Thanksgiving FAQs Answered

Don't panic — you can do the thawing in the microwave and get back on track for your cooking timeline. The owner's manual has guidelines you can follow for the thawing. Put your turkey in a microwave-safe dish to save yourself some post-thaw cleaning and transfer it to the oven as soon as it's done thawing. If you think you might be forgetful enough to run into this problem, you can always choose a new turkey prep method that requires you to get ready even earlier, like brining.

Recipe: Roast Turkey with Giblet Gravy

The internal temperature of the turkey should hit 165 degrees F. The thermometers that come with the bird may pop early, so it's better to have your own thermometer on hand to check. The thickest parts of meat take the longest to cook, so check the temperature in these areas to make sure the entire bird is ready. If it's not quite up to temp, just pop the bird back in and check back in a few minutes.

Recipes: Luscious Roast Turkey (pictured), Basic Roast Turkey, Roast Turkey with Wild Mushroom Gravy

Don't work yourself into a frenzy trying to prepare everything by hand. There are some products you can have on-hand, like gravy mix, just in case your guests are ravenous. Store-bought or microwavable casseroles are also a good back-up plan that can be pulled out in a bind. If you have the time, there are plenty of great bakeries that will ship you fresh, seasonal pies to lighten your baking load.

Purchase some of these Thanksgiving shortcut products to help ease the stress.

If your whisk isn't working as well as you'd like it to, give your arm a break and switch tools. Run the gravy through a strainer; smooth gravy will make it through to the serving boat but the lumps will get left behind.

Recipe: Roasted Turkey Gravy

Every family has some clear favorites on the Thanksgiving table, so make sure these stick around. There's a lot of room for interpretation around tradition; try using traditional ingredients in a different way, like swapping cranberry sauce for a zesty citrus-spiked relish. You can also try new twists on old favorites, like changing the rub on your turkey or brining it instead. As long as the dinner is flavorful, you'll have satisfied guests.

Recipes: Butternut Squash Soup with Sage (pictured), The Perfect Roast Turkey with Herbes-de-Provence Rub, Herbed Oyster Stuffing, Alabama Sweet-Potato Meringue Pie

Fried turkey is delicious, but people shy away from this preparation because of horror stories. There are simple ways to be safe. The two main issues are making sure your turkey is completely thawed before frying, and getting the bird into the frier smoothly without splashing. Using tongs to slowly lower the bird into the frier will prevent splashing hot oil, but we suggest taking time to watch some online videos if you're really nervous about the process. And make sure to do it outside — frying a turkey indoors is far too risky.

Recipe: Fried Turkey

Start cooking and storing food well in advance. If your family loves cheesecake, great! They can be frozen up to 2 months in advance. (Try our Pumpkin-Ginger Cheesecake, pictured.) If you want more time to focus on dinner, you can mail-order pies and cakes for a low-stress dessert spread. Choose your menu based on what can be made ahead and what you'll have to do on Thanksgiving day so you can manage your cooking load.

Are you a bit of a procrastinator? We get it! These make-ahead and make-now Thanksgiving recipes come with a timetable to walk you from a week to 20 minutes before your meal.

If some of your food is hot and ready, it's probably best to serve it to your hungry and eager guests. You can pop in the second round of dishes just as you take out the turkey since it needs to rest anyway. As you're carving the turkey and getting everyone settled with drinks, the dishes in the oven will catch up. If they're a little more delayed, just warn your guests that there are more dishes coming so they can save room and sample everything!

Recipe: New Green Bean Casserole

Stuffing is easy to correct! Once you have it out of the oven, add some extra stock or a pat of butter to make sure it stays moist and flavorful. Make sure it incorporates all the way so you don't have a moist stuffing with dry edges!

Recipe: Apple-Walnut Stuffing

Appetizers certainly aren't necessary when you're going to sit down to a large, festive meal, but some of your guests might come over hungry. If your guests are arriving well before the dinner is ready, you might want to prep some sides that don't take too much of your time and attention away from the main feast. Don't try to juggle your cooking with gourmet apps that will fill up your guests before the bird hits the table!

Recipes: Mozzarella and Arugula Crostini (pictured), Eggplant Hummus, Sweet and Spicy Nuts

The short answer to this is, yes, it can be safe. There are definite benefits to cooking stuffing in your turkey — depth of flavor and tradition are two big ones. Safety is a big concern, though. Just like your turkey must be up to temperature, so must your stuffing. Make sure you don't over-stuff your turkey and that you measure the stuffing temperature separately from the turkey meat. If it's not up to 165 degrees F, take it out of the bird and blast it in the microwave until it is. If this sounds like a lot of work, keep in mind that stuffing can be rich and flavorful without being cooked in the bird.

Recipes: Wild Rice and Basmati Dressing with Sausage and Sage (pictured), Mushroom Stuffing, Savory Bread Stuffing with Pears, Tex-Mex Cornbread Stuffing

Fall affords us plenty of fresh and hearty produce that's perfect for preparing filling meat-free dishes. You can prepare an array of vegetarian sides to create a smorgasbord, or prepare a vegetarian main dish, like this beautiful Butternut Squash-Sage Tart (pictured). Many varieties of squash are in season and they'll make sure no one leaves the table hungry just because the dinner was meatless. There are even vegetarian products on the market that are vegetarian versions of roast turkey if you want to create a dish-for-dish replica of the traditional meal.

Here are some soul-satisfying vegetarian casseroles to get you started.

Pumpkin cheesecakes are really popular these days and can be a great way to get that classic seasonal flavor in a new, exciting form. If your guests are looking for something more traditional, spice up your pie with adventurous whipped creams spiked with spice or booze. If, however, you know your guests won't mind a more adventurous take on Thanksgiving, try a completely different pumpkin dessert.

Recipes: Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie (pictured), Bourbon Whipped Cream, Cinnamon Whipped Cream, Pumpkin Souffles, Pumpkin Mousse

When guests offer to help, take their offer seriously! There's so much to do that extra hands can come in handy if used the right way. Ask a couple people to help you with setting up the table and cleaning up afterwards. If you know what you're doing in the kitchen, ask others to bring a bottle of wine or a cheese — you'll have extra appetizers and drinks for your friends and family without any extra work or awkward shuffling in the busy kitchen.

Example: When the turkey is done, take a break and ask an eager guest to prepare this Savory Cider and Thyme Turkey Gravy (pictured).

It's best to pick up both red and white so your guests have options. If your friends have been asking to help you with dinner, you can always ask them to bring a bottle of wine. They're likely to bring something they would like to drink and you'll worry less about having enough to go around.

Check out our Thanksgiving wine guide. And if you're feeling ambitious, try making Mulled Wine Sangria (pictured).

There are plenty of spritzer recipes to combine soda water with seasonal flavors for splurge-worthy mocktails. If you're in a pinch, sparkling non-alcoholic juices from the store are a great stand-by. If you want a warm drink with which to greet your guests, warm apple cider is always a well-received option. Preparing a virgin and alcoholic option is a way to make everyone feel included.

Recipes: Cranberry-Basil Spritzer (pictured), Hot Spiced Cider, Cranberry Cider Punch, Black-Currant Cider Sparklers