It’s time for the most important meal of the year for many: Thanksgiving. And nothing says Thanksgiving like a juicy, delicious turkey and all the fixings. Whether preparing a huge bird for extended friends and family or modest meal for two, there are lots of recipes and ways to serve your Thanksgiving favorites. Here are just a few of ours:
Rosemary roasted turkey
Ingredients
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pure Ground Black Pepper, 3 oz
salt to taste
12-pound turkey
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
Wash the turkey inside and out; pat dry. Remove any large fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick, being careful not to tear the skin.
Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use toothpicks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Add about 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Roast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, or until the internal temperature of the bird reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C).
Grandma’s green bean casserole
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup crumbled buttery round crackers
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat.
Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubbly.
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.
Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately.
Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
Ingredients
6 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup olive oil
7 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ cup milk
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place garlic cloves in a small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil, cover, and bake 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but firm. Drain, and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Place roasted garlic, milk, Parmesan cheese, and butter into the bowl with the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Beat to desired consistency with an electric mixer.
Chef John’s sweet potato casserole
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 large eggs
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup buttermilk
1/3 cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground allspice
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Pistachio crust:
½ cup chopped roasted, salted pistachios
½ cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter.
Place sweet potato cubes into a large pot, cover with water, and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until a knife is easily inserted into a sweet potato cube, about 10 minutes. Drain well. Return to the pot and mash 2 tablespoons butter into sweet potatoes.
Whisk eggs, maple syrup, buttermilk, milk, vanilla extract, cayenne pepper, allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually mash sweet potatoes into egg mixture, starting with 2 tablespoons of sweet potato mixture, until all sweet potatoes are incorporated. Transfer sweet potatoes into prepared baking dish.
Mix pistachios, brown sugar, flour, and 1/4 cup melted butter together until completely mixed. Crumble topping evenly over top of sweet potatoes. Use the back of a fork to gently press pistachio mixture down onto sweet potatoes.
Bake in the preheated oven until topping is browned and casserole is set, 25 to 30 minutes. If desired, place under oven’s broiler for 5 minutes to give topping a little more brown color. Let rest to cool slightly before serving, about 10 minutes.
Dried cherry and cranberry sauce
Ingredients
1 ½ cups cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup water
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
6 ounces dried cherries
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
Directions
Stir the cranberry juice cocktail, water, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, and allspice together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add the cherries to the cranberry juice mixture; cook another 2 minutes. Add the cranberries; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and chill in refrigerator 8 hours to overnight. Remove and discard cinnamon stick before serving.
Grandma’s cornbread dressing
Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package dry corn bread mix
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup chopped celery
1 small onion
2 eggs beaten
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons dried sage
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Prepare the dry corn bread mix according to package directions. Cool and crumble.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9×13 inch baking dish.
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the celery and onion until soft.
In a large bowl, combine the celery, onions, 3 cups crumbled corn bread, eggs, chicken stock, sage and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
Place into prepared dish and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.
Easy turkey gravy
Ingredients
5 cups turkey stock with pan drippings
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup milk
1/3 cup all purpose flour
Directions
Bring the turkey stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in soup, and season with poultry seasoning, pepper, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Reduce heat to low, and let simmer.
Warm the milk in the microwave, and whisk in the flour with a fork until there are no lumps. Return the gravy to a boil, and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Be careful not to let the bottom scorch.
Caramel pecan pumpkin pie
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 (9 inch) prepared pie shell
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Beat the eggs, pumpkin, and half-and-half together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the sugar, flour, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice until evenly blended. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared pie shell. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil strips to prevent burning.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the pecan caramel topping by mixing the brown sugar, pecans, and butter together in a bowl until evenly blended. Carefully spoon over the top of the pie. Continue baking the pie until the topping is golden and bubbly, and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes more. Cool on a wire rack.
Recipes courtesy of allrecipes.com.