OK, I have a tiny confession. I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for years, like decades-years, maybe taking a little break once or twice when I was freshly postpartum (With the first two anyway. By #3, I was like, strap him to me, let’s roast some shit). And last year we took a trip to New York City right before Thanksgiving day, flying home Wednesday evening, hosting the next day.
This year? We decided… why fly home early? For the first time since I was studying abroad in Paris (Beaucoup years ago), I won’t be home for Thanksgiving, and I’m kind of, sort of delighted. I’m kind of, sort of also missing it, which is why I also volunteered to make a whole turkey for my daughter’s Girl Scouts Friendsgiving, but I’m still welcoming this change of pace with open arms.
I mean, come on—skating at Rockefeller Center beneath the towering tree, visiting Santa at the Macy’s at Herald Square, the ubiquitous holiday decorations, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. YES. Touristy? Yes. Am I a tourist? Also yes. I welcome the cheese.
Romanticizing Your Life the Week of Thanksgiving
But the stress of it all. Even though I’m not actually hosting this year, I’m traveling for a week, followed by another week out of town with my youngest, means double the workload in advance.
First things first, I want to encourage you to spread out your Thanksgiving prep; don’t save it all for Thursday morning! This is more self-care than surface romanticizing, but it changes everything. Spreading it out means being intentional with your recipes and how you plan to get them all finished, but choosing slow cookers for certain recipes and make-ahead versions for others means that my Thanksgivings are now slow and low-key. I almost get a little… bored? Magic.
Simple Rituals to Max Cozy Vibes
Simmer pot: Simmer a sliced lemon, glug of vanilla extract, fresh rosemary sprigs, and a couple cinnamon sticks for the most glorious scent wafting through the house. This makes every morning feel like you’re setting the scene, and I love you doing this for you, not just when guests are coming over.
Nightly Future-You house reset: Not so glamorous as an aesthetic playlist, but dim the lights, turn on your favorite lamp, light a candle, and spend 10 minutes of picking up the house so that Tomorrow Morning You feels centered and peaceful, not completely frantic and slightly enraged that the kitchen counter is a mess. Recruit help from anyone you live with, seeing as how they live there, too. Aesthetic playlist also welcome here.
Get in the bath, girl. The moment there’s a chill in the air, I want to be in the bath like, all the time. Being immersed in warm-hot water immediately takes any chill off, and it’s great for your muscles and stress levels, too. Bonus for little extra self-care additions, like magnesium flakes, an aromatherapy foaming bath, or a sheet mask, like my favorite from the Self-Care Advent Calendar.
Play aesthetic tunes every time you cook (or do skincare or take a bath or work). I’m the biggest fan of setting a complete scene with music, and cooking is the most deserving activity of a soundtrack.
Vintage Literal Thanksgiving (Personal fave)
POV: You’re ready to listen to Christmas music, and this playlist is glam
It got more niche as we went.
Choose one beautiful moment or scene. Take a few seconds to bring a little romance to your space. Fill a bowl with fresh clementines or a vase with fresh eucalyptus, and put it on the counter. Or simply light a candle if you’re working in the kitchen—it doesn’t have to be fancy. Just take the extra moment to make it a little more magical.
Take breaks to breathe in cool air. Take advantage before it’s so terribly cold and step outside for a little break in chilly air. Nothing snaps me out of a little frantic meltdown like some fresh, cold air. The cheapest, easiest nervous-system reset there is.
Mini spa: Squeeze in an Everything Shower as a self-care ritual, not from a feeling of pressure to look glossy and smooth and exfoliated. Throw on a playlist, light that candle or get your diffuser going with spa-inspired blends, and mask, scrub, and marinate to your heart’s content.
Start a holiday ritual with your family. Growing up, we went out to get a fresh tree every Black Friday, then out to dinner once the tree was upright. These days, we set up our artificial trees about as soon as the last trick-or-treater leaves, but we have our own post-Thanksgiving rituals, like a hot cocoa bar and a screening of Home Alone or The Grinch. Intentionally craft a ritual you’ll be excited to bring back year after year.
