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Party guide

An Elegant, Candlelit Thanksgiving

A seated dinner where the table does the talking: low light, real napkins, taper candles down the middle and a menu that mostly cooks itself. A turkey breast instead of a whole bird keeps you out of the kitchen and at the table. Best for 6 to 10 guests.

Host tip: Light the candles before the first guest knocks and keep the overhead lights off all night. Use unscented tapers on the table so nothing competes with the food.

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The menu

Starter
Warm sourdough with herb butterRecipe from Ina Garten, Food Network ↗
Main
Herb-roasted turkey breastRecipe from Inspired Taste ↗
Side
Potato gratinRecipe from Once Upon a Chef ↗
Roasted root vegetablesRecipe from Spend With Pennies ↗
A simple green salad with a lemon vinaigretteYour own
Dessert
Chocolate pots de crèmeRecipe from Taste of Home ↗

Drinks and ice

  • Sparkling cranberry cocktail: recipe
  • Sparkling ginger cider mocktail: recipe

Cranberry-rosemary cubes

Drop 3 or 4 fresh cranberries and a short rosemary sprig into each well of a large square silicone tray, top with water and freeze overnight. For coupes, freeze single cranberries in a mini-cube tray so they float. Boil the water and let it cool first for clearer ice. How to freeze fruit and herbs in ice · How to make clear ice

Make ahead

  1. 2 days before: Make the herb butter and the pots de crème. Freeze the ice cubes.
  2. 1 day before: Assemble the gratin and refrigerate. Cut the root vegetables. Set the table, candles and place cards.
  3. Day of, 3 hours out: Take the turkey breast out of the fridge for 30 minutes, then roast (about 1.5 to 2 hours).
  4. 1 hour out: Bake the gratin and roast the vegetables while the turkey rests.
  5. When guests arrive: Light the candles, warm the bread, pour the first round.

The music

Dinner jazz and soft standards

The 25 songs
  1. The Way You Look Tonight, Frank Sinatra
  2. At Last, Etta James
  3. La Vie en Rose, Louis Armstrong
  4. Come Away With Me, Norah Jones
  5. Fly Me to the Moon, Frank Sinatra
  6. Cheek to Cheek, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
  7. Feeling Good, Nina Simone
  8. Moon River, Andy Williams
  9. Autumn Leaves, Nat King Cole
  10. Dream a Little Dream of Me, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
  11. Sway, Michael Bublé
  12. Don't Know Why, Norah Jones
  13. Cry Me a River, Julie London
  14. Someone to Watch Over Me, Ella Fitzgerald
  15. Unforgettable, Nat King Cole
  16. My Funny Valentine, Chet Baker
  17. Take Five, The Dave Brubeck Quartet
  18. Blue in Green, Miles Davis
  19. Stardust, Nat King Cole
  20. Embraceable You, Billie Holiday
  21. They Can't Take That Away from Me, Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
  22. Lullaby of Birdland, Sarah Vaughan
  23. I've Got You Under My Skin, Frank Sinatra
  24. Everything Happens to Me, Chet Baker
  25. What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong

Little touches

  • A gift for the host

    What guests can bring.

    A good bottle of wine or a box of taper candles

  • To take home

    A little something at the door.

    A single taper candle tied with ribbon, or a slice of dessert to go

  • Something to do

    Place cards with a question on the back ("Best meal you've ever had?"). Everyone answers theirs between courses.

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