turkey pot pies (from leftover Thanksgiving turkey & gravy)

Last night, when clearing out a spot in my freezer for the results of my cookie baking marathon, I realized I had never used the last of the turkey breast and gravy from Thanksgiving. Remember how I accidentally over ordered those two giant bone-in breasts? Well, I'd shredded the turkey and popped it into an air-tight bag, tucking it away in the freezer back when we were tired of eating turkey... a few chops of carrot and celery combined with the leftover gravy (which I'd also frozen) and the turkey topped off with some (store-bought) puff pastry and dinner was made in minutes.

Turkey Pot Pies (from leftover turkey)

(freezes perfectly, so make extras if you can!)

shredded or chopped turkey

gravy

whole milk (optional)

carrots, chopped

celery, chopped

lemon zest (optional)

puff pastry

Combine turkey, gravy, carrots and celery in a mixing bowl. If your mixture seems really thick, consider cutting it with a bit of whole milk. Pour turkey mixture into an oven-proof baking dish. Top with puff pastry, cutting a vent for steam to escape. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes or until puff pastry is golden brown. You can also cook from frozen. If doing so, cook time will be more like 1 hour.

homemade stock

I made a little mistake ordering the turkey this year. What I should say is that I made a mistake ordering the turkeys this year. I decided to go easy, and just order bone-in turkey breasts, versus the whole bird. I know, I know. Some of you are fainting at the mere thought of not having the big bird there on display.

This just made a lot more sense, since we all prefer my brined white meat. I didn't think to ask if they were single or double breasts. So, we ended up with 4 plump bone-in breasts. Oops (though the cook in me was secretly thrilled). We enjoyed a fabulous feast on Thanksgiving...some hearty turkey sandwiches picnicking at our local Nature Center the next day, and enjoyed a follow-up meal or two of the whole shebang. But I shredded a bunch of the turkey up and froze it along with both sets of bones, knowing that we'd tire of turkey before too long, and that I'd be inspired to cook again this week.

The urge to cook again came up more quickly than I expected. On Sunday, while my husband hung the outside lights with my dad, and the kids decorated our tree with their Meme, I made my first soup: Mark Bittman's super easy Turkey-Noodle Soup with Fresh Ginger. It was delicious, and fortuitous, since a head cold has had me sidelined the past two days. Nothing better than homemade soup when you're feeling sorry for yourself-- I mean sick.

Anyway, you can certainly make homemade soup with a multitude of good store-bought broths, but there's something special about starting with a homemade stock. So, if you tucked those turkey bones in the freezer last week like I mentioned on the FB page, then haul them out and make a pot with me. As you can see above, my turkey bones went straight from the freezer into the pot...

Homemade Stock

bones from a turkey, chicken or ham

a few stalks of celery

a few carrots

an onion if you have one, skin removed, quartered

a little garlic if you'd like, rough chopped

any fresh herbs you may have on hand

water

salt to taste

Place the bones in a large pot and fill with water. Add any vegetables or fresh herbs you would like to use to flavor the stock. Bring to a simmer and let it boil until desired level of flavor and thickness. Remove bones. You may also remove the veggies and herbs you used to flavor the broth, or leave them in. Up to you. Proceed as you would with any soup recipe. Stock freezes beautifully so if that's all you feel like cooking today, totally fine. Simply tuck it away in the freezer for a winter day when you want to make homemade soup.

thankful

thankful for our sweet boys,

our plentiful feast,

and waking up to both this morning. for more fabulous ideas on what to do with leftover turkey & sides you may have, mark bittman is definitely your guy. i hope your Thanksgiving gathering was wonderful!

simple side: wild rice with cranberries and pecans

My goal was to have the majority of my Thanksgiving sides made before the weekly cleaning crew comes through this afternoon. I was thinking how nice it would be to have the cooking done ahead of time and a clean house. Done! (Although I still need to scurry around cleaning up for the cleaning crew.) Last night I made our stuffing and sweet potatoes and baked a bunch of small pumpkin breads for our house cleaners, mailman, school bus driver and neighbors who help us out throughout the year. My one son wants mashed potatoes, so I'm going the super easy Alexia Yukon gold & sea salt route, so that's a-few-minutes-before-the-meal side (and not homemade.. I am living in the edge this year, I tell you). This morning, I made the brine that our turkey will go in tomorrow morning, and put it out in our cold garage until I'm ready for it. My mom and dad have offered to come bearing simple green beans, sauteed kale and cranberry sauce this year (making my end of the cooking super easy to do ahead). This morning, I realized I had one extra Trader Joe's carton of chopped garlic, shallots and onion*, so I checked the pantry and decided to make one more (healthful) side ahead of time. Oh, and I had a few extra cups of sage cream sauce from the Savory Pumpkin Cannelloni I made on Sunday....so that extra sauce is going to morph into peeled pearl onions (I got at Trader Joe's) braised in sage cream. Mmmm, decadence. Here's that healthy side first though:

Wild Rice with Cranberries and Pecans

(makes 8+ servings, can be made 2-3 days ahead and stored in fridge)

1 cup chopped onion, garlic & shallots* (or you can just use onions if you're making it from scratch)

olive oil

1 cup of wild rice, rinsed and drained

4 cups vegetable broth

handful of dried cranberries

handful of chopped pecans

drizzle of balsamic vinegar

salt & pepper, to taste

Rinse and drain rice, then cook rice according to package. The ratio is usually 4 cups liquid to 1 cup rice and it takes about 45 minutes. (I used vegetable broth instead of water.) While the rice is cooking, saute onions/shallots/garlic in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes, until the soften a bit and start to become translucent. Once rice is done, stir in onion mixture, cranberries and pecans while still warm. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, to taste. Add salt & pepper, to taste. Can be made 2-3 days ahead, as the flavors will meld and it will just get better! You can serve this dish room temp or warm.

simple turkey brine recipe + what I put inside and on top

This brine from The Pioneer Woman is sooooo good. I've modified her recipe just a little bit...

The Pioneer Woman's Turkey Brine with a few small changes

(you make the brine, let it cool down to room temp

and then brine your raw turkey 24 hours in advance, so plan ahead)

3 cups apple cider

2 gallons cold tap water

a bunch of fresh rosemary

10 cloves of garlic, minced (double what she uses in her brine)

1 1/2 cups Kosher salt

2 cups brown sugar

handful of peppercorns

5 bay leaves

zest or peel of 3 large oranges

Combine all of these ingredients in a very large pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat off and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Make sure you remove the neck & giblets if they're inside your turkey. Place raw turkey into brine solution, then refrigerate for 24 hours. Northeasterners: I have been known to bolt the lid down with big rocks to keep the animals out, and store the pot outside on the patio if it's cold out...

When ready to roast your turkey, remove it from the brine and wash or hose it off. The idea is to remove the excess salt. Pat the turkey dry then proceed with your normal turkey roasting instructions. I forget what those are each year, so here's a link to the Whole Foods site with all sorts of helpful information, including cook times based upon the size turkey you are cooking.

I don't put our bread stuffing into our turkey, but I do stuff our turkey with a few aromatic herbs and citrus...

I also like to put some onions and herbs into the roasting pan.

And (achem), I have been known to lather up the turkey breasts I order for extra white meat with a wee bit of butter.

my go-to stuffing recipe each year

I have made stuffing from scratch in the past, but doctoring up store-bought stuffing results is just as good an end product (without counter tops covered in stale bread...).

My Favorite Stuffing Additions

(can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge)

your favorite store-bought stuffing*

*veggie broth (I like Rapunzel brand bouillon cubes, amt depends upon the stuffing)

*butter (optional, depending upon the stuffing you're using)

celery, chopped

onion, chopped

leeks, chopped (optional, you can always just go with onions)

apples, chopped

fresh sage, chopped

steamed chestnuts, broken into pieces (found in a jar or box, depending upon your store)

We like a lot of stuffing, so I use my big soup pot and saute the chopped celery, onions, leeks and apples in a bit of olive oil, until the onions are translucent. At that point, I stir in the chopped sage and chestnuts (which I let my kids break up with their hands, if they're in the kitchen). Then, I simply dd the packages of store bought stuffing mix and broth (and butter, if your stuffing calls for it too) and stir it all together.

