We recruited Atlanta celebrity chef Kevin Rathbun to come up with a Thanksgiving feast for eight to 10 guests that can be prepped, cooked and served in under three hours.

By organizing his ingredients beforehand and having the tools he needed nearby, Rathbun was able to complete a main course, two sides and a dessert in two hours, 30 minutes.

“Timing was my whole focus,” he said. “This really is something people can do in three, maybe even two hours.”

More keys to this meal

Tips

• Steam the sweet potatoes instead of boiling to keep them from absorbing too much water. And yams work just as well as sweets in the recipe.

• Drizzle a little oil over the onions before roasting; it helps the skins come off easily.

• When making the cilantro butter, prepare a double batch. Wrap the extra in parchment paper and freeze for use in other dishes.

• Like your cilantro dumplings with more of a kick? Add a dash of red chili flakes to the batter.

• Dress up the tamales by tearing off thin strips of corn husks and using them to tie up the ends.

• When soaking the mustard greens, change the ice water a few times to remove any sandy residue.

Your turn: Ask the chef

Kevin Rathbun has agreed to answer reader questions and comments for a week, through Nov. 19. Post your question here, then check back.