinner. buzzfeed.com
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FAQs
25 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
01 of 25. Artichoke Hearts Gratin. ... 02 of 25. Roasted Pumpkin Soup. ... 03 of 25. Roasted Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Crostini. ... 04 of 25. Apple Pie Shot. ... 05 of 25. Citrus Turkey Brine. ... 06 of 25. Bacon-Wrapped Pork Medallions. ... 07 of 25. Tangy Honey-Glazed Ham. ... 08 of 25.
How do you simplify Thanksgiving dinner? ›
These tips, tricks and timesavers can be a Thanksgiving host's saving grace.
Pick the menu early. Don't leave menu planning and shopping to the last minute. ... Brine your bird. ... Start prep work a few days before Thanksgiving. ... Serve batched co*cktails. ... Create simple centerpieces.
What is the most easiest thing to cook? ›
Easy staples of mine:
Eggs - scrambled and over easy. spaghetti with meat sauce (brown meat and add a jar of sauce) hamburgers on the grill. tacos (hamburger meat and seasoning packet) Bake a chicken breast with seasoning and microwave a bag of frozen veggies for side.
What is your least favorite Thanksgiving dish? ›
Green Bean Casserole won as the least liked Thanksgiving Side Dish in the poll, and since a large portion of the surveyed audience was over 60 years old, we concluded that there was no love lost between the two.
What are the 12 most popular Thanksgiving dishes? ›
Scroll through to take a look at our most popular Thanksgiving recipes.
01 of 24. Perfect Turkey. ... 02 of 24. Roasted Brussels Sprouts. ... 03 of 24. Cranberry Sauce. ... 04 of 24. Homemade Mac and Cheese. ... 05 of 24. Sweet Potato Pie. ... 06 of 24. Granny Kat's Pumpkin Roll. ... 07 of 24. Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. ... 08 of 24. Cream Corn Like No Other.
What is the most popular side dish for Thanksgiving? ›
Mashed potatoes are a traditional Thanksgiving side dish for a reason, and we definitely look forward to serving up this delicious dish every November.
What is the short simple Thanksgiving dinner prayer? ›
Our Father in Heaven We give thanks for this food prepared by loving hands. We give thanks for life, the freedom to enjoy it all, and all other blessings. As we partake of this food, we pray for health and strength to carry on and try to live as You would have us. This we ask in the name of Christ, Our Heavenly Father.
What can I cook in 5 minutes? ›
25 healthy recipes you can cook in 5 minutes or less
Pea and broad bean couscous. Fast home-made baked beans. Porridge. Pasta with cherry tomatoes and rocket. Home-made hummus. Smashed avocado and wilted spinach. Cucumber (or potato) raitha. Quick pitta pizzas.
What can I cook in less than 30 minutes? ›
Our Best 30-Minute Recipes
Chili and Cheese Pockets. Easy Beef Stew in Biscuit Cups. 2-Ingredient Chicken and Dumplings. Biscuit Hamburgers. Garlic Cheddar Biscuit Turkey Club. Cheesy Chicken-Bacon Ranch Crescent Rolls for Two. Cheesy Southwest Chicken Crescent Rolls for Two. Crispy Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Crescent Rolls.
What are the three least liked Thanksgiving foods? ›
Cranberry sauce took first place with 31 percent, followed by sweet potatoes or yams with 29 percent and green beans casserole a close third place with 28 percent. Although the main course on Thanksgiving is turkey - that doesn't mean everyone might be happy about it.
Cornish game hen, goose, duck, ham, beef, salmon, and mushroom recipes make worthy centerpieces for holiday meals.
What do other cultures celebrate instead of Thanksgiving? ›
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland . Fall back a few months, and you'll land on Erntedankfest—a similar concept to American Thanksgiving celebrated by rural communities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The "rural festival of thanks" is usually held in late September or on the first Sunday of October.
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving without? ›
Being Alone on Thanksgiving Doesn't Have to Be Miserable
At-home spa day. For once you have a whole day free. ... Volunteer. It's a classic for a reason. ... Do a deep clean. ... Cook something special. ... Hang out with some strangers. ... A movie marathon. ... A long walk (or run, or hike) ... Say “yes” to pity invites.
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