I make the stuffing at least one day in advance, to let the flavors meld...but you could make it up to 4 days in advance. Just store it in the fridge and reheat it Thanksgiving day (any temp 350-400), for about 30-40 minutes or until warmed through, loosely covered with foil if you like it moist...or uncovered halfway through the reheating if you like a crispy top to it.

homemade mashed potatoes

In past years, I have made mashed potatoes from scratch. They are easy enough, but this year, I've discovered Alexia brand mashed potatoes, which....well, are even easier. (I find them in the frozen section of most of our local supermarkets.) If you opt to make them from scratch, here's my go-to mashed potato recipe. I'm not holding back here when it comes to decadence, Thanksgiving happens but once a year:

Homemade Mashed Potatoes

(makes 8 servings, can be make up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge)

4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into about 3/4" cubes

about 1/2 cup whole milk (maybe a little more)

16 oz Rondele garlic and herb cheese (two 8 oz tubs)

salt & pepper, to taste

up to 1/2 stick of butter (optional, if you want to really go over the top)

roasted garlic, mashed (optional, to taste)

Cook the potatoes in a large pot, until tender when pierced with a fork (10-14 minutes). Drain well. Return potatoes to the same warm pot and add the milk and cheese. Mash until desired consistency. We keep ours a little "lumpy" because I like them to have some texture, especially if they're being served alongside sweet potatoes at the same feast. Add salt & pepper to taste.

These can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge. When reheating, you might like to add a bit more milk to the dish, so they don't dry out. You can either reheat them in the oven, lightly covered with foil, or in the microwave.

simple side: roasted brussel sprouts

Every Thanksgiving feast needs at least one green veggie. And with all of the decadence on the plate, I kind of think, the simpler the better.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

(best if made right before dining)

brussel sprouts (halved if they're really big)

avocado or olive oil

salt & pepper

rimmed baking sheet

optional additions to the baking sheet:

lemon zest

garlic, minced

bacon, chopped

pancetta, chopped

walnuts, pecans or pine cuts (add last 3 minutes of baking)

My favorite way to prepare brussel sprouts is to simply drizzle them with a little olive (or avocado) oil, a sprinkling of good quality salt & pepper and roast them on a rimmed baking sheet at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until they are al dente. They get this crispy, caramelized outer edge and moist center. Delicious. Serve warm, right from the oven. I simply serve them as is, but I have also listed some additions if you want to make them fancier/more decadent...

Because this is best right when they come out of the oven, on Thanksgiving, I would take the turkey out, and while it's resting (before carving) pop these babies in the oven right before you eat. This is the only thing I actually "make" on Thanksgiving day-- besides roasting the turkey, of course!

simple side: roasted + mashed sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes always play a part in our Thanksgiving feast. Depending upon the year, I have roasted slices of them in the oven in a rustic fashion, par-baked them and then grilled them, mashed them and topped them with a homemade sweet/savory struesel (a la Epicurious), and yes, I have even been known to smother them in marshmallows (winning mom-of-the-day with that batch)... but last year, I went even simpler and healthier. Depending upon the other sides you plan to make, you can start with this super-simple recipe and modify it to get to your ideal health profile and taste for this year.

Super Easy Roasted + Mashed Sweet Potatoes

(makes 8 servings - can be made 3-4 days ahead, stored in fridge)

4 lbs sweet potatoes, whole, skin on

rimmed baking sheet

tin foil

salt & pepper, to taste

splash of orange juice (optional)

1-2 T agave or brown sugar (optional)

2 T butter (optional)

1/2 cup praline pecans, crushed (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Wash potatoes and pierce each one a few times with a fork. Place on foil lined baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cut each sweet potato in half and scoop the flesh out into a bowl. Mash with a fork, or potato masher, until desired texture, adding a splash of orange juice to thin them a bit, if you'd like. You may leave the sweet potatoes as is, for a very healthy side dish or.... if you want to make the dish sweeter and more decadent, you can mash in 2 T butter and/or 1 to 2 T agave (or brown sugar) and top them with 1/2 cup of crushed praline pecans. (Trader Joe's sells them rather inexpensively. Best way to crush them is to place them in a zip-loc bag and let your children roll a rolling pin over them, or thwack them with a meat mallet or heavy spoon...)

