It’s been a while since I shared a recipe post, and that’s mainly because I’ve been traveling a bunch and haven’t been good about cooking on a daily basis. Now Thanksgiving is coming up this week and I’ve been busy planning out the menu for our gathering at my mom’s house. Since I’ve never hosted a big holiday with family (our condo is too small!), I’m focused on making the food prep and serving run smoothly while also being delicious – and that means not getting crazy with creating my own recipes.

This year, I’m sticking with a few of my favorite go-to recipes and then adding some others that I found on Pinterest, all of which are either simple, can be cooked in a slow cooker, or can be made ahead of time and then popped in the oven on Thursday. To make things even easier, my father-in-law is deep frying the turkey, so the oven will be free to finish off the apps and sides all day. Read on for my Thanksgiving menu and use the links to get the full recipes! And I also threw in a few tips and shortcuts for making things like stuffing and mashed potatoes even easier.

1. Cheese Platter

You can’t go wrong here. Grab your biggest platter and pick out an assortment of cheeses with different textures, shapes and sizes. Then add delicious deli meats, olives, grapes, nuts, spreads, crackers, sliced baguettes, or whatever you like to pair your cheese with.

{image via mydomaine.com}

2. Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

This dip has been my go-to for years. It’s a crowd pleaser and has a few tricks within the recipe that make it healthier than most spinach artichoke dips. I always make this one ahead of time and put it ion the fridge until I’m ready to serve it. Then you just pop it in the oven for 20 minutes or so and you’re good to go. I’m also planning on trying out a slow cooker version of this soon – stay tuned!

{recipe via weightwatchers.com}

3. Veggies & Greek Tzatziki Sauce with Garlic and Dill

Whip up an easy, Greek yogurt-based dip to fancy up your veggie tray. It’s healthier than the dip that comes with the pre-made trays and it’s also delicious. You can make it with or without the chopped cucumbers – I’m going to leave them out since I’ll be serving lots of different veggies to dip in it. Make this one ahead of time too, give it a stir and pour into a bowl for serving when you’re ready.

{image & recipe via thelemonbowl.com}

4. Baked Brie Bites

I love baked brie with the crescent roll exterior and some delicious jam inside. But the reality is, it can get messy and it will probably leave your guests with sticky fingers. This is an easy alternative that gives you the same taste but in bite-sized portions.

{image & recipe via feelingfoodish.com}

5. Salad with Goat Cheese, Pears, Candied Pecans and Maple-Balsamic Dressing

My sister-in-law is the best at making salads. She’s actually in charge of salad for this year’s Thanksgiving feast, but based on what she’s made in the past, I would imagine this is something along the lines of what she’ll be making. Plus I love goat cheese and walnuts in salads, so I might have to make this one soon.

{image & recipe via twohealthykitchens.com}

6. Deep Fried Turkey

As a Thanksgiving amateur, the turkey was stressing me out, so I was a bit relieved when my husband mentioned how much he loves deep friend turkey – and that his dad knew how to do it. Honestly, I don’t know much about making turkeys, but I do know that deep frying it makes it so moist and delicious. Just make sure you do it outdoors and away from the house to avoid fire hazards!

{image & recipe via foodnetwork.com}

7. Slow Cooker Buttery Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes

The same says it all… an easy way to make mashed potatoes that are loaded with buttery, garlic goodness. For this recipe, you can even leave the skins on, so all you have to do is chop some red potatoes, add a few ingredients and let it be for either 2-3 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Mash them up when they’re done and you’re good to go! If you want to make things even easier, try my go-to shortcut: Ore Ida’s frozen mashed potatoes. You steam them, add milk and butter, mash up and serve, and no one will know they weren’t the real deal.

{image & recipe via lecremedelacrumb.com}

8. Slow Cooker Cranberry Pecan Stuffing

Stuffing is another easy thing to make in the slow cooker – just need to borrow a second one from a friend of family member! I love the idea of sausage in stuffing, and this recipe adds a few other flavors with the additions of cranberry and pecans. Or if you want to take the super easy route, go for the tried and true Stovetop and add in whatever you like (my husband is pushing for this instead of homemade… we’ll see!).

{image & recipe via damndelicious.net}

9. Green Beans with Cremini Mushroom Sauce

You can’t go wrong with green beans, and this recipe also has lots of flavors with the addition of cremini mushrooms and a delicious sauce. If you can’t find cremini mushrooms,  you can use a variety of different mushrooms instead, such as white button or chantarelle. This recipe made the list because it was a step up from regular cooked green beans but could also be made ahead of time – just let it return to room temperature and put in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake it. And while I’m sure it’s delicious to make the crispy shallots yourself, I’m going to make this dish a little easier and cut out that step. Instead, I’ll top the dish with store-bought french fried onions.

{image & recipe via foodandwine.com}

10. Brussels Sprouts Gratin

My husband tried to tell me that Brussels sprouts aren’t Thanksgiving-y, but I disagreed, and then discovered that the whole internet also disagrees. So here they are on the menu, along with bacon. Because it’s a holiday and why not make them even more delicious?

{image & recipe via myrecipes.com/Cooking Light}

11. Citrus-Infused Cranberry Sauce

Fancy up the cranberry sauce this year by taking frozen cranberries, adding orange juice and zest, grapefruit juice and zest, brown sugar and cinnamon. You can also use fresh cranberries if you prefer. Or just stick with the canned version. Nothing wrong with that!

{image & recipe via refinery29.com}

12. Crock Pot Cranberry-Orange Mulled Wine

Festive drinks are fun for the holidays, so I went on the hunt for an easy one to pull together for Thanksgiving. I was originally looking for a spiked apple cider but then came across this one. I love any excuse to use my slow cooker and this drink sounds so good and perfect for fall!

{image & recipe via kitchentreaty.com}

13. Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars

I don’t consider myself a baker, so I like to keep it safe on the desserts. These pumpkin cheesecake desserts are easy and delicious. And everyone seems to love cheesecake, so you can’t really go wrong there. If you have leftovers, enjoy them all week.

{image & recipe via bettycrocker.com}

14. Caramel Apple Trifles

Since I’m not an experienced baker, I love either simple desserts or no-bake desserts, and this recipe caught my eye because it looks easy and delicious! It’s pretty much cinnamon apple goodness in a dish.

{image & recipe via brit.co & lifeloveandsugar.com}