Homemade cranberry sauce in 15 minutes with 4 ingredients: fresh cranberries, sugar, orange and salt. Make it up to 10 days ahead, or freeze it for later.
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15 Easy Thanksgiving Appetizers That Don’t Need the Oven
15 easy Thanksgiving appetizers that skip the oven: no-cook dips, boards, deviled eggs and stovetop bites, with make-ahead notes and USDA 2-hour safety tips.
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Maple-Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Maple-bacon roasted Brussels sprouts: crisp at 425°F in 25 minutes, then glazed with maple and cider vinegar. Includes make-ahead steps for Thanksgiving.
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Green Bean Casserole from Scratch (No Canned Soup)
Green bean casserole from scratch with fresh beans, a creamy mushroom sauce and crispy fried shallots. Assemble it 2 days ahead and bake it on Thanksgiving.
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Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Guide: What to Cook 3 Days, 2 Days and 1 Day Before
A day-by-day Thanksgiving make-ahead plan: what to cook 3, 2 and 1 day before, how to store it, and the USDA 3-to-4-day rule that keeps every dish safe.
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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel
Sweet potato casserole with roasted sweet potatoes and a crunchy pecan streusel. Assemble it 2 days ahead, bake to 165°F, and freeze the filling if needed.
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Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes That Reheat Creamy
Make-ahead mashed potatoes with Yukon Golds and cream cheese that reheat creamy. Make them 2 days early, reheat to 165°F, or freeze them for up to a month.
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25 Thanksgiving Side Dishes (With Make-Ahead Notes for Each)
25 Thanksgiving side dishes with a make-ahead note for each, from mashed potatoes to rolls, plus the USDA 3-to-4-day fridge rule for planning ahead safely.
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Southern Cornbread Dressing
Southern cornbread dressing made with unsweetened buttermilk cornbread, sage and stock. Make the cornbread 2 days ahead, then bake the dressing to 165°F.
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Sausage and Sage Stuffing
Sausage and sage stuffing with crisp edges and a moist center, plus make-ahead and freezing notes. Brown the sausage to 160°F, then bake to a safe 165°F.
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Stuffing vs. Dressing: 10 Thanksgiving Stuffing Ideas
Stuffing vs. dressing, explained, plus 10 Thanksgiving stuffing ideas with make-ahead notes. USDA says stuffing must hit 165°F; here’s how to get it there.
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Spatchcock Turkey: A Whole Bird Roasted in About 90 Minutes
Spatchcock turkey roasts a 12- to 14-pound bird at 450°F in about 90 minutes, versus 3+ hours whole at 325°F (USDA). How to cut it, roast it and plan ahead.
