Delicious Do-Ahead Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Preparing for Thanksgiving doesn't have to be stressful! I do as much as I can ahead to avoid too much chaos on the day itself. Here are a few super easy do-ahead Thanksgiving recipes my family loves - surely yours will too! Oh, and these are all vegetarian!

I'm having 23 people over this Thanksgiving, so these recipes will feed a crowd! Cut them in half if you don't need as many servings.

Cornbread Stuffing with Soy Chorizo Stuffing

You can use real chorizo, andouille sausage, or smoked turkey kielbasa  for a non-vegetarian version

2 16-oz home made or store bought corn breads

8 oz. Trader Joe's soy chorizo (or the same amount of real sausage)

1/2 cup cooked chestnuts (I got mine at Trader Joe's in the refrigerated section by the vegetables)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, diced*

1 medium onion, diced*

1 large carrot, diced*

1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 1/2 - 2 cups No-Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, or organic Turkey Stock

2 tsp. fresh chopped sage

1-2 tsp. fresh chopped thyme

1-2 tsp. fresh chopped rosemary

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

2 tbs. olive oil

*You substitute 1 cup of Trader Joe's pre-chopped mirepoix for the three veggies. Make sure it's fresh - I've found that if you buy one that is too near its expiration it will go bad very quickly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large, deep pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute celery, onion, carrot, and minced garlic. Season with a sprinkle of salt. Cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add crumbled chroizo sausage (or your choice of meat) and dried cherries or cranberries. If you are using real sausage, make sure it is cooked through before you continue. Add poultry seasoning, onion and garlic powder. Crumble in cornbread, breaking up any large pieces with a spoon. Add your broth of choice and mix well. Add fresh herbs and adjust seasonings as necessary. Mix to combine. Add a little more broth if you want a moister stuffing. Pour into a well-greased casserole dish.

At this point, it can be covered well with plastic wrap and frozen for up to 10 days. Otherwise, cook the stuffing right away for 25-30 minutes until browned on top. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get too brown or dry. If you see this happening, you can pour on a little more broth or stock. If you freeze it, move it from the freezer to the refrigerator about 2 days ahead to thaw out before baking. It may need take longer than 30 minutes since it will be cold. If you're not serving the stuffing immediately after baking, wrap the dish in tin foil and put it in the oven on warm until dinner time.

Spiked Sweet Potato Casserole with Mandarin Orange and Triple Sec

I've made this casserole using fresh potatoes and canned potatoes. By the time you add all of the other ingredients, there is really no noticeable difference - so save yourself some time and use canned! Also, you can substitute crushed pineapple for oranges for an equally tasty dish.

2 40-oz cans sweet potatoes or yams (or about 7 fresh sweet potatoes or yams peeled, cut into chunks, and cooked until soft)

2 small cans or 1 large can mandarin orange segments, drained 

1/4 cup Triple Sec OR another orange liqueur

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tbs. frozen orange, pineapple, or passion fruit juice concentrate (optional)

3/4 - 1 cup organic brown sugar, maple syrup, or agave syrup (can be adjusted according to your sweet tooth)

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice OR if you don't have that, mix an additional 2 tsp. of cinnamon with some nutmeg

2 tbs. melted butter OR Earth Balance

About 2 cups all natural mini-marshmallows (optional - leaving them off makes this recipe vegan!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mash potatoes thoroughly until very smooth - you can use a potato masher or a hand mixer. Add orange liqueur, orange juice, concentrate, melted Earth Balance/butter, sweetener of choice, spices, and salt to taste. Mix well to combine. Add drained mandarin orange pieces and mix again. Pour into a greased casserole or baking dish. If you are serving the dish immediately, top with marshmallows now and bake approx. 30-35 minutes. If you are making it ahead, don't put the marshmallows on yet. Bake for about 25 minutes, let cool, wrap well in plastic, and freeze for up to 10 days. Like the with stuffing, transfer to the refrigerator 2 days in advance. When you are ready to serve it, remove wrapping, top with marshmallows, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until casserole is warmed through and marshmallows are golden brown.

My cousin's son loves sweet potato casserole but does not like oranges and requested no liqueur. I made a slightly altered version for him, substituting 1/2 cup of low-fat eggnog and 1 tsp. vanilla for the oranges, juice, and liqueur.

Corn and Cheese Pudding

2 cans creamed corn

1 can corn niblets OR about1 1/4 cups defrosted corn kernels

3 large organic eggs

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or your favorite cheese blend

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 cup soy creamer OR half and half OR milk

1/8th tsp chipotle chili sauce (optional - if you want a smokey flavor)

2 tbs. melted Earth Balance or butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine creamed corn, kernels, flour, spices, soy creamer/milk, half the cheese, salt, and pepper. Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each one. For a more souffle-like pudding, separate the eggs and add the yolks first. Whip the whites to medium stiffness, then gently fold them in. Pour into greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake 45-50 minutes or until pudding is brown on top and not too jiggly in the middle. After cooking, you can cool it and freeze it for about a week before serving. Defrost 1-2 days ahead in the refrigerator, then re-heat at 325 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Cranberry-Blackberry Compote

Traditionally I make this Thanksgiving staple with orange marmalade, but when I looked through the jams in my cupboard, alas I only had blackberry. The results were still delicious!

2 1/2 bags fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup pomegranate juice (orange, apple, or cranberry would work as well)

1/4 cup Triple Sec or other orange liqueur

1/2 cup blackberry jam (or orange marmalade)

1 1/2 cup sugar or to taste

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. grated fresh lemon peel

In a deep pot, combine cranberries, juice, liqueur, and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until cranberries start to soften and pop. Taste to see if the sweetness is to your liking and adjust as needed. Add in jam, cinnamon, and lemon peel. Continue cooking for 10-15 minutes until all berries have popped. The mixture will congeal as it cool. For an interesting kick - add 1-2 tsp. balsamic vinegar at the end. It adds a unique tartness, especially if you find your compote is too sweet. Can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week.