In the Kitchen: Thanksgiving Lifesavers
For most of my adult life, I’ve made Thanksgiving for my entire family all on my own. I started doing it for two reasons: an incredibly private situation that called for someone to step up and I always loved helping with Thanksgiving when I was a kid. It was always one of my favorite days of the year because we would get up, eat breakfast, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, and once the meal was over it was finally time for Christmas. You know, back in the day when the local smooth music channel used to turn on Christmas music…on Thanksgiving not Halloween.
Over the years I’ve learned the ins and outs of preparing Thanksgiving whether I had help or not. I tend to just take on everything by myself and I prefer it that way. Still, I’ve found there are a few things in the kitchen that I just can’t go without when it comes to Thanksgiving. And no, none of them are a potato ricer…because come on. I never had any complaints about my hand-mashed potatoes.
Pie Dish + Pie Crust Shields
Pie is one of the most beloved things about Thanksgiving, and up until a few years ago, we would just order them out from a bakery. That is until I decided I was going to give it a go. Now I will say this, I am HORRIBLE at making pie crust from scratch. I’ve made it once and it did not go well. But this is where the pie dish comes in handy. Just use a pre-made pie crust in a chic pan and it will still impress everyone. The pie crust shields are a lifesaver because they prevent the pie crust from browning too quickly or burning.
French Style Rolling Pin
A French-style rolling pin saved my butt at Christmastime when it comes to cookies and at Thanksgiving when it came to pie crusts. You know..that one time. You don’t have to use your wine bottle to roll out dough anymore. The French style rolling pin has a sleek design that allows you to better control the rolling process. It’s also helpful for rolling out puff pastry and banging crackers for topping casseroles.
Pastry Brush
I greatly underestimated how much I would enjoy having a pastry brush. Yes, even if I only use it like…two times a year. Long gone are the days of spooning butter onto rolls and making a gigantic mess. A silicone pastry brush works wonders lightly coating butter over dinner rolls before putting them in the oven and it can help with coating various other foods.
Carving Board
You may think a regular cutting board is pretty sufficient when it comes to handling a turkey. It is…if you like a countertop and floor filled with drippings. A carving board has a moat around the edge to catch juices and drippings so they don’t fall onto the floor making for a gross, slippery mess. Plus, it can even be a serving board if you don’t want to transfer the bird to a serving platter. Why create an extra mess? Oh, and an electric knife works wonders for carving too.
Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil
This one may seem a bit…strange. Aluminum foil is aluminum foil, right? Wrong. I always make sure I have thicker foil on hand for Thanksgiving rather than my regular old stock. When preparing tons of sides and a turkey all at once, at some point you’re going to have to try and keep something warm. This is where heavy-duty foil comes in handy. It will also help when it comes to keeping leftovers nice and protected.
Containers for Leftovers
Speaking of leftovers, I’ve learned it’s best to send some home with everyone who attends the big day. Grab some inexpensive containers and load up the leftovers. Not only will your fridge not be overloaded with tempting extra calories, but your guests will get to enjoy them over the weekend as well. Hey, we can only make so many leftover sandwiches and other concoctions. With inexpensive containers, you won’t have to worry about tracking them down and your guest can use them over again.
SHOP MY KITCHEN TOOLS
