These recipes are the ones we all grew up eating, and helping make in the kitchen with our families. It's what we love and the way we've always done it. Yes, there are so many new-fangled ways to prepare a turkey these days: frying, smoking...you name it. We love the old-fashioned oven roasted turkey that makes the house smell so good all day long. We hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do. As for the drinks, we are drinking this delicious whiskey drink and we will be purchasing our pies from a lovely bakery vs. making our own. Cheers to you all and enjoy!
P.S. If you are needing a delicious app idea (to bring or have on your own table, check out our Holiday Butter Boards post!
Grammy's Classic Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
•1 fresh turkey (18-22 pounds)
•2 oranges, halved
•Paprika, to taste
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
•10 to 12 cups prepared stuffing
•1/2 pound butter, at room temperature
•4 tablespoons corn oil
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
2. Prep the turkey. Rinse the turkey well inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Squeeze the juice from the 2 orange halves over the outside and inside of the bird to refreshen. Salt and pepper the cavity. Stuff the cavities loosely with stuffing. Close with trussing skewers and tie the legs together with kitchen string.
4. Rub the outside of the turkey all over with the 1 1/2 sticks of softened butter and sprinkle generously with paprika, salt, and pepper.
5. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large oven-proof roasting pan. Transfer to oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 325º. Melt remaining 4T of butter with 4T of corn oil in a saucepan. Baste the turkey every 30 mins first with this butter/oil mixture and later with the turkey's own juices when they start to appear.
6. As you baste the turkey, keep your eye on the browning of the outside of the bird. If you feel like the outside of the bird is browning too quickly, cover with foil.
7. Roast turkey until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 155°F, and the thickest part of the thigh reaches at least 170°F. (Stuffing must reach 165°F.) For planning purposes this could take anywhere from 4-6 hours depending on the size of your turkey.
8. Remove the turkey, place it on a platter, and let it rest about 20-30 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Reserve the juices in the pan.
9. Remove the stuffing from the body and neck cavities and cover it with aluminum foil to keep warm.
JTI Tip* The drumstick will move easily from the socket when the turkey is done.
Allison’s Dad’s Insanely Delicious Stuffing
Ingredients
•3 packets Martha White’s Cornbread Mix
•1 loaf good bread, sliced (we love Noble Bread)
•3 large onions
•12 celery stalks
•Good extra virgin olive oil
•4 sticks butter (use a good butter, we like Kerrygold)
•2 cups fresh sage
•2 cups chicken stock
•2 tablespoons demi glace
•2 lemons (you’ll need juice and zest)
•2 Granny Smith apples
•poultry seasoning
•real maple syrup
•salt/pepper
Directions
*Optional additions: a package of bacon (you will cook the bacon prior to mixing into the stuffing) or 1 lb. of pork sausage (also cooked prior to mixing in)
1. Make the cornbread following directions on the Martha White packet. Allow cornbread to cool. Crumble and set aside. The cornbread can be made up to 3-5 days before serving.
2. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees. Place slices of bread directly on a baking sheet and toast. This usually takes about 30 minutes. Stay close to the oven. You don’t want to over toast! Allow bread to cool. Place slices into a large ziplock and hit them with a rolling pin. These can be made two days before serving.
3. Melt 4 sticks of butter, set aside.
4. Dice onions and celery, set aside. Chop sage, set aside. Peel apples and discard peels. After apples are peeled, grate apples and set aside. Zest lemons, set aside. Juice lemons, set aside.
5. Make demi glaze per the package instructions, set aside.
6. In a large pan, heat about 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO. Add onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add celery and cook until both are softened.
7. Turn off heat. Add bread crumbs and crumbled cornbread and mix together. Add apples, melted butter and stock. Add the stock slowly as you don’t want the stuffing gummy. Add demi glaze, poultry seasoning, salt/pepper, maple syrup, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix all of this together until it’s well combined. Allow mixture to cool.
8. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer cornbread to a large baking dish unless your pan will fit into the oven and is oven-safe. Cook for 30 minutes or until warmed through. If you like your stuffing a bit more toasted, leave in longer.
Serve and enjoy hot or at room temperature!
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
•3 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled
•Kosher salt
•1 1/2 cups milk
•6 tablespoons unsalted butter
•1/2 cup sour cream
•1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•3 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled
Directions
1. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes and place them in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add enough salt so the water tastes quite salty. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes fall apart easily when pierced with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan, making sure it doesn't boil. Set aside until the potatoes are done.
3. As soon as the potatoes are tender, drain them in a colander. Place a food mill fitted with a small disc/blade over a glass bowl. Process the potatoes through the food mill, turning the handle back and forth to force the potatoes through the disc. As soon as the potatoes are mashed, slowly whisk in enough of the hot milk/butter mixture to make the potatoes very creamy. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the sour cream and pepper and whisk to combine. Taste for seasoning and serve hot.
Laura's Balsamic-Glazed Pearl Onions
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 2 (14.5 oz.) pkg. frozen pearl onions, thawed and drained
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup water, as needed
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Directions
Heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium
Add onions: cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add sugar: cook 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Cover, reduce heat and cook 25 minutes, adding up to 1/4 cup water, one tablespoon at a time, if pan seems dry.
Stir in remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons butter, salt, and pepper.
Garnish with parsