I’m not sure where to start as to why this is one of our favorite dishes. Could it be the fact that it reheats easily, or that you can make it in advance. Who knows?! We just love it.

Thanksgiving can be a stressful time of year, especially if you don’t cook, or don’t like cooking for crowds. We love to cook and it stresses us out! We struggle with having everything come out hot and on time, and passing hot dishes at the table is so dangerous. Plus, everyone wants leftovers. There is no way one person could eat a whole pot, so you have built in left overs.

Here’s our top 8 reasons we love this recipe:

– This recipe reheats beautifully.

– You can make a lot at once in a little assembly line.

– You can serve a big crowd all at once.

– Send pots home with your kids in college or neighbors who don’t travel for Thanksgiving.

– It’s the ultimate make ahead.

– Reduces stress and blood pressure during the holidays.

– Great for gathering where you actually want to spend time with your guests.

– No knife required making it perfect for kids.

We provided simple recipes below for each item, but by all means, if you have a family recipe or want to use your left over turkey, mashed potatoes, etc., that works too. If you are short on time, you can find most of these items prepared, like stuffing and turkey gravy. Don’t get stressed about making each items if you can’t. The one thing I will say makes for a knock out table presentation is having nicely styled potatoes with waves and if I picked one thing to home make, I’d fry the onions at home. Although you can totally buy Frenches Fried Onions too.

Thanksgiving in a Pot Recipe

Recipe Overview

• Prepare all the items that go into the pot, and let cool off if you just cooked them.
• Layer from the bottom up of a single serving pot in this order: sweet potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, turkey, gravy, stuffing, turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes.
• Either cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge or bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Bake on cookie sheet cause the gravy can get bubbly and messy.
• After 30 minutes, put fried onions on top for the last 10 minutes.
• This recipe takes a lot of gravy, if you buy or make yourself, have a lot on hand.

Turkey Breast (or use your left over turkey)

• 1 bone in, 4 pound turkey breast
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Optional for Gravy

• 1 shallot, roughly chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced (reserve for later)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Roux, 1 table spoon of butter, 1 tablespoon flour mixed together

Instructions

1. Place turkey on a rack inside a roasting pan. Rub with melted butter on top and generously salt and pepper. If you want to home make your own gravy, see step 2, or skip step 2 and add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the pan.
2. To make gravy, add two cups of chicken broth to bottom of pan and the shallot.
3. Bake at 375 degrees for about one hour. Depending on the size of breast it could be shorter or longer. Our breast came with a pop out timer, use that to be sure the bird is cooked throughly. The temperature should be 165 degrees.
4. Remove from oven and let cool, then shred meat into bite sized pieces.
5. For the gravy: In a sauce pan, sauté the sliced mushrooms in the butter on medium-high heat.
6. Strain the drippings from the turkey roasting pan into the sauce pot with the mushrooms. Stir to combine.
7. Add the rue to the sauce pan, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil then remove from heat, and the sauce will thicken.

Sweet Potatoes, or depending where you live, yams

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces, about half a potato per person
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boiled and place cut sweet potatoes into boiling water. Potatoes are done when they slip off fork easily.
2. Drain and mash well. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Potatoes

• 8 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
• Butter
• Heavy cream or milk
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boiled and place potatoes into boiling water. Potatoes are done when they slip off fork easily.
2. To make the perfect mash, run potatoes though a food mill, then season with salt and pepper, add as much butter and cream as you like.
3. Drain and mash well. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Fried Onions

• 1 large onion (makes enough to top about 6 pots)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Lots of vegetable oil for frying

1. Slice onions very thin, use a mandolin if you have one. Set aside, and get two shallow bowls.
2. Place the butter milk in one bowl, and the flour in the second bowl. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Soak the onions in the buttermilk for at least 15 minutes, up to one hour.
3. In the mean time, get out your frying pan, and fill it with about 3 inches oil. Wait until oil is hot enough to fry. (If you flick a drop of water it sizzles.)
4. Remove onions from buttermilk and dredge in flour mixture. Place in hot oil and fry until golden brown about 2 minutes.

Cranberry Sauce

• We used the jellied whole cranberry sauce from the can. Don’t be too fancy people.

 

We hope you enjoy and have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends.