Thanksgiving Dinner Must-Haves!

My take on my favorite classic Thanksgiving favorites.

Thanksgiving has to be my favorite holiday and of course, I love being around the family but my true love on this day is the FOOD. Don’t mess with my food and everything will be dandy. Now I happen to be a creature of habit so the menu is going to be what my mother and I make every year. I have added my favorite Thanksgiving recipes for you to follow along, but be sure to share your favorite recipes in the comments!

Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 whole turkey
• 1 cup salted butter sliced
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground basil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Use an instant-read thermometer to test the internal temperature of the turkey to make sure that no part of it is frozen. Internal temperatures should be above 32 degrees F. Remove the turkey from its packaging and place it onto a roasting pan. Discard neck and gizzards.
2. Fill two plastic sandwich bags with ice. Clip them together and place them on the bird so that the ice can chill both breasts. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then discard ice bags. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.
3. Starting at the neck cavity, loosen the skin from the breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers and gently pushing between the skin and meat. Place slices of butter in between the skin and the meat.
4. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Sprinkle over the skin of the entire turkey and rub it into the coat.
5. Insert an oven-safe thermometer probe so that the tip of the probe is in the center of the breast of the turkey. The probe should be inserted from the neck area and be parallel to the roasting pan.
6. Bake in the preheated 350-degree oven until the internal temperature of the breasts reaches 150-155 degrees. Baste 1 to 2 times if desired.
7. Use an instant-read thermometer to test different parts of the bird for doneness and to ensure that the breast meat really is 150-155 degrees in the center. The dark meat in the legs should register between 175 and 180 degrees F.
8. Once the internal temperatures reach their desired level, let the turkey rest 20 minutes before carving.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
• 6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• additional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and place in a large pot with the garlic cloves.
2. Tie the fresh time sprigs together with thread or bakers twine and add to the pot with the potatoes and garlic.
3. Add the cream and milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the salt and reduce the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally until the potatoes are tender and falling apart. 
4. Remove from the heat and discard the thyme stems, use a potato masher to mash the potatoes until smooth. Add in the butter and pepper and stir just until melted and combined.
5. Top with more butter, salt, and pepper, and fresh herbs as desired for serving.

Notes

• Potatoes will have some lumps.
• If you decide to add additional cream at the end, make sure it is room temperature so it doesn’t cool the potatoes down.
• For super smooth potatoes, run the potatoes through a ricer.
• For whipped potatoes, transfer lightly mashed potato mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high for 4 to 5 minutes until whipped and smooth.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounces) package cranberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 C sugar
• 1/2 C orange juice (about 2 fresh oranges)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Grab a 12 ounce package of cranberries. Pour them into a deep, heavy skillet. Don’t you just love that gorgeous color. (It’s my favorite in all the world, it truly is!)
2. Pour 1 Cup of sugar over the top of the cranberries.
3. Grab 2 oranges and slice them in half. Squeeze the juice into a measuring cup. You’ll need 1/2 cup of juice total.
4. Add the juice and 1/8 teaspoon of salt into the pot.
5. Put it onto the stove top and heat the berries over medium high heat.
6. Stir the berries while the begin to heat up. They will start to foam up a bit after a couple of minutes. Then the liquid will start to reduce and thicken. The berries will start to pop a bit. Keep stirring! Stir and cook until the mixture is nice and thick. Should only take about 10 minutes total, depending on how high your heat is.
7. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1 teaspoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir to incorporate.
8. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then store in an air tight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to a week.

Creamed Corn

Ingredients

• 3 cups frozen sweet corn
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon green onions finely diced

Instructions

1. Cube the cream cheese and butter, add to a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the milk and stir continuously until the mixture is smooth.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the sugar, spices, and corn.
4. Continue stirring until the corn is heated through, about five minutes.

Notes

I like some heat with this so I use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. Also, be sure to stir this continuously, you do not want the milk mixture to scald or burn on the bottom. If it starts to boil, adjust your temperature down quickly.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients

• 24 Ounces Fresh Green Beans
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 16 Ounces Sliced Baby Portobello Mushrooms
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/4 Cup Flour
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 1/2 Cups Milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 6 Ounce Container French Fried Onions

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Wash and dry the green beans. Place them on a large cutting board and trim off the ends, then cut the green beans in half.
4. Add the beans to the water and boil for 6 minutes, drain and place into the prepared baking dish.
5. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter.
6. When the butter is melted add the mushrooms and garlic. Stir and cook for 3-minutes until vegetables are tender.
7. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for one minute.
8. Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk until your sauce is smooth.
9. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and Paprika then reduce heat to low and allow the sauce to come to a simmer.
10. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese until melted.
11. Pour the sauce over the green beans and stir in 1/2 cup of the french fried onions.
12. Bake for 15 minutes, until bubbly.
13. Remove the casserole from the oven and top with remaining onions, bake for 5 more minutes.

Rolls

There’s no recipe here. Enjoy your time with your family and buy premade rolls, trust me!

Stuffing

Ingredients

• 12-13 dinner rolls cut into 1″ pieces
• 3/4 cup butter salted
• 1 large onion about 2.5 cups, chopped
• 4 stalks celery about 1.5 cups, chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh sage chopped
• 1 Tablespoon rosemary chopped
• 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1.5 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 2 eggs

Instructions

1. Arrange bread cubes on baking sheets. Bake at 250 degrees F for about 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. Melt butter in a skillet and add onions and celery and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, toss sauteed vegetables with bread cubes. Add parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper and toss again.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth and eggs. Add to the bread cube mixture and toss until well combined. Place in a sprayed 9×13 inch baking pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes or until crispy on top.

Bonus: Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 15 ounces homemade pumpkin puree (or canned pumpkin puree)
• 12 ounces evaporated milk
• 1 unbaked homemade pie crust or unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie pastry
• whipped cream optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in a small bowl.
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl.
4. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture.
5. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
6. Spray the pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. Put your pin crust into the pie dish. Then pour pumpkin pie mixture into the pie shell.
7. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
8. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.
9. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.