This summary provides the key details about preparing foods for Thanksgiving in 3 sentences: Professional chefs recommend preparing most Thanksgiving dishes in advance to make the holiday less stressful. Vegetables like green beans can be parboiled the night before and reheated for the meal. Chefs also suggest making flavored butters up to a week ahead of time to add flavor to vegetables and reduce last-minute work.

1. NOVEMBER19,2014C1
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When it comes to wrangling
the Thanksgiving meal onto the
table, one motto gets it right: Be
prepared.
Let’s face it, our national day of
feasting features multiple dishes,
all of which require different
cooking times, temperatures
and techniques. For most of us,
orchestrating all of that — while
also navigating the chaos of a
houseful of surly relatives — can
be a challenge, to say the least.
Fortunately, there are people in
our midst who cook this way all
the time: professional chefs.
OK, maybe not with a houseful
of relatives, but they probably
know something about dealing
with a roomful of surly guests.
“You need a game plan,” says
Sarah Stegner, one of the chefs
and owners of Prairie Grass Cafe
in Northbrook, Illinois. “You need
to write the menu out, not just
have it in your head. You need
to have it organized in blocks of
when you’re going to prepare your
food, what can be done ahead
and what can be done at the last
minute. Thanksgiving is all about
the timing.”
Luckily, these pros say that all
but a few critical items can be
made in advance. They shared
with us their formula for a stress-
free Thanksgiving — at least on
the food side. You’re on your own
with Uncle Harry.
Green beans
and other vegetables
The vote is unanimous on this
one: Parboil your vegetables the
night before, shock (cool) them in
ice water, then store them in the
refrigerator. On Thanksgiving,
reheat them just before serving
in a saute pan with olive oil or re-
ally good butter. Flavored butter,
such as herb or shallot, provides
a nice accent, says Rick Rodgers,
author of “The Big Book of Sides.”
Flavored butters can be made up
to a week ahead.
Suzette Gresham, executive
chef and co-owner of San Fran-
cisco’s Acquerello, which just
SEE TIMING, page C2
Timing
iseverything
LifeNOVEMBER 19, 2014
lubbockonline.comLUBBOCKAVALANCHE-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY
C
What foods can and can’t be prepped ahead
By MICHELE KAYAL
Associated Press
InLifeSunday: Learn how to fix an attractive
Thanksgiving table by yourself. OnTheWeb: For all your news updates, check out The A-J
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and it’s all down to science. Page C3
 Associated press photos
Fromtop,barbecuespicedturkeywithgravy,ultrarichmashed
potatoes,melbacranberrysauce,andfluffy
sweetpotato-bourbonpiewithgingered
whippedcreamandtoastedpecans.
SeesidedishrecipesonPageC4.
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SEE SEAN’S chart of deals.
Page C2
WantMore?
Want a break from tradition without straying too far?
If you are considering an alterna-
tive to your typical Thanksgiving
feast this year but do not wish to
wander too far from tradition, I
have the perfect solution.
You can take this menu and add
hot rolls, your favorite desserts, and
perhaps a side of dressing and you
are all set.
I make chicken cutlets on a regu-
lar basis. It is a quick and easy pro-
cess — they cook in a flash. If you
can’t find chicken breasts already
cut into cutlet portions, simply
cut chicken breasts horizontally
through the middle to create two
thin poultry cutlets.
If you are starting with small
chicken breasts, you may opt to use
a mallet and pound them out a bit
instead. Turkey cutlets may be used
for this recipe, as well, which is an
especially nice treat for holiday
meals.
With the poultry cutlets, I have
prepared a wonderful selection of
fall favorites. This recipe describes
the preparation for butternut
squash to go along with the cutlets
along with a drizzle of sage butter.
But if you choose to serve sweet
potatoes as well, go for something
a little different — purple sweet
potatoes!
I found purple sweet potatoes at
Sprouts in Lubbock and they are
quite possibly available at other
markets around town, especially
this time of year. They are so sweet
and tasty I didn’t even add much to
mine for this menu. I baked them
for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.
Once they cooled enough to
handle, I peeled off the skin and
mashed them with a potato masher.
Next, I just added butter — and
that’s it!
SEE POULTRY, page C2
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Chickencutlets,butternutsquashandpurplesweetpotaotes.
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