Host an Easy Thanksgiving Dinner

Thanksgiving for my American friends and family is less than a week away.  Are you hosting?  Are you looking for some easy short cuts to make it less stressful?  Look no further...

 

- Buy pre-cooked shrimp for an easy appetizer, it's always a hit and looks luxurious.  And if you run out of cocktail sauce, mix horse radish and ketchup with a splash of lemon

- Instead of stuffed or pickled eggs, opt for a wedge of aged cheddar cheese with crackers and accents of grapes, figs or dried fruit

- Instead of making homemade cornbread for the stuffing, buy pre-made corn muffins or use a packaged mix

- Go Gravy!  Look for readily available mixes such as Knorr or Williams-Sonoma turkey gravy, add a bit of dry sherry or white wine

- Buy whole-berry cranberry sauce and add a spritz of fresh orange juice and some of the zest for flavour

- Buy a pecan pie and add the homemade touch by melting 4oz. of good quality chocolate and drizzling it on top

- Buy a pumpkin or sweet potato pie and add whip cream with a cinnamon sprinkle, or toast slices of pumpkin bread and serve them with vanilla ice cream, hot caramel sauce and chopped pecans

Favourite wine:

- Pinot noir is a classic choice to drink with turkey