Here's What Alex Guarnaschelli Is Making For Thanksgiving
With Thanksgiving Day coming up — YIKES! — tomorrow, chefs and food television personalities have been peppering their social media feeds with tons of ideas for cooking, decorating, and hosting on the big day. Bobby Flay recommended a side of mashed potatoes with green chile queso sauce; Andrew Zimmern suggested the surprising choice of poached salmon as a non-turkey main; and Alex Guarnaschelli guided TikTok fans through how to choose an appropriately sized turkey to feed a large holiday crowd.
Guarnaschelli, perhaps best known for her role as an often-feisty judge on the Food Network series "Chopped," has shared tons of Thanksgiving recipes, from veggie-thickened turkey gravy to classic pecan pie. And earlier today, on her Instagram page, the chef shared not only her entire Thanksgiving Day menu but also a breakdown of how she's prepping and cooking over these last few precious hours. Read on to get the scoop.
A classic lineup of turkey, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce
When reviewing chef and "Chopped" judge Alex Guarnaschelli's Thanksgiving Day menu, the first thing we noticed was how traditional it is. This year, she's making a classic whole turkey using the Julia Child method of roasting under a butter-soaked cheesecloth. She'll serve mashed sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce ("fresh AND canned," her post specified), Parker House rolls, and a host of pies (pumpkin, apple, and pecan).
Still, as befits Guarnaschelli and her cooking style, there are a few nontraditional curveballs thrown in for good measure. That stuffing inside the turkey, for example? It's got an Italian kick of mozzarella cheese and pepperoni mixed in among the sandwich bread and pork sausage (via Instagram). Another Italian element shows up in a side dish of pasta with mushrooms.
According to her prep list, today and tonight, Guarnaschelli plans to set her table, chill the beverages, and bake the pies. Looking over our own menus, we think we'll get to work doing the same.