T-Day, minus 2

The year's biggest family dinner is just two days away. Like many people, you may be buying the entire dinner, save for a few things, from a grocery store, deli or other source. This is a great alternative to making the entire meal yourself.

If you are buying dinner fully cooked, consider using fresh herbs or toased nuts to liven up the offerings. Here are some suggestions gleaned from various Internet sources:

Mashed Potatoes
* Heat on the stove and add lower-fat sour cream and freshly chopped chives or
* Stir in roasted garlic cloves and fresh, finely chopped parsley.

Cranberry Sauce
Warm up a can (or two) of whole cranberry sauce and add:
* Some orange zest and 1 to 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier or
* A few tablespoons of less-sugar raspberry preserves and 1/3 cup of dried cherries or craisins.
Let chill after you make your additions.

Stuffing
* If it's dry, add a little warmed chicken broth.
* Browned crumbled sausage and fold in or
* Add chopped fresh herbs, especially flat-leaf parsley, sage and thyme.

Gravy
Jazz up prepared gravy by sauteing garlic, onion and finely diced mushrooms then adding it in.

Rolls
Make an herbed compound butter to serve with rolls by blending softened butter or margarine with finely choppped herbs (flat leaf-parsley and sage would be a great combo. Stay away from woody rosemary for this.)

Vegetables
Almost all vegetables, especially green beans and brussels sprouts, benefit from fresh chopped herbs and toased pecans.

Pumpkin pie
Place toasted pecans around the edge and add a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream to each slice. If you're using prepared whipped cream from tub or can, sprinkle cinnamon over the cream.