Stress-Free Tips for Cooking Thanksgiving Food

Whipping up feast for “turkey day” can be filled with non-stop pressure — even after the meal is long over and you find yourself with some surprising leftovers. Take a look to learn some quick tips that make the whole process stress-free!

Swap Turnip Mash for Potatoes

To lighten up a holiday favorite, Ina Garten mashes turnips instead of spuds. “Everyone thinks about mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving,” she says. “I wanted to do something different.” To make: Place 4 lbs. of peeled, cubed turnips in a pot; cover with water. Add 1 tsp. of salt. Cook about 35 minutes; drain. Simmer 1 cup of milk and 6 Tbs. of butter. Mash turnips with milk mixture. Season with salt and chives.

Repurpose Leftover Wine

You love hosting, especially Thanksgiving dinner, but often wind up with unfinished bottles of wine at the end of the evening. If you don’t plan to drink it or cook with it before it goes bad, try this handy trick: Freeze it in ice cube trays, then simply pop out a cube as needed to chill a wine spritzer or melt in a skillet for a quick pan sauce. An average cube yields about 2 Tbs. of wine.

Keep a Bundt from Sticking

Bundts are a wow-worthy dessert… That is, unless the cake ends up sticking to the pan. For bake shop-beautiful results, mix 1 Tbs. each of melted butter and flour into a paste. Using a pastry brush, “paint” the paste onto the pan, getting it into the grooves. It’ll form a crust on the Bundt as it bakes, ensuring a flawless release.

Peel Butternut Squash Easily

This sweet gourd adds loads of nutty flavor to soups and stews — trouble is, its thick skin makes peeling a real hassle. Here’s an easy fix: Cut a few slits through the skin down the length of the squash, then microwave it on high for 2–3 minutes. The heat will loosen the peel, making it a cinch to remove with a knife.