Thanksgiving Day Dinner Recipes

[JodyBuchanan]

With Thanksgiving not too far away, I thought I'd share some thoughts about the dinner I'm considering preparing. For years and years, it's been just my partner and me for dinner, but a few years back, we decided to invite a lonely friend to join us. That was a good time, but I'll tell you that it added tons of stress to the evening. While we're much more thoughtful and deliberate with our yearly menu, he's a rough and tumble meat and potatoes kind of dude. There's nothing wrong with that, at least on our end. I'm not so sure he appreciated all we had to offer though. When he got to the salmon fillet, he said that it just wasn't for him. I was surprised because it may have just been one of my best presentations and executions ever! Oh well. You can't please 'em all. My partner and I enjoyed it anyway.

I thought I'd share what I'm planning so far. If I change or add anything, I'll be sure to update this thread. And if you have some input or would like to add your own menu, please go ahead down below. I'm always interested in how others spend their days.

Thanksgiving Menu at Our House

Salmon: Mary Berry has got a great parsley and parmesan crusted salmon recipe I've decided to use.

Butternut Squash Soup: I recently purchased a bunch of used cookbooks at a local library book sale. One of them is a soup cookbook that's got a wonderful looking butternut squash soup in it. I may also pull from my trusted Williams Sonoma cookbook.

Cranberry Chutney: This is an absolute must. I've made this every year for the past few years and it's become the best tradition.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes: This is a given. I also enjoy mashed regular potatoes, but I think the sweet version adds a twist.

Mushroom & Cauliflower Stuffing: This is a vegetarian play on regular bread stuffing. It's healthier, so they say. Delicious though.

Red Cabbage: This is another staple side dish. Cook this down and it's nothing but stellar.

Mashed Turnip: There's nothing like the smell of boiling turnip on the stovetop on Thanksgiving morning. Buttery and delicious.

Creamed Kale: Courtesy of Bobby Flay. I've yet to try the kale version, but I've had the spinach version and it was out of this world.

So there it is so far. I'm also dabbling with the idea of getting some of those fun mints to place in a candy tray and perhaps some mixed nuts so I have something to sit on the couch and crack. I haven't done that since I was a kid. Walnuts, Brazil nuts, almonds, and all the rest. So much fun.

Let me know what you've got on the menu!

PS - Please scroll down for the full recipes.

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Mashed Turnip & Red Cabbages Recipes​

I actually don't use recipes for the mashed turnip or the red cabbage as I tend to just cook the way I always have - to taste. I'll try to explain how I do this for you though. Just remember, keep tasting as you cook and you'll likely end up with something that tastes great.

Mashed Turnip (Rutabaga)

Get yourself a medium sized turnip. Then peel it and dice it up into one inch cubes. Fill a pot about half way with water and one tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and then add the diced rutabaga. Cook until the turnip is soft and you can get a fork through it. Probably around 10-15 minutes. Keep testing. After that, drain the water from the pot and mash everything up. Add about two tablespoons of butter and salt and pepper to taste. Probably around 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper. Keep tasting to adjust these measurements. That's pretty much it for this. Look around online for other recipes as I'm sure you'll find some that are to your liking.

Red Cabbage

Instead of trying to explain this one (it's vegetarian), I'll just link to a recipe I just found on Simply Recipes. If you take a look at it, it's pretty much the way I cook it. It's German style and it doesn't include the bacon that's usually called for. I love the sugar, salt, and vinegar that's added to this. Delicious. Here you are:

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/sweet_and_sour_red_cabbage/

PS: I'm updating this post on Thanksgiving Eve to add a few photos. I just finished up making a bunch of side dishes and I snapped some photos. Here are some of the mashed turnip and the German style red cabbage.

 

[JodyBuchanan]

White Bean & Vegetable Soup Recipe​

When I first took a look at the ingredients for this recipe, I said, "Oh, that's pretty straightforward." I thought the finished product was going to taste like a regular ol' vegetable soup. It sort of does, but as I was eating some last night, I said, "That's actually quite good!" There's something to this soup that has a refined taste to it. I suspect it's got to do with the garlic, pesto, and the flavor of the beans. The beans are delicate and the soup has just the right amount of robustness to it that I have a feeling I'll remember it for a while. Good thing I made a large pot of it as I'll be eating leftovers for a few nights.

To prepare this vegetable and bean soup, you'll need to use the following:

Ingredients

Serves: 4

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Celery Stalks, Chopped
2 Leeks, Sliced into Rounds
3 Carrots, Sliced into Rounds
2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
14 Ounce Can of Diced Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Basil, Chopped
5 Cups Vegetable Broth
14 Ounce Can of White Beans, Drained (Cannellini, Great Northern, Navy)
1 Tablespoon Pesto
1 Teaspoon Salt or to Taste
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Parmesan Cheese Shavings to Serve

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the celery, leeks, carrots, and garlic and cook while stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the leeks and celery begin to soften a bit. If the vegetables begin to brown some, that's all the better. That browning adds a lot of flavor.

2. Add the canned tomatoes and the vegetable broth and increase the heat to high to bring the liquid to a boil. Once there's a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

3. Add the beans, pesto, basil, salt, and pepper and let simmer uncovered for about five more minutes.

4. To serve, add some soup to bowls and sprinkle some Parmesan shavings on top. Enjoy!

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe​

In the cookbook, they call this a Butternut Squash Bisque recipe, but that doesn't really matter. They're both the same thing. This was a simple recipe to prepare for Thanksgiving and while I did use the Soups recipe book I mentioned earlier, I also took advantage of some of my own secrets to make an incredible soup. I'll merge everything together to give you the best of the best.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Onions, Peeled and Diced
1 Medium Size Butternut Squash, Peeled, Cleaned, and Cut into 1 Inch Cubes (3-4 Pounds)
2-3 Cups +/- Vegetable Broth
1 Sweet Potato, Peeled and Cut into 1 Inch Pieces
2 Medium Sized Carrots, Peeled and Cut into 1 Inch Pieces
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Paprika
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Sugar
1 14 Ounce Can Coconut Milk

A few notes before I begin with the instructions. If you've ever tried traditional butternut squash soup, you know it turns out very velvety and smooth. It can also sometimes turn out one dimensional. Because of this dimensional risk, I've been adding sweet potato and carrot to my soups to add texture and sweetness. The results have been great.

Also, this type of soup has a tendency to end up watery if you don't pay close attention to how much broth you add. This is because of the squash containing so much water itself. It doesn't reveal itself until the end as you're blending. What I like to do as I'm cooking is only add a few cups of broth in the beginning and then add more along the way, when I can see how much is needed. Basically, about half way through, lift the lid of the pot and make sure that nothing is floating around. You should have just enough liquid to firmly push the squash, potato, and carrots almost beneath. That's all the broth you want to add. The squash will release the rest of the necessary liquid.

Another two factors you'll need to concern yourself with for the best tasting soup are sweetness and saltiness. After you blend at the end, you'll need to do some tasting. Add more sugar/syrup and salt at that point if necessary.

Instructions

1. Warm a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the butter and the onion. Stir the onion in the butter for about 10 minutes until it softens and is just turning brown. When you brown onions, you release their natural sugars.

2. Add the butternut squash, sweet potato, and carrots and cook for about five more minutes.

3. Add in the broth, salt, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, brown sugar, and syrup. Place the lid on the pot and let everything cook for about 30 minutes or until the potato is soft enough to easily push a fork into. About half way through, check the level of liquid. Again, you don't want too much. If you feel like you've got too much, keep the lid off the pot for the rest of the cooking to evaporate and if you feel that you don't have enough, add some more.

4. After everything has been softened, turn off the heat and use a hand blender to puree the contents of the pot. Then, once that's done, add in the can of coconut milk. You'll notice that the milk adds some liquid and that's why I'm so careful about not having too much throughout the cooking.

That's all you need to do. Divide between bowls to serve and enjoy. The reason this recipe is so much better than so many others out there is because I include sweet potato and carrot. I also like to use brown sugar and syrup to add sweetness and spices to give some kick. Let me know what you think about this. I have a feeling you'll like it. Add some of your own tweaks down below. Enjoy!

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Mashed Turnip Recipe​

This is a Thanksgiving staple that shouldn't be missed. I've been enjoying this side dish since I was a kid and I look forward to it every year. And with its ease of preparation, there's no excuse not to make it. The simplest way to prepare it only calls for three ingredients, but since we're feeling jazzy these days, we'll go ahead and add a few more. By the way, the three ingredients are turnip, salt, and pepper. We'll go with the creamy version instead.

Ingredients

Serves: 6-8

2-3 Pound Turnip
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
3 Tablespoons Butter

Instructions

1. Peel the skin from the turnip and then cut it (the turnip) into one inch cubes.

2. Fill a large pot about half way with water and bring that to a boil over high heat. When boiling, add the turnip to the water.

3. Allow to boil for about 15-20 minutes or until the turnip become soft and you can easily push a fork through a piece.

4. When that happens, drain the pot of water, leaving the turnip behind. Keep the pot over medium heat for a few minutes to dry any excess liquid out of it.

5. Mash the turnip with a masher until it's of the consistency of mashed potatoes. You really can't mash turnip too much, so have at it.

6. Add the salt, pepper, butter, and cream to the pot and continue to mash until all the ingredients are combined well. Give it a taste and if you need to add more butter, then do so. This will depend on the size of the turnip you used.

That's it! I told you it was easy. And it's so delicious too. Enjoy!

 

[JodyBuchanan]

German Red Cabbage Recipe​

This is another super easy recipe to prepare. We make this a few times a year, with Thanksgiving and St. Patrick's Day being at the forefront. It's fun to eat as a side or on top of a salad. Just last night we put some in your salads and loved every minute of it. Now, this recipe is typically prepared with bacon and bacon grease, but this is a vegetarian version of it. Of course bacon makes everything taste better, but this tastes pretty good, if you ask me. Check it out.

Ingredients

1 Large Red Cabbage, Sliced 1/4 Inch Thick (remove the white core)
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Salt (or to taste)
1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
4 Cups Water +/-

Instructions

1. Add the cabbage to a large pot and turn the heat of your stove top to medium-high. Add the butter too.

2. Saute the cabbage for about 10 minutes, stirring every so often. This is to get a little brown on the cabbage for flavor.

3. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar, and water to the pot. The water should reach about 2/3 of the way up the cabbage. You don't want to add too much, lest you dilute the flavors and end up with too much liquid. You want to add enough though so that the cabbage cooks properly.

4. Increase the heat to high and wait for a boil. When that occurs, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the cabbage is nice and soft. This will probably take between 20 and 30 minutes.

5. When the cabbage is soft, you're finished. Keep the liquid because that's one of the best parts of the side dish.

I love these easy recipes because they're so simple to prepare, yet they're so tasty and traditional. Let me know how you like this one. Enjoy!

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe​

If you're looking for the world's best mashed sweet potato recipe, you have just found it. I have been using this recipe for a good long time and while it's not a healthy side dish, you will get rave reviews. Trust me. This is one of the best. It's very flavorful, sweet, and creamy. Everything you want in a wonderful side dish like this. I also want to mention that I snapped the below photos while I was cooking last night. I didn't add any extra butter or garnish to jazz things up so they're cookbook quality, but I wanted to give you an idea of what you can expect this dish to look like.

Ingredients

6 Good Sized Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into 1 Inch Pieces
3/4 Cup Light Cream
1 Stick of Butter, Plus More for Serving
1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon All Spice
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
Small Bunch Chives, Chopped, for Serving

Instructions

1. Fill a pot about half way with water. Add the one tablespoon of salt to it. Bring to a boil over high heat on your stove top.

2. Cook the potatoes for about 30 minutes or until they're soft enough to easily push a fork through them. When that happens, turn off the heat and drain the water from the pot, leaving the potatoes behind.

3. Mash the sweet potatoes right in the pot. Be sure to remove the pot from your stove top first so you don't damage anything. Half way through, add the cream, butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, all spice, ginger, nutmeg, one teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Keep mashing until all the ingredients are evenly combined. Give the result a taste to see if you need to add any more salt. If so, do so.

4. To serve, divide between bowls or plates and add a blob of butter to each. Also, sprinkle some chives on each serving as well. You'll love it. Enjoy!

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Cranberry & Apple Chutney Recipe​

When I was a kid, like so many other families, my family used to eat cranberry sauce from a can on Thanksgiving. This is sort of a tradition about the United States. We're all very familiar with that canned cranberry sauce. After I moved out of my parents' house and began living with my partner, we decided to up the game a bit when it came to cranberries on Thanksgiving. That's when I found a wonderful recipe for cranberry and apple chutney. This recipe takes things up to an entirely other level. I mean, this is what you want to prepare for the big day, especially if you have guests. It'll knock their socks off. It's so good.

Ingredients

4 Cups Frozen Cranberries (1 small bag)
2 Large Apples, Chopped
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
Zest from 1 Orange (see hint below)
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Ground All Spice
1 Cup Water

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a large skillet and place that skillet over high heat on your stove top. If you'd like to substitute a tablespoon or two of frozen orange juice concentrate for the orange zest, that's definitely doable.

2. Once the liquid in the skillet begins to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Let the ingredients cook for about 25 minutes. During this time, everything should soften and the sauce should thicken.

3. At the end of the cook time, if you find that the liquid is too loose, simply increase the heat on the stove top some and continue cooking with no lid on. That should evaporate some of the water.

And that's it! Divide among bowls or plates and enjoy! Let me know what you think of this recipe.

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Carrot, Cauliflower, & Mushroom Stuffing Recipe​

For all you vegetarians or gluten sensitive folks out there who love traditional Thanksgiving Day stuffing, I've got a treat for you. This is a recipe that I've been making for a few years now on both Thanksgiving and Christmas and it's been a big hit with family and guests alike. It's full of flavor and it's got tons of vegetables in it. While it's not completely a substitute for regular bread stuffing, I think you'll enjoy it just as much. There's a lot going on with both the texture and the flavor. This is a good one.

Ingredients

Serves: 6-8

1/2 Stick Butter
2 Medium Sized Onions, Peeled and Chopped
3 Carrots, Peeled and Chopped
3 Celery Stalks, Chopped
1 Head of Cauliflower, Chopped (or equivalent amount frozen)
1 Cup Mushrooms, Chopped (or frozen or canned, drained)
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/4 Cup Parsley, Chopped
1/4 Cup Scallions, Chopped
1 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1 Teaspoon Ground Sage
1/2 Cup Vegetable Broth

Instructions

1. Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, onions, carrots, celery, cauliflower, and mushroom to it and cook, while stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the veggies have softened a bit.

2. Add the salt, pepper, parsley, scallions, rosemary, sage, and broth and continue cooking. Cover the pan and let everything cook for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables have completely softened.

And that's it! I think you'll enjoy this side dish a lot. To serve, simply divide between bowls or plates. If you wanted to get really fancy, you could sprinkle some fresh scallions and parsley on top of each serving. Let me know what you think of this recipe.

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Creamed Kale Recipe​

Thanks to Bobby Flay and the Food Network, we'll be enjoying a side of creamed kale this Thanksgiving Day. Actually, to be precise, we'll be enjoying creamed kale and Swiss chard today. I grew tons of both this garden season and decided to use some of them up for this recipe. They've been sitting in my freezer for a while just waiting for an occasion such as this.

Making creamed kale is super easy. I would say the entire process consumes approximately ten minutes, start to finish. What's most important is that you cut down your kale into very small pieces, as it's never fun to encounter a piece that reminds you of spaghetti. The smaller, the better.

Overall, this is a simple, yet delicious side dish that's perfect for just about any occasion. I've made this for birthdays, Christmas, and now Thanksgiving. It's always a hit.

Ingredients

2 Pounds Kale, Chopped (center stalks removed if you want)
4 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 Cup Heavy Cream or Canned Coconut Milk

Instructions

1. Warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and the kale to it and cook until the kale is completely wilted. This will most likely take about ten minutes.

2. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper, and heavy cream. Stir all the ingredients well. Cover the skillet and let everything cook for about five minutes.

To serve, simply divide between bowls or places and enjoy! That's it, you're done. It was that easy. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions.

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Mary Berry's Baked Salmon with Parmesan & Parsley Crust Recipe​

I made this dish last night for Thanksgiving and forgot to take some photos of it alone. I had to resort to snapping a few while the salmon was on my dish with all the other wonderful side dishes I spent all day making. While the photos aren't my best work, they'll give you an idea of what this main course looks like. And I'll tell you, it tastes just as good as it looks. This is a recipe to keep. I'll be making this on Christmas, Valentine's Day, and definitely Thanksgiving again. It was relatively simple to prepare the the coating of cream cheese and bread crumbs on top kept the meat as moist as it could be. Tons of flavor and great texture. If you love salmon, you'll love this.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2-3 Pound Salmon Fillet (or individual pieces)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
6 Ounces Cream Cheese (softened)
1 Teaspoon Garlic, Minced
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons Parmesan, Grated
3 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped
Sprinkling of Paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and place one rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Drizzle the olive oil on a large baking sheet and then place the salmon skin side down on the oil.

3. Mash the cream cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic together in a bowl. Make sure it's all nice and soft. Then, spread the mixture out across the salmon.

4. Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, and paprika together in a bowl. Then, sprinkle that on top of the salmon, making sure to cover all areas of the fish.

5. When the oven is to temperature, place the salmon inside and let bake for 15-20 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, you can take the salmon out to see how done it is. Stick a fork in a thick part and look inside to see how pink it is. If it's very pink, put the tray back in the oven for a few minutes. If it glistens and it turning a lighter salmon color on the inside, then it's finished. Remove from the oven and turn off heat.

6. To serve, use a spatula to cut the pieces and place them directly on plates. Any size you want.

That's pretty much it. This is an outstanding recipe that is sure to be a big hit with family and friends. Let me know what you think and be sure to update down below with any tips you might have.

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Sweet Tsimmes Recipe​

Just as a reminder, you can find the other recipes for our Christmas dinner here in this post too. We had many of the same things we prepared for Thanksgiving, so this one was pretty easy to put together.

If you aren't aware of where Tsimmes originate, check this out:

Tzimmes, tsimmes (Yiddish: צימעס‎, Hebrew: צִימֶעס‎) is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish stew typically made from carrots and dried fruits such as prunes or raisins, often combined with other root vegetables (including yam).

For the recipe I'll share below, I went with prunes and sweet potato along with the carrots, but next time I may swap the prunes out for raisins as the raisins are less expensive. I also think the raisins will distribute among the vegetables better than the prunes do. It really is a great side dish and it's perfect for those who have never tried anything like it. There's lemon juice and honey and tons of flavor. It think you'll like it. It's a good one for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
3 Tablespoons Honey
3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Divided
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Pound Carrots, Trimmed, Peeled and Cut Into 1/2 Inch Rounds
1 Large Sweet Onion, Trimmed, Peeled and Sliced Thin
1 Large Sweet Potato, Trimmed, Peeled and Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces
1/2 Pound Pitted Prunes or Raisins
1/2 Cup Orange Juice
4 Tablespoons Parsley, Chopped

Instructions

1. Prep all the ingredients.

2. Pre-heat oven to 400°. Place a rack in the middle position.

3. Warm a large skillet over medium heat on your stove top. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and then add in the carrots and the onion. Let these vegetables saute for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. The goal here is to soften them a bit and if you can get some brown on the onions, that would be great.

4. In a medium sized bowl, combine the honey, ginger, salt, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Whisk everything together well.

5. When the vegetables are slightly softened on the stove top, go ahead and add the honey and lemon mixture you just made to that skillet. Then add in the orange juice, sweet potatoes, and prunes, mix well, and place the skillet in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.

6. When finished, remove the skillet and sprinkle in the parsley. Divide, plate, and serve. Enjoy!

 

[JodyBuchanan]

Coconut Creamed Spinach Recipe​

This was a really great recipe. I enjoyed it a lot. It's quite tasty and it was the perfect Indian flare for Christmas day here in the U.S. I liked the diversity on my plate. If you like cumin and curry, then you'll like this.

Ingredients

14-Ounce Can Coconut Milk
16-Ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 Onion, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
14-Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
1/4 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Salt

Instructions

1. Add the onion and olive oil to a large skillet and warm over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onion softens and begins to brown.

2. Add in the garlic and the frozen spinach. Stir and continue to cook for another 10 minutes.

3. Add in the ginger, cumin, curry, turmeric, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, water, and salt. Basically everything but the coconut milk. Stir and cook the contents of the skillet for about 10 minutes until everything is thawed, wilted, and smooth. Then add in the coconut milk and stir that in with everything else well. Continue simmering just until the coconut milk has warmed up to the same temperature as everything else.

4. Divide, plate, and serve. That's it. Enjoy!