Thanksgiving Recipe Ideas

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter

1 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 bunch fresh sage, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (12 to 14-pound) fresh turkey, giblets, neck and liver discarded
8 strips bacon
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack of the oven.

Put the butter and sage in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the turkey breast and slip the remaining seasoned butter under, massaging the breast meat as you go. Truss the bird by crossing the legs over one another and tying with a piece of kitchen twine. Shingle the bacon strips over the breast so it's totally covered. Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan, cover the turkey with aluminum foil and place in the oven.

In a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with 2 tablespoons of hot water to thin. Roast the turkey for 2 hours, basting with the maple glaze every 30 minutes. Continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F. The thigh juices will run clear when pricked with a knife, about 3 hours total (15 minutes per pound). About 1/2 hour before you think the turkey is done, remove the foil so that it can brown. When done take the turkey out of the oven and put the roasting pan on the stovetop. Transfer the turkey to a serving tray to rest at least 20 minutes before carving. Serve with Turkey Gravy.

Honey-Brined Smoked Turkey

1 gallon hot water
1 pound kosher salt
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 pound honey
1 (7-pound) bag of ice
1 (15 to 20-pound) turkey, with giblets removed
Vegetable oil, for rubbing turkey

Combine the hot water and the salt in a 54-quart cooler. Stir until the salt dissolves. Stir in the vegetable broth and the honey. Add the ice and stir. Place the turkey in the brine, breast side up and cover with cooler lid. Brine overnight, up to 12 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine and dry thoroughly. Rub the bird thoroughly with the vegetable oil.

Heat the grill to 400 degrees F.

Using a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil, build a smoke bomb. Place a cup of hickory wood chips in the center of the foil and gather up the edges, making a small pouch. Leave the pouch open at the top. Set this directly on the charcoal or on the metal bar over the gas flame. Set the turkey over indirect heat, insert a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the breast meat, and set the alarm for 160 degrees F. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour check the bird; if the skin is golden brown, cover with aluminum foil and continue cooking. Also, after 1 hour, replace wood chips with second cup.

Once the bird reaches 160 degrees F, remove from grill, cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 1 hour. Carve and serve.

Panettone Stuffing

1 (2.2-pound) panettone
1 stick sweet butter
2 bunches fresh sage, leaves minced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup dried apricots, julienned
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 1/2 cups minced yellow onion
1 cup minced celery or fennel
1 cup minced carrot
Up to 2 cups chicken stock (or turkey if you have it)
2 eggs, optional, use if you like a firmer stuffing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the panettone into 3/4-inch squares and place in large bowl. Melt half of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and continue to cook until light brown, about 5 minutes.

Take off the heat and add half the sage. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sage butter over the bread and toss gently but swiftly. Spread out on 2 cooking sheets and place in the oven until light brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place back into the bowl.

Meanwhile, place the dried fruit in a large bowl; add boiling water to cover and then set aside for at least 10 minutes. This will plump and soften the fruit for cooking. Drain fruit once plumped.

Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Melt the remaining butter and add onion, celery, and carrot. Saute on medium-low heat until soft. Add dried fruit and remaining sage. Toss into cooled croutons. Gently toss and add chicken broth to moisten; add more broth if you like a softer stuffing. Stir in beaten eggs now, if using. Adjust salt and pepper, to your liking. Turn out into an oven-proof casserole.

Bake uncovered until golden brown on top, about 40 minutes.

Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces paper-thin slices pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

Partially cook the Brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 4 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until beginning to crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts to the same skillet and saute until heated through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the broth and simmer until the broth reduces just enough to coat the Brussels sprouts, about 3 minutes. Serve.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 (3 3/4-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup coarsely crushed gingersnaps
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Graham cracker pie crust, recipe follows
Gingersnap crumbs, for garnish
Whipped cream, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, combine spice and pudding mix and cook as directed, substituting half-and-half for liquid. Remove mixture from heat and stir in pumpkin. Cover surface with plastic wrap and let stand for about 1 1/2 hours, until nearly room temperature.
Stir gently when cool. Whip cream. Fold gingersnaps and whipped cream into pudding mixture. Spread half of pecans in bottom of crust. Pour pudding mixture over nuts and chill pie for 4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and garnish with gingersnap crumbs and whipped cream.

Graham Cracker Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) finely ground graham crackers
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1-inch up side of a 8-inch springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.