This article provides a step-by-step guide to preparing and cooking the Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast, complete with recipes for each dish. The classic menu includes roasted turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce, traditional stuffing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. The article provides detailed ingredient lists and instructions for each dish to ensure a delicious and unforgettable Thanksgiving feast.
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast: Recipes for Every Dish
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday that is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year in the United States. A day of thanks for the blessings of the year, Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and feasting. And what better way to celebrate than by indulging in a delicious feast that features all the classic dishes that we associate with Thanksgiving? In this article, we’ll take you through a step-by-step guide to prepare and cook the Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast, complete with recipes for every dish.
The Menu
For our Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast, we’ve chosen a classic menu that includes:
– Roasted Turkey with Gravy
– Mashed Potatoes
– Homemade Cranberry Sauce
– Traditional Stuffing
– Sweet Potato Casserole
– Green Bean Casserole
– Pumpkin Pie
Each dish is delicious in its own right and when combined, they make for an unforgettable Thanksgiving feast.
Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Ingredients:
– 12-15 lb turkey
– 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
– Salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rinse the turkey inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Season the turkey generously with salt and pepper both inside and out.
4. Place the turkey in a roasting pan, breast side up.
5. Brush the melted butter over the turkey.
6. Pour the broth into the bottom of the roasting pan.
7. Cover the turkey with foil, and place it in the oven.
8. Cook the turkey for approximately 3.5 to 4 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes.
10. To make the gravy, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a large skillet.
11. Heat the drippings over medium-high heat, and add enough chicken or turkey broth to make 2 cups of liquid.
12. Whisk in 1/2 cup of flour until smooth.
13. Cook the gravy, whisking constantly, until it thickens.
14. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
– 5lbs of russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces
– 1 cup butter, softened
– 1 cup whole milk
– Salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover them by an inch.
2. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot.
4. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or an electric mixer.
5. Add the butter and mix until it is melted and completely incorporated.
6. Gradually, add the milk, mixing as you go, until you have reached the desired consistency.
7. Season the mashed potatoes with salt and pepper to taste.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
– 12 oz Cranberries
– 1 cup water
– 1 cup sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Rinse the cranberries, and remove any that are bruised or damaged.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. Stir the ingredients together, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer the cranberry sauce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat and let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature.
6. Refrigerate the cranberry sauce for at least 2 hours or until set.
Traditional Stuffing
Ingredients:
– 1 loaf of bread, cut into small cubes (about 12 cups)
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter
– 1 onion, diced
– 3 stalks celery, diced
– 2 cups chicken or turkey broth
– 2 teaspoons sage
– Salt and pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the onion and celery to the skillet and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, toss the bread cubes and the onion/celery mixture together.
5. Add the chicken or turkey broth and the sage.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer the stuffing mixture to a baking dish.
8. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
9. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
– 4 lbs sweet potatoes
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter
– 1 cup brown sugar
– 1/2 cup milk
– 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
– 2 eggs, lightly beaten
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the topping:
– 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
– 1/2 cup brown sugar
– 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
– 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
3. Boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft, about 20 minutes.
4. Drain the sweet potatoes and mash them in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, and salt to the mixing bowl and mix well.
6. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a baking dish.
7. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, pecans, and melted butter.
8. Sprinkle the topping over the sweet potatoes.
9. Bake the sweet potato casserole for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients:
– 2 cans of green beans, drained
– 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
– 1/2 cup milk
– 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
– 1 1/3 cups French fried onions
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the drained green beans, cream of mushroom soup, milk, and black pepper.
3. Mix well.
4. Transfer the green bean mixture to a baking dish.
5. Sprinkle the French fried onions over the top of the green bean mixture.
6. Bake the green bean casserole for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
– 1 9-inch pie crust
– 1 can pumpkin puree
– 1 can sweetened condensed milk
– 2 eggs
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon ginger
– 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie dish.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt.
4. Mix well.
5. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie crust.
6. Bake the pumpkin pie at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking the pie for an additional 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast is now complete. All that’s left to do is gather with family and friends, and enjoy all the delicious dishes that have been prepared with love and care. Happy Thanksgiving!