Treat your family to an amazing home-cooked Thanksgiving feast with these tasty and classic recipes!
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Servings: 8 | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup of cream cheese (1-8 oz package)
- 1/2 cup of frozen spinach
- 1 3/4 cups of artichoke hearts (1-14 oz can)
- 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
- 1/4 tsp of garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp of ground pepper
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 1/4 cup of Romano cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese, grated
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic salt.
- Mince the garlic, and add to the cream cheese along with the basil, salt, and pepper.
- Mix until it is well blended.
- Thaw the spinach, and chop into fine pieces. Add to the cream cheese mixture.
- Drain the artichoke hearts, and chop into small pieces.
- Fold into the cream cheese mixture, and stir until it is well blended.
- Grate the Parmesan and Romano cheese. Add to the cream cheese, and mix well.
- Grease a small baking dish.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, and smooth it down so it’s flat.
- Grate the mozzarella, and sprinkle over the top of the dip.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
- Serve warm on French crusted bread, with chips or with veggies.
Nutrition facts per serving (42g)
Calories: 141, Calories from Fat: 119, Total fat: 13.2 g., Carbohydrates: 3.0 g., Dietary fiber: 5.4 g., Sugars: 0.6 g., Protein: 3.4 g.
Maple Roasted Turkey
Servings: 12 | Preparation time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 lb turkey
- 1/3 cup of maple syrup
- 2 cups of apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 tbsp of fresh thyme
- 2 tbsp of fresh marjoram
- 1 1/2 tsp of lemon zest
- 3/4 cup of butter
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 2 cups of onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of carrots, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of celery, chopped
- 3 cups of chicken broth
- 1/4 cup of flour, all purpose
- 1/2 cup of apple brandy
- 1 bay leaf
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Prepare the turkey for baking. Clean out the inside, remove any pin feathers that were left. Discard any other debris left in the cavity. Reserve the organs and giblets
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan.
- In a large saucepan, whisk together the maple syrup and apple cider.
- Set on the stove over a medium-high temperature.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, and continue cooking until you have reduced the liquid to 1/2 cup.
- Remove from heat.
- Wash and chop the thyme and marjoram.
- Add 1 tablespoon of thyme and 1 tablespoon of marjoram immediately to the hot maple syrup mixture.
- Zest the lemon, and add to the maple syrup mixture.
- Stir in the butter, and mix until it has melted.
- Season with salt and pepper until you have your desired taste. Place in the refrigerator until it is cold.
- Set aside 1/4 cup of maple syrup mixture, and rub the remaining mixture onto the turkey. On the breast, rub the mixture under the skin.
- Set aside the turkey when it has the maple syrup on it.
- Wash, peel, and chop the onion and carrots.
- Wash and chop the celery. Toss the vegetables together.
- Pour around the turkey.
- Place the neck, and giblets on top of the vegetables.
- Sprinkle the vegetables with 1 tbsp of thyme and 1 tbsp of marjoram.
- Pour 2 cups of chicken broth over the vegetables.
- Place in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes.
- After the 30 minutes, cover the turkey with aluminum foil, and reduce the temperature of the oven to 350°F.
- Bake for an additional 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the thickest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 180°F.
- Remove from heat, and allow to stand for 30 minutes.
- While it is standing, remove the juices from the pan into a large measuring cup. Skim off any excess fat with a spoon.
- Fill the measuring cup with chicken broth until you have 3 cups of liquid (broth and juices).
- Pour into a saucepan on the stove. Set the temperature to medium-high.
- Bring the liquid to a boil.
- While it is cooking, whisk together the remaining maple syrup mixture and 1/3 cup of flour.
- Pour into the broth, and mix well.
- Add the remaining thyme, and stir well.
- Add the bay leaf.
- Boil, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, and fold in the apple brandy.
- Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Serve the turkey, and use the maple sauce as a gravy.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition facts per serving (626g)
Calories: 942, Calories from Fat: 312, Total fat: 34.7 g., Carbohydrates: 12.6 g., Dietary fiber: 1.4 g., Sugars: 7.3 g., Protein: 134.9 g.
Quick and Easy Turkey Gravy
Yields: about 2 cups | Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- All the turkey pan drippings, at least 1 cup
- 4 tbsp of butter (or duck fat for added flavor)
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
- While the turkey is resting, it’s the perfect time to prepare your gravy.
- Scrap all the bits and pieces from the bottom of your roasting pan with a wooden spoon to get the most flavor. Place the drippings, bits and pieces included, in a measuring cup. Skim off any excess fat with a spoon. Make sure you have at least 1 cup of turkey broth.
- If you do not have 1 cup of broth, just add some hot water. If you have more than 1 cup, just reduce your chicken broth quantity accordingly. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter on medium-high heat.
- When the butter is melted, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the flour. Whisk the butter and flour together until you obtain a thick paste.
- Add the turkey drippings to the saucepan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Whisk continuously until the gravy thickens and there is no more lumps, about 2-3 minutes. .Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the chicken broth, little by little. Continuously whisk the gravy until you have the desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
- Season the gravy with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Keep the gravy warm until you are ready to serve by letting it rest on low heat.
- When ready to serve, stir the gravy and place it in a gravy boat.
Note 1: if you like your gravy silky and smooth,, strain it before placing it in the gravy boat to remove all the bits and pieces from the turkey drippings.
Note 2: if your gravy thickens quickly, just add additional broth until you obtain the desired consistency.
Note 3: if you would like to add extra flavor to your gravy. You can replace ½ cup of the chicken broth with ½ cup of white wine, bourbon, or sherry. You can also add some of your favorite herbs like thyme or rosemary.
Nutrition facts per serving (2 tbsp)
Calories: 82, Calories from Fat: 59Total fat: 6.5 g., Carbohydrates: 4.7 g., Dietary fiber: 0.2 g., Sugars: 0.3 g., Protein: 1.4 g.
Cornbread Stuffing
Servings: 10 | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 2 hot Italian sausages
- 1 cup of onions, chopped
- 1 cup of carrots, chopped
- 1 cup of celery, chopped
- 1/2 bunch of fresh sage
- 4 large corn muffins
- 1/2 cup of chicken stock
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp of ground pepper
- 1 tsp of salt
- Cooking spray
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a skillet, and set on the stove.
- Turn the heat to medium-high.
- Remove the casings from the sausage. Add the meat to the hot oil.
- Cook until the sausage is brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and drain before cooling.
- Return the skillet to the stove, and add the remaining oil.
- Wash, peel, and chop the onions and carrots.
- Wash and chop the celery.
- Place the vegetables into the hot oil.
- Wash and chop the sage before adding it to the vegetables.
- Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat when they are soft, and set aside to cool.
- Crumble the corn muffins into a large bowl.
- Add the sausage.
- Toss in the vegetables, and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the chicken stock and the eggs.
- Pour into the cornmeal mixture.
- Mix together until it begins to stick. Season with salt.
- Spray a baking dish with cooking spray, using a 2-quart dish.
- Pour the stuffing into the dish.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the top of the stuffing is crispy and golden brown.
- Remove from heat, and serve warm.
Nutrition facts per serving (87g)
Calories: 156, Calories from Fat: 88, Total fat: 9.8 g., Carbohydrates: 13.5 g., Dietary fiber: 0.9 g., Sugars: 6.5 g., Protein: 3.7 g.
Cranberry Terrine
Servings: 8 | Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup of cranberries
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 2 cups of pomegranate juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole black peppercorns
- 2 oranges
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1/4 cup of cold water
- 6 tsp of unflavored gelatin (3 packets)
Directions
- Place cranberries into a food processor and add 1/4 cup of sugar.
