Thanksgiving Cookbook
Reasons to be Thankful
Every year as our entire family gathered together at the dining room table at my grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving, our stomachs growling as we stared at the delectable spread before us, we first had to honor her annual tradition: going around the table and saying what we were thankful for that year. Along with health, happiness and family, what we were really thankful for was grandma’s cooking. In celebration of a holiday centered around bringing families together, we’ve compiled some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes. In addition to the usual suspects of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, we’ve also gone outside the norm with sides such as Onion Apple Chutney and desserts like Black Walnut Cream Cake. What’s more, we offer a new twist on the centerpiece – Deep-Fried Turkey, which locks in the juiciness and flavor of the bird. We hope you enjoy these recipes, and whether you use them for the big Thanksgiving dinner or just to supplement a Monday night meal, we hope you have a lot to be thankful for this year.
brie with cranberry salsa 2 cups fresh cranberries 3 medium green onions, finely chopped 1 small red jalapeno pepper, minced ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 3 Tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 1½ Tablespoons lemon juice
1½ Tablespoons peeled and minced fresh gingerroot ¾ pound brie cheese at room temperature 1 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest Crackers
Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until very finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the green onions, jalapeno, sugar, salt, cilantro, lemon juice and ginger Cover and refrigerate at least four hours. Stir occasionally. Remove the rind from the brie and put the cheese into a food processor with the cream cheese, pepper and lemon zest. Process until very smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature one hour before serving. Serve with crackers and salsa on the side.
marsala carrots 2 2 1 ¼ 1
Tablespoons olive oil Tablespoons unsalted butter clove garlic, minced cup shallots, minced pound carrots, peeled and cut into slices 1 teaspoon Kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup Marsala cooking wine In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Sauté the garlic and shallots about 2 minutes until tender. Add the sliced carrots, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Add a little water if they start to get dry. Add Marsala and cook, uncovered, until it evaporates, about 3 minutes.
mashed red potatoes 2 ½ ½ 2 4 2
pounds red-skinned potatoes teaspoon salt cup half & half Tablespoons butter ounces Boursin cheese scallions, chopped Salt and pepper
Put potatoes in a large saucepan; add cold water to cover and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife – 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat half & half and butter in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Drain potatoes and return them to pan. Use a large metal or wooden spoon to smash the potatoes into a coarse mash. Add half & half mixture and Boursin cheese. Stir in scallions, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
wild baked acorn squash 3 large acorn squash, halved and seeded 2 Tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup apple brandy ¼ cup apple cider 3 cups cooked long-grain wild rice
3 2 1 1 1 1
cups cooked wild rice egg yolks cup toasted pecans cup grated Gouda cheese Tablespoon fresh sage Tablespoon Dijon mustard Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash in a large baking dish. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and add brandy and cider. Set pan over high heat and reduce until mixture is nearly evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let cool. Transfer cooled mixture to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, mixing well. Divide stuffing among prepared squash. Bake until squash is tender, about an hour. Serve warm.
onion apple chutney 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 large onions, cut in half and thinly sliced into half moons 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 large Braeburn apple, cut into ½-inch slices ¼ cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons currants ½ teaspoon lemon zest 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the sugar over the onions, mixing well, and cook until onions are soft. Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat until apples are tender. Remove bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
oven roasted fall vegetables 6 cups small, bite-size fresh broccoli and cauliflower florets 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 2 garlic cloves, finely minced ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss broccoli and cauliflower in a large bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; toss well to thoroughly coat all pieces. Coat a shallow baking pan (10x15x1inch jelly roll pan) with cooking spray and arrange vegetables in single layer. Roast 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly tender and starting to brown but not burn. Stir vegetables once during cooking time. Serve immediately.
safety notes
Never fry a turkey inside the house. The high heat and amount of oil make it dangerous under any roof or overhang, in any kind of enclosure, or on a deck or any wooden platform. Set up on a driveway or dirt surface, away from anything flammable. Wear heavy shoes, glasses or safety goggles, and always have a fire extinguisher handy. Never allow children or pets near the cooking area. Remember that outdoor cooking requires extra attention to prevent food-borne illness.
deep-fried turkey
Choose a fresh or frozen high-quality turkey of around 10 pounds, and thaw completely. To determine how much oil to use, fill the pot with water and lower the unseasoned turkey into it. Water should cover the turkey without spilling over. Remove the turkey and measure the amount of water left in the pot. Discard the water and replace with the same amount of oil. Most turkeys require about five gallons. Use only oils with high smoke points, such as peanut, canola or safflower. Before cooking, remove the giblets and neck, trim the skin flap, cut off the tail and wing tips, and discard the wire truss that holds the legs in place and any pop-up timer. Run turkey under warm water until room temperature, and dry with paper towels. Rub dry seasonings inside and out, or inject the muscle (not the skin) of the turkey with marinade. Light the fryer’s burner and bring the oil to 375ºF, about 20 to 30 minutes. Lower the well-dried turkey, legs pointing up, into the oil. Check the oil temperature, keeping it at 350ºF so as not to make it soggy. As the turkey cooks, occasionally move the bird around in the oil. Turkeys with skin should cook for about 3-1/2 minutes per pound, or 3 minutes per pound for skinless. A meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of the thigh should reach 185 degrees. Drain turkey completely in a large pan lined with several paper bags, cover with foil, and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
gingerbread with caramelized apples ½ ¼ 3 ½ ½
cup sugar cup water apples, peeled and diced cup unsalted butter cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup honey 3 eggs 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 Tablespoon diced candied ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup sour cream 1 cup ground toasted pecans
Combine sugar and water and cook over high heat until sugar turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add apples and cook until tender and the caramel is soft, about 4 minutes. In mixer bowl, combine butter, brown sugar and honey, mixing well on high speed. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Add cooked apple mixture and blend well. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, candied ginger and baking soda. Add half of flour mixture to egg mixture. Add half of sour cream and mix well. Add remaining flour mixture and mix well. Stir in rest of sour cream and add pecans. Mix well and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
black walnut cream cake
3 large eggs 2 cups sugar 2¼ cups self-rising flour 1 cup chopped black walnuts
1½ cups heavy cream ½ cup whole milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch pans with nonstick spray and dust with flour. In large bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy. Add sugar; beat well. In separate bowl, combine flour and nuts. In alternating increments, add flour mixture, milk and cream to egg mixture, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and beat well. Spread in pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan. Frost when cooled. Cream Cheese Frosting Combine one 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter. Beat until smooth. Beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Add sugar to obtain desired amount.
pumpkin pie cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cloves 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell 3/4
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in a bowl and mix well. Set aside. Combine the pumpkin and eggs in a bowl and mix well. Add to the sugar mixture and mix well. Add the evaporated milk gradually, stirring constantly. Pour into the pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for another 35 to 40 minutes or until the pie tests done.
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