The Store-Bought Item Martha Stewart Admits to Using for Her Thanksgiving Menu
Martha Stewart is known for going all in on the DIY front, making everything from every component of her meals—from garden to oven—to the table setting in the middle of the dinner table. But even the most accomplished domestic queen needs a break every once in a while.
And that's why Stewart recently teamed up with Pure Leaf tea for the brand's "Don’t Do It Yourself" campaign. The tongue-in-cheek ads feature one of the things we like most about Martha—her willingness to poke fun at herself. In the Pure Leaf ads, she talks about what she's doing with all the free time she's found since she's not brewing her own tea. Those activities include learning to play "Still D.R.E." on the harp, which is a nod to her BFF Snoop.
All of this talk of downtime made us wonder what Martha thought was worth doing—and not worth doing—when it comes to holiday entertaining, which will be here before we know it. She had lots of tips to share, but we're definitely filing away her stuffing hack (see below) for our upcoming Thanksgiving feast.
What time-saving secrets do you have for making hosting easier, particularly around the holidays?
The holidays are the busiest time of year at my house. With dinners to host and friends to see, Pure Leaf saves me time in the kitchen so I can enjoy these moments with the people I cherish most. While I love to DIY most of my holiday gatherings from scratch, there are a few things (like Pure Leaf) that truly taste just as good. For instance, I always home make my desserts and pies for Thanksgiving, and I also love to make my stuffing from scratch. However, sometimes I’ll use store-bought brioche for the stuffing if I don’t have time to make my own—that's another great time-saving hack that still produces an amazing result!
Related: Martha Stewart's Life-Changing One-Pan Pasta
Iced tea is a given, but do you have any other favorite holiday drinks?
While I love a sweet beverage here and there, the holidays are all about balance for me – and I love to swap out a cocktail for an iced tea instead. Pure Leaf’s Unsweetened Tea always hits the spot for me, and I love to add a festive touch with herbs and garnishes from my garden. When all of my Pure Leaf runs out, I like to whip up one of my Classic Eggnogs made with eggs from my farm, and a little cognac to spice it up.
Related: How Martha Stewart Cured My Pie Crust Anxiety
When you don't feel like cooking around the holidays, what do you eat?
My Hearty Turkey Chili is a tasty choice for any day of the week and really holds up as leftovers. I like to make a big batch at the start of the week and reheat on the nights I don’t feel like cooking. You can add some variety last-minute with some lime wedges, diced red onion or even sliced avocado.
On the flip side, what kitchen job or task is worth the time?
I live on a farm and grow the majority of my own herbs and produce, which is time-consuming but makes for the most incredible, quality ingredients when I cook. I also always make my own desserts (especially pies) for my get-togethers; in my opinion, a homemade dessert is better than store-bought every single time.
Up next: The Genius Roasted Pumpkin Seed Hack I've Been Using For Years
