Thanksgiving dinner takes me three days to make. I don’t remember if it’s always been this way, but here we are. Apparently, I’m running a small catering operation with one employee.
I like to have just about everything made in advance—the mashed potatoes, the pies, the cranberry sauce. The only things I want to cook on Thanksgiving Day are the turkey and gravy. That’s the plan, anyway.
Which brings me to appetizers. After three days of cooking, I want my people hungry when they sit down. But I also want something for them to nibble on when they arrive.
A Little Something Before Dinner
I make two appetizers for Thanksgiving. Two. That’s it.
The trick, at least for me, is putting out a modest amount. A small platter of brie bites. A little bowl of pecans. Just enough to say, “I’m glad you’re here.”
Cranberry Brie Bites
These little bites have three ingredients: puff pastry, brie, and cranberry sauce.
I use Trader Joe’s all-butter puff pastry and make them in mini muffin tins. The pastry forms a little cup around the brie, with cranberry sauce on top. Buttery pastry, creamy cheese, and that tart cranberry flavor—all in a few bites.
Cranberry Sauce with Orange & Cointreau
I’ve been making this cranberry sauce for years. The original recipe calls for walnuts, but I usually leave those out and add a splash of Cointreau instead. By splash, I mean 1–2 tablespoons.
The Cointreau is optional. Customary at my house, but optional.
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
A splash of Cointreau (1–2 tablespoons), optional
1 medium orange, peeled, seeded, and diced
¾ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, optional—I usually skip them
Instructions
Combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, orange zest, and Cointreau, if using, in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries are tender and the sauce thickens, about 12 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the diced orange. If you’re including walnuts, add them now, too.
Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
Make ahead: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. One Thanksgiving assignment finished before the turkey even makes an appearance.
Maple Vanilla Candied Pecans
A small bowl of maple vanilla candied pecans rounds out the menu.
They bring a little sweetness and crunch alongside the cranberry brie bites, and making them ahead takes one more job off Thanksgiving Day.
I serve some in a little bowl for snacking and tuck a few into pretty jars for guests to take home. They’re perfect to munch on while my brother Gregory explains why using ChatGPT to make his football pool picks isn’t cheating.
Now, About the Table…
Here’s the truth about my Thanksgiving table: I buy good paper plates. The good ones. I have standards—and a fairly substantial serving of mashed potatoes to support.
Every year, I buy a new set of linen napkins, then pull out the crystal wine glasses. Paper plates and crystal? Absolutely. They get along beautifully at my house.
I have my mom’s china from the 1940s, and I love having it. I just don’t want to use it. It looks lovely in the china cabinet, where nobody has to hand-wash it or explain what happened to the gravy boat.
My Thanksgiving table inspiration—with a little future dining-room makeover mixed in.
Know Your People
Both my sister Linda and my brother Gregory love pumpkin pie. Ew. Who are these people?
I spend two days making my fabulous apple pie, and they still opt for pumpkin. I’m trying not to take it personally. As you can see, it’s going well.
Fortunately, Gregory says Costco makes the best pumpkin pie he’s ever had.
Done.
Know your people. Buy their pumpkin pie. Save your energy for those who appreciate a proper apple pie.
Helpful Extras
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A mini muffin tin, a small serving platter, jars for the pecans, and linen napkins cover a lot of ground here.
One Last Thing
Put out a little food. Set a table you like. Let your people help.
Something will probably run late. My self-imposed rule is no cocktail until the cooking is done—which, somehow, always means right before I put the rolls in the oven.
You can see the flaw in this system.
This year, Johnny B is in charge of the rolls. If they arrive at the table golden instead of my customary well-done, please direct your compliments to him. Credit where credit is due.
By then, I’ve made my peace with whatever happens. Pass the gravy.
And if Martha stops by, hand her an oven mitt. We have a position open.
From the Nest
Recipes, Arizona living, and entertaining with a little mischief—delivered from my nest to yours.
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Three days of cooking deserves hungry guests. A little before-dinner inspiration, my orange cranberry sauce with an optional splash of Cointreau, and a Thanksgiving table where paper plates meet crystal.