This is the week I usually begin planning for our meals for Thanksgiving weekend. Not only do we need the full meal for the holiday, I like to do something different for the Wednesday night meal, and make plans for the leftovers. Last week, our local Publix put frozen turkeys on sale for 39-cents a pound, so I ran over to get two of the smaller 8-pound ones before they sold out of the little ones. I like turkey a lot, but 8 pounds is more than plenty for two people with leftover creativity. The second one I’ll save for January. I put jellied cranberry sauce on my shopping list, as it isn’t the holiday without it served in my grandmother’s cut glass dish complete with the can indentations on the side.
So what to cook for Wednesday night? Something easy, fast and, most importantly, will not have leftovers. One meal that fits that bill nicely is Shrimp and Grits (recipe on that post), served with Charred Brussels Sprouts. I make them just a bit differently now than on that post. Instead of putting the shrimp in the grits to cook, I saute them separately in a skillet to get a bit of browning, then serve them on top of the grits. The recipe serves 2 with virtually no leftovers.
This was the ideal meal to try out my new knife, called a Kitchin-Ki from Milk Street. It is like a paring knife with a very short, wicked sharp blade.
It was so much easier to prep the Brussels sprouts with this knife, as I could hold the knife much closer to the blade tip to trim the sprouts.
It also made short work of cutting the large shrimp in half.
Dinner on the table in a half hour, including prep time. If you like to cook, put this knife on your Santa wish list. Check out the Milk Street Store for 30% off on selected items with code EARLYACCESS30 from today until Sunday..
So, back to the shopping list. The turkey has to be a whole roasted one, so I can have the bones for soup and the extra meat for leftovers. Got two of them, check.
This year I plan to make the Baked Spinach with Roasted Garlic, so I need frozen chopped spinach, cream cheese, shredded Parmesan and a fresh bulb of garlic. Picked up, check.
Of course, I have to make my bread stuffing (or dressing since I bake it in a dish), and I have a good collection of bread slices and ends in various types. I’ll bake the cubes the day before to make them into croutons then mix with low sodium chicken broth, butter, herbs and spices. Some years I add mushrooms, sometimes Italian sausage or bacon, or leftover cooked wild rice. I think this year will be bacon, leeks and mushrooms, so those get added to my list.
Next, do we want crescent rolls, or maybe some homemade Egg Bread (pdf download recipe). I haven’t made this in a couple of years, and it is delicious! A little melted butter on top after it bakes gives the crust a shiny, appetizing appearance. Makes great toast for breakfast, and is perfect for open face hot turkey sandwiches. Oh, maybe this year I can make Hot Browns like we had on our trip to Kentucky! So, let me check on the date of the yeast in the cabinet, the supply of flour, and get another dozen eggs.
Now, dessert. My Sweet Babboo loves fruit pies, and usually I get one from the frozen section that is a small, one or two serving size. This year, that is what I thought I put on an online order, but a full size pie was what I actually ordered. Oh well, he’ll eat it. It is in the freezer and will be baked the day before Thanksgiving. For me, I want something chocolate. I recently found Splenda sugar free sweetened condensed milk and I used it on my state fair recipe. I swear I could not tell the difference. So, my plan is to make a chocolate pie with it, I’ll let you know how it goes! A check of the pantry showed I have everything I need for that.
I do not want to have to go to the grocery store on Thanksgiving weekend. So, I have several items in the refrigerator or pantry for creative leftovers. I have a tin of biscuits for turkey and dumplings. I have barbecue sauce to mix with the leftover cranberry sauce for Sloppy Toms. Some corn tortillas, a can of tomatoes and green chilis, my own Taco Seasoning Mix and a can of cheddar cheese soup means I can make enchiladas or quesadillas. Various types of pasta noodles with frozen peas can finish turkey soup. See my post Holiday Leftovers for more ideas, and recipes, like this Baked Turkey Mornay.
Next, breakfast. This year My Sweet Babboo wants Blueberry Turnovers, rather than the egg casserole I usually make. So, frozen puff pastry and blueberry pie filling go on the list.
If you’d rather do a savory breakfast, my recipe for my make-ahead egg casserole is here – Holiday Breakfast Egg Casserole (pdf download recipe).
So, I have my list done to give us lots of options for leftovers and lunches. One more trip to the store for the last minute items and some fresh veggies and I’m all set. What’s on your shopping list this week?
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From My Carolina Home 
Thank you for sharing your strategy for preparing for Thanksgiving. I find the more organized, the more I can relax and enjoy the day. I normally strive to limit my grocery shopping to once a week. Whenever there is a holiday, I shop as far in advance as I can because grocery shopping at the last moment is stressful and not fun.
I especially like your meal planning for two people. When we think of major holidays, we immediately think of large families or lengthy guest lists. This is not the reality for many people. It’s refreshing to see how to make holiday meals for a couple or for one person. And to see how you incorporate your leftovers.
Thank you!! A little planning does go a long way to making a fun weekend for the cook. Have a wonderful holiday!
This all looks really good, Carole — and you are so prepared. We still don’t know if we’re eating here or at Rick’s brothers (I vote for here, just the two of us, but we’ll see). Shrimp and grits is one of my all time favorites and I’d be glad to have that on TG day! But Rick is a turkey guy. I’d like to find one of those eight pounders! Enough for a soup carcass! Thanks for the condensed milk tip, too. I’ll look for that.
totally with you on the cranberry sauce…it’s off my diet now but it isn’t thanksgiving without the can indentations in the jellied sauce…it just screams thanksgiving…i worked for ocean spray eons ago and we were given bags of products at thanksgiving and christmas…
looks like you have everything planned well. I’m not like that as it is just the two of us most often and hubby isn’t in to a pretty table or anything so I don’t waste my time on it although I would like the pretty table and all – the work is not appreciated. I got a small turkey breast and do a little side and pie
We switched to my daughter’s house since I am recovering from surgery, etc. She is in charge of the turkey and ended up with a free one at the local market. I’m responsible for mashed potatoes (Dairy/Gluten Free), green beans, and maybe some homemade cranberry sauce. Epicurious has a great recipe that I use for both the green beans and cranberry sauce.. I must get groceries on Monday to ensure I have enough fresh vegetables. I will probably make an apple pie for the dessert table and do most of my cooking on Wednesday. Putting everything in the crockpot to reheat/stay warm seems to work and make it easier to transport the 3 miles we have to travel.
I also bought several cans of cranberry sauce. While it will only be Mom & me eating it at Thanksgiving, I’ve got a crew coming in for Christmas and there will be a turkey cooked on one of those nights. Everyone in the family likes the canned version best! I also bought a couple of extras for the Boy Scout Food Drive this weekend. I’ll be making pumpkin pie (for hubby) & apple pie (for Mom & me). Looking forward to our Thanksgiving even if only for the 3 of us. My quilty friend will be by on Friday morning for some pumpkin pie (her hubby doesn’t like it) and coffee!
I always enjoy seeing your meal ideas – they all sound yummy! I would like to be organized enough not to have to go to the store next week, but inevitably there will be something I forget or we run out of. At least there will be lots of turkey leftovers – I got a 16 pound turkey for four of us! That reminds me that I need to put noodles for soup on the list! Enjoy your preparations, Carole!
I think I’m getting in the car & heading on down to your house! Everything sounds fantastic! Your new knife looks like a surgical instrument.
Here it is almost midnight and I want to make a run to the store right now and get all the stuff for all these yummy things! sigh…We used to make a dessert with condensed milk but I haven’t made it in years – lots of layers, covered with the condensed milk. YUM (sigh) I’m a guest this year so I get all the goodies with minimum effort! Pecan Pie, home made ice cream, and if I can remember the recipe – the layered dessert topped with condensed milk….grahams, nuts and other stuff…..? Enjoy!!!!! Thanks!
You are so organized, Carole! My menu is planned and I will shop tomorrow!
Fabulous feast for your family and friends! I made Italian Wedding Soup from scratch for us for Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday is turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes (baked today & mashed), broccoli and/or brussels (depends what folks want), cranberry sauce (homemade yesterday) and apple crisp. I think that is all and more than enough for the three of us…many years of many more people and this is just right.
And a very happy thanksgiving to you and yours.