Thanksgiving Recipes Part 1

I’m leaning toward a simpler Thanksgiving this year. I want more family time and fewer food comas. I prefer flavors that shine without all the overwhelm. These recipes are easy, approachable, and full of classic holiday comfort. Plan ahead, and you’ll have a Thanksgiving spread that’s satisfying, memorable, and wonderfully low-stress.
 

No need to sacrifice flavor though! I think you will find these recipes to be easy, simple, and doable. Not overwhelming. If you plan ahead you can delight your family with a Thanksgiving meal that would make a Pilgrim proud!

Thanksgiving Menu

1- Roast Turkey with Fresh Herbs and Homemade Gravy

2- Cornbread Sausage Stuffing with Apples

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans with Toasted Almonds and Rosemary

Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Vinaigrette

Whole Cranberry Sauce

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Herb Roasted Turkey

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: depends on the size of the turkey. 15-20 minutes per pound

• One 10-12 pound fresh turkey
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into eighths
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1/2 bunch fresh sage
• 3 or 4 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken broth or turkey stock for basting.

1. Remove the neck, gizzard, heart and wing tips (snip them off with kitchen shears.) Set aside for making stock for the gravy. Or, use turkey stock.
2. Wash the turkey inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.  Preheat the oven to 325.
3. Place the turkey breast side down on a rack in a large roasting pan.
4. Rub the butter on all sides and stuff some underneath the skin.
5. Season inside and out with salt and pepper.
6. Place the onion, celery, carrot and all the fresh herbs inside the turkey.
7. Loosely tie the legs together with kitchen twine.
8. Place the turkey in the oven and roast for 1 hour.
9. Remove from the oven, turn the turkey over, and baste with 1/2 cup of stock.
10. Roast breast side up. Continue basting with the pan juices or butter every 15 to 20 minutes. Do this until the breast meat registers between 170-180 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
11. Total cooking time will be about 15 or 20 minutes per pound.
12. If the breast or drumsticks start getting too brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
13. Remove from the oven and let it rest loosely covered with foil while you make the gravy.

Turkey Broth

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

You don’t have to make turkey broth from the gizzards. Still, I think it makes a much tastier gravy when you use freshly made turkey broth. This is as opposed to a box of chicken or turkey stock. It’s super easy and it will be finished before the turkey is done roasting. But in a pinch, this would be a fine substitute: Organic Turkey Bone Stock

• Turkey heart, neck, gizzard and wing tips
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 large celery stalk coarsely chopped
• 1 small bay leaf
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups water

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the neck, heart, gizzard and wing tips to the pan.  Cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, about a minute.
2. Add the vegetables and bay leaf and cook till soft, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour the chicken stock and water into the pan and bring to a boil.
4. Simmer about an hour until reduced to about 4 cups. You can add the turkey liver to the broth the last 15 minutes if you would like.
5. Strain the stock over a bowl. Pull the meat off of the neck. Chop the neck meat and giblets if you want to add them to your gravy. Otherwise, discard all the solids.

Turkey Gravy

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

• Pour all the juices from your turkey roasting pan into a measuring cup and skim off the fat.
• In the roasting pan on your stove, use 2 burners to melt 3 tablespoons of butter until bubbly. Next, add 3 tablespoons of flour. You can easily use a gluten-free flour (like brown rice flour) for this recipe.
• Stir rapidly for a few seconds to cook the flour.
• Add the reserved juices from the turkey and 3 cups of your turkey broth to the pan. Scrape up all the brown bits as you heat the gravy.
• Stir over medium heat until the gravy thickens. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.  Add the chopped giblets and neck meat if using. If the gravy gets too thick, add the rest of your turkey broth.
• Pour into a gravy boat or pitcher.
• For a gluten free choice, use gluten free flour or cornstarch. If using cornstarch, make a slurry with a tablespoon or so mixed in a little water. Stir it into your gravy to thicken it up. If it’s not thick enough, make another slurry. 

Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing with Dried Fruit & Apples

Lovely dried fruit, fresh apples, onions and nuts for the stuffing.

Adapted from The Silver Palette Cookbook. I’ve made this stuffing to rave reviews for more than twenty years! But check Kate’s tips below for an alternative that’s just as good!

Serves 12

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

• 1 1/2 sticks sweet butter
• 2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3 tart apples cored and chunked but not peeled
• 1 pound lightly seasoned sausage flavored with sage
• 3 cups coarsely crumbled corn bread (preferably homemade) *see Kate’s Tips for an option!
• 3 cups coarsely crumbled whole wheat bread  – let it get stale (Or substitute gluten free bread)
• 3 cups coarsely crumbled white bread –  best if it’s stale (Or substitute gluten free bread)
• 1 cup dried fruit like cranberries, cherries, chopped figs or apricots
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
• 1 1/2 cups shelled, toasted pecan halves
• 3 or 4 cups chicken broth

1. Melt half of the butter in a skillet. Add chopped onions and cook over medium heat, partially covered, until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes. Transfer onions and butter to a large mixing bowl.
2. Melt remaining butter in the same skillet. Add apple chunks and cook over high heat until lightly colored but not mushy. Transfer apples and butter to the mixing bowl.
3. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to the mixing bowl and reserve the rendered fat.
4. Add remaining ingredients and the chicken broth to the mixing bowl and combine gently. Refrigerate if not used promptly.
5. Spoon the stuffing into a large greased casserole. Cover and set the casserole into a large pan. Pour hot water around the casserole to come halfway up the sides.
6. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes at 325.
7. Baste occasionally with the cooking juices from the roasting turkey or with the reserved sausage fat.

Kate’s Tips

• Feel free to add or substitute ingredients. Roast chestnuts would be wonderful as well as fresh mushrooms and shallots.
• It’s easy to make the stuffing gluten free. You can use either cornbread. Alternatively, use a combination of cornbread and gluten free bread. The night before you make this, set out slices of the bread to get stale overnight. For the gravy, just use either Organic Corn Starch or Organic Brown Rice Flour
• You can make this vegan by removing the sausage. Use olive oil instead of butter. Replace chicken broth with vegetable broth.
• Feel free to use sweet Italian sausage and fennel. First, trim and chop the fennel roughly. Add it to the onions after they have sautéed for 10 minutes or so.
• Other kinds of bread are fine in this stuffing. If you have a french baguette or loaf of pumpernickel or an artisan bread, all would be fine. I like the way Ina Garten does her stuffing. She cubes a large baguette or boule. Then, she roasts the cubes for 10 minutes at 300. She uses that instead of the cornbread, wheat and white bread. Nowadays, you can find nice gluten free bread that works beautifully!
• Only use the bags of commercial stuffing mix if you must. This recipe is so much better with real bread!

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to celebrate family, food, and friends. I pray these recipes stimulate your creativity and bring joy to your table.

Have a very happy Thanksgiving!