Can be made 3-4 days in advance and stored in the fridge. To reheat, simply cover loosely with foil (so the top doesn't get too brown) and place in the oven you are using on Thanksgiving at some temp between 350-400, for 30-40 minutes or until warmed through.

our family's Thanksgiving feast-- side dish recipe round-up

Our feasts are plentiful each year, but not over the top. I read somewhere that it helps if you think of Thanksgiving as dinner with a few extra sides. Last year, I pared back on the sides and made a colorful, delicious spread that offered up enough variety, but was totally do-able-- particularly since most of the sides can be made in advance.

First, the turkey. Here's the scoop on the brine I make. It's a slight modification of The Pioneer Woman's brine, which is so, so good.

We dine in the late afternoon, so I served a super easy baked brie as an early afternoon appetizer, alongside Trader Joe's mini crabcakes and a veggie crudite, to munch on something light before we delved in.

Our late afternoon family feast included:

• my go-to Cranberry Sauce (make up to 4 days in advance)
• a simple mashed sweet potato side (make up to 4 days in advance)
• my doctored up stuffing (make up to 4 days in advance)
• creamy mashed potatoes (make up to 4 days in advance)
• cider-braised cabbage (with or without apples, make up to 4 days in advance)
• simple roasted brussel sprouts (make right before serving)
• pumpkin pot de cremes (make up to 4 days in advance)

I made all but one of the sides in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, so all I had to do on Thanksgiving was roast the turkey and brussel sprouts. This year's feast will probably be quite similar, though I plan to try my friend Janet's Winter Herb and Fennel Slaw in lieu of the braised cabbage and I'd like to try a pumpkin flan for dessert if I can get up the courage to make a flan. Hopefully having my go-to Thanksgiving side links in one post provides some inspiration when it comes to planning your family's Thanksgiving feast!

cider braised cabbage and apples

By now, you know my family went apple picking because there have been apples in just about everything I have made this week. Here's my latest savory apple recipe, which is similar to the Balsamic Braised Red Cabbage I told you about a while back. As with any weeknight meal I'm going to make, this side dish is so easy. Paired it with brats, chicken sausages or pork tenderloin and you have dinner made in a few minutes.

Cider-Braised Cabbage and Apples
(makes 4 side dish servings)

2 medium-size apples, cut into chunks
10 oz package of shredded cabbage (either white or red)
1 cup fresh apple cider
1/2 cup cider vinegar*
salt & pepper, to taste

In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed and apples are softened (but not mushy). This side can be made ahead as it will keep in fridge for several days.

*I really like sauerkraut, so this amount of vinegar is going to give you a very zippy side dish, similar to kraut. Feel free to add less vinegar if you wish to have it less zingy.

savory roasted apple side

After seeing his ideas in the New York Times' magazine, I couldn't wait to try Mark Bittman's ideas for savory apple sides with our bounty from apple picking this weekend. Of course, when I actually went to make the first recipe, I realized that I didn't have all of the ingredients. Still, they were delicious, and super simple.

Savory Apple Side Dish

(My Take on Mark Bittman's Moroccan Spiced Apples)

apples, cut into chunks
olive oil
garlic, minced
cumin
chili powder
cinnamon
smoked paprika

Heat oven to 425. Spread apples on a rimmed backing sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic and spices. (I trust you to know how much of each spice to add, depending upon your family's tastes. Roast for 10-12 minutes, until apples are tender. (Be careful not to overcook or the apples will become mushy. Then again, if you prefer them more like a savory apple sauce, feel free to leave them in the oven for another 10 minutes, or so.)

I gave a hearty serving of these apples, along with roasted acorn squash and cider vinegar-braised onions to a friend. The combination of these flavors and textures was incredible, if I might say so myself!

Let the cooking begin!

