A Tasty Tuesday Thanksgiving: Main Meal

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is a little over a week away? Next week we’ll talk about the all important topic: DESSERTS. But, as our parents always told us, you’ve got to eat dinner before you get treats. So today I’ll share with you some main meal recipes for your Thanksgiving Feast.

Almost everyone goes the Turkey route on Thanksgiving. So, I’ll share with you 3 different Turkey recipes, and 1 beef recipe (in case you want to shake things up).

I’ve used the brining method for several years running now, and it truly makes for a more succulent turkey. The first brining recipe is from Cooking Light Magazine. I’ve used this for at least 3 Thanksgivings, and it’s phenomenal. Warning: it is time-consuming and requires a good bit of skill.

Apple Cider Brined Turkey

(from Cooking Light Magazine)

• Brine:
• 8 cups apple cider
• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice, coarsely crushed
• 8 (1/8-inch-thick) slices peeled fresh ginger
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
• 2 oranges, quartered
• 6 cups ice
• 
  
• Remaining ingredients:
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 sage leaves
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 4 parsley sprigs
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

To prepare brine: combine first 8 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until sugar and salt dissolve. Cool completely.

• Remove giblets and neck from turkey; Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Stuff body cavity with orange quarters. Place a turkey-sized oven bag inside a second bag to form a double thickness. Place bags in a large stockpot. Place turkey inside inner bag. Add cider mixture and ice. Secure bags with several twist ties. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 500º.
• Remove turkey from bags, and discard brine, orange quarters, and bags. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Place garlic, sage, thyme, parsley, onion, and broth in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place roasting rack in pan. Arrange turkey, breast side down, on roasting rack. Brush turkey back with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 500º for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350º.
• Remove turkey from oven. Carefully turn turkey over (breast side up) using tongs. Brush turkey breast with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 170º (make sure not to touch bone). (Shield the turkey with foil if it browns too quickly.) Remove turkey from oven; let stand 20 minutes. Reserve pan drippings for Gravy.

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The next brining recipe is a classic recipe from Food Network chef, Alton Brown. LOVE HIM. Love him. My in-laws have used his recipe with great success. This is a much simpler brining method and recipe than the Cooking LIght recipe from above. So if you are intimidated by the amount of ingredients and time the pervious recipe calls for, but you want to try brining, I highly suggest this!

Good Eats Roast Turkey Recipe

(from Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen young turkey

For the brine:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 gallon vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
• 1 gallon heavily iced water

For the aromatics:

• 1 red apple, sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 cup water
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 6 leaves sage
• Canola oil

Directions

(Click here to see how it’s done.)

2 to 3 days before roasting:

Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Early on the day or the night before you’d like to eat:

Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey’s cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.

Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 161 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil or a large mixing bowl for 15 minutes before carving.

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For a regular turkey roast recipe, here is a wonderfully simple and tasty recipe from Lindenhof Farm. Lindenhof Farm is located in Lancaster County, PA, and is one of the fine vendors from the West Chester Growers Market. They offer free-range natural turkeys every year. We’ve purchased turkey’s from Lindenhof Farm for 2 or 3 years, and these non-frozen turkeys are FANTASTIC. Definitely superior to frozen! They offer a great assortment of Thanksgiving Recipes and Turkey Cooking Times on their website.

Lindenhof Farm Roast Turkey

• 1 turkey
• 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, scraped and coarsely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 4 to 6 springs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh sage
• 2 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • Preheat oven to 325°F and place the oven rack in the lowest position
  • Rinse the turkey, inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Rub ¼ of the herb butter under the skin on the breast. Rub the remainder all over the bird − on the back, on the breast, on the legs, and on the thighs.
  • Set the turkey, breast side down, on a well-oiled rack in a large roasting pan.
  • Toss half the chopped onions, carrots, and celery into the cavity of the bird.
  • Add half the fresh herbs and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter.
  • Scatter the remaining vegetables and herbs in the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Pour 1 cup of water over the vegetables (not on the turkey).
  • Roast the turkey for the estimated amount of time dependent on weight, basting every hour.
  • Early in the roasting, before you have pan juices, use the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter to baste the bird.
  • If the vegetables in the pan look dehydrated, periodically add another ½ cup water until the turkey starts releasing pan juices.
  • Halfway through the estimated cooking time, pour the reserved giblet broth into the bottom of the pan; carefully turn the bird breast side up.
  • Continue roasting, basting regularly with the pan juices, until the thigh registers 170°F to 175°F.
  • Remove the bird from the oven, transfer it to a warm platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for about 30 minutes while you make the gravy.

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If you want to go rogue and try something other than turkey this year, I’d love to share with you this tried and true flank steak recipe. We use it all the time in the summer. If you are able to grill on Thanksgiving, then this is the meal for you! You can also broil this recipe in the oven.

Marinated Flank Steak

• 1 2-3 lb steak, 1-inch thick (look for the label “London Broil”)
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup Real Lemon from the bottle
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, crushed or 2 tablespoons of crushed jarred garlic

Combine ingredients (minus meat) in a bowl and whisk vigorously (until well combined). Place meat into a container (I use a gallon sized Ziplock bag, often double bagged) and pour marinade in (feel free to reserve a small amount for basting while you grill). Marinate for 2 -3 hours. Cook over medium hot coals (or medium-hot heat on a gas grill): 5-10 minutes per side for London Broil/beef.

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Whatever direction you take for your Main Thanksgiving Meal, it is sure to be a success! We’ve been asking you to share YOUR Thanksgiving recipes with us. We would like to post a Reader Recipe post next week, so PLEASE share your recipes with us!

To share your Appetizer Recipes, fill out this form.

To share your Side Dish Recipes, fill out this form.

And you can share Main Meal Recipes below!

You can read more about Steph’s life and recipes at her blog, Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom.

A Tasty Tuesday Thanksgiving: Side Dishes

Last week, we started our Thanksgiving Meal conversation with starters. This week, we’ll be focusing on the those wonderfully delectable dishes that compliment the main meal: Side Dishes.


Sometimes, I love the side dishes more than the main meal. I mean, I like turkey and all. But does it really compare to the cheesy, savory and gooey goodness to be had on all the amazing side dish recipes scattered across the perfectly decorated table?


I think not.


I also love that many side dishes are a tradition, passed down from generation to generation. My mother-in-law makes many of the same side dishes that my husband remembers from his childhood. There is something magic about the nostalgia a familiar dish can evoke.


I tend to stick to traditional side dishes, but I love finding new and exciting recipes as well. Here are a few to get you started on your Big Feast (which is only 2 weeks away. AUGH!):

Broccoli Casserole

• 3/4 Cup Mayonnaise

• 1/2 Cup Milk

• 1 (6-1/4 oz) package Stovetop Stuffing Mix

• 1 (16 oz) package of frozen broccoli cuts, thawed and drained

• 1 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix stuffing and milk until well blended. Add remaining ingredients, mix lightly. Spoon into an 11/7-inch greased baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Caramelized Onion Stuffing

(from Food Network’s Magazine 2010 Thanksgiving edition)

• 1 stick of butter
• 2 cups diced onions
• 2 cups diced celery
• 1 TBS minced sage
• 1 TBS minced thyme
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning
• 3 cups Turkey/Chicken broth
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 16 cups cubed stale white bread
• 2 cups Caramelized Onions
• 3/4 grated parmesan cheese
• Butter, for baking

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Melt 1 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each of diced onions and celery, and 1 tablespoon each of minced sage and thyme. Add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup of chopped parsley in a bowl; add 16 cups of cubed stale white bread, with 2 cups of caramelized onions and 3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.

Pineapple Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

(from Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom)

• 6-8 Red Potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 stick (4 TBS) Butter
• 1/4 cup of Milk
• Pinch of Salt
• (Add in’s additional)

1) Place potatoes in pot. Fill with water to cover 1 inch above the potatoes. Heat on high. Once water begins to boil, set timer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain potatoes in a colander over the sink. Return potatoes to cooking pot, but take off of heat.

2) Add butter so it has a chance to melt.

3) Hand mash the large chunks of potato into smaller chunks manually with hand mixer. Once the potatoes are chunked smaller, turn on hand mixer and beat until creamy

4) Add milk, salt (if desired) and add ins (if desired).

5) Taste and adjust, then serve and enjoy!


(Click here for a great tutorial on making the perfect mashed potatoes)

Balsamic Roasted Brussel Sprouts

• 2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut in half lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Gently heat the oil in a cast iron skillet, then add the sprouts, cut-side down. Cook without moving until they brown nicely and develop a crust. This is where the flavor happens.

3. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 4 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and, using tongs, turn each sprout over carefully onto its back. Add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze, gently shaking and tossing the skillet until there is no excess vinegar in the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Cranberry Sauce

(from simply recipes)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups (1 12-oz package) fresh or frozen cranberries

1 Wash cranberries. In a saucepan bring to a boil water and sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.

2 Remove from heat. Cool completely at room temperature and then chill in refrigerator. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

And that’s just to get you started! My mouth is already watering – I can’t wait!

Now we want to hear from YOU! As with last week, we are asking for YOUR *SIDE DISH* RECIPES. Fill out the form below, and we’ll do a big reader recipe post the week of Thanksgiving! In case you missed it, you can share your *APPETIZER* recipes here.

A Tasty Tuesday Thanksgiving: Appetizers

OK friends, as promised, I’ll be spending the month of November bringing you posts chock full of recipe inspiration for your Thanksgiving Feast in a few weeks. Each week, I’ll focus on one area of the meal (Appetizers, Side Dishes, Main Meal and….of course….Desserts). It is my aim to give you several recipes for each category, so you have plenty to choose from.


