November 25, 2024
With Thanksgiving and holiday gatherings in December, you may find yourself crafting a holiday menu for your guests, or thinking of special side dishes to bring to your hosts. Whether you are planning a turkey dinner or are opting for a twist on tradition, THIRTEEN has many programs to whet your appetite.
The Main Event
Oven-roasted is always classic, but why not try a different take on turkey, with Julia Child and Jacques Pépin’s stuffed turkey roulade, perfect for large gatherings.
Milk Street offers a quick, all-course tutorial in its Thanksgiving episode. Learn how to save time with a two-hour turkey preparation and milk-simmered mashed potatoes. Christopher Kimball shares his best pie-making secrets with his all-time favorite double crust apple pie.
This simple Citrus Dry Brined Turkey recipe will make a great centerpiece for your meal. The blend of seasonal herbs and citrus brings modern brightness to a traditional recipe that will satisfy everyone at your table.
Sides
No dinner is complete without greens — and Christopher Kimball has you covered with three different Mediterranean-inspired salads, including Cretan salad, a cross between classic Greek salad and Italian panzanella.; Turkish chickpea salad that uses sumac and fresh herbs to balance earthy chickpeas, and garlicky lentil and parsley salad with feta.
Brussels sprouts are a staple side-dish or appetizer in many an American tavern in New York City. Christopher Kimball offers a roasted brussels sprouts recipe with a perfect kick of spice from chiles in adobo sauce (get that from your grocery’s canned goods aisle). If you have no room in your oven to roast a pan of brussels sprouts, consider a Mary Berry preparation that boils the sprouts and makes use of your stovetop burner.
The cranberry is capable of more than its aluminum can! Drive By History Eats explores the culinary heritage of America’s founding fruit, and recreates a popular colonial cranberry dessert and a vegetarian pemmican, a cranberry energy bar based on food eaten by Native Americans.
Dessert
If your assignment is to make a crowd-pleasing dessert for young and old, the folks at Cook’s Country Darn Good Desserts episode includes a s’mores pie and M&M cookies. They also have a kid-pleasing, print-out recipe for Whoopie Pies! The origins of the pie date to the early part of the 20th century, and have roots in either coastal Maine or in the rich baking tradition of the Pennsylvania Dutch. To whichever part of the country started this – thank you!
Learn how to make a blender cake in this episode of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street.
As Chef Pépin says: “Happy cooking!”
Recipes
Pan Drippings Gravy
What’s a turkey dinner without gravy? Learn how to use every part of your bird to make this essential accompaniment.
Crispy Parmesan Potatoes
Do your mashed potatoes always play second fiddle to stuffing? It’s time to take these babies out of the corner and let them have a starring role on your table.
Balsamic Glazed Pearl Onions
Onions are rarely the stars of a dish, but this simple recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cooking School really allows them to shine.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Thanksgiving is a time for indulgence, and even vegetables should get a sweet treatment. These carrots are sure to please even the most finicky feaster at your table.
Giant Cheese Popovers
Add a touch of class to your breadbasket with these savory cheese popovers. No one will guess how simple the recipe is!
Sweet Potato Leek Soup
Sweet potatoes are a Thanksgiving classic, and this soup gives them an unexpected twist. Try it as an appetizer, or put out smaller servings as an amuse-bouche.
Kale, Pomegranate and Caramelized Parsnip Salad
Traditional Thanksgiving fare can be a bit heavy, so it helps to lighten things up with this (relatively) healthier but still seasonal kale and parsnip salad.
Leftover Turkey Skillet Shepherds Pie
Leftovers can be the best part of a Thanksgiving meal. Whether you prefer a sandwich, turkey salad, or this simple and tasty shepherd’s pie, we agree that one day a year is not nearly enough for roast turkey.
Dessert
Fluffy Pumpkin Mousse
This delicious pumpkin mousse recipe is made with cracker pie crust, pecan halves, whipped cream, and almond extract.
Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
Do you prefer to eat your chocolate chip cookies by the slice? With just a few tweaks to traditional cookie recipe, you’ll have crispy edges and a chewy middle and bring smiles of surprise to the table.
Recipes courtesy PBS Food and Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen
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