Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Whether you’ve been asked to bring a side dish to “friendsgiving”, helping your parents cook dinner or cooking your own Thanksgiving dinner for the first time we’ve compiled some easy recipes for classic Thanksgiving foods. Each recipe makes four servings, except for the turkey which makes 12, but feel free to tweak the serving size based on your party!
Sour Cream Mashed PotatoesOriginally by Ina Garten
Ingredients
3 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
DirectionsCut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add enough salt so the water tastes quite salty. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn’t boil.
As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Mash the potatoes until completely broken apart. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, slowly whisk in enough of the hot milk/butter mixture to make the potatoes very creamy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the sour cream and pepper and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.
Candied Sweet PotatoesOriginally by Dj on allrecipes.com
Ingredients4 pounds sweet potatoes, quartered
Sweet Potato
1 1/4 cups margarine
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
3 cups miniature marshmallows
Cinnamon to taste
Nutmeg to Taste
DirectionsPreheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and boil until slightly underdone, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and peel.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine margarine, brown sugar, 2 cups marshmallows, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows are melted.
Stir potatoes into marshmallow sauce. While stirring mash about half of the potatoes, and break the others into bite-sized chunks. Transfer to prepared dish.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cover top evenly with remaining marshmallows. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are golden brown.
Perfect Cranberry SauceOriginally by The Food Network
Ingredients
12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup sugar
Orange or lemon zest
2 tablespoons water
DirectionsEmpty the 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan making sure to transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add the sugar and orange or lemon zest along with the 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.
Ingredients
For Turkey Breasts
1 cup kosher salt (amount will vary depending on salt brand)
2 boneless turkey breasts3 to 4 1/2 pounds each
For Glaze8 heads garlic, lightly smashed but intact4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil½ cup honey1 tablespoon kosher salt (amount will vary depending on salt brand)1 tablespoon ground black pepper1 tablespoon thyme leaves
DirectionsFirstly you need to let your turkey breasts sit in a brine over night. To make the brine bring 1 quart water to a boil with the salt and sugar. Pour into a large pot, and add 3 quarts cold water. Once the brine is cool, submerge the turkey breasts and refrigerate overnight, or up to 24 hours.
To make the glaze: Heat oven to 375° F. Toss the garlic heads with the olive oil in a small casserole dish, cover and roast until the garlic is soft, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Leave covered until cool enough to handle, then squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins into a food processor and purée. Add the honey, salt, and pepper and blend once more. Cover until ready to use.
The next morning remove the turkey breasts from the brine and pat dry. Heat oven to 250° F. Place turkey breast in a lidded roasting pan, large casserole or dutch oven. You could also cover a pan tightly with a double layer of foil.
Insert an oven-safe thermometer into the center of one breast and place on a wire rack in a roasting pan. Add water to reach to just below the rack. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 135° F, 2 to 3 hours.
After 2 or 3 hours remove the turkey from the oven. Take the lid off and brush the glaze liberally on all sides of the breasts, raise temperature to 425° F. Roast until glaze is golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and serve thinly sliced, hot or cold.