2014 Thanksgiving Menu

This year Jonathan and I will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house for some of the people that I work with. We wanted to make that everyone has a great Thanksgiving even if they can’t be celebrating with their family. I wanted to provide you with our menu items, and some recipes that we enjoy every year on Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy!

This year Jonathan and I will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house for some of the people that I work with. We wanted to make that everyone has a great Thanksgiving even if they can’t be celebrating with their family. I wanted to provide you with our menu items, and some recipes that we enjoy every year on Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy!  

Oven Roasted Turkey

For the past 3 years we have soaked the turkey in a brine for 24-hours before using a rub and roasting it. I think this gives the turkey a great flavor and it is pretty easy to make. We use a 14-16 pound turkey that is not kosher or self-basting. You may need to adjust the recipe based upon the number of people you are serving and the size of your turkey. Make sure to prepare this Wednesday Morning so that you can start roasting the turkey on Thursday!

Ingredients:

Brine:

½ gallon of apple cider

½ gallon of water

1 cup of salt

1 cup of sugar

Dried Spices (Sage/Oregano/Pepprcorns/Bay leaves/Etc)

Garlic Cloves

Rub:

Unsalted Butter

Fresh Herbs (Sage/Garlic /Parsley/Black Pepper/Etc)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot and stir on medium-high heat until all salt and sugar is dissolved. Let the brine cool (add ice to speed up this process). Remove the giblets/liver (save if you are going to make gravy) and rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat it dry with a towel. Place the turkey into a roasting bag with the cooled brine, making sure the turkey is completely submerged. Store in a cooler/the refrigerator/anywhere you can keep it cold until Thursday morning.

Thursday morning you will take the turkey out of the brine and wipe/rinse the turkey inside and out with a towel. Place the turkey on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub the herb butter (combine softened butter and fresh chopped herbs) underneath the skin of the turkey then all over the outside of the turkey.

Cook for the first 20-30 minutes at 400 degrees to brown, then cook for a total of 4 hours at 325 degrees. Let the turkey rest for at least 30 minutes before carving. Save the pan drippings if you are making a gravy, or discard if you are not. 

Baked Stuffing

I am not a fan of stuffing that is baked inside of the turkey. In addition to health concerns if it is not fully cooked, I don't care for the flavor when it prepared this way. I have found this stuffing recipe to turn out really well, and be a big hit at Thanksgiving dinners.

Ingredients:

2 Bags of Pepridge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix (Cubed)
2 Eggs
1-2 Sticks of Butter
1 box of chicken stock
1 sweet onion
2 stalks of celery
1 bag of dried cranberries
Assorted spices (Black Pepper/ Parsley / Celery Seed / Nutmeg / Etc)
1 Large Baking Dish/Aluminum Tray

Directions:

Finely chop the onions and celery and saute them in a pan with butter until the onions begin to brown. Use a stick of butter to coat the baking dish/foil tray to avoid the stuffing sticking to the pan. Pour stuffing mix into a large bowl and combine with sauteed vegetables and butter. Add 2 beaten eggs, chicken stock, and dried cranberries. Mix everything together by hand, trying not to mash the cubed stuffing mix.

Once all ingredients are mixed and the stuffing is moist, press firmly and evenly across the try to level the mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. (Note: I absolutely hate the word moist, but cannot think of any other term to describe this. Any suggestions are welcomed!)

Bacon Flavored Brussel Sprouts

I know that most people would not think of brussel sprouts when they are preparing Thanksgiving dinner, but when prepared using this recipe they are to die for. I have yet to meet someone that does not enjoy the bacon brussel sprouts and I encourage you to try this for yourself, even if not on Thanksgiving.

Ingredients:

1-2 pounds brussel sprouts (I prefer fresh, but it turns out okay with frozen as well)

4-5 strips of bacon

shallots or onions

butter

1/2 stick of butter

1 bag of dried cranberries

1-2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions:

Steam or boil the brussel sprouts (depends on if you are using fresh or frozen). While they are steaming, cook the bacon ensuring it is crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan once crisp, and pat extra grease off of bacon strips with a paper towel.

Using existing bacon grease, saute finely chopped onions or shallots. Add the bacon back into the pan and stir in butter and sugar. Add the brussel sprouts to the pan and toss until they become coated. Pour into a serving bowl and top with dried cranberries.

I hope that you enjoy sharing these recipes with family and friends on Thanksgiving. Check back next week for a Thanksgiving Update which will include pictures of these awesome dishes!