If there were ever a time for mastering the Essentials — perfect roasting techniques, a go-to  pie crust — it'd be Thanksgiving. So naturally we turn to Kelsey Nixon, creator of fast, affordable and easier-than-they-look meals, to guide us through the thickets of Thanksgiving preparation.

Tonight at 8:30PM ET, Kelsey finds inspiration from a mother-daughter baking duo to craft her own classic-with-a-twist Thanksgiving menu, starring a Cranberry-Apple Roasted Turkey Breast and a  Pickled Root Vegetable Salad with goat cheese.

In lieu of pie, Kelsey offers a more hands-off dessert solution that has our curiosity (and sweet tooth sensor) piqued: a Cranberry Salad. ("Salad for dessert," you exclaim in horror? Don't worry: This salad has whipped cream, marshmallows and pineapple -- like a Thanksgiving-style ambrosia.) It requires literally 5 minutes of prep time and the fridge does the rest.

And she's even got you covered the next day, when you've inevitably got half a turkey left to finish. Keeping up with her cranberry theme, Kelsey turns a hearty roasted turkey sandwich into an extraordinary meal with a cranberry-maple-cider vinegar glaze.

Tune in to Kelsey's Mock Thanksgiving tonight at 8:30PM ET.

Want more of Kelsey's Thanksgiving solutions? Check out Kelsey's Easy Thanksgiving Menu — comprised of 10 recipes exclusive to CookingChannelTV.com.