Holiday menu planning has begun! For the next two months, I’ll be cooking for Thanksgiving, Christmas, a holiday party and New Year’s Eve. Whew… that’s a lot. With all the cooking, planning is key for me.
Roasted turkey is the star of the menu on Thanksgiving. Thankfully, members have shared amazing turkey recipes. Each one has their own seasoning or cooking method that makes them unique. Here are a few to try.
Nell Stewart’s (Georgetown, TX) Roast Turkey uses a wonderfully easy technique to preparing turkey – a roasting bag. “For you new cooks or those who have not used a roasting bag, this is a no-fail method and you do not have to baste the turkey during the cooking,” explains Nell.
Seasoning with sage, rosemary, thyme and other traditional seasonings gives the turkey a classic Thanksgiving flavor. Once you put it in the oven, there is no tending to the turkey until you need to insert the thermometer. It produces a wonderfully moist turkey.
Another turkey that would be beautiful as the centerpiece of your holiday meal is Cathy Evans Mauricio (Grand Prairie, TX) Thanksgiving Turkey. The seasonings rubbed onto the turkey are a great combination. The skin gets nice and crisp while the meat stays nice and tender.
“I also cut an orange in half and put them in between the skin and breast,” shares Cathy. The breast meat stays moist from the oranges under the skin and stuffing the cavity with onions and lemons gives the whole turkey a great flavor. And, stuffing the oranges under the skin may incite a few giggles at the table.
“The turkey comes out perfect every time,” says Joeyjoan K. (Clarkston, MI). “Juicy, tender, mouth-watering meat white and dark meat alike.” Part of Joeyjoan’s instructions is “set it and forget it.” My kind of holiday turkey recipe.
Joeyjoan’s Perfect Turkey is coated in mayonnaise which really holds in the juices and makes one yummy turkey. Simple seasoning is all this turkey recipe needs. You’ll definitely hear ooh’s and ahh’s when your holiday guests take their first bite.
Stuffing (or dressing depending on your part of the country) is ALWAYS on the menu. A favorite is Dannell M.’s Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing. “It’s not your grandma’s stuffing,” jokes Dannell. “I was sick of the soggy bird stuffing and this is fresh, different and complements the meal perfectly.”
With a little bit of Mexican flare, this cornbread dressing is a nice twist on a holiday favorite. The combination of cilantro, fresh herbs, and fresh vegetables really make this special and full of flavor. This stuffing isn’t only beautiful when presented, it tastes amazing!
“A revised approach to an old traditional favorite, sweet potatoes,” is how Sheri Raleigh-Yearby explains her Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe. “Roasted vegetables preserve the nutritional value and add a sweet savory taste,” she goes on to explain.
I love roasting veggies. It really brings out so much flavor in them. The marriage of turmeric and nutmeg with the Creole seasoning in this easy recipe is amazing. These will be a big hit at your holiday table!
Cranberries are extremely popular around Thanksgiving. Melissa Harris’ (Winfield, KS) Fluffy Cranberry Salad is a great holiday side dish. “[This is] one of my favorites during the holidays,” shares Melissa. “It’s also a very pretty salad and looks great on the table – even the kids will like it.”
Tart, crunchy and sweet, this salad is more than just fluffy. It’s super easy to prepare and really packs a punch of flavor.
As you begin to prepare your menu, consider adding a few of these recipes to your list. Honestly, they’re all amazing and will be a great addition to your meal. In the next two weeks, I’ll share tasty Thanksgiving recipes for appetizers and desserts to help plan your menu. Plus, I’ll give ideas on what to do with the leftovers (since there are always leftovers). Happy Pinching!