There are so many things you can do in advance of a major holiday meal to allow yourself an easier hosting job. Whether you’re hosting 4 or 20, getting a jumpstart on the basics will make your Thanksgiving a breeze – and you might even be able to visit with your guests rather than sweat in the kitchen.

Cranberry sauce is a turkey dinner staple, and the canned variety is good, but homemade is so simple. The best part of it? You can customize the flavors!

Cranberry Sauce
1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer the mixture for 12-15 minutes. The cranberries will begin to pop as the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and pour into a storage container. Refrigerate until you need it, up to 2 weeks.

Crostini is a simple appetizer of little toasts with an infinite combination of toppings. Create your own and be creative!

Fig & Brie Crostini
Baguette, sliced & toasted
Fig Jam, Brie cheese
Toasted Walnut halves, fresh thyme, flaky salt, olive oil

Spread the baguette slices with fig jam, top with cheese, and walnut halves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme. Serve immediately.

Tonight, we continued our Thanksgiving prep by making Apple Crisp! We made the crisp topping last week and froze it (it will be fine for months). Tonight, I peeled and sliced apples, and tossed them with cinnamon, lemon juice, and sugar (if you want to and if your apples are tart). The apples were pressed into a baking dish and topped with the crumb topping, right from the freezer. Bake the apple crisp for 30 – 40 minutes or until the apples are fork-tender. Serve warm or chilled with optional ice cream or whipped cream.

Last but not least, tonight’s cocktail is a Cider Whiskey Smash!
In a rocks glass rimmed with cinnamon-sugar, combine over ice: 2 oz apple cider, 2 oz whiskey, 3/4 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir until icy cold, then enjoy.