Save time Thanksgiving Day, make ahead! 3 recipes you can prepare now

Thanksgiving day is busy… start now to make it less stressful!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Making it in one day is no easy feat. To help lighten the load of the big feast, Wendy Paul suggests a Thanksgiving pre-game.

Wendy shared three make-ahead recipes that you can make before you even think of defrosting the turkey.

Cranberry Salsa

INGREDIENTS

• 12 oz. fresh cranberries
• 1 lime juiced
• 3 green onions
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 bunch cilantro

METHOD

1. Put all the ingredients together into the food processor, process until desired consistency. And EAT!
2. You can make this 1-2 days in advance, keep in the fridge.

Find the recipe on Wendy’s site, here.

Apple Sweet Potato Bake

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Honey crisp apples, peeled and sliced 1/2″ thick
• 2 large, sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2″ slices
• 1/2 c apple cider
• 1/2 c maple syrup
• 4 tbsp. butter

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8×8 baking dish.
2. Arrange by alternating the apple and sweet potato slices. Melt the butter, cider and syrup together. Pour half this mixture over the apple and sweet potato slices. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.***Pause here if you are making 1 day in advance. Place the dish in the fridge.
3. Then pour the remaining mixture over the apple and sweet potato slices and bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until the potatoes and apples are fork tender and slightly golden. (If making ahead, prepare and pour before serving.)

Sausage & Gravy Roll

Makes approx. 24 rolls.

INGREDIENTS 

For the dough

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
• 1 cup scalded milk
• 1 cube soft butter (or 1/2 cup)
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• 4-5 cups all purpose flour

For the filling

• 2 lb cooked turkey sausage, crumbled
• 8 oz. jalapeno cream cheese
• 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 green onions diced

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small saucepan, prepare your milk. Place 1 1/4 cup milk and turn on to medium heat.
3. Let the milk begin to simmer, and bring to a boil. Remove the milk from the heat and set aside to cool. The milk will measure close to 1 cup when done.
4. Meanwhile, proof the yeast in the warm water. Once the yeast has bubbled, add the butter, 1/2 cup sugar and eggs. Then add the cooled milk, and 3-4 cups of flour.
5. Turn on your mixer and begin to bring the dough together. Add a bit more flour, until the dough begins to come off the side of the bowl while mixing. Continue mixing for 3-4 minutes on medium speed.
6. Remove the dough and place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.
7. Divide the dough into 2 rounds. Roll out one section at a time on a lightly floured surface, 1/2″ thick. into a big rectangle. Butter the dough slightly. Then spread 4 oz. of the jalapeno cream cheese onto the rolled and buttered dough.
8. Then sprinkle 1/2 the diced onions on top. Then sprinkle 1 1/2 cups grated cheese on the dough, and roughly half of the cooked and cooled turkey sausage. Tightly roll longest part upwards, like a cinnamon roll.
9. Cut the rolled cheesy dough into 1 1/2″ circles and place into a buttered baking dish. Repeat until both batches of rolls are assembled cut and placed into 9×13 baking dishes. Place 12 rolls in each buttered dish.
10. Place a little cheese on top with some diced green onions. Let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 33-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before topping with the warm pan gravy or fresh maple syrup (recipe below).

Pan Gravy 

INGREDIENTS 

• 3 tbsp. flour
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of dried sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano (optional)
• Half n half or milk

METHOD 

1. Whisk together the butter in the flour over medium heat in a saucepan.
2. Then add the black pepper, sage, salt, bay leaf and oregano (optional).
3. Once the butter and flour have cooked for about a minute, then whisk in about 2 cups half and half or milk and whisk occasionally until thickened. Bring to a simmer for 4-5 minutes.
4. Pour over warm rolls just before serving.

Find more recipes from Wendy on Instagram, @therealwendypaul, or on her website, wendypaulcreations.com.