Your Family Will Love Giada's Twist on Thanksgiving

Switch it up with festive, fuss-free dishes — and adorable chocolate turkey treats!

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For many of us, Thanksgiving is going to look quite different this year. Whether loved ones had to cancel their travel plans or you had to downsize the guest list, there's a chance there will be fewer seats at the table. While some will stick with serving up the classics, others are rethinking the menu. Some are even taking the year off from Thanksgiving altogether (hey, we have been cooking a lot lately!).

That's why we enlisted Giada De Laurentiis to teach a course on how to celebrate the holiday in an unconventional — but still delicious! — way. In her Thanksgiving with a Twist course, she shows us how to whip up dishes inspired by the flavors of a traditional feast — without doing a ton of prep work or heavy lifting.

Rather than spending hours roasting a big bird, Giada teaches us how to make satisfying, flavorful pressed sandwiches that are ready in 45 minutes max. Start with roasted turkey breast from the deli counter many stores sell freshly carved oven-roasted turkey or you can find pre-sliced versions from brands like Applegate and Oscar Mayer and you're halfway done. Then, learn how to make crispy panini without the press (it's easier than you might think!) and how to amp up the flavors by roasting cherry tomatoes and adding store-bought pesto, marinara and cheese. P.S. This is also a brilliantly delicious way to reinvent your leftovers, if you are still planning to cook the whole meal.

In lieu of sides, Giada shares her recipe for Charred Brussels Sprout Crostini. She broils the beloved fall vegetable, a mainstay on so many Thanksgiving tables, until crispy, then tosses it with tangy pickled cranberries and piles everything on top of crunchy crostini. It makes for a simple appetizer or a light yet satisfying dinner, especially if paired with a glass of crisp white wine.

And for dessert? Skip the pies and join Giada in a class that's both festive and family-friendly. In her No-Bake Chocolate Cookie Turkeys class, she takes a few easy-to-find candies and cookies and transforms them into adorable turkey-shaped treats. Invite everyone into the kitchen to follow along and make their own "turkeys." It's a fun way for kids (and kids at heart!) to spend the holiday afternoon.

Looking for something more traditional? The Food Network Kitchen app still has you covered: Check out Martha Stewart's Cornbread Turkeys, Jet Tila's Cranberry Sauce, Erin McDowell's Cider-Caramel Apple Pie or Ask Alton Anything About Thanksgiving.

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