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Three Hour Thanksgiving!

Wahooooo!! It's here. The complete guide to cooking Thanksgiving dinner in three hours. Like a boss.

The idea for creating this guide came when I was thinking about what Thanksgiving was going to look like in 2020. For many people, it means much smaller gatherings, most likely just with your immediate family. This also means more people might be cooking the entire dinner or not have as much help as if it were a potluck style Thanksgiving dinner.

The goal for this guide is to provide you with a tried-and-true Thanksgiving menu that will take you three hours to prepare. Granted, everyone has their own pace in the kitchen, so this is an estimate. However, I made this entire meal in three hours while also filming the videos so I think it is a very reasonable estimate! Also - everyone should be helping out in the kitchen on Thanksgiving day, so one person shouldn't have to do this alone. Gather the troops to help you chop...or at least make them help clean up!

This Thanksgiving guide will also give you tips on things you can do to prep ahead, as well as videos for each recipe to show you exactly how to make them.

What to Expect from this Three Hour Thanksgiving Series

As expected from the name, this video series and blog post is a guide for cooking a from-scratch Thanksgiving dinner in three hours. These recipes are all tried and true recipes that I've been making for years, and through this post, the print out guide, and the videos, you'll get all of my tips on how to make them.

In anticipation of people having smaller gatherings for Thanksgiving this year, the menu includes a turkey breast recipe, as opposed to a whole turkey, and will serve 4-6 people with the sides. You can still make a whole turkey following my Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey recipe, and have the meal done in around 3 hours. I would recommend, if you go this route, to make the pie the day ahead of time. This is because the pie bakes in a 300 degree oven, the rest of the dishes need a 350 degree oven, and the turkey takes 2 ½ hours to roast.

The Three Hour Thanksgiving Recipes

Below are the recipes that I cooked for my Three Hour Thanksgiving series, along with videos I created. The videos are to be used as an overview on how to cook them - not every step is detailed. In addition, I have provided alternate recipes below each video that you can make if you don't prefer the one I have suggested. You do you!

Garlic and Herb Mayonnaise Roasted Turkey Breast

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What to make if you don't want Garlic Herb Mayonnaise Turkey Breast:

Sage Butter Roasted Turkey

Instant Pot Maple Mustard Turkey Breast

Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing

[mv_video key="acrqa0jqwfzpo88cf6qk" title="Sausage Apple Pecan Stuffing" thumbnail="https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1604978781/zshkoiewwapzw3vtd5h3.jpg" volume="70" doNotOptimizePlacement="false" doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement="false" ratio="" jsonLd=true]

What to make if you don't like Sausage Stuffing:

Homemade Rosemary Rolls

Instant Pot Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Bacon and Butternut Squash Cornbread Stuffing

From Scratch Green Bean Casserole

[mv_video key="uhjsjz4cpiraquj4zj9m" title="Green Bean Casserole" thumbnail="https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1605065924/ymhrd0ptmwe1vrps1lhn.jpg" volume="70" doNotOptimizePlacement="false" doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement="false" ratio="" jsonLd=true]

What to make if you don't like green bean casserole:

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries and Candied Walnuts

Bacon Brussels Sprout Gratin

Creamed Kale Gratin

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole

[mv_video key="uourch5rh8v1fmljatvw" title="Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole" thumbnail="https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1605095945/zsf28d99x7uwdp2ubgvp.jpg" volume="70" doNotOptimizePlacement="false" doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement="false" ratio="" jsonLd=true]

What to make if you don't like Sweet Potato Casserole:

Crunchy Honey Butternut Squash Casserole

Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole

Brussels Sprout and Butternut Squash Gratin

Apple and Blue Cheese Brussels Sprout Salad

[mv_video key="co6cutbpjzwkpbaff7st" title="Apple Blue Cheese Brussels Sprout Salad" thumbnail="https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1605148273/tmiwbffdziidjo8bnbfy.jpg" volume="70" doNotOptimizePlacement="false" doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement="false" ratio="" jsonLd=true]

What to make if you don't like brussels sprout salad:

Southwestern Butternut Squash Salad

Autumn Butternut Squash Panzanella Salad

Kale Pomegranate Salad from My Every Day Table

Chocolate Pecan Pie

[mv_video key="gkvrhr1zz0astnir1bfw" title="Chocolate Pecan Pie" thumbnail="https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/v1605150542/dyct9hrivrsavdhvu5vd.jpg" volume="70" doNotOptimizePlacement="false" doNotAutoplayNorOptimizePlacement="false" ratio="" jsonLd=true]

What to make if you don't like Chocolate Pecan Pie:

Cardamom Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie Bars

Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake

How to Plan Ahead for Thanksgiving Day

Of course, planning a meal like Thanksgiving takes a lot of planning ahead of time...it doesn't just magically happen in three hours! You can click HERE to download my checklist for how to plan ahead (starting today!) and also HERE for my day-of plan so you know exactly what to do throughout the day.

Two Weeks Before:

  • Finalize the menu
  • Make the grocery list
  • Order the turkey/turkey breast if necessary
  • Make sure each recipe has a serving dish
  • Make sure you have enough Tupperware for leftovers

One Week Before

  • Buy wine/alcohol
  • Buy turkey breast
  • Buy non-perishables

Three Days Before:

  • Buy remaining groceries
  • Thaw turkey breast
  • Clean your house
  • Make a Spotify playlist

Day Before:

  • Make the pie (optional)
  • Set the table
  • Put the beer/wine in refrigerator to chill
  • Prep anything that can be done ahead of time
    • Toast the pecans for the stuffing, sweet potato casserole, and brussels sprout salad.
    • Chop the onions for the stuffing and green bean casserole
    • Prep green beans - clean and blanch
    • Make the mayonnaise mixture for turkey
    • Cut up the bread for stuffing
    • Brown the sausage for stuffing

Click HERE to download your timeline for Thanksgiving Day

Kitchen and Dining Items I Love On Thanksgiving

White Baking Dishes // Table Runner // Thanksgiving Garland // Wine Glasses // Cloth Napkins // Meat Thermometer // Salad Serving Bowl // Leftovers Containers

These are affiliate links - they simply help me earn money when you shop the products I recommend. Thank you!

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