Do you know of any nice recipes to cook for Thanksgiving?

Question

Each year my family and I host Thanksgiving at our house. We get together everyone from both sides of the family and have a nice dinner. I was wondering if you could suggest some nice recipes, dishes or ways to prepare turkey. So far we're definitely making Turkey...obviously, but we'd like some suggestions as to how to prepare it; as mentioned above. We're making vegetable chowder, mashed potatoes & gravy/regular potatoes, assorted (cooked and uncooked) vegetables. Any other suggestions? Thanks!

xXo

Thanks, guys! Most likely I'm going to be making every dish mentioned :D I've got a large family.

xXo

Answer 1

ROASTED BRINED TURKEY

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable stock
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon allspice berries
1/2 tablespoon candied ginger
1 gallon iced water

For the aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve solids, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area (like a basement) for 6 hours. Turn turkey over once, half way through brining.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees. Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes.

Remove bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack inside wide, low pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add steeped aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and coat whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees F. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 15 minutes before carving.

--Alton Brown, Food Network
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Perfect Roast Turkey

1 fresh turkey (12 pounds)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch of fresh thyme
1 lemon, halved
3 Spanish onions
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick), melted
1/2 cup good olive oil
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
10 red new potatoes, halved
3 heads fennel, fronds removed, cut into wedges through the core

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the thyme, lemon, one of the onions (quartered), and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey. Peel and slice the remaining onions, toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil, and scatter them around the turkey.

Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Toss the carrots, potatoes, and fennel with 1/4 cup olive oil and add to the roasting pan. Continue to roast for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil; let rest for 20 minutes.

Stir the vegetables and return the pan to the oven. Continue to cook the vegetables while the turkey rests. Slice the turkey and serve on a platter with the roasted vegetables. Serves 8.

--Ina Garten
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Conniosseur's Casserole

1 12 pz can white shoe peg corn drained
1 16 oz can French cut string beans drained
1/2 cup celery chopped
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 2 oz jar pimentos chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 10 3/4 oz can cream of celery soup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Topping:
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Mix all ingredients except topping. Place in 1 1/2 qt. casserole. Sprinkle topping over casserole.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serves 8.

(I have subbed water chestnuts chopped for the celery and it is very good.)

--Tea Time At the Master’s cookbook
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Savory Sweet Potatoes

3 cups cooked sweet potato (8-10 fresh or 2 [29-oz] cans; not BRUCE brand-ick!)
½ stick real butter
3 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped
1½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Salt and black pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350ºF. In 9"x13" casserole dish, coarsely mash potatoes and butter with fork. (works best when potatoes are hot.) Fry bacon and drain well, then chop it. In bacon drippings, cook onion until clear. Add bacon pieces, onion, 1 cup cheese, salt, and pepper to potatoes, stirring with fork to combine all. Spread out evenly in pan.

Top with ½ cup cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.
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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Kosher salt
3 pounds boiling potatoes, such as Yukon gold, peeled
1/2 cup milk
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, boil 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt. Cut the potatoes into 1½”cubes and add them to the boiling water. Bring the water to a boil again, lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.

Drain potatoes and mash w/ hand masher or food mill. Stir in the hot milk-and-butter mixture with a whisk or rubber spatula. Add enough buttermilk to make the potatoes creamy. Add 2 tsp salt and the pepper, to taste, and serve hot.

--Ina Garten, FoodTV

Answer 2

An easy cranberry relish recipe:

empty a bag of cranberries into a medium saucepan and add 2 c. of Sprite or other lemon-lime soda. Bring to a boil, then simmer until all the little cranberries have burst and softened. Some people add sugar at this point, but I think the soda provides enough sweetness. This can be made days ahead of time, by the way.

Answer 3

Sweet Potato Souffle

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 stick butter or margarine (melted)
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix well
Pour into buttered pan



Topping: 1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine (melted)
1 cup pecans

Crumble topping evenly over potato mixture. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes uncovered.

another option:

Pineapple Souffle


1/4 cup butter (melted in pan)

MIX TOGETHER:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 large can of Pineapple (drained)
3 slices of bread (cubed)
1/4 cup milk


Pour into baking dish with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. sugar. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

Both recipes are incredible! Even for the picky eaters!

Answer 4

My family always makes the following and they have been traditions in our home for as long as I can remember.

Kings Arms Tavern Sweet Potatoes

3-pounds sweet potatoes
¾-cup light brown sugar, packed divided
3-tablespoons butter
5 teaspoons cinnamon
½-teaspoon nutmeg
¼-teaspoon salt
1-cup milk

Preheat oven to 400º
Grease 1½ quart casserole
Cook sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until done; drain peel and mash them.

Stir in all the remaining ingredients except 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Turn the mixture in to prepared casserole and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake at 400º for 30 minutes.

PUMPKIN can be substituted for the sweet potatoes and it comes out well.

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Lime Jell-O Mold

1 large box Lime Jell-O
8 ounces Cream Cheese - room temperature
1 can Crushed Pineapple - chilled
1 16 ounce container of Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream

Drain pineapple saving liquid to use in Jell-O. Make Jell-O using the quick-set instructions replacing some of the cold water with the pineapple juice. Make sure gelatin is well dissolved. Place in fridge until semi-set. In a blender combine cream cheese and pineapple until well blended. Mix into semi-set Jell-O than fold in Cool Whip. Pour into a gelatin mold and refrigerate until set or over night. To serve, unmold onto a plate large enough for the mold.

Answer 5

I will be making this coconut cake for our family's dinner:
1 white cake mix
2 egg whites
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups water
Mix and bake at 350' in 9X13 pan until done (25-30 minutes).
While the cake bakes, combine in a saucepan 2 cups sugar, 1 cup milk and 6 oz. coconut. Simmer and stir until slightly thickened.
Pour over hot cake.
After cake cools, top with a container of Cool Whip and sprinkle another 6 oz. coconut over the top. Keep covered in refrigerator.

Answer 6

I make seven layer salad each year which is nice and refreshing to a Thanksgiving meal

layer each in this order in a nice large glass bowl

lettuce
celery
green pepper
shredded carrot (you can get baggies of it all ready shredded)
frozen (but thawed) peas
shredded cheddar cheese
miracle whip or salad dressing with some sugar mixed in (a few tablespoons)
then sprinkle on real bacon pieces (not bacon bits)

Answer 7

These great desserts make enough for everyone.

RASPBERRY TRIFLE

1 pkg. (16 oz.) pound cake, cut into 18 slices or 2 pkg (3 oz. each) ladyfingers
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 jar (18 oz.) raspberry jam
1-1/2 pints fresh raspberries
Whipped cream and fresh raspberries, for garnish

Arrange one-third of sliced cake in the bottom of a trifle dish or large decorative bowl. Prepare pudding according to package directions. Place one-third more cake pieces around inside of bowl, using half of pudding to hold them in place. Gently stir together jam and raspberries; spoon half over pudding. Cover with remaining cake pieces. Layer remaining pudding and raspberry mixture. Chill. Garnish with whipped cream and fresh raspberries. Makes 8-10 servings.

TIRAMISU

1-17.5 oz. container mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp. orange liqueur (Triple Sec or Cointreau)
1 tbsp. dark rum
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. heavy cream
24 ladyfingers
1-12 c. brewed espresso
6 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the mascarpone, the liqueur and the rum in a large bowl. Gradually blend in sugar. In a chilled bowl, combine the vanilla extract and the cream, and whip until it forms soft peaks. Fold this into the mascarpone mixture. Place half of the ladyfingers in a flat baking dish, and pour half of the espresso over them. Let the ladyfingers moisten for about 10 seconds, burning them often. Do not soak too long or the ladyfingers will fall apart. Carefully lift them out of the baking dish and place on a plate. Arrange half of the ladyfingers in a single layer in a 12” x 6” baking ban. Spread half the mascarpone mixture over the lady fingers and sprinkle with half the chocolate. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients, creating 2 layers of ladyfingers. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve on individual plates.

Answer 8

mmm Thanksgiving! or the mini christmas as I call it. haha

well last month (Canadian) we had turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, beans, asparagus, corn, carrots, ham, salad, and fresh baked bread! mmm and for dessert we had pumpkin pie, apple pie, my grandma's famous fudge cake, and ambrosia. MMMM!

For food before dinner, fresh veggies and dip, salsa and chips, cookies, and maybe brownies or fudge? And to drink some alcohol, and a punch bowl usually go over well and also ice water.

I cannot wait for this plus more at Christmas!!!