Thanksgiving is almost upon us, thus bringing with it the holiday rush of anticipation and family gatherings. As stressful as this might be, it also means succulent turkey in the oven, post-dinner hibernation, and a slew of relatives you haven’t seen, or perhaps don’t want to see, buzzing over the latest conversation and gorging over the delectable edibles put in front of them.
To coincide with this most plentiful of and feast-filled holiday, Appitalism.com (the mobile app superstore), the first site to combine a social community with an online store to help consumers quickly and easily discover, discuss and download the best digital content for all devices, recommends the following apps for the best in thanksgiving preparation, recipes, and amusement sure to keep you out of that turkey-induced coma.
Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner (Free for iPhone)
The app includes hundreds of Thanksgiving recipes, including Green Bean Casserole, Candied Sweet Potatoes, and plenty of recipes for that perfect Turkey. AllRecipes.com is also useful because you can see user ratings, which makes it easier to pick the best recipes. If you’re on a budget, the AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner app is a great pick for planning your Thanksgiving meal.
Epicurious Recipes (Free for iPhone)
Epicurious has a dedicated Thanksgiving section, including nearly 200 recipes from Gourmet and Bon Appétit magazines. If you’re unsure how to cook a turkey, this app is for you. Many turkey recipes include Clementine-Salted Turkey with Redeye Gravy and Sage Butter-Roasted Turkey. Those planning a vegetarian Thanksgiving will also appreciate veggie-friendly holiday recipes like Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie or Pumpkin Stuffed with Vegetable Stew.
Whole Foods Market Recipes (Free for iPhone)
The Whole Foods Market Recipes app is healthy and includes nutrition information — not that you’re likely to be worried about calories and fat grams on Thanksgiving! One of my favorite recipes is the Thanksgiving Weekend Strata, which uses leftover stuffing. You could also try the Roasted Parsnips and Sweet Potatoes with Honey-Pecan Drizzle instead of your normal marshmallow-topped sweet potato recipe.
Martha Stewart Cocktails (99 cents for iPhone)
Give thanks to the home goods queen for an app that allows you to infuse that hard edge into your Thanksgiving drink menu easily. This all-inclusive cocktail recipe database can be easily shared with friends and even comes with a specialized Thanksgiving selection guaranteed to keep more than the conversation flowing.
How to Cook Everything for iPhone ($4.99 for iPhone)
Mark Bittman’s popular How to Cook Everything app has thousands of recipes, including many precisely for Thanksgiving. There are Thanksgiving recipes for all the popular dishes, including Classic Roast Turkey with Stuffing, Traditional Cranberry Sauce, and Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust. If this is your first time preparing a Thanksgiving meal, you’ll also find lots of how-to content.