The 4 Best Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
Do you know such holiday as Thanksgiving ? Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated in Canada, the United States, some of the Caribbean Islands, and Liberia. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Similarly named festival holidays to occur in Germany and Japan. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, and around the same part of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.
With this article, Capture Models wants to offer you the 5 best Thanksgiving Dinner recipes for this beautiful religious and traditional celebration day that we can be thankful for all we have and enjoy with the best recipes.
Garlic and Herb Roasted Turkey
Ingredients:
1 12-14 lb. turkey, thawed (if frozen)
2 heads garlic, halved horizontally through the equator
1 lemon, halved
4 small onions, quartered
14 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt
2 large carrots, cut into 2-in. pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 2-in. pieces
3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
Fresh herbs, for serving
Directions:
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Working on a baking sheet, remove the giblets and neck of the turkey from the cavities. Reserve the neck and discard the giblets. Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry. Stuff the garlic, lemon, half the onions and 10 sprigs thyme into the main cavity.
- Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Tuck the wing tips underneath the body (this will prevent them from burning). Rub the turkey with the oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Place the turkey neck, carrots, celery, the remaining onions and the remaining thyme in a large roasting pan. Place a roasting rack in the pan and put the turkey on top of it.
- Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 21/2 to 3 hours. (Cover the bird loosely with foil if it browns too quickly, and add the broth to the pan if the vegetables begin to scorch.)
- Carefully tilt the turkey to empty the juices from the cavity into the pan. Transfer the turkey to empty the juices from the cavity into the pan. Transfer the turkey to a carving board. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for at least 25 minutes. Reserve the pan and its contents for gravy. Carve the turkey and garnish with herbs as desired.
Pumpkin Cream Pie
Ingredients:
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/4 c. gingersnap cookie crumbs
5 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. sugar
pinch of salt
FOR THE FILLING:
3 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 15-oz. can pumpkin purée
1 3-oz. box instant vanilla pudding
1 c. evaporated milk
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
30 gingersnaps, plus more crushed for garnish
Directions:
- Make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Combine gingersnap crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt and blend until combined.
- Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of a 9″ pie dish. (Try to make the crust about 1/8″-thick evenly all around.)
- Bake until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool while you make filling.
- Make Filling: In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat heavy cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and wipe bowl of stand mixer clean.
- To the bowl of stand mixer, add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Beat in pumpkin puree until no lumps remain, then beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, vanilla pudding mix, evaporated milk, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Fold in 1/2 the whipped cream with the cream cheese mixture until combined.
- To pie crust, add 1/3 of the pumpkin-cream cheese mixture. Top with a layer of gingersnap cookies. Add another layer of pumpkin-cream cheese mixture and gingersnap cookies, then end with final 1/3 of pumpkin-cream cheese mixture.
- Top with remaining whipped cream, leaving trim of pumpkin mixture uncovered, and garnish with crushed gingersnap cookies.
- Refrigerate until firm, 5 to 6 hours.
Porcini-Chestnut Stuffing
Ingredients:
pound fresh chestnuts (3 cups)
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms (1 ounce)
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped fennel or celery
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
2 cloves garlic , minced
3 ounces Genoa salami, sliced and chopped or cubed, or thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into strips
3/4 cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 cup snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 cups 3/4-inch cubes dry bread
1 – 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. With a knife, cut an X in the shells of chestnuts. Spread chestnuts on a large baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes; cool. Peel and coarsely chop chestnuts; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a medium bowl; cover with the boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes; drain. If necessary, snip any large pieces of mushroom. Pat dry with paper towels.
- In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms, fennel, onion, and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender. Remove from heat. Stir in chestnuts, salami, 1/4 cup of the cheese, the thyme, parsley, pepper, and salt. Place the bread cubes in an extra-large bowl; add onion mixture. Drizzle with enough broth to moisten, tossing lightly to combine.
- Transfer bread mixture to a 3-quart casserole. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, covered, for 40 to 45 minutes or until heated through.
Mashed Potatoes with Gravy
Gravy
Ingredients:
1 recipe Basic Roasted Turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups dry white wine
3 cups turkey or chicken stock
Salt and ground black pepper
Directions:
- Prepare Basic Roasted Turkey as directed.
- Place roasting pan across two burners and cook onion in 1/4 cup of reserved fat over medium heat about 5 minutes or until golden, stirring and scraping up browned bits.
- Add wine; bring to boiling.
- Boil gently for 8 to 12 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated.
- Add stock and reserved pan juices; bring to boiling.
- Whisk reserved chilled butter mixture into boiling the liquid until thickened.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
3 pounds Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled (if desired) and cut into 2-inch pieces (9 medium)
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2/3 – 3/4 cup milk, whipping cream, half-and-half, or light cream
Butter, melted (optional)
Snipped fresh chives (optional)
Directions:
- In a large saucepan cook potatoes, covered, in lightly salted boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain.
- Press through a ricer, mash with a potato masher, or beat with an electric mixer on low speed.
- Add the 1/4 cup butter, the salt, and pepper.
- Gradually beat in milk to make mixture light and fluffy. If desired, serve with additional butter and snipped chives.
SOURCES: PICTURE1, PICTURE2, PICTURE3, PICTURE4.
DELISH- TURKEY, DELISH- PUMPKIN CREAM PIE, BHG- STUFFING, BHG- MASHED POTATO WITH GRAVY.