Everything But the Leftovers Seasoning Blend
You could spend Thanksgiving morning chopping herbs and rummaging through your spice cabinet so you can craft the perfect blend, or you can stock up on this versatile Trader Joe’s buy. This seasoning blend, which contains dehydrated onion, sea salt, black pepper, turmeric powder, dried celery seed, ground sage, rosemary powder, dried thyme, and dried parsley, can be used to add flavor to roasted vegetables, stuffing, and even turkey. And if you’re still craving Thanksgiving flavors, feel free to use this seasoning on your eggs on Friday morning.
Brined Bone-In, Fully Cooked Half Turkey Breast
If you’re not in the mood to cook a turkey this year, Trader Joe’s has you covered. The brand’s full turkey breast, which includes the bone, is marinated in a brine of salt, sugar, black pepper, and garlic-herb butter. The half breast is then seared, and slowly cooked sous-vide. To prep this time-saver at home, all you need to do is heat it in the oven for about 40 minutes. The result is a low-lift turkey dinner that’s much easier to cook than an entire Thanksgiving bird.
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving must, and while they’re not that difficult to make, sometimes you just don’t feel like undertaking all the peeling, boiling, and mashing. Luckily, these frozen mashed potatoes, which come in pre-proportioned sections, are as creamy and buttery as the real deal, just minus all the effort! If you want to pass these frozen spuds off as homemade, go ahead and give them a restaurant-worthy upgrade before serving.
Gourmet Fried Onion Pieces
Instead of frying onions yourself, use these crunchy morsels—Dutch yellow onions fried in vegetable oil—to top everything from a green bean casserole to a bowl of mashed potatoes. Pro tip: They also work wonderfully on a leftover turkey sandwich or a hamburger.
Turkey Gravy
If you’re cooking a whole turkey, it’s easy enough to use the bird’s drippings to make a gravy while it finishes cooking, but if you’re making turkey pieces or simply can’t deal with preparing yet another dish, reduce your stress by using this boxed gravy from TJ’s. It boasts herby flavors, has zero lumps, and is ready in just minutes.
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
If you’re not a canned cranberry sauce fan, but don’t have the time or resources to make the fresh stuff, you can compromise with store-bought fresh cranberry sauce. This version from Trader Joe’s is made with whole cranberries that have been stirred and brought to a boil with water and sugar just until they pop. Elevate this side by adding some orange zest and/or chopped nuts just before serving. The added flavor and texture will take this TJ’s purchase to the next level.
Turkey Stock
Yes, you can make your own stock, but as anyone who has ever made stock (turkey or otherwise) will tell you, it requires hours of simmering meat, bones, and veggies on the stove to get it just right. Since both time and stove real estate are in short supply in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, invest in a box of Trader Joe’s Turkey Stock instead and use it to add richness to Turkey Day staples such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. You can even use it to baste the bird.
Pie Crusts
After you’ve spent hours preparing Thanksgiving dinner, the last thing you want to do is start making desserts from scratch. Enter Trader Joe’s frozen pie crusts, which are buttery, light, and crisp. Pack ‘em with the sweet (or savory) filling of your choice to create a stress-free holiday dish that tastes delicious and requires very little cleanup.
Butter Quarters, Salted or Unsalted
Adding butter to just about any dish is a great way to make it instantaneously more delicious, but cooking or baking with hard butter that’s been kept in the refrigerator presents its own set of challenges. While it’s simple enough to soften butter so it’s easier to work with, you can also buy Trader Joe’s butter quarters, which can more easily be incorporated into recipes thanks to their smaller size. The cubes also mean you can more easily and accurately measure the butter you use in various recipes.
