Relax, you’ve got this

My social media feed has been nonstop Thanksgiving prep the past couple of days. Our gathering will be smaller than usual, so I’m throwing out the rulebook (with one exception: there will be mashed potatoes), going with prime rib instead of turkey, and ending with tarte Tatin and Bourbon butterscotch ice cream for dessert.

It’s late in the evening here, and I just finished the sixth and final turn on my puff pastry which is going to rest in the refrigerator until its time to shine come tomorrow. The prime rib is likewise chilling with its ribs removed and tied back on after seasoning (following J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s techniques from The Food Lab). The ice cream base is ready to churn, and the kitchen is spick-and-span for a fresh start tomorrow morning.

This year I finally followed my own advice from years past, not making three different desserts, focusing on making it less about the number of dishes and more about how I can spend more time with our guests. I’ve taken to heart what I said in 2019 to encourage others who might be stressing about the meal. I will say it again for anyone who needs it for Thanksgiving or any large gather you are hosting this holiday season: It’s okay if you don’t get around to making that fifth side dish, your cousin Susan will not be psychologically damaged if you don’t put marshmallows on the sweet potatoes, and you do not need to make a separate gravy without pepper for your picky nephew Aiden. He won’t starve.

Relax, you’ve got this.

Tune in tomorrow after the big meal for ideas on how to use the leftovers.