What I do with Thanksgiving leftovers.
OK, and I still haven’t stopped meditating on Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving leftovers, because that’s where I really feel empowered to get the most creative. If I mess with the sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving Day? Heads will roll. If I pour turkey and gravy over fries and cheese curds on Black Friday? Mind ya business, Susan.
Here are my all-time favorite ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers, without making yet another meat-and-three plate.
Quick and Dirty Ideas
No formal recipe needed, just ideas for kitchen improv.
Turkey tikka masala = Turkey + sautéed green peppers + a jar or bag of chicken tikka masala or butter chicken sauce over basmati rice + naan
Turkey sheet nachos = Scatted tortilla chips on a baking sheet, top with chopped turkey and maybe some pinto or black beans, smother with shredded cheese, and bake at 400ºish for 10-15ish minutes. Top with everything you can think of. Pico de gallo, guac, chopped cilantro, sour cream, mwah chefs kiss.
Turkey fried rice = Pan fry some chopped turkey and frozen veg in sesame oil, then add some butter (Don’t be shy.) and sauté a bunch of cooked white rice in that. Scoot it to the side then crack and scramble a couple eggs, then season everything with soy sauce, salt (YES, salt. You want to use a couple tablespoons of soy sauce but it’s not responsible for all the saltiness in this dish), black pepper, and sesame oil. Finish with thinly sliced green onions and a little chili crisp, if you’re into that.
Turkey burrito = Cut from the same cloth as the sheet pan nachos, but I want you to make this burrito, like, Chipotle-sized. Channel your inner burrito artist and load that baby up with all the toppings in your heart.
Turkey faux pho = Simmer cooked turkey in a carton of premade pho broth + fish sauce + a few cloves/star anise/a cinnamon stick. Pour over cooked rice noodles + fresh Thai basil, slices of jalapeño, lime, bean sprouts. Serve with more fish sauce, sriracha, and hoisin sauce.
Turkey crunchwraps = Giant tortilla + handful of chopped turkey in the center + cheese sauce. Layer on a tostada + sour cream, lettuce, tomato, and shredded cheese. Fold over tostada, sear until browned.
Turkey coconut curry soup = Sauté a tablespoon-ish of red curry paste + add a carton of chicken stock and simmer for a little. Add a can of coconut milk + some cooked turkey + fish sauce + lime juice + palm or brown sugar + sliced mushrooms. Finish with sliced green onions + chopped cilantro.
My Favorite Leftovers Recipes
Perfect for leftover cranberry sauce. I could eat the entire batch in one sitting. Recipe here.
Poutine is, without a doubt, my favorite food—after chips and any kind of dip, that is. But poutine’s command reigns, and this is the easiest way to get your poutine fix and use up that turkey and gravy. You’ll never make another leftovers plate. Recipe here.
When the kids want to know what’s for dinner, this is the answer. Savory, buttery, sweet, tart, cheesy—they’re everything. Including quick and easy. Recipe here.
After days of sage, rosemary, and thyme, I want cumin, cilantro, and chili. This turkey tortilla soup is creamy but Whole30-compliant, paleo, and dairy-free. Or do what you want and stir in heavy cream instead of coconut, and finish your bowl with a big handful of shredded cheese. Top with crushed tortilla chips and slurp. Recipe here.
This recipe is all comforting casserole vibes, leaving hard Thanksgiving flavors behind. It’s just so dang hearty and creamy and cozy, it’s where I turn when I’m over stuffing and cranberry but need a quick and easy dish that hits the spot and feeds the whole fam. Recipe here.
Turkey Melt with Cheddar, Spinach, and Bacon
The only lunch I want for days after Thanksgiving. The melty cheese, the crisp bacon, ugh. It’s a total classic done just right. Recipe here.
Ohhhh, these are so good. A simple swap of chicken for turkey makes these the crispy-cheesy antidote to your savory-spoony holiday. And that avocado salsa is absolutely bangin’. Recipe here.
Let me know what you’re doing for Thanksgiving this year—I loooove your comments and seeing what you’re up to!
See you in the next issue!
XOXO,
Cheryl