Even with two ovens in the house, a large Dacor range oven and a smaller GE microwave-convection oven, there is usually intense competition for oven space on Thanksgiving Day. Given that the large oven will be occupied by a 22 pound turkey, while the smaller oven roasts an 8 pound turkey breast, it's helpful to make sure the other dishes are either stove-top dishes or those that can be at least partially made in advance. These same dishes are easy to reheat, assemble or finish while the turkey rests and the gravy is made. That makes them great for potluck gatherings as well!

Maple-Cinnamon Glazed Butternut Squash and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

After selecting the dishes to be made, the first step is lining them up by baking temperatures. The recipes are prepped and prepared, starting with the lowest oven temperature. While the oven is preheating to the next temperature, other dishes can be prepped, with some stovetop or Instant pot recipes thrown in the middle.

Dry-Fried Szechuan Style Green Beans

When I was growing up, my mother always made Chinese roasted duck for Thanksgiving, complete with little meatballs added after the duck fat rendered, tender but crisped on the outside. When her American-born children asked for turkey instead, she adapted her procedures to slow roast the much bigger bird. This resulted in a tender, delicious meal that she preferred cooking, as there was much less fat to be handled, but we lost the little meatballs in the process...
My Māmā 媽媽 would dry roast coarse salt with whole peppercorns in a skillet until the salt started to brown and the peppercorns could be crushed easily with the back of a spoon. This was rubbed over the turkey, inside and out. The salt/peppercorn mix was also rubbed over the neck and innards, which were nestled inside the cavity overnight with a good amount of ginger, garlic and scallions to "pull out" any bad odors. In the morning, the pan was cleaned and dried, the innards wrapped in foil, and the breast rubbed with toasted sesame oil before roasting. The technique that she used basically amounted to dry brining the bird for 12-24 h prior to roasting. I later discovered that the drippings produced the most delectable gravy with no additional seasoning needed.