Thanksgiving Dinner

Difficulty: Advanced

Thanksgiving dinner is the Mac Daddy of all American meals. Think about it. Thanksgiving is a holiday built around sharing a special meal with family and friends. The big meal takes center stage. Not to scare you, but if you are hosting Thanksgiving and cooking the whole meal yourself , it’s a big deal.

First off there are usually a lot of dishes to prepare, so it is literally a big meal. Second, everyone has their favorite dish and they look forward to it, so as the cook you don’t want to disappoint. Third, cooking this big meal all by yourself for a group of family or friends is a big way to show them how thankful you are for them.

No pressure, because you can do this! If it’s your first time cooking the whole meal you may be feeling overwhelmed by all that you need to do. Armed with great recipes and a game plan you can make it through the big meal and enjoy your turkey coma.

What if you aren’t cooking the whole meal, but are instead making a dish to share potluck style. This post is for you too. Browse the recipes for inspiration. You may find a side dish or dessert that is perfect for your group. Let’s face it potluck style is the way a lot of families do it and it’s the way the first Thanksgiving happened. However you do it remember how truly thankful you are for friends and family and the many other blessings in your life, otherwise Thanksgiving is just another meal.

 

Game Plan

A week or so before Thanksgiving take a final head count. You’ll never know how much food to make if you don’t know how many people are coming. Take a look at the recipes and number of servings to determine if you need to double or triple recipes or even half them.

Grocery List

Then take a look in your cupboards, pantry and freezer. Take stock of every ingredient that you already have on hand and don’t need to buy. Make sure you open your spices and see that there is enough in each container. If you see a jar of ground sage in your cupboard you might just assume that you don’t need to buy any, but there might not be enough inside the jar for all of the recipes. You don’t want to be in the middle of cooking on the big day and realize you are missing a crucial ingredient. (in case you were wondering sage is a crucial ingredient when cooking Thanksgiving dinner)

Make your shopping list after you have checked your staples and then decide how you want to tackle your shopping. I personally prefer to spread the shopping out over several weeks during my weekly grocery shopping trip. If you prefer to you can make a special trip to get all the things you need, but keep in mind that on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving grocery stores are a nightmare. Avoid shopping on that day if at all possible. In general the closer it gets to Thanksgiving the busier the stores will be so if you can shop early do that.

Prep

Take a look at which recipes you can make ahead of time and spread them over the course of several days. Starting the Monday of Thanksgiving week you can be prepping ingredients and making whole dishes. The choice is yours, just try to be organized so that when Thursday rolls around you have a head start on the cooking and know exactly what you need to do finish the meal for your guests. The Stuffing and cranberry sauce can be completely prepared ahead of time. Reheat stuffing in the oven covered while other dishes are baking. The sweet potato casserole can be completely prepped, and baked on Thanksgiving. Pie crust and filling can be made weeks in advance and frozen. Then thaw in refrigerator and assemble and bake the day before.

Decorate

When it comes to decorating you can make it as simple or elaborate as you would like. I prefer to go with simple, because when you’re already cooking so many things lots of decorations can be too much to handle. I chose brown craft paper in place of a table cloth and used a blanket scarf down the middle of the table as a runner. I added some pine cones, acorns, gourds and fall leaves to my table and my decorations were done. If you use pretty or festive serving platters and dinner wear that may be all the decoration that you need.

The Recipes

Herb Rubbed Turkey

Whole Turkey (plan on 1lb/person and add a little extra if you want left overs, if hosting a large crowd consider getting 2 smaller turkeys in place of 1 large, double turkey legs yay!)

4 TBSP Olive Oil

2 tsp Sea Salt

2 tsp Black Pepper

2 tsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp Onion Powder

2 tsp Dried Oregano

2 tsp Dried Parsley

2 tsp Dried Thyme

3 tsp Dried Sage

Preheat oven to 325°F. Remove turkey from packaging and place on a rack inside a roasting pan. If no rack lay carrots and celery stalks along bottom of roasting pan and place turkey on top.

Remove giblets from cavity if necessary.

Take fingers and loosen skin from meat, use kitchen scissors to cut a small whole in leg skin to more easily loosen skin. Tuck wings under the back of the turkey to prevent burning the wing tips. In a small bowl combine all ingredients and mix to form a paste. Using hands rub paste in between skin and meat and then rub remaining paste all over the outside of the bird.

Place roaster in preheated oven and cook for approximately 15 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer to test done-ness. The thermometer should register 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh and breast. Insert meat thermometer at the beginning of cooking or start checking temperature a half hour before you think it should be done based on weight and cook time. Once cooked remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil. Let meat rest for 20-30 minutes before carving to help meat retain some of it’s juices.

 

Mashed Potatoes

5-7 lbs Potatoes (russet, Yukon gold or red skin)

18 oz Evaporated milk

4-5 Garlic gloves, smashed

Half stick butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and cut potatoes into 2 inch chunks and place in to a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until a knife inserted comes out easily. Meanwhile combine garlic, 12 oz evaporated milk and butter in a sauce pan and warm over low heat while potatoes are cooking. Once potatoes are cooked drain and transfer back to pot. The heat from the pot will help dry out the potatoes to avoid watery mashed potatoes. Start mashing with a masher or whipping with a hand mixer. Then strain milk mixture into the potatoes and mash until smooth or a little lumpy whichever you prefer.

Add more evaporated milk if necessary and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 12-14

Apple Cider Stuffing

1 Large Loaf Good Italian Bread

½ Gallon Apple Cider

32 oz Chicken or Turkey Stock

8 oz Baby Bella Mushrooms (Crimini)

4 Large Carrots

4 Celery Stalks

1 Large Onion

1 Stick Butter, melted

1 ½-2 tsp Dried Sage

2 TBSP Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Peel carrots and onion and dice all vegetables.

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat and add vegetables, season with salt, pepper and sage. Sauté until tender. Meanwhile slice bread and toast in a 300°F oven  turning after 10 minutes or place under the broiler and watch carefully until lightly browned on both sides.

Upon removing from oven brush bread with melted butter and then cut into small cubes.

Add cut bread to skillet and toss with vegetables. Add apple cider a cup at a time stirring ingredients to combine. Once all the apple cider has been used. Add stock and continue stirring until stuffing reaches desired consistency. If you like a drier stuffing use less liquid and if you like it extra moist use more liquid. Serves 14-16

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 ½ Cups Mashed Cooked Sweet Potatoes (canned or fresh)

2 Eggs, Beaten

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

½ Cup Butter, Melted

1 tsp Vanilla

½ Cup Milk

Topping:

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Flour

1 Cup Chopped Nuts

¼ Cup Butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly combine casserole ingredients and pour into a greased 9×13” baking dish.

  

Create topping by mixing all topping ingredients except butter in a medium bowl. Then add slightly softened butter and mash butter into ingredients with a fork or fingers until a crumbly mixture is formed.

  

Top casserole with mixture and bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until edges are bubbly.

Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving. It’s covered in hot bubbling sugar and you don’t want anyone to burn their mouth. Serves 14-16

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cranberries

2 lb Brussels Sprouts

6 Slices Thick Cut Bacon

1 Medium Onion, Diced

½ Cup Dried Cranberries

½ Cup Apple Cider

Salt and Pepper to taste

Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and cut each in half length wise.

Place in a microwave safe bowl and add a couple inches of water. Cover and microwave on high for 5-6 minutes.

Meanwhile heat a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Cut bacon slices into small pieces and sauté until cooked through.

Remove bacon and add onion to bacon fat and sauté until tender. Remove Brussels sprouts from microwave and drain well. Add drained Brussels sprouts and dried cranberries to pan and sauté until nicely browned.

  

Add bacon back to pan once everything has been sautéed and browned.

Add apple cider at the end of cooking and scrape up any brown bits with a wooden spoon. Then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 10-12

Cranberry Sauce

12 oz Fresh Cranberries

1 Orange

¾ Cup Water

¾ Cup Sugar

1 tsp Vanilla

1 Cinnamon Stick

Zest and juice orange.

  

Add all ingredients to a small sauce pan and heat on medium heat until berries burst, stirring occasionally.

  

Simmer 5 minutes then remove from heat and cool in refrigerator until serving. Garnish with orange zest. Serves 12-14

Gravy

Giblets

2-3 TBSP Olive Oil

2-3 TBSP Flour

2-3 Cups Turkey or Chicken Stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add olive oil to a small sauce pan and heat over medium heat.Add giblets and brown on both sides.

Remove giblets and add same amount of flour that you added of oil. Whisk flour and oil until golden brown and raw flavor is gone from the flour.

  

Add 2 cups of stock whisking constantly to thicken.

Add more stock if gravy is too thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 12-14

Double Crust Apple Pie

Pie Crust:

2 ½ Cups Flour

3 TBSP Granulated Sugar

6 TBSP Lard or Vegetable Shortening

12 TBSP Unsalted Butter

½ tsp Salt

¼-1/2 Cup Ice Water

Cut butter and lard into small cubes and place in freezer. Measure out dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.Pour ½ cup water in a cup and add several ice cubes.

  

Remove lard from freezer and add to dry ingredients. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut lard into the dry ingredients.

  

Once lard has been cut into lots of pieces add cold butter and continue cutting until it resembles bread crumbs.

  

Add ice water a small amount at a time working pastry with fork in between each addition of water.

Once a lumpy , crumbly dough has been formed separate dough into two piles and place on two separate pieces of plastic wrap.

  

Wrap dough and press into a disc shape. Place dough into refrigerator until ready to shape.

Apple Pie Filling

10 Cups Baking Apples Peeled and sliced (any firm, crisp apple will work)

  

½ Cup Brown Sugar

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp Vanilla

1-2 tsp Cinnamon (personal preference)

2-3 TBSP Flour

1 Egg, Beaten

1 TBSP Granulated Sugar

Combine apples, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and 2 TBSP flour in a large mixing bowl, stirring and tossing to coat apples.

  

Set aside. Remove 1 pie crust(homemade or store bought) from refrigerator  and roll out on a lightly floured surface.

Take a 9” deep dish pie plate and spray with non stick cooking spray.

Fold dough in half and then in half again and then transfer to pie plate.

  

Unfold dough and gently press into the corners and flatten against the bottom. Trim rough edges and fold under.

Get apple mixture and check for juice in the bottom of bowl. If a large amount of juice is in the bowl add remaining 1 TBSP Flour to apples and stir to coat. Dump apple mixture into pie crust lined pie plate and neatly mound apples up with fingers.Transfer to refrigerator and remove second pie crust. Roll out second crust on a lightly floured surface and decide on the top crust decoration. You can cut strips of dough to create a lattice top or use cookie cutters to cut shaped holes into the top crust. You can also cut lots of shapes out of the crust and use those cut outs as the top crust like I did. I used leaf cutters to make the leaf shapes.

Place whatever top crust style you choose on top of pie and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place uncooked pie back in refrigerator for 20 minutes. To produce a flaky crust the butter and lard need to be cold, that’s why there is so much in and out of the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place chilled pie on a baking sheet and place in oven.

Bake for approx. 1 hour or until apples are cooked through and crust is browned. If crust is browning too quickly cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Remove pie and cool on wire rack for at least an hour before serving.

Pie will still be warm after an hour of cooling, but will hold its shape when cut. Don’t attempt to serve pie fresh from the oven. Serves 8-10