In just a few weeks, those of us who love to cook put on our big show for the year. Maybe your family’s feast is straight out of Norman Rockwell, with a perfectly orchestrated presentation of family favorites: tender veggies, buttery mashed potatoes, fluffy stuffing, and of course a lovely roasted bird. Or, perhaps your holiday includes a stack of take-out containers, allowing you to put your feet up and watch the game with the rest of the family. No judgment here – my holiday is usually a combination of those things. Outsourcing some of the dishes allows me to focus on a few things rather than trying to get the timing (and the oven and fridge space) just right. And whether your meal is Insta-worthy or more instant-mashed-potatoes-from-a-box, a tasty meal with loved ones is what this month is all about.

In addition to picking up some elements of the meal from my favorite local shops, one of the tricks I have discovered over the years is that making things ahead is the name of the game. Pies are always a day before proposition. Roll dough can be mixed and kneaded and left to rest overnight in the fridge. Even the potatoes can be made ahead and warmed for several hours in a crock-pot. Vegetables, though, can be hard to make early, unless you’re opting for green bean casserole. Again, no shade, but I usually plan to have at least one vegetable dish that features lighter, less creamy flavors to give the meal some variety. I love a roasted veggie, but if I’m also roasting a turkey, the timing can be tricky.

Enter this salad. Most of the time, if I have a salad at Thanksgiving, it’s fruit salad. Green salad provides needed vitamins and crunch, but they need to be made fairly close to being served (when I’m busy with other things) and are often mostly ignored by diners in favor of other, more exciting dishes. This salad is heavy on the vegetables, and features a toothsome, sweet and savory dressing, but can be made a full day ahead. It’s also a visual stunner, with irresistible green, orange and red. While lettuce is a bit bland to be included in a feast, the greens here are Brussels sprouts – tasty, hearty, and beautiful. It can be served warm, cold, or somewhere in between, so once it’s made there is no need to babysit it.

Roasting the vegetables brings out their sweetness and flavor. I generally take the shortcut of buying the squash pre-cut (I find that peeling and chopping butternut squash is an experience akin to wrestling a toddler smeared in Vaseline). You can buy Brussels sprouts pre-cut too, but I find they can become dry if I do that, and they are fast and easy to prep for this dish. After becoming toasty and tender if the oven, dress the squash and Brussels in the dressing and pop it in the fridge. Just before serving, top with toasted pecans and dried cranberries for a salad that tastes like fall on a fork.

As a final note, I’ll mention that even if this salad doesn’t make the cut for your holiday meal, it’s one of the best ways I know to use up that leftover turkey. Roast up a batch, dress it warm, and top with that leftover bird. Because the salad is dressed in olive oil, it can breathe new life into turkey that might otherwise be dry and sad. A side made the day before and a base for leftovers the day after, this salad is truly a dish to be thankful for.

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Brussels and Squash Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

• 12 ounces chopped butternut squash
• 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, cut in half
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup pecan halves
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the squash and Brussels sprouts on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use clean hands to massage the olive oil into the vegetables and ensure everything is evenly coated. Roast for about 25 minutes until vegetables are tender and sprouts are browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Mix ¼ cup olive oil with maple syrup, cider vinegar and Dijon mustard, then pour the mixture over the warm vegetables, stirring with a spatula or spoon to coat evenly. Serve immediately, topped with pecans and cranberries. Or, store the dressed vegetables in the fridge, topping with pecans and cranberries just before serving.

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Article and photo by Lisa Crockett