- Pulse until the mixture is chunky, usually about 8 times.
- Set aside for 20 minutes. This is a very important step as you want the cranberry mixture to mature.
- While you are waiting, whisk together 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 1/2 cups of pomegranate juice in a large saucepan.
- Place on the stove and set the temperature to medium.
- Add the cinnamon stick and peppercorns.
- Peel one orange and remove the white pith from the peel. Slice into two long slices.
- Place in the pomegranate juice mixture.
- Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. You should stir constantly to prevent burning.
- Remove from the heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove the peppercorns, orange peels, and cinnamon. Throw them away but keep the juice.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice and 1/4 cup of cold water.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the water mixture but do not stir.
- Allow the gelatin to soften, usually about 5 minutes.
- When the gelatin is softened, stir in the steeped pomegranate juice and stir until the gelatin dissolves.
- In a 9×5 inch loaf pan, spread a thin layer of cranberry mixture, about 1/4 of an inch.
- Pour in 3/4 cup of the pomegranate-gelatin mixture to cover the cranberries.
- Place in the refrigerator and cool until it is just about to set, usually about 30 minutes.
- While it is setting, stir the remaining cranberry mixture into the remaining pomegranate juice mixture.
- When the bottom has started to set, pour the remaining cranberry mixture into the loaf pan.
- Place in the refrigerator and allow to set completely, usually about 2 hours at least but overnight is better.
- Remove from the loaf pan onto a platter.
- Slice long strips from the remaining orange and use as a garnish.
- Serve cold.
Nutrition facts per serving (163g)
Calories: 208, Calories from Fat: 1, Total fat: 0.1 g., Carbohydrates: 35.6 g., Dietary fiber: 2.1 g., Sugars: 31.6 g., Protein: 18.5 g.
Sweet Potato Pie
Servings: 8 | Preparation time: 45 minutes | Cooking time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds of sweet potatoes
- 1 1/4 cups of flour, all-purpose
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 1/8 tsp of salt
- 1 cup of butter, divided in two
- 2 tbsp of ice water
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup of butter, unsalted
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp of orange zest
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, ground
- 1/2 cup of pecans
- 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and prick them with a fork.
- Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until the sweet potatoes are soft.
- Set aside and cool until they are lukewarm.
- While they are cooling, whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp of sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the 1/2 cup of butter and mix until you have a coarse crumb-like mixture.
- Mix in the ice water and knead until you have a moist dough that clings together.
- Form the dough into a ball.
- Cover it with plastic wrap and then place it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set.
- After 30 minutes, turn out on a lightly floured, flat surface and roll into a 10-inch circle.
- Place the circle in a 9-inch pie pan. Remove the excess dough and pinch the edges around the rim of the pie pan.
- Cover the crust of the pie with parchment paper and place in the oven.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven.
- Brush the egg white onto the bottom and sides of the baked pie crust. Set aside to cool.
- Lower the temperature of the oven to 325°F.
- Peel the sweet potatoes and place them in a food processor.
- Add the 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and puree the ingredients.
- When it is smooth, measure out 1 1/2 cups of the puree.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup of sugar and the 3 eggs.
- Whisk in the sweet potato puree.
- Zest the orange and add to the sweet potato mixture.
- Fold in the cream.
- Add the nutmeg and the cinnamon.
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie crust.
- Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Cut the remaining 1/2 cup of butter into pea-size pieces
- Place the pecans, butter, flour, and brown sugar in a bowl. Mix with your fingers until you have a coarse crumble
- Sprinkle the crumble over the top of the pie.
- Place in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the pie has set. The middle will jiggle slightly and the edges won’t.
- Serve cold.
Nutrition facts per serving (322 g)
Calories: 623, Calories from Fat: 226, Total fat: 25.1 g., Carbohydrates: 93.0 g., Dietary fiber: 9.9 g., Sugars: 15.4 g., Protein: 8.5 g.