I'm a few minutes into cooking this year's Thanksgiving feast and already I am having to improvise...I thought I would start with the cranberry sauce. That's easy to knock off the to-do list before the school bus comes rumbling up the street. My itunes workout mix is cranked up. Happy cooking music. After sneaking out for an hour and half of paddle tennis this gorgeous Fall morning, I am ready to come inside and start whipping up side dishes. No port wine on hand, so instead I've got a mixture of brandy and cointreau reducing. Kitchen smells amazing. I am operating with my friend's mantra that Thanksgiving is "really just dinner with a few extra sides". So here we go! I'm sticking to the plan I wrote about a few days back: turkey, gravy, stuffing, green beans with walnuts and frizzled onions, roasted brussel sprouts with lemon zest, maple mashed sweet potatoes, regular mashed potatoes with fresh herbs, cider-braised cabbage for something tart and this delicious cranberry sauce with cointreau and brandy instead of port this year. Let the cooking begin!

The turkey: to brine or not to brine?

I forgot to order a turkey. In all of the happy hub bub of turning my kitchen into a savory pumpkin cannelloni factory for a bunch of the teachers at my older son's school, I completely forgot to get my own Thanksgiving planned. No biggie. There were plenty of perfect turkeys sitting around just waiting for me to pick one. Who knew? I always thought you had to order the perfect bird! Now there's one less thing I have to worry about going forward, hmm. Anyway, brining seems to be the hot topic these days. A friend asked me last week and I kind of dismissed it, saying I'd tried it a few years back and I didn't notice a major difference. Every year since then I've just been going the rub-down-with-butter route and it's been great. (The turkey, not me. Get your mind out of the gutter.) Anyway, enough of you have asked me if I am brining (and you all have this wild look in your eyes saying how you're so excited about brining) that I am going to try brining again this year. One glitch-- Whole Foods was sold out of brining kits. (See, I told you it was big. Man, I wish I owned a brining kit company this year.) Thankfully, the Pioneer Woman's got me covered. Here's her recipe for the perfect brine.

Pumpkin Pie Alternative: Maple Pumpkin Pots de Creme

I was up early, trolling my favorite sites for an alternative to pumpkin pie. I can't do my Thanksgiving shopping yet, since my fridge is totally stuffed with 24 dishes of savory pumpkin cannelloni, but I would like to get my shopping list in order. I love flan, so I thought maybe I'd give pumpkin flan a try this year, but all of the recipes were too involved. I don't think I can follow a new recipe step by step this week, so that's out. Remembering how easy (and delicious) those chocolate pots de creme were this winter, I was thrilled to find a recipe for Maple Pumpkin Pots de Creme on epicurious. I think these will be a perfect make-ahead dessert that everyone will like!

Thinking ahead: Thanksgiving Sides

A few friends have emailed asking about my go-to Thanksgiving sides. Each year, I cook something a little different but cover all the Thanksgiving basics: stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish, a veggie or two... For example, last year I made some Balsamic Glazed Carrots that were good, but I don't plan to go to the market that has the itty bitty round carrots, so I'll probably pass on that side this year. Realistically, I won't make my shopping list until next Tuesday but I know some of my friends are planning ahead so I wanted to share a few of my favorites:

Cranberry-Apricot Sauce (my go to cranberry sauce-- so easy)

Then I always do some variation on sweet potatoes, and flipping through my binders of tried and true recipes, this one caught my eye this year: Sweet Potato and Orange Puree with Almond Streusel. I have had this recipe forever, and it's fabulous. But if I run out of steam and don't feel like making the streusel topping, then this is my other go-to recipe for sweet potatoes that is equally delicious, just a bit more simple to prepare: Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes.

For stuffing, I've done it from scratch and I've started with a bag/box of bread and doctored that up. I have no idea what I'll do this year, until I see how my week is but you can count on it including: sauteed onions, celery and apple, chestnuts, fresh sage, a handful of dried currants and a little garlic in addition to the butter and broth.

Green beans are simple to make: blanch them (boil 5 minutes then drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking) and toss them with walnut oil (or butter) and some finely crushed walnuts and a pinch of good salt.

Then, I like something tart at the table to balance out the sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. Something with more texture... so I'll probably whip up a batch of Cider-Braised Cabbage, which is super simple (and also delicious on the next day's turkey sandwiches).

