Try some of our favorite advice and recipes to make your Thanksgiving feast complete!

Advice for the Host

Every Thanksgiving host will tell you that the hardest part of the day is getting all the last-minute side dishes pulled together while also trying to entertain guests who are meandering around the kitchen. Simplify your life this year, and do side dishes the easy way!

· Make a list of every dish in your Thanksgiving feast and post it on the fridge. Before inviting guests to the table, consult the recipe list to make sure you didn’t leave a salad in the spare refrigerator or stuffing in the oven!

· Divvy up the side dish recipes among those coming. Everyone will enjoy contributing, and you will have much less to worry about ahead of time.

· For side dishes you are making, choose side dish recipes that can be made ahead and refrigerated, greatly minimizing kitchen mess and last minute frenzy on Thanksgiving Day!

· Keep it simple: Thanksgiving is one holiday guests relish in basic, traditional side dishes like corn, beans, and mashed potatoes. So forget overly-involved recipes and keep it simple.

· Use shallow oven-proof dishes so they’ll fit on the bottom rack of your oven or in the microwave.

· Think slow-cookers! Borrow several slow cookers, then make as many sides ahead of time as you can: corn, green bean casserole, even mashed potatoes (see our recipe below!). Don’t put all the appliances on the same circuit, though!

· Yes, you CAN make gravy ahead of time! Avoid last-minute stress and mess by making gravy an hour or more ahead of dinner time. Use a baster to siphon turkey juices from the roasting pan to make the gravy, then place it in a small slow cooker or on the stove. Simmer on low until table time.

Advice for Guests Attending a Thanksgiving Dinner

If you’re bringing a yummy salad or side dish with you this year to Thanksgiving dinner, help out your host even more with these timely tips:

· Make your recipe at home – If at all possible, don’t infringe on your host’s kitchen. Bring your dish ready to go with no chopping or assembly necessary. If your fresh salad must be tossed together at the last minute, tote the ingredients in separate zippered plastic food bags to ease your host’s mess.

· Bring your chilled Thanksgiving side dish in a cooler that will keep your dish cool until table time. Don’t count on your host having extra refrigerator space for your recipe.

· Bring your hot dish in a slow cooker that you can plug in to keep it warm until serving. Your host may not have room in the oven if she has a turkey and dishes of her own cooking.

· Bring your own serving ware, such as a pretty bowl or platter and large serving utensils. Also bring a plastic bag to tote dirty dishes home so your host doesn’t need to wash them before you leave.

Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes to the Rescue

Check out these recipes for some of Thanksgiving’s best side dishes to make or bring along. Check out www.pillsubury.com for more!

· Acorn Squash with Butter-Pecan Sauce

· Slow-cooked Garlic Smashed Potatoes (Crowd Size)

· Perfect Mashed Potatoes

· Maple-Pecan Carrots

· Green Bean Casserole

· Glazed Crescent Rolls with Cranberry-Orange Butter

· Sweet Corn Potluck Pudding

· Cheesy Mexican Corn Bake

· Broccoli and Squash Medley

· Cranberry-Cornbread Stuffing