Thanksgiving is around the corner, and you are most likely thinking of finding just the right menu to surprise your family this year. We have curated the perfect Thanksgiving menu comprising a tantalising turkey recipe, conventional side dishes, and an easy-to-make holiday dessert. Get ready to gorge on these scrumptious dishes to your heart’s content.
1. Roasted Turkey
The Thanksgiving turkey is a no-fuss and easy-to-prepare dish.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole fresh turkey
- 100 grams unsalted butter
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher or sea salt
- 1 large bunch of fresh thyme leaves
- 1 onion, diced in quarters
- 2 lemons -1 zested and juiced, 1 cut in halves
- 1-2 garlic heads
Instructions:
1. Setup the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F with the rack placed to ensure maximum heating
2. In a saucepan melt the unsalted butter and add to it the zested lemon with its juice. Mix 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves and keep it aside for the time being
3. Wash and clean the turkey and season with some salt and pepper
4. Now, stuff the turkey with the diced onion, lemon cuts, garlic, and the remaining thyme
5. Butter the outer portion of the turkey and sprinkle salt and pepper, as per taste
6. Tuck the wing tips underneath the body and tie its legs together with a string
7. The turkey needs to be roasted, with an aluminium foil cover, for about 2 ½ hours or till it becomes tender to cut between the thighs
8. Transfer the preparation into a large serving platter, allow it to cool down for a bit, and then serve.
2. Holiday Oven Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 250 grams Brussel sprouts, chopped
- 1 tsp rosemary leaves, chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup pecan nuts, toasted
- ½ cup cranberries, dried
- 1 tsp thyme leaves
Instructions:
1. Set up the oven and preheat to around 400 degrees F.
2. In a baking utensil, add the Brussel sprouts and carrots and mix the oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme and rosemary leaves, salt, and pepper.
3. Put it in the oven and bake the vegetables for around 20 minutes. Toss the vegetables a couple of times during this period.
4. Add the cranberries and nuts, toss the preparation once more and serve it on a platter.
3. Turkey Bacon Brie Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients: (Serves -2)
- 150 grams of Turkey bacon
- Regular butter
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Brie Cheese
- Multigrain bread
- ¼ tsp Sea salt
- Garlic powder
Instructions:
1. Prepare the mayonnaise mix by adding to it salt and a pinch of garlic powder
2. Generously spread the butter on one side of each of the bread slices
3. Heat a pan on medium flame. Put the bread (butter side down) and toast it
4. Add the mixture containing mayonnaise mix, brie cheese, and turkey bacon on top of the bread slice. Close it with another bread slice (butter side up). Flip the sandwich after a while till it toasts evenly. Partition in half and serve it hot.
4. Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 10-12 medium-sized potatoes, skinned
- 300ml hot milk, preferably full cream
- 1 tbsp fine parsley
- Sea salt
- 200 grams unsalted butter
Instructions:
1. Boil the skinned potatoes in an open pot till they become soft enough
2. Transfer the potatoes into a large bowl and then mash them finely, either by hand or in a mixer.
3. Slowly pour the hot milk and then add the butter (1 tbsp at a time) while mashing the potatoes. The mashed potatoes will start getting fluffy and light. Add around 2 teaspoons of salt to taste before serving.
5. Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
Crust
- 1 ½ cup cake flour or any flour
- ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 175 grams butter, cubed into small pieces and frozen
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Sea salt
- Cold water
Pumpkin filling
- 25 grams pumpkin puree
- 1¼ cup fresh cream
- Whole spices (2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground pepper, ¼ tsp ground cloves)
- Sea salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp cake flour or any flour
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Whipped cream (optional)
Instructions:
1. For making the crust, mix the cake flour, salt, sugar, frozen butter in a food processor. Then, add cold water and vinegar in small quantities through the feed tube till the dough thickens and becomes moist and crumbly
2. Make balls from the dough and roll them flat. Wrap the flat dough with plastic and put it in the fridge overnight (or at least for 3 hours)
3. To make the filling, beat the eggs and mix the whole spices, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin puree and the fresh cream and stir it properly till everything mixes thoroughly
4. Fill this mixture in the cold pie crusts and bake them in the preheated oven (425 degrees F) for 15-20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for around 50 more minutes till it becomes soft from the centre. (Insert a knife and check if it comes out clean)
5. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool for a couple of hours. You can add whipped cream on top (optional) and serve.
Explore Nature’s Basket store for the finest Thanksgiving recipe ingredients in town.
Also, are you looking for Indian festival recipes? Check out Festival Recipes.
