Thanksgiving Recipes & Wine Pairings

In a few more weeks, it will be the Thanksgiving holiday and I am sure many people are already starting to make plans on how to celebrate. You might be trying to select a restaurant, deciding not to cook this year. You might be dining at home and trying to plan a menu of food and drinks for all your guests. You might be dining at the home of family or friends, and have been asked to bring a dish or a bottle of wine. So many decisions so I am here to offer some helpful suggestions that might ease your tension and worries.

Let me begin with some general advice, a sentiment which you should embrace. Stop worrying that everything needs to be perfect because it will never be perfect and it doesn't have to be perfect. This is a holiday where family and friends gather, to share everything they are thankful for and not to complain and nitpick about silly and irrelevant issues. It is a time for fun and enjoyment, to relax and chat, to eat and drink, to savor the day together. As long as people enjoy themselves, as long as the food and wine is good, no one will complain or even care about whether it was "perfect" or not, whatever that term might mean. Just everyone being together is perfect enough.

Now, I'll provide some more specific advice:

Sometimes you just want to avoid all the time and effort of cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner, as well as cleaning up the mess afterwards. You might decide to dine out instead and you will find plenty of others opt for that same decision. Plenty of restaurants are offering Thanksgiving specials and you can check out my short list of over 7 Restaurants in the Boston area, including Post 390, Aura, Avila, BOKX 109, Pantry at the Verve, Towne Stove & Spirits, and the various Legal Seafood restaurants. Keep an eye on my upcoming Thursday Sips & Nibbles columns as I may have more restaurant suggestions as well.

If you are cooking at home, or need to bring a dish to someone else's home, then let me suggest some relatively easy, but quite delicious, recipes. I have compiled for you a list of five such Easy Thanksgiving Recipes, including Buffalo Chicken Dip, Sangria, Double Corn Pudding, Special Potato Casserole and Swedish Apple Pie. Just about anyone can make these easy recipes, and your family and friends should really enjoy the results. Plus, these recipes aren't just appropriate for Thanksgiving and you can enjoy them at any time. Buffalo Chicken Dip while tailgating? Sangria for your next wine party? Swedish apple pie for Sunday dessert?

Choosing wines for Thanksgiving can seem intimidating but it really is not. Please don't worry about what wines to choose. Start by reading some general advice I previously wrote, Thanksgiving: I Want Wines To Make People Smile. I hope that will help decrease your worry over wine selections. There are so many good choices for Thanksgiving wines. If you do though want some more specific wine recommendations, and are willing to think outside the box, then why not consider Sherry or Sake, both which are very food friendly and would pair well with your Thanksgiving feast.

Whatever you do for Thanksgiving, enjoy yourself and appreciate all that you have, rather than worry about what you do not.