WTF To Eat on Thanksgiving Day Before the Big Meal

Simple snacks that will keep you happy and cooking your heart out

All photos: Aya Brackett

Typically, I start drinking wine before the afternoon on Thanksgiving day. As for food: If I’m at my mom’s, our tradition is to get breakfast sandwiches, which hold us over until we sit down to really eat. This year, I’m cooking at my place for the first time, and I’m actually pretty pumped about it!?

This post is by no means an urge to cook more than you need to on what’s objectively a berserk day; rather, it’s an offering of some fast, easy snacks, which include things that you probably already have in your house, will keep you sated throughout the day, and can be made the day before.

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Caramelized Spiced Nuts

Caramelized Spiced Nuts

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Parmesan Popcorn

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons good-quality vegetable oil

• 1⁄2 cup popping corn

• 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) butter or 1⁄4 cup olive oil (optional)

• Salt

• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

Instructions

1. Put the vegetable oil in a large pot (6 quarts or so) with a lid. Turn the heat to medium, add 3 kernels of the corn, and cover.

2. When the 3 kernels pop, remove the lid and add the remaining corn. Cover and shake the pot, holding the lid on. Cook, shaking the pot often, until the popping sound stops, after about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter or gently warm the olive oil, if you’re using it.

3. Turn the popcorn into a large bowl. Drizzle with the butter or olive oil, if using. Sprinkle with salt while tossing the popcorn. Sprinkle the parmesan over the hot popcorn and toss. Serve immediately—popcorn is best hot.

Parmesan Popcorn

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Miso Deviled Eggs

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 5 minutes with precooked eggs

Ingredients

• 4 hard-boiled eggs (method here; just steps one and three)

• Salt

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 1 teaspoon any miso

• Toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Cool the eggs quickly and peel them. Halve them lengthwise with a small sharp knife. Carefully scoop out the yolks and put them in a small bowl.

2. Mash the yolks with some salt and the mayonnaise, mustard, and miso. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the filling back into the whites. (If you are making a lot of deviled eggs and want them to be especially attractive, use a pastry bag or zipper bag with a corner cut off to pipe the filling back into the whites.)

3. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve or cover and chill, well wrapped, for up to 1 day before serving.

Miso Deviled Eggs

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Herbed Goat Cheese

Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Time: 10 minutes

The consistency here is somewhere between a dip and spread, so use it either way, with crostini, crackers, crudités — whatever you like.

Other cheeses you can use: fresh ricotta or feta (you’ll need to use a food processor in Step 1).

Ingredients

• 8 ounces fresh goat cheese

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, sour cream, yogurt, or milk, or as needed

• 1⁄4 teaspoon minced garlic, or to taste

• 1⁄2 cup chopped mixed fresh mild herbs like basil, parsley, chervil, dill, and/or chives

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or thyme

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed

Instructions

1. Mash the goat cheese and thin it with enough of the cream to make it spreadable or usable as a dip. You may need more or less depending on the density of the cheese and the consistency you prefer.

2. Stir in the garlic and herbs. Taste and add salt if necessary (some goat cheese is quite salty) and pepper to taste. Drizzle with the oil and serve, or refrigerate for up to several hours, then add the oil and serve chilled.

Herbed Goat Cheese

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Nori Chips

Nori Chips

— All recipes from How to Cook Everything: Completely Revised Twentieth Anniversary Edition