Thanksgiving Live 2011 Highlights

Relive the best moments of Food Network's Thanksgiving Live 2011 with highlights and behind-the-scenes photos.

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Photo By: Photographer: Corey Behnke ©Monday Sessions Media Inc.

Thanksgiving Live! 2011

Alton Brown, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, Anne Burrell, Alex Guarnaschelli, Sunny Anderson, Melissa d'Arabian and Ted Allen all gathered in Food Network Kitchens to cook (and eat!) an entire Thanksgiving meal on live TV. Check out the best moments and recipes from the show.

Ready for a Superfun, Stress Free Thanksgiving

Sunny is all smiles as the Thanksgiving preparations commence.

Melissa's Money-Saving Tip

The cheapest side to have on your Thanksgiving table? According to Melissa, it's mashed potatoes. Instead of using Yukon, go for the Russets. They're fluffy, perfect for mashed potatoes and inexpensive. All it takes is a little milk and butter and you've got yourself a side dish.

Bobby's Organizing Tip: Take Note

Bobby attests to putting notes on his cabinets to keep organized. Each time he finishes up a dish, he crosses it off to keep track.

Thanksgiving Disaster Tell-Alls

Even seasoned chefs have Thanksgiving disasters. Bobby? He fell asleep with his turkey in the oven once upon a time, and let's just say that didn't turn out very well for him. It happens to the best of us, right?

Snack Break

Bobby, Sunny and Alex share a snack and a laugh amidst the Thanksgiving preparations. Hey, even a Food Network chef needs a break.

Anne's Appetizer

Even before a big meal like Thanksgiving, appetizers are a must for your guests. Anne serves chorizo-stuffed dates with bacon to keep everyone in good spirits (and out of the kitchen).

Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Chorizo

Rachael Is a Deviled Egg Pro

Rachael's go-to appetizer? Deviled eggs. As a matter of fact, she's made more than 25 different kinds over the years. At Thanksgiving Live 2011, she served Caesar stuffed eggs -- they taste just like Caesar salad.

Get the Recipe: Caesar Stuffed Eggs

Rachael's Classic Thanksgiving Cocktail

Rachael's Thanksgiving cocktail of choice is the Negroni, a warm, citrusy mix of gin and vermouth.

Get the Recipe: Rachael's Negroni

Sunny's Mom's Thanksgiving Dressing

It wouldn't be an Anderson Thanksgiving without Mommy Anderson's Oyster Dressing. It's made with freshly shucked oysters, herbs and giblets, which add flavor and richness to the dish.

Get the Recipe: Mommy Anderson's Oyster Dressing

Pumpkin As a Side Dish

This pumpkin isn't going into a pie. Rachael creates a light fall dish by roasting it in the oven and combining it with greens, pistachios, Gorgonzola and a vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin with Pistachios and Gorgonzola

Sunny's Green Bean Casserole

Instead of resorting to crispy fried onions from the can for her Green Bean Casserole Mash-Up, Sunny uses an unexpected replacement: potato peels. When tossed in olive oil and spices and thrown on top, they crisp up just enough in the oven.

Get the Recipe: Sunny's Green Bean Casserole Mash-Up

Make Use of Day-Old (or Week-Old!) Bread

When it comes to stuffing, Rachael never throws the ends of her bread away before the big day rolls around. In preparation, she keeps them in her freezer in a big bag.

Get the Recipe: Apple and Onion Stuffin'

Melissa's Easy Vegetable Side Dish

Melissa keeps it simple with a Roasted Root Medley that comes together with beets, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato and a quick vinaigrette.

Get the Recipe: Roasted Root Medley

Bobby's Thanksgiving Must-Have: Roasted Sweet Potatoes

For Bobby, roasted sweet potatoes deserve a prominent spot on the Thanksgiving table, right up there with the turkey. He adds sweetness with brown sugar, pecans and molasses, and the potatoes get a kick with cayenne and bourbon.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potatoes Glazed with Molasses, Pecans and Bourbon

Bobby's Twist on Cranberry Sauce

Zested with a double dose of citrus, Bobby's Cranberry-Texas Red Grapefruit Relish packs a new kind of tartness that's brighter than anything you'll get from the can.

Get the Recipe: Cranberry-Texas Red Grapefruit Relish

Bobby's Flavorful Bird

When it comes to the turkey, Bobby Flay is all about the dry rub. Unlike a marinade, a dry rub adheres to the turkey and becomes nice and crispy.

Get the Recipe: Brined Rosemary Crusted Turkey with Pan Gravy

Alton's Turkey Tip

Alton can't stress this one enough: Rest the turkey for about an hour before carving.

Get the Recipe: Brined Rosemary Crusted Turkey with Pan Gravy

Alton on Turkey Carving

Using a carving knife, Alton does all of his turkey carving in the kitchen, not at the table, so he can focus on quality.

Bobby's Secret Ingredient

Take it from Bobby: The most important ingredient for making Thanksgiving dinner happen is chicken stock. Keep it warm and ready on your stove to help remoisten turkey, thin out gravy or bring back dry stuffing.