When you're making Thanksgiving dinner for 10–12 guests, you want the menu to be simple enough to pull off with just one oven—and without a mile-long grocery list. This dinner includes all the classics, but is a bit lighter and fresher than Grandma's menu (although it's not without butter, and it's definitely not without a little old-school elegance). Here's agrocery listandstep-by-step game planso you can pull off the whole menu without a hitch and enjoy hosting the holiday just as much as you enjoy devouring the feast.
Warmed Spiced OlivesandCreamy Cauliflower Dip
You need something to keep your guests from getting peckish (and stay out of your way) while you finish cooking, and it is always nice to have something salty and crunchy to go with that first drink. So make a batch of warm olives spiced with Aleppo pepper, fennel seeds, and lemon zest—flavors that will all be echoed in the meal to come. Pair it with a light and creamy yogurt-cauliflower dip and use crunchy romaine and endive instead of crackers or chips—the carbs can come later.
Garlic-Aioli Roasted Turkey with Lemon-Parsley Au Jus
We tried a lot of different versions and techniques when developing our mayo-rubbed turkey—an herbed mayo, a raw-garlic mayo, mayo under and/or over the skin—before settling on a roasted-garlic mayo rubbed both under and over the skin of the bird. The result is fantastic: The flavor of the roasted garlic gently permeates the meat, and the skin is addictively golden and crispy. Mayo-slathering your turkey is super-easy to pull off, but it is messy. If that's a concern, wear gloves. They'll save you from garlic-scented hands, and put a layer of protection between you and that big, raw bird.
Cranberry-Cherry Compote
Cherries in cranberry saucemay seem like a funny idea, but frozen sweet cherries are so easy to find year-round, and they help balance out the tartness of the cranberries and lend a deeper, richer flavor to the sauce.
Spiced Sweet Potato and Parsnip Tian
This lighter take on sweet potato casserole is something like a potato gratin made with cider instead of cream, with the nice crisp edges of a hasslebacked potato. It's sweet, spicy, crave-able, and a totally gorgeous addition to the table.
Cider, Bacon, and Golden Raisin Stuffing
A blend of whole grain and country breads givesthis stuffingjust the right deep, earthy flavor, while cider and vinegar-spiked golden raisins lend a few high notes. And the bacon? That's what makes it irresistible.
Green Bean Salad with Fennel and Toasted Pecan Dukkah
Dukkah—a rich nut and spice blend—is easy to make and lends a zesty kick to thisgorgeous crisp salad.
Cracked Black Pepper Pull-Apart Biscuits
Homemade rolls or biscuits may seem like too much to take on, considering everything you're juggling at Thanksgiving. But not if you make drop biscuits: there's no kneading or rising or even rolling required. Just stir the dough together, scoop it into a cake pan or casserole dish, and throw it in the oven while the turkey rests. You can also bake them earlier in the day and just pop them in the oven to reheat.
Deep-Dish Maple-Bourbon Cream Pie
To serve 10-12 guests with one pie, you need to go deep. In thisshow-stopping, grand-finale pie, a toasty pecan crust complements notes of maple and bourbon, and is super easy to make by grinding pecans with all-purpose flour in the food processor. The easiest part about this pie? The crust is press-in, so no rolling or pie-dough anxiety required! For serving, we top the pie with a vanilla-infused whipped cream that gets a hint of tartness from a bit of yogurt.