Oh, and my husband usually requests regular mashed potatoes and this is my go-to for that: 4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes + 2 garlic Boursin brand soft cheese + 1 1/4 cup skim milk. Peel potatoes and cut into 2" chunks. Cook at a low simmer for 25 minutes, then drain and return to the warm saucepan. Mash the potatoes (using a fork) with the cheese and milk. Can be made ahead of time then reheated in the oven, covered with a bit of foil, at 375 for about 30 minutes.

I think that covers the basics. I'll let you know what I decide to make next week!

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving - Balsamic & Butter Glazed Carrots

I made a pilgrimage (no pun intended) to Fresh Market in Westport this weekend. The store is lovely. It reminds me of Gelson’s Market, from when I grew up in Southern California. I’d popped in looking for chorizo (which they didn’t have) since I had to go all the way to Villarina’s in Westport to pick up fresh pasta sheets for our annual Pumpkin Cannelloni assembly (which has become a delicious pre-Thanksgiving tradition).

Anyway, Fresh Market did not have chorizo, but my little one and I did meander around and pick up some other neat food items. For example, in the freezer section, they have these bags of White Toque Parisian-style carrots. Hmm, kind of fun to serve an orb instead of a spear! Well, ok, maybe not fun per se. But, it’s something different. I usually go fresh when it comes to veggies, but I think these ones will be great in the carrot side I’m planning for Thanksgiving dinner this year: Carrots Glazed with Balsamic Vinegar and Butter. I’ll try to remember to post a photo once I make the side this year, but I know from years past that this is an easy side that both parents and children enjoy.

Carrots Glazed with Balsamic & Butter
(This recipe is for 10 servings, since I assume you have a crowd coming at Thanksgiving.)

1 stick of butter
3 ½ pounds of carrots (peeled, cut into 2” pieces or you can go pick up your own bag of Parisian-style carrots)
6 Tablespoons of sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
Fresh chives, chopped

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrots and sauté 5 minutes, then cover the pan and cook the carrots until they are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally (about another 5-7 minutes). Stir in the sugar and vinegar. Cook uncovered until the carrots are tender and glazed (stirring frequently), which should be another 8-10 minutes if you were using fresh carrots (and you’ll have to adjust for the small Parisian-style ones, probably half the cook time in each section). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chives and toss to blend.

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving - Cranberry-Apricot Sauce

It’s safe to say that I have never been less prepared for an upcoming Thanksgiving meal. I’m not really sure why I am dragging my feet? I love the meal, I love that we gather as a family, and I really enjoy the cooking. But for some reason, I’m just kind of lollygagging around, running non-Thanksgiving related errands, enjoying the nice weather (and maybe secretly hoping that some amazing meal will appear on Thursday). The likelihood that the Thanksgiving fairies are making a stop here is slim to nil, so I did sit down and plan out a menu tonight. And, since I’d been tossing cranberries, sweet potatoes, itty bitty onions, these cool Parisian carrots, etc—the makings of all the traditional Thanksgiving sides—into my shopping cart the last couple trips to the market, I’m in pretty good shape.

Perhaps it’s that my parents fly in tonight, and I want to play with them tomorrow that I was inspired to make one of the two cranberry relishes after I put the kids down. It’s super easy (as in takes minutes), is made with minimal ingredients (which you probably have on hand) and can be made ahead (bonus). I hope you like it as much as we do.

Cranberry-Apricot Sauce
(The recipe below makes about 4 cups, enough to share with a neighbor. Feel free to halve it.)

1 cup of orange juice
1 cup of port wine
24 oz fresh cranberries (2 bags, as they’re usually 12 ounces)
1 cup sugar (I used Sugar in the Raw, but it’s not as sweet as regular sugar)
1 cup dried apricots, cut into slivers or ½” pieces

In a saucepan, heat the orange juice and port until boiling. Toss in the cranberries, apricots and sugar. Stir over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. You’ll see the cranberries pop, and the consistency thicken up as you’re stirring.

Let the sauce cool, and then store it in an air tight container in the fridge until Thanksgiving.