Make Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Three amazing, make-ahead Thanksgiving (or Christmas) side dishes that will make return appearances to your holiday table year after year. These recipes are tried and true, family and kid tested.

Each year, I plan on making my Thanksgiving plans way in advance; menu, setting the table, cleaning the house, planning the day out, making some dishes ahead – but then life, life just happens. Can anyone relate?

TIPS FOR A STRESS FREE HOLIDAY MEAL

While we all want the picture perfect Thanksgiving meal, one thing I’ve learned through years of entertaining is to relax more, not worry about everything being spotless!

Broom sweep your floors, after all, your perfectly mopped floors will once again be dirty after Aunt Freda accidentally drops her plate on the floor.
Declutter what you can and clean your bathrooms, on that I must insist!
Set your table a day or two ahead of time.
Make as many dishes as you can ahead of time.
Be ready for your guests; if you are running behind, be sure to get yourself ready first, nobody likes to arrive with their host upstairs with wet hair.
You can always ask your guests to help set the table, put finishing touches on things, carve the turkey, put together an appetizer, pour a drink! Why not, they’d love to, wouldn’t you if asked?
Relax, put on some relaxing music and breathe, put a smile on your face, stop and sit with your guests.

THREE NO FAIL THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES

We’ll start with a couple of sides of what might be my favorite parts of Thanksgiving or any holiday for that matter — Thanksgiving Praline Yams and Fresh Cranberry Pomegranate Relish and Easy Yeast Rolls.

These yams are light, creamy, complex, with undertones of orange and cinnamon, touched with a hint of whiskey, not to mention the sweet pecan praline topping. These Thanksgiving Praline Yams are super easy to whip up and you can make them, up to two weeks ahead of time! Just click on the link for the full post and recipe.

Fresh Cranberry Pomegranate Relish, it’s the prettiest side dish, it will add a lovely pop of color to any Thanksgiving table. Make your relish up to 4-5 days ahead of time.

Dinner Rolls, one of my favorite parts of a holiday meal!! The item that sops up all the wonderful leftover goodies on your plate, dripping with butter, try these light and fluffy Easy Yeast Rolls

Think about what is on your menu that you can make ahead and plan on making one every few days, from now until Thanksgiving, or better yet, ask those who are joining you to bring along a side or two. I cannot tell you enough the one thing I’ve learned about having people over is to ask, don’t do it all alone!

A COMPLETE THANKSGIVING MEAL

Try these traditional dishes to complete your Thanksgiving meal; creamy mashed potatoes, rich giblet gravy, maple sausage pecan stuffing and of course a juicy, tender tasty turkey!

Whether you are joining others or hosting Thanksgiving yourself, I pray that it is filled with deep gratitude, I pray you are able to find oodles of reasons to be thankful and that it spills out of you onto others around you!

A Thanksgiving Psalm

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness and delight;
Come before His presence with joyful singing.

Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His].
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving

And His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting,
His faithfulness [endures] to all generations.

Psalm 100 (AMP)

RECOMMENDED FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING