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Every November, Americans come together to celebrate Thanksgiving. In-between the parade, the football, and the FRIENDS marathon, most folks will spend the majority of the day in the kitchen cooking and at the table eating. Obviously, with the coronavirus pandemic this year, our Thanksgiving gatherings will likely look very different. Still, there’s no reason why everyone shouldn’t still prepare a delicious meal to enjoy with their families, even if the whole family can’t be together.

So, where to begin? Well, there’s plenty of time still to do some research on the kinds of delicious dishes you’d like to serve, and while the Internet is chockfull of recipes, we actually would recommended getting your hands on these cookbooks for the holiday. Within the pages of these tomes, you’ll find something for everyone in the family — and you’ll find picture perfect desserts, side dishes, appetizers, and more that you’ll be thrilled to share with your Insta-fam on the big day. Because, let’s get real, your sourdough starter — not that interesting anymore. (Though I’m sure still delicious!)

So, allow us to take you through the Thanksgiving meal, course by course, and offer you some suggestions of books that have recipes perfect for November 26 — and even the days after that!

Appetizer — Fig & Cheese Toasts, from Ina Garten’s Cookbook, Modern Comfort Food

Leave it to the one and only Barefoot Contessa herself to create a simple, but elegant starter to the biggest meal of the year. One of the many delicious recipes to be found in her new cookbook, Modern Comfort Good, Ina Garten‘s recipe for Fig & Cheese toasts is an easy and sweet treat to kick off the meal. You’ll need some good fig spread — or jam or preserves, but they have more sugar — figs, greens, cream cheese, and a good loaf of crusty, country bread. It’s a simple build from there, but it’s a recipe that your family will go nuts for, without losing their appetite for what comes next. $21.00, amazon.com 

 

Salad — Balsamic Glazed Brussel Sprouts With Bacon, Cranberries, Walnuts, & Blue Cheese from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook, Cravings: Hungry For More 

First of all, you’re welcome. For what? Well, for reminding you that salad on Thanksgiving can be an absolute showstopper, if you live your life like Chrissy Teigen does — for food! Oh, and Chrissy isn’t messing around when it comes to her recipes for knockout salads. Yes, we picked the Brussel Sprouts one, also featured on her website, because it felt the most Thanksgiving-y. But, in the pages of this book, you’ll also get incredible alternatives like Roasted Butternut Squash & Pomegranate Salad with Garlicky Honey- Dijon Dressing and a Roasted Carrot & Avocado Salad with Lime Dressing. Oh, and did we mention those are both vegan options? These all sound so good, it almost doesn’t make sense to serve the main course. (Ok, not really, but it does still all sound delicious!) $15.99, amazon.com 

 

 

Soup — Butternut Squash & Apple Soup from the Zakarian Family cookbook, The Family That Cooks Together

If you love the Food Network, chances are you love Geoffrey Zakarian. The Iron Chef is a staple on the network and recently, with the hit show The Kitchen filming from home, G-Z has been seen in the kitchen more and more with his family, including his two daughters, Madeline and Anna. Clearly, the cooking gene runs in the family, as the girls have come together with their famous dad to put together 85 recipes from their own kitchen in the book, The Family That Cooks together.  In the first few pages, you’ll find their secret recipe for this delectable, fall-flavored soup, a perfect warm starter to your Thanksgiving feast. Then, you can stick around for the 85 other recipes!  $12.99, amazon.com 

 

Veggie — Spinach Balls from The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook

Authentic Edwardian dishes may not scream Thanksgiving to some people, but those people would be wrong. First of all, the beloved Crawley family from the hit series Downton Abbey were half-American, so their family recipes count. And secondly, if you’re looking to up your foodie-pic game on Instagram, who better the emulate that the cooking stylings of Mrs. Patmore. Now, the full name of this dish, which can be found in the Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook, is Spinach Balls á L’italienne. It is a decadent dish with Italian influences, combining cheese, sage, and of course, spinach, for a delicious bite. Bye-bye, cream spinach! We’re getting classy on Turkey day! $31.50, amazon.com 

Side —  Pan Potatoes from The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook

Oh yes, we are going in for seconds over at Downton. We promised you food that would make your feed pop, so while others will be having their potatoes mashed or baked, you should try serving yours as the Crawley’s do. You’ll need to get your hands on mandolin if you want razor thing potato slices, and a cast iron skillet for the right, rustic feel. But really, for this dish, it’s all about presentation! $31.50, amazon.com 

Turkey — The ‘Moist Maker’ from Friends: The Official Cookbook

Ok, so… there are some that will argue that you can not celebrate Thanksgiving without turkey. That may be so, but we’d argue that Thanksgiving isn’t really Thanksgiving without a turkey sandwich THE DAY AFTER Thanksgiving. You know what we’re talking about: a delicious turkey sandwich, piled-high with all of the leftovers between the layers. This particular recipe was made famous on the show, Friends. Season five, episode 9, aptly titled ‘The One With Ross’ Sandwich’. Monica’s lovable brother is anxious to enjoy ‘the only good thing going on in my life’ after Thanksgiving, as his sis has perfected the best way to enjoy the leftovers. The secret: an extra slice of gravy-soaked bread in the middle of the sandwich, forevermore dubbed, The Moist Maker. It’s a meal worth crying over — or being forced on sabbatical over. $18.74, amazon.com

 

Dessert: Butternut Squash Pie with Browned Butter and Sage, from The Perfect Pie: Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More

Finally, we’ve saved the best for last — dessert! While pumpkin pie is the staple for gobble, gobble day, after all the work you’ve put in on the last six courses, the last thing you want to be is basic. Enter The Perfect Pie, a cookbook filled with delicious recipes for every kind of pie you can think of: from bakery classics to modern twists, and everything in-between. When you reach the Butternut Squash Pie, you’ll see a delectable fall dessert deep in rich color, covering in pastry leaves, and you’ll never think about grocery story pumpkin pie ever again. $17.99, amazon.com