How to Host a From-Scratch Thanksgiving Dinner

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the thought of hosting Thanksgiving Dinner, I’ve got you covered with from-scratch recipes and a make-ahead timeline!

I don’t know about you, but I usually prefer just about anything if it’s made from scratch. You can taste the care the goes into it for sure.

Of course there are some things that can’t quite be beat (like Stovetop dressing), but most dishes are simply more delicious if you make them from scratch.

It DOES takes extra time and effort to cook your feast without the aide of modern convenience foods. But with a little planning and prep it’s totally doable. Especially if you delegate some of the dishes to other family members.

Here are some recipes and a timeline to help you host a from-scratch Thanksgiving!

Cooking the Turkey:

I have to admit, cooking a Turkey is not my area of expertise. So here are some posts from fellow bloggers to help you roast a succulent bird:

How to Cook a Pastured Turkey from Prairie Homestead (pictured above)

Other helpful posts: Perfect Slow Roasted Turkey from Nourished Kitchen | How to Cook a Pastured Turkey from Mommypotamus | Pastured Turkey Cooking Tips from The Radical Homemaker | How to Carve a Turkey from Pioneer Woman Food and Friends

NOTE: According to the USDA, you can thaw a turkey in the refrigerator or in cold water.

If you prefer chicken to turkey (of you just don’t feel like cooking a whole bird this year), make sure to check out my Thanksgiving Chicken Breast recipe! It’s a great alternative.

Thanksgiving Side Dishes from Scratch:

Green Bean Casserole From Scratch.

If any of your casserole recipes call for cream of mushroom soup, you can Make Your Own!

Homemade Stuffing/Dressing from Scratch. This is so good. Add some wild rice for a Minnesota flair. You could even use my Sourdough Sandwich Bread to make it!

Or, if you’d like to be a little more fancy, you can make my Cranberry and Sourdough Stuffing. This is perfect for if you’re asked to bring the stuffing to a Thanksgiving gathering.

If you want to boost your protein intake, you could make my Chicken Wild Rice Stuffing Casserole.

If any of your recipes call for chicken broth, you can easily make your own in a slow-cooker or Instant Pot! You can also use the exact same method to make turkey broth with the leftover turkey carcas.

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole from Kristine’s Kitchen. Make sure to use Soaked Pecans on top!

If you’re craving a salad to accompany the big meal, this Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad would be perfect.

Bread and Rolls Recipes:

Sourdough Pull Apart Rolls – so soft, fluffy, and flavorful!

Another really lovely option is to make Pumpkin Sourdough Dinner Rolls! You can either use a whole can of pumpkin puree, or just a cup!

Einkorn Yeast Rolls from Everyday Dishes (I would use unrefined sugar).

Condiments:

Homemade Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

How to Make Turkey Gravy from Pioneer Woman Food and Friends
Also, THESE are my favorite black olives for the price, and THESE are my favorite dill pickles.

Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes:

Let’s start with the basics: Sourdough Pie Crust! It’s flaky and has a wonderful hint of tang.

How to Make a Pie Crust from Scratch from Live Simply – in case you don’t own a sourdough starter.

For the yummiest pumpkin pie ever, Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree! You can also make the Sweetened Condensed Milk from scratch!

If you prefer a less-sweet pie, make sure to check out my Low Sugar Pumpkin Pie Recipe!

If you prefer not for fuss with pie crusts, you can make this Baked Pumpkin Custard or Pumpkin Pie Pudding instead.

Apple Pie with Einkorn Crust from Savor the Best. Again, I would use unrefined sugar.

If you don’t want to deal with making a crust, you could simply make by Baked Cinnamon Apples and serve with ice cream.

This Einkorn Pear Custard Pie is another pie-crust-free option, and it’s SUPER easy.

Or this Cranberry Clafoutis. Great for using up leftover cranberry sauce!

Breakfast or Brunch:

If you want to start the celebration at breakfast or brunch, my Pumpkin French Toast or Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal would be great choices!

A couple of other great options would be my Apple French Toast Casserole, or Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles.

Festive Drinks:

Thanksgiving Dinner Make Ahead Timeline:

Here’s a timeline to help you with your prep planning:
 
The Week Before:

• Make the Cranberry Sauce.
• Make any chicken broth you may need.
• Make the bread cubes for the dressing.
• Make sourdough pull apart rolls or yeast rolls and freeze. OR make the dough up and freeze if you want fresh rolls on the big day.
• Make sourdough pie crust or regular pie crust and freeze.
• Make pumpkin puree.
• Make the gravy.

5 Days Before:

• Make the Green Bean Casserole base (don’t top with onions or bake until the day of)
• Take turkey out of the freezer. The rule of thumb is that is takes 24 hours to defrost in the fridge for every 4 pounds of turkey. So a 12 pound bird would take 3 days to thaw. Read more on The Kitchn HERE. Allow one extra day if you plan on brining your turkey.
• Make any cream of mushroom soup you might need for side dishes.
• Make sweetened condensed milk for pumpkin pie.

3 Days Before:

• Chop up the veggies for any side dishes.
• Sauté veggies for dressing.

The Day Before:

• Place thawed turkey in brine if using.
• Bake any pies.
• Peel and chop potatoes for mashed potatoes and place in a pot covered in water in the fridge.
• Remove sourdough or yeast rolls from freezer (or defrost dough in fridge in the evening).
• Make the Mac & Cheese.
• Set the table.
• Place any condiments in serving dishes, cover and refrigerate.

The Day Of:

• (3 1/2 hours before) Make sweet potato casserole in slow cooker.
• (2 1/2-5 hours before, depending on size of bird) Roast turkey.
• (1 1/2 hours before) Form bread dough into buns (if you didn’t pre-bake the yeast rolls).
• (1 hour before) Take butter out of fridge to soften for rolls.
• (50 minutes before) Assemble dressing and bake.
• (45 minutes before) Start cooking mashed potatoes.
• (35 minutes before) Roast Brussels sprouts.
• (20 minutes before) Sprinkle green bean casserole base with onions and bake.
• (10-15 minutes before) Place buns in oven to warm, or dough in oven to bake.
• (10 minutes before) Re-heat gravy.
• (10 minutes before) Re-heat mac & cheese.

So there you have it. Your guide to a from-scratch Thanksgiving.

And if one of your family members cooks a super processed dish that you like, unless you have food allergies/sensitivities, go ahead and enjoy it and thank them for it! Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff.

xoxo
Erica

NOTE: Some links are affiliate. All opinions are my own. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission. This has zero impact on the price you pay, and it helps to keep Buttered Side Up running. Thank you so much!

This post was originally published on November 18, 2016 at 7:00 AM.