Guide on how to celebrate and host Thanksgiving like a pro, courtesy of tips from Ina Garten<\/b>
\nIf you\u2019re a longtime fan of \u201cBarefoot Contessa,\u201d you\u2019re probably well-acquainted with Ina Garten\u2019s signature and iconic catchphrase: \u201cHow easy is that?\u201d It underscores Garten\u2019s prevailing mission to simplify even the most daunting tasks with style, whether that\u2019s preparing a spatchcocked chicken for weeknight dinners, savoring a jumbo glass of Cosmopolitan during an at-home cocktail hour, or hosting the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. In anticipation of the annual holiday, we could all use some of Garten\u2019s expert tips and tricks to whip up the perfect menus for a smooth sailing, memorable Thanksgiving celebration.
In her recent Substack post titled \u201cThanksgiving at my house, part 1!\u201d Garten shares how she puts together and plans her make-ahead menu before turkey day. She also shares her favorite Thanksgiving wines.
Here\u2019s how to celebrate Thanksgiving, Garten style.
Perhaps the cardinal sin in Garten\u2019s Thanksgiving guidebook is waiting until the very last minute to prepare and serve your Thanksgiving meal. \u201cThere\u2019s no such thing as an effortless Thanksgiving,\u201d Garten told Bon App\u00e9tit in 2022. \u201cYou just have to be strategic about it.\u201d
Prepping your menu doesn\u2019t have to \u2014 and shouldn\u2019t \u2014 be an arduous endeavor. Garten recommends dry-brining your turkey at the beginning of Thanksgiving week. She offers her tried-and-tested recipe for Make-Ahead Roast Turkey, which also includes an easy Gravy with Onions & Sage. \u201cThere are more important things to think about on Thanksgiving than worrying about a lumpy gravy!\u201d Garten writes on her Substack.
For sides, Garten suggests her Leek and Artichoke Bread Pudding and Make-Ahead Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes, which can be covered and refrigerated for up to two days, then baked before Thanksgiving day. Garten\u2019s Saut\u00e9ed Shredded Brussels Sprouts are a quick yet hearty side dish that can be made just hours before serving.
And lastly, for dessert, Garten serves up her Pumpkin Flan with Maple Caramel, which can be prepared and refrigerated in the pan for up to three days.
Yes, store-bought pie crust is convenient, consistent and efficient, but that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s necessarily better than homemade crust. When it comes to taste, homemade pie crust takes the top prize. It\u2019s also buttery and oh-so rich \u2014 a delicious flavor profile that most store-bought pie crusts simply can\u2019t achieve.
Garten\u2019s recipe for homemade pie crust is straightforward and guaranteed to turn out perfect every time (just take it from Business Insider\u2019s Paige Bennett, who wrote, \u201cI\u2019ve followed a few Garten pie recipes before, and I remember liking her easy-to-make crust. That memory held true\u201d). All you\u2019ll need are six ingredients: diced unsalted butter (Garten says it needs to be \u201cvery cold\u201d), all-purpose flour, kosher salt, sugar, vegetable shortening (which also needs to be \u201cvery cold\u201d) and ice water.
To start, pulse the flour, salt and sugar together using a food processor. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the butter is the size of peas. Pour in the ice water while the food processor is running. The finished dough should form a ball, Garten explains. Roll the dough into a ball on a board sprinkled with flour, then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
How you utilize the dough in preparation for assembling your pie depends on the kind of pie (or pies) you\u2019re baking. According to Garten\u2019s recipe, the chilled pie dough should have visible specks of butter when it\u2019s rolled out. Garten\u2019s recipes for a Maple Pecan Pie and an Ultimate Pumpkin Pie with Rum Whipped Cream only include a bottom crust. Her Deep-Dish Apple Pie calls for both a bottom and top crust.
In the words of Garten, \u201cSince turkey day is, after all, an American holiday, I often opt for an American wine \u2014 say, a light red pinot noir from the Sonoma Valley,\u201d she writes on Substack. Garten also likes to serve a Morgon and for white wine options, she suggests a Meursault or Montrachet.
Dessert deserves its own wine pairings, too. Garten loves Perrier-Jou\u00ebt Champagne or an Italian Prosecco.
\u201cClinking of glasses is encouraged!\u201d she says.
In Season 2, Episode 10 of \u201cBarefoot Contessa,\u201d Garten shares her tips for setting the Thanksgiving table. Her first tip is to use a waterproof runner underneath your favorite tablecloth, so your table stays protected from any spills and stains. She then adds square-shaped plates, plain silver cutlery, wine glasses and orange napkins. Garten arranges fresh orange tulips in drinking glasses and sets them along the middle of her table. In between the flowers, she adds plates of orange clementines for an extra pop of color and mini, unscented candles for a hint of sparkle. Garten takes her decor a step further by using pumpkin-shaped cookies as individual name cards.
\u201cIt\u2019s simple, it\u2019s stylish,\u201d Garten says. \u201cI think the orange always looks so festive.\u201d
Garten offers additional table-setting ideas, including those with pumpkins, candy corn, chocolate-covered caramels and pears.<\/p>\n