Whether you are American or not, the Thanksgiving meal is something delicious that you should make at least once a year! Here is an easy, flavorful menu that will not take you days to prepare and comes with leftover tips!Here is a tip for your Thanksgiving center piece: Buy a few bright (fall colored) flowers. Cut them and place them in jars. Take all leftover fresh sage (thyme and rosemary if you have) and add them to the flowers for a beautiful and scented center piece! Enjoy the day with friends, family or save this menu and make it for Shabbat when you feel so inclined!
- Prepare turkey and get it in oven
- Prepare stuffing and bake
- Prepare root vegetables and get them in oven
- Make cranberry sauce
- Make salad dressing
- Assemble salad
Turkey drumsticks
Watercress is a leafy green that is in the same family of vegetables as kale, broccoli, arugula, and Brussels sprouts. Watercress is known as a super-food that has ranked highest in vitamins and minerals in comparison to its caloric intake. If you are a small crowd on Thanksgiving, or any day and craving turkey but don’t want to cook an entire bird, here is a quicker and equally as delicious recipe!
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Ingredients:
- 4 turkey drumsticks
- 3 teaspoons salt pink Himalayan
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups white wine
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 oranges sliced
- 1 chili pepper cut in half, seeds removed for less heat
- 10 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 cup watercress greens
Directions:
- Sprinkle turkey with 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of pepper.
- Prepare a Dutch oven on high heat. Add oil and get hot. Add turkey drumsticks and sear for 5 minutes per side.
- Remove drumsticks and add ½ cup white wine and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon (scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan).
- Add the extra 1 1/2 cups of wine and 1 teaspoons of salt. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the watercress, and mix well.
- Add the drumsticks back in and mix well. Cover and place in oven for 2 ½ hours. Remove and right before serving, dip the watercress into the turkey gravy and place on top.
Notes & Tips:
If you want to use this recipe for a whole turkey, double the ingredients and remember this trick for cooking time - 20 minutes per pound of turkey.
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Stuffing
Are you ever making stuffing without a turkey? Well don’t! This recipe is healthier and delicious but needs the gravy to finish it off!
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Ingredients:
- 1 onion chopped
- 1/2 leek chopped
- 1 apple chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh sage chopped
- 2 cups whole wheat baguette chopped
- 1 pound minced turkey
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt pink Himalayan
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup turkey gravy
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper. Add all the ingredients except the turkey gravy. Mix well and flatten down. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove and break up with wooden spoon.
- Right before serving, add turkey gravy and mix.
Notes & Tips:
Try and use day-old bread!
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Thanksgiving salad
Make sure to chop all the root vegetables to the same size so you don’t end up with burned pieces.
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Ingredients:
- 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 parsnip peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons salt pink Himalayan
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala spice blend
- 1/2 leek finely chopped
- 1 tablespoons fresh sage finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Add the carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnip, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup olive oil and garam masala.
- Mix well and place in oven for 45 minutes.
- In a jar, add 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup olive oil, leek, sage, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and mix well.
- In a large bowl add the lettuce and all the root vegetables from the oven. Dress right before serving.
Notes & Tips:
Make extra dressing, it will last up to two weeks in your fridge and get better with age!
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Cranberry sauce
I love cranberry sauce with turkey. It is just so necessary. Here is a twist on classic cranberry sauce. It has all the Thanksgiving flavors and then some! It has sweet, spicy, citrus, cinnamon and chestnuts!
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Ingredients:
- 2 cups craisons
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons silan date honey
- 1/2 chili pepper chopped, seeds removed for less heat
- 3/4 teaspoon salt pink Himalayan
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala spice blend
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 cup chestnuts chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 orange zested and chopped, set aside one piece for juice
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, add craisons and cover with 3 cups boiling water. Let sit for 10 minutes.
- Place a large saute pan on high heat. Add olive oil and heat. Add the onions, silan, chili pepper and salt and mix well.
- Add the craisons with 1 cup from the water it was soaking in. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
- Turn down the flame to medium and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Can blend if you want (I didn’t). Serve warm, room temperature or cold.
Notes & Tips:
If you have any leftover, freeze it and don’t wait a whole year to make turkey again. Bring Thanksgiving dinner back in two months from now; I promise no one will complain.
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Have a question about these recipes? Need a substitution for an ingredient? Chef Zissie is here to answer!
Simply use the comments box at the bottom of this page or click the button below. Please try and ask on Sunday to ensure you get your answer on time!
Leftover tips for tomorrow’s lunch:
Make a Thanksgiving wrap! Place all leftovers into a wrap or two or three.
