Thanksgiving is just a few days away and if you’re anything like me, you are STOKED for the yummy meal!  I love Thanksgiving food, and even though I could cook it anytime, I am usually too lazy to make such a large meal during the year.

HandCrafted

Several years ago, on Hudson’s first Thanksgiving, my stepdad, Jack, taught my sister and I how to cook Thanksgiving.  He walked us through every dish, the timing (which is the hardest part) and menu planning.  I had so much fun doing it, and have now prepared Thanksgiving a few times.  This year, I’ll be cooking again, and I can’t wait!  Here are three simple steps for a fun Thanksgiving dinner & prep:

Step One:  Dress the part.

MASTERCHEF (1)

Step Two:  Make the Meal.

  • Turkey – As much as I love a good Southern fried turkey, my tastiest turkey has always been from the oven.  My secret is to make sure that you put several cloves of garlic and at least a stick of butter, sliced into pats, all up under the skin.  Then, because butter is awesome, slather the skin of the turkey with butter.  Then be generous with the sea salt, cracked pepper, rosemary and any other seasonings that you like — be sure to get all of the exposed skin — no skin left behind.I do not cook my stuffing inside of the turkey, so I stuff the cavity with a quartered onion, a couple of sliced carrots, some celery and a chopped up red apple.  Once I have it all prepped, I follow the Food Network’s cooking instructions:
    • Set a rack at the lowest position in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Tie the legs together and tuck the wing tips under. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Roast the turkey about 3 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F.  (Elisabeth variation: After the first hour of cooking, I baste the turkey with drippings in the pan.  I repeat the basting process every 30 minutes until the turkey is cooked.  This is a VITAL step, in my opinion!)  Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover loosely with foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving.
  • Potatoes – I have been eating mashed potatoes for a long time.  My life was changed a couple of years ago when stumbled across The Pioneer Woman (shout out to Oklahoma – boomer!).  This recipe is TO. DIE. FOR.  Be sure to change into your yoga pants, though, because, well, butter-sour cream-half & half.  Drooool.
  • Green Beans – I know most Thanksgiving purists will think that it’s blasphemy to leave the green bean casserole off of the menu, and I love those French’s Fried Onion things more than most, but once I ate these Green Beans, I’ve never looked back.  (The year I was pregnant with Finn, this was all I ate for 2 days after Thanksgiving.  Yum!)  The other awesome thing about these, is that you can make them in the crock pot.  Start them in the morning and they are heaven by dinner time.
    • Directions:  Throw 6-8 slices of bacon, diced into 1-inch (or smaller) squares, a half of an onion (chopped), a half of a stick of butter (because, yes), and 2-3 LARGE cans of green beans (with the can water) into your large crock pot.  Throw in a decent amount of salt and pepper, turn the Crock Pot on high and let ‘er rip.  6 hours later you will have the most delicious green beans in the history of ever.  So, you’re welcome.
  • Sweet Potatoes – I am not a HUGE fan of the sweet potato.  My grandma is the only one who has ever made them in a way that I really like, and I can’t compete with her magic, so I’ve usually stayed away from attempting.  This year, however, I am going to attempt a new recipe that looks pretty simple and super yummy.  It’s from our favorite chef, Bobby Flay.
  • Bread – I make our own rolls and bread.  A lot of the pre-cooked/packaged breads are not safe for Hudson’s food allergies, so I have perfected bread baking.  Rolls are a lot of work, but the pay off is awesome – there is really no better scent than freshly baking bread, and they are so much yummier!  The recipe I use is another from Pioneer Woman.

And….dessert:

I always make a pumpkin pie – and I use the recipe on the back of the Libby’s Canned Pumpkin can.  It’s the best, so why change it.  Or, if you’re looking for a lighter calorie pie, you can also try my zero calorie pumpkin pie.

ZERO CALORIEDESSERT

And I also make an Apple pie.  Apple is my favorite, and also is safe for Hudson.  My grandmother shared this recipe with me when I was a teenager, and I’ve been making it ever since.  My sister and I even did a cooking segment on the local news in our hometown when we were little!  So, without further adieu…

Taste of Oklahoma Apple Pie

Combine 1/2 Cup of Sugar, 1/2 Cup of Fresh Orange Juice, 1/2 Cup of Butter, and 5 diced tart apples (we like Granny Smith) in a sauce pan.  Cook slowly until apples are transparent.  While the apples are still hot, mix in a 1/2 Cup of Sugar and 3 Tablespoons of flour.  Stir until all is combined.  Pour into an unbaked pie crust (I cheat and use the Pillsbury Roll Out kind because ain’t nobody got time to make pie crust.  And it’s delicious.)  Top with a second pie crust – some people cut this top crust into strips – I do not.  I use a cookie cutter and cut 3-4 small shapes (hearts or stars) into my top crust.  It looks cute.  Brush with milk and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and sugar on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes!

And if you really want to make it right, you should definitely have a fake mustache or two.

 

Step Three: Don’t forget the wine.

MASTERCHEF (2)

 

So there you have it…my menu for Thanksgiving this year – and some cute pictures from Thanksgiving 2013.  I’m not sure we’ll be able to top it this year – but I do plan to follow my advice from last year and enjoy some of the awesome Austin Thanksgiving events, make a new Thankful Tree and, of course, take a lot of pictures with props.  🙂

What are you cooking this year?  Share your favorite recipe in the comments, on Facebook or Twitter!

 

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here