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“Best of Thanksgiving: Recipes and Inspiration for a Festive Holiday Meal” by Williams-Sonoma Article By Paige McKay White
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ne of the biggest food-centered holidays of the year is upon us, and it is finally time to start thinking about what to prepare for this year’s Thanksgiving feast. Whether you’re hosting a dinner for the whole family or attending a smaller gathering, Williams-Sonoma's Best of Thanksgiving cookbook is full of all kinds of appetizers, main courses, sides and desserts for the perfect Turkey Day feast. Before diving into the recipe portion of this cookbook, Best of Thanksgiving opens up with tips for setting the scene for a successful dinner and timeline tips for staying on track with preparation, which is helpful to any rookie or seasoned chef. Once you gather your thoughts and begin to plan your Thanksgiving Day menu, kick things off with a pre-dinner cocktail like a Maple-Bourbon Smash, Sparkling Apple Punch or Pomegranate Gin Fizz. Along with drinks, snack on appetizers from this chapter like Shrimp Bisque, Mushroom Turnovers and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans. A staple to any Thanksgiving table is stuffing, and this book is full of all kinds of variations of the classic dish. In the “Stuffings & Breads” chapter, find recipes like Spicy Cornbread Stuffing, Oyster and Mushroom Stuffing, Focaccia Stuffing with Chestnuts, Bacon and Apples, Cheddar Chive Biscuits and Sweet Potato Biscuits with Honey Butter. Don’t fill up on just bread, though, because everyone knows that side dishes are arguably one of the best parts of Thanksgiving. “Sides” in Best of Thanksgiving include dishes like Candied Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots, Tangy Braised Greens and Honey Roasted Spiced Carrots. Every dinner table needs sauces, and the “Gravies & Relishes” chapter has just that. Find recipes like Classic Turkey Gravy, Giblet Gravy, Herbed Citrus Gravy, Port-Spiked Cranberry Sauce and Sweet Onion Marmalade. These will pair perfectly with proteins and side items on your Thanksgiving table. After dinner, leave room for dessert because Best of Thanksgiving is full of sweet treats. Finish off your meal with
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Classic Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Apple Crumb Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Boozy Ice Cream, Cranberry Sorbet or Warm Gingerbread with Brandy Sauce. After dinner is over and all the extra family members have returned home, you will more than likely have leftovers. Thankfully, Best of Thanksgiving even includes a chapter on how to use your leftovers and give them life in the days after Thanksgiving. Put your leftover turkey to use and whip up a Turkey, Onion and Cheddar Panini, or a Turkey Panini with Blue Cheese and Chutney, Turkey Banh Mi, or even a Turkey with All the Trimmings Sandwich. If you serve wine with dinner, Best of Thanksgiving even has a chapter on wine pairings at the end of the recipe portion of the book. Matching a bottle of wine with all of the flavors of a Thanksgiving meal can be difficult, so Best of Thanksgiving offers different suggestions for different courses. Following the wine pairing tips section, you can find tips on how to prepare and cook different kinds of turkey, such as frozen or fresh, as well as tips on how to make gravy and how to cut the turkey for serving. The thought of taking on hosting a Thanksgiving meal can be intimidating, but with the tips and recipes from this cookbook, it can be done with ease. Find Best of Thanksgiving online at Amazon or at Barnes and Noble. edm
Image from Williams-Sonoma.com