I. LOVE. THANKSGIVING.


And, really, let’s be honest: I cannot help myself when it comes to all the food offered. I MUST sample everything. I must savor. I must enjoy. I love trying all the offerings that are unique to this day, food I don’t get the other 364 days each year. I love the family. The friends. The togetherness.


End result?


Total Thankfulness.


Win-Win-Win.


OK. I digress.


Today’s topic: Appetizers


Sometimes, I find the beginning and the end of big meals like this are my favorite: sinful little snacks to fill up on before the big meal, and delectable goodies to top off with at the end of the night. Appetizers are so great: dips, tapas, or even just the simple spread of cheese and crackers that somehow taste extra good because it’s a holiday.


When guests arrive at your home, it’s best to offer them an array of appetizers. Some people are like me, and dig in to everything you have to offer. Others have more self-restrain (kudos, friends), and portion healthier appetizers so that they maintain a reasonable caloric intake over the course of the entire day.


More power to you.


Here are a few appetizer ideas. There is enough variety to appease each guest:

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Cheese, Cracker and Vegetable Crudite

Arrange several simple cheese (I suggest Sharp Cheddar, Swiss, Pepper Jack and Brie) on a serving plate. Cut up celery, broccoli, carrots and peppers. In a smaller serving bowl, offer French Onion Dip or Ranch Dressing. Complete with a mixed assortment of crackers.

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Spinach Dip in a Pumpernickel Bread Bowl

• 1 C. Sour Cream
• 1 C. Mayonnaise
• 1 pkg Knorrs Vegetable Soup Mix
• 1 5-oz can of water chestnuts, chopped fine
• 1 bunch of scallions, chopped fine
• 10 oz of spinach: cooked, drained and chopped
• 1 8-oz block of cream cheese
• 1 loaf of round dark bread (Pumpernickel is the usual favorite)

Squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture. Combine all ingredients through cream cheese. Hollow out the bread, making a bowl. Take the cut out pieces and cut into cubes for eating the dip. Chill. Shortly before serving, fill the bread bowl with dip. Place bread cubes around the bowl. Leftovers keep very well in fridge!

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Goat Cheese Log with Pepper Jelly

It’s as simple as it sounds. Place a log of Chevre goat cheese onto a serving plate. Spoon Red Pepper Jelly over the cheese. Serve with crackers

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Asparagus Roll Ups

• 1 block of cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chvies
• 8 slices of bacon cooked and crumbed/cut up
• parmesan cheese
• butter
• 16 asparagus stalks
• 16 slices of bread from a loaf (Jess used Wheat Bread)

Put asaparagus onto skillet with water for 6-8 minutes. Mix cream cheese, chives, bacon into a bowl. Use a rolling pin and flatten the bread completely. Remove crusts. Spread cream cheese mixture onto bread. Top with asapragus (if too big, cut in half, and but both pieces onto the bread), and roll up. Melt butter and drizzle over asparagus roll-ups. Finish by sprinkling with parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes until crisp/golden.

~

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

• 2 Blocks Cream Cheese, softened
• 1 can Refried Beans
• 1 can Sliced Black Olives
• 1-2 cups Salsa
• 1-2 cups Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese
• 1/2 cup Diced Onion
• 1/2 cup Diced Red Pepper

On a serving platter, spread cream cheese so it covers entire bottom. Layer each of the next ingredients through Cheese. Sprinkle Onion and Red Pepper over top. Serve with Tortilla Chips.

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It’s also classy to offer a signature drink. If you want to make it high class, here is a recipe for Pomegranate Martinis:

Pomegranate Martinis

• 1 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. orange liqueur (Cointreau is the suggestion)
• 3 oz. pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shake 1/4 filled with chopped ice. Shake and strain into a glass. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

If you are looking for something non-alchoholic, consider this spiced Apple Cider (courtesy of my husband, Bill):

Bill’s Spiced Apple Cider

• 1/2 Gallon of Apple Cider
• 3/4 cup of Orange Juice (use more or less to taste)
• 3 Whole Cinnamon Sticks
• 1-2 TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice (to taste – Bill eyes it, and sprinkles a good portion over the top)

Combine all ingredients in a large pot on the stove on Medium Heat. Heat through until it just starts to boil. Turn down heat, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. If you have a sieve or fine colander, strain out solids. If not, just try to use pulp free orange juice. Then all you have to do is pick out the cinnamon sticks, which isn’t too difficult!

Pour into mugs and ENJOY!

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I hope this gets your Thanksgiving Feast up and running. Stay tuned, as next week we’ll be talking SIDE DISHES!

We would love to hear about YOUR Appetizer Recipes. Are you willing to share? If so, fill out the form below! We can compile recipes over the next few weeks, and do a big post the week of Thanksgiving! So dig out those recipes boxes and share the wealth!

You can read more about Steph’s life and recipes at her blog, Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Mom.