With multiple appetizers, an epic array of side dishes, and an assortment of pies to prepare -- not to mention the great big bird at the center of the table -- making Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming to even the most seasoned cooks. That's why we like to make as many dishes ahead of time as we possibly can. Here are our best make-ahead recipes for appetizers, side dishes, and desserts so you can have more time to enjoy your guests on Thanksgiving Day.

It's just not Thanksgiving without pie! You can make and freeze pie crusts up to a month in advance so that putting together your favorite pumpkin, pecan, and apple pies for the big day will be a snap.

Fresh cranberries, sugar, and orange zest and juice make a simple, deeply flavored cranberry sauce. Stored in an airtight container, this sauce will keep in the refrigerator for a week.

These moist, tender dinner rolls are rich with eggs and butter. Once the dough is shaped, it can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to two months before Thanksgiving. When ready to bake, simply add two hours to the second rising.

Two popular favorites -- pumpkin pie and cheesecake -- are rolled into one delightful dessert. Cheesecake keeps well in the refrigerator for several days, and it also freezes nicely. To thaw, simply place it in the refrigerator 24 hours before you wish to serve it.

This simple soup gets sweetness and depth from roasted pumpkin (or butternut squash) and shiitake mushrooms. Store it in the refrigerator for up to three days, or freeze it for up to three months.

No need to wait for the turkey to come out of the oven before making this gravy. It relies on canned chicken broth and white wine for its rich, savory flavor. Refrigerate the gravy in an airtight container for up to three days, and warm in the microwave just before serving.

Tamari is similar to soy sauce, with a richer, softer flavor. Mixing it with maple syrup creates an irresistible sweet-savory glaze for roasted almonds in this easy, make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizer. Once cooled, store the almonds in an airtight container for up to a week.

A blend of smoked salmon and sour cream gets a luxurious texture from unflavored gelatin in this simple, elegant appetizer. Chill it for up to two days before serving.

Roasted cauliflower, Romanesca, sweet potatoes, and brussels sprouts get a sophisticated finish from a pomegranate vinaigrette and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Wash and trim the vegetables, and make the vinaigrette, up to two days in advance.

This is a classic recipe for everyone's favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Dry the bread cubes and saute the celery, shallots, and garlic two days ahead of time so the stuffing comes together in a snap on the big day.

Generous doses of butter and cream make these mashed potatoes suited to a special occasion. Make these a day in advance and refrigerate them in a baking dish. Twenty minutes before serving, cover the dish with foil and heat in the oven at 350 degrees.

No matter how many dishes are on the Thanksgiving table, the fresh hot rolls are always the first to go. The dough for these rolls can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Marinated in lemon juice, white-wine vinegar, fresh oregano, and olive oil, these mushrooms taste even better when made a few days before serving. Serve this easy appetizer with olives and a selection of cheeses.

Refrigerated in their poaching liquid, these cranberry-kissed pears will keep for up to three days. Serve them with creme fraiche or cinnamon ice cream as a refreshing Thanksgiving dessert.

In this Thanksgiving side dish, mashed Yukon gold and sweet potatoes are enriched with sage-infused butter and milk and then baked under a topping of crisp breadcrumbs. Make the potato mixture two days in advance and add the breadcrumbs just before baking.

This sage-seasoned cornbread and sausage stuffing gets a creamy texture from the addition of eggs. This turkey stuffing can be assembled and refrigerated, baked or unbaked, for two days.

This silky-smooth butternut squash bisque is subtly seasoned with small amounts of thyme, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. The soup can be frozen for a month and heated slowly on the stove before dinner.

Dried and fresh mushrooms, bacon, and garlic give layers of flavor to this creamy dip. This make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizer tastes even better when it's been refrigerated for a day or two.

This versatile, bright-tasting lemon and olive oil vinaigrette will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Use it to dress up Thanksgiving side dishes like sauteed green beans, brussels sprouts, spinach, or salad greens garnished with dried cherries and toasted hazelnuts.

Tender cauliflower is surrounded by Gruyere cheese sauce under a crunchy coat of breadcrumbs in this make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish. Make the cauliflower and cheese sauce mixture up to two days in advance; top with breadcrumbs just before baking.

A combination of portobello, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms gives this vegetarian gravy a delicious dose of savory flavor. Store the gravy in the refrigerator for up to three days before Thanksgiving dinner.

Roasted beets and orange slices add their brilliant autumn-harvest colors to this salad. Roast the beets, section the oranges, and prepare the vinaigrette up to two days in advance so all that's left to do before Thanksgiving dinner is dress the greens and sprinkle on the toppings.

The sour cream dough for these Parmesan-rosemary crackers is prepared in the food processor and formed into a log. Store the dough log, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Slice and bake the crackers a day before serving.

Green Picholine olives are bathed in a mixture of olive oil, roasted garlic, champagne vinegar, red onion, bay leaves, and cracked peppercorns. Prepare this easy, make-ahead Thanksgiving appetizer a week in advance and bring back to room temperature just before serving.

Not your mother's sweet potato casserole, a compelling blend of coconut milk, fragrant Thai red-curry paste, and maple syrup adds excitement to mashed sweet potatoes. Make these potatoes up to two days in advance and reheat in the oven while the Thanksgiving turkey is resting.