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Thanksgiving dinner ranks among our favorite fiestas of all time. Everyone comes focused on feasting—and let’s face it—all cooks need good eaters. We like to start planning the menu far in advance—usually incorporating our family favorites, such as Mom’s stuffing, and adding a new dish or two to keep the dinner conversation lively. This year we’re definitely serving spicy potatoes—mashed potatoes laced with chipotle and/or red chile and honey glazed sweet potatoes.
Our favorite way to cook a moist, flavorful turkey, involves seasoned brine and the outdoor grill. An added bonus: Grilling the turkey leaves the oven free for your favorite side dishes. Serve the turkey with a smashing red chile sauce that can be made several days in advance—we doubt you’ll go back to boring old gravy anytime soon.
Start the festivities with a glass of seasonal bubbly—may we suggest Bohemia laced with fresh apple cider and lime. Offer a multi-colored tray of cut vegetables and a simple white bean dip. Small cups (such as espresso cups) filled with pumpkin soup will appease ravenous appetites while the final dinner touches are put in place.
Send everyone home fueled with spicy Mexican café de olla and a sliver of pumpkin pie and your soon-to-be-famous chocolate pecan pie bars. Then do what we do, start planning your menu for the next fiesta.
Thanksgiving Menu
An Intimate Thanksgiving for 4
Not everyone wants a mob scene in their house for Thanksgiving. Sometimes a dinner for four can be just the right fiesta. If that’s the case, Cornish hens offer high-drama in a small package. Sweet potatoes and onions roast alongside the hens for a one-pan main course.
Start the meal with small bowls of tortilla soup. Take a tip from our restaurant service and make small piles of the soup garnishes (the diced avocado, crumbled chips and shredded cheese) in the bottom of the soup bowls. Then ladle on the warm broth at the table.
Fresh mangos, transformed into a refreshing ice with a little lime juice, offers a stunning end to an intimate dinner.
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