Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas
Thanksgiving is the time when you forget all your problems and plan to get together with your friends and relatives. Having fun and sharing the time with your loved ones is the sole aim on the Thanksgiving Day. It is usual to thank your near and dear ones on this day and the Thanksgiving dinner is a way to share some beautiful moments with them.
The following Thanksgiving dinner’s ideas are not only classic, but also delicious and some of them are healthy too. These dinner ideas are perfect for a traditional feast.
- Ranch Seasoned Roast Turkey
This Turkey recipe will make you forget the bland and dry turkey dishes that you have eaten innumerable times on Thanksgiving. For this recipe you will require very few ingredients and is pretty easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Turkey Thawed
- 2 Sticks Butter
- 2 Packets Ranch Seasoning Mix
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degree. Once it reaches the required temperature, drain the excess juices from the Turkey and pat it dry with some paper towels and leave it aside.
- Mix the ranch seasoning and butter and spread this mix under the skin of the turkey and on the top of the turkey.
- Place the breast side up on the rack within the pan. Stick a meat thermometer into the thigh of the Turkey without touching the bone. Cover the turkey with a foil and take this off during the last half hour of the cooking so the skin can brown.
- Cook until the thermometer reads 180 degrees in the thigh and 165 in the breast meat. Allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before you cut.
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
This potato recipe is very different from the regular mashed potatoes that we are used to eating. This one is made with browned butter and absolutely delicious to eat on Thanksgiving Day. This recipe is pretty easy to make and requires very little prep time.
Ingredients
- 2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch size
- 4tbsp, unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
- ¾ c. Whole milk
- Kosher salt
- 2 Scallions thinly sliced
Directions
- In a large pot filled with cool water add the potatoes and bring it to boil. Boil until the potatoes are tender and this will take about 12 minutes.
- In a small pan, melt butter over low heat. Cook until the butter is toasted without getting burned for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and place the pot over medium heat. Stir for 2 minutes. Add milk, 1 tsp of salt and mashed potatoes until creamy. Mix in half of the brown butter.
- Transfer this to a serving dish and top it with the remaining butter. Garnish with scallions and serve hot.
- Gravy
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 c Pan drippings
- 1-2 c low sodium chicken or turkey stock
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp minced fresh sage leaves
How to Make
- Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add flour and cook for a minute until it is golden. Mix in the pan drippings.
- Bring this to a boil and simmer until it is thickened. Add in the fresh herbs. Add in a cup of broth and allow the mixture to boil. Season with salt and pepper. Boil it for 10 minutes, gradually adding more stock if the gravy is too thick.
- Classic Green Bean Casserole
source
A casserole plays a crucial role on the thanksgiving dinner table. This is an easy to make recipe that takes very less prep time.
Ingredients
- 1 lb green beans trimmed
- 1 Onion sliced into half moon
- 6 tbsp butter divided
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ c flour
- 3 c whole milk
- Kosher salt
- Ground pepper
- 1 ½ c fresh fried onions
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Prepare an ice bath. In a large pot put water for boiling and add green beans. Cook this until bright green for 6 minutes. Quickly transfer the green beans from the boiling water to the ice bath with a spoon. Drain and transfer to a large sized bowl.
- In a skillet melt 2 tablespoon butter. Add onions and cook until they are tender. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are golden. Mix in garlic and transfer the mix to the bowl with green beans.
- Melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium flame, add in flour and cook until golden for about 2 minutes. Slowly add milk and allow it to simmer. Cook until thickened. Remove this from the heat and mix in the green beans and toss until combined.
- Bake it until warmed and bubbling around the edges for 20 minutes.
- Garnish with fried onions and bake for five minutes more. Serve.
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash peeled and cubed with seeds removed
- 2 potatoes peeled and chopped
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 Onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 qt low-sodium chicken broth
Directions
- Preheat the oven for 400 degrees. On a large sized baking sheet spread the butternut squash and potatoes along with 2 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast until tender. This will take 25 minutes.
- On the side, in a large pot on medium heat, melt butter and the rest of the olive oil. Add celery, onion and carrot. Cook until they are soft for 7 to 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
- Mix in the roasted squash, potatoes and pour over the chicken broth. Allow it to boil for 10 minutes. Using a blender, blend the soup until creamy.
- Serve garnished with thyme
- Sweet Potato Casserole
The sweet potato casserole is everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving dish.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ c milk preferably whole
- ½ c brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Topping
- ½ c flour
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- ½ c chopped pecans
- ¼ c brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven for 350 degree. Grease a medium sized casserole dish with a nonstick cooking spray.
- Put the sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Allow it to boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain and allow it to cool and then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add butter to the potatoes and mash them with a masher. To this add milk, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth. Transfer this to the casserole dish.
- In a medium bowl, add the topping ingredients and mix.
- Sprinkle the topping mix over the potatoes and bake until they are warm and golden on the top.
- Once done, serve warm.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brusse ls sprouts is a perfect dish for the Thanksgiving dinner
Ingredients
- 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Flaky sea salt for serving( this is optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Take a large baking sheet and drizzle Brussels sprouts with olive oil. Season this with salt and pepper. Toss until mixed.
- Roast the Brussels sprouts until they are nice and crispy from outside. The insides should stay tender. Keep shaking the pan intermittently.
- Sprinkle some flaky sea salt if you wish to.
- Serve once done.
- Spiced Cranberry Sauce with Orange and Star Anise
This is an allspice cranberry sauce, perfect for a cold winter day. This sauce can be prepared three days in advance.
Ingredients
- 4 whole allspice berries
- 2 whole star anise
- ¾ c sugar
- ¼ c orange juice
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- Zest strips from ½ orange
Directions
- Mix all spice berries and star anise in a 4inch square of cheesecloth. Tie it into a sachet. Over a medium heat, in a pot, mix together sugar, orange juice and ¼ cup of water. Add the sachet and cook. Stir occasionally until the sugar melts and the liquid begins to bubble. Remove from heat.
- Return the pot to a medium high heat and add the cranberries and zest. Cook until the cranberries begin to pop. Discard the sachet. Transfer the sauce to a medium serving container and refrigerate for an hour or up to 3 hours.
- Dark Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ½ c butter browned
- ¼ c white sugar
- 1 c dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 c pecans chopped
- 4 oz dark chocolates chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degree. Take a bowl and beat eggs until foamy. Mix in browned butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix together until mixed fully. Mix flour, milk, bourbon and vanilla. Add the pecans and the chocolate chunks and mix well.
- Pour this mix into the prepared basic pie crust.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 325 degree and bake until the top no longer jiggles. Allow it to cool before you slice it.
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
This recipe can be made with just five ingredients and come nicely together in a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 3 cans of whole kernel corn
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces of cream cheese, cubed
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Directions
- Place the corn into a slow cooker. Mix in milk, sugar and pepper until combined well.
- Top with butter and cream cheese. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours.
- Remove the cover and stir in butter and cream cheese.
- Cover and cook on high heat for 15 minutes.
- Serve once done.
