Peace on Earth at Your House

Replace Thursday's kitchen meltdown with advance prep, says Rebecca Newell, executive chef of Beehive Restaurant in Boston. Boil the potatoes, cook the cranberries, assemble the dressing's dry ingredients on Tuesday. Pull sides together Wednesday. "They will taste even better since the flavors will have settled," says Newell. "Imagine waking up Thanksgiving morning, throwing in your turkey, and calling it a day."