Thanksgiving is the perfect time and day to express your gratitude by preparing favorite dishes for your guests or your loved ones at home. Let us explore a few of the recipes for thanksgiving.
We will also go through a few of the trending thanksgiving recipes that can you prepare on this day.
Thanksgiving recipe ideas- Best thanksgiving recipes ever
Check out a few of the best thanksgiving recipes in the paragraphs that follow-
- Salad – If you are one of the health freaks, you can still enjoy a platter full of goodness on this day when you express your gratitude. This salad is a concoction of walnuts and olive oil. While Vitamin E is said to be an anti-oxidant and olive oil makes the food tasty. Not only that, walnuts also contain protein, omega-fatty acids, and linolenic acid.
The olive oil helps in absorbing the essential nutrients from the healthy ingredients present in the salad.
You will require-
- Olive oil- 2 tablespoons
- Cider vinegar- 1 tablespoon
- Mesclun greens-1 packet
- Honey-1/2 teaspoon
- Frisee that is trimmed into bite-size portions
- Dried cranberries that are not sweetened- 2 tablespoons
- Walnut pieces raw- 2 tablespoon
- 1 apple sliced
Take a bowl that is of medium size mix into its oil, honey, vinegar. To it add the mesclun greens and frisee. Then you just need to toss them so that they become uniformly coated. Add walnuts and cranberries and for seasoning ass pepper and salt.
- Roasted Sprouts – When it comes to Brussels sprouts, there is a lot you can do. They contain essential nutrients and if you can cook them right, you will perhaps prefer to include them in your menu every single day, leave alone just Thanksgiving Day. They are not just full of fiber, vitamin C they help in regulating the digestive process. Let us find out more about the recipe below-
You will require-
- 3 to 4 shallots
- 1 pound of brussels sprouts
- Olive oil just 1 tablespoon
- Black pepper that is freshly ground
- Sea salt
After you are done with the trimming of the stems of the sprouts, chop them into two along the length. Prior to that make sure you preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Take a large bowl and after peeling the quarter and shallots toss them in the bowl that has oil.
Transfer the content of the bowl to the baking sheet that has rims and roast. You can stir from time to time till the time they do not turn golden brown.
They must be crispy on the out and soft inside. Cook it for 45 minutes. Toss the pan once or twice as you prepare. Add salt and pepper as desired and it is ready to serve.
The above 2 Thanksgiving recipes are for the ones that are health conscious. There are variations and you can add your own seasoning to taste and experiment.
Thanksgiving Day is the day you celebrate with your near and dear ones and with the people you would like to express your gratitude to. Regardless of whether you are planning to spend time together for lunch, evening tea, or dinner, the top thanksgiving foods options are endless.
Given below are a few more Thanksgiving dinner ideas or recipes that you can try out at home on this day.
Planning the perfect Best thanksgiving foods
Regardless of whether you are planning to serve your favorite and much acclaimed Turkey dinner ideas for Thanksgiving or will serve a simple dessert for the occasion, careful planning is key to success. In this way, you can give shape to the best Thanksgiving meal ideas.
Given below are few tips that you can follow so that the occasion is a perfect memorable one.
Planning your Thanksgiving Turkey
Although, you can apply herb butter on the turkey and accompany it with a gravy made of sherry, yet the simplest form of seasoning might as well be just adding into it good quality salt, butter, and the bird.
Making Turkey
When you choose Turkey, make sure you buy the size that is just right. A rule of thumb is 1 pound for a single person. In that way, you know every person will have an adequate portion and you might also have a little leftover.
If you would like to eat for a day or two more, you can choose 1 and a half pounds for every person.
If you have bought a frozen Turkey, defrost it well before you start cooking. Thaw the stuff at least a day prior to cooking. You might also try to wrap Turkey and soak it in cold water for faster defrosting.
If you want a crispy-skinned juicy Turkey, cover the bird with salt after thawing. Refrigerate for 24 hours or still better for 48 hours. Hereafter, you can dry the skin, rub it with butter, and roast it.
It is important that the bird you are cooking must get uniform treatment from all sides when you cook it. So, the process of butterflying allows Turkey to get cooked earlier. It also gives it much crispy and juicy meat.
Having Turkey as the main dish, you must also have dessert ready after you relish Turkey as the main Thanksgiving food.
Let us find out how you can make perfect pie crust.
Making the pie crust
You must make a dough first and keep it in the refrigerator for an hour. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days too. It is crucial to allow the dough to rest because it allows it to chill, to hydrate adequately. Also, the gluten in the dough can “relax” thereby giving it a tender crust.
Prior to starting to make the dough rolls, the surface on which you roll must be floured. This will not cause sticking to the pin. Alternatively, you can also give a so-called “quarter turn” after every roll you make.
Having said about how you can go about the Turkey dinner ideas, you must prepare a checklist or rather a “timeline” list. If you adhere to it, the time leading up to the time when you have to finally greet your guests and host them at the table will be smooth sailing all the way. Check out the timeline list here-
- Prepare the pie dough and freeze it in advance. Wrapping the crust in 2 layers of plastic does all the trick. This will ensure that the dough will not pick up any other flavor from the freezer.
- Thanksgiving Turkey is a specialty for the occasion. So, order it and bring it home before they are no longer available.
- Gather ingredients. If you are planning to prepare food with canned stuff like sauce or pumpkin, buy them and keep them at home.
- Cook the gravy for Thanksgiving food that you will be serving your guests. In fact, many prepare it and refrigerate it just after Halloween. So, you can do the same too. It will help you to avoid the last-minute rush that often makes things go haywire.
- Decide upon the side dishes. This is irrespective of whether there is a plan for potluck lunch or getting pre-made stuff.
- Depending on the number of guests you have invited over, prepare the table. Keep aside the dishes, side dishes, crockery, serving dishes, and the right tools. You will require platters for Thanksgiving dinner.
- When it is time to buy ingredients, buy them fresh. Store the root vegetables, kale, onions, brussels sprouts that are fresh and before they run out of stock. Do not forget some extra butter and cream too.
- You might require extra ice bags to store ingredients or foodstuff, whether prepared or prior to making. So, pick up a few of them from the store.
- When it is two days from Thanksgiving Day, dry brine the Turkey and defrost the dough for the pie and make the gravy.
- When a day is left for Thanksgiving Day, prepare the pumpkin pie and bake the other desserts. Your Thanksgiving recipes might include cranberry bread bars, pecan candies, pumpkin cheesecake, and any other dish or recipe that you would like to include.
- Casseroles are important and so is to assemble all your baking stuff.
- You will surely have some mocktails included in your Thanksgiving food. If it is a homemade drink, prepare it, and ensure it is chilled when you serve it.
- When a day is left for Thanksgiving, bake the fruit pie. Depending on whether it is an apple pie or pear pie, place them in the oven before your guests arrive at your place.
- Finally, set the table, decorate it with all the tools that you have bought for the occasion. Let us say you want a decoration theme, go ahead with it.
- Make sure the drink area is ready for serving.
- Salad dressing is also on the cards. Go for it.
Finally, get dressed for Thanksgiving Day and have the time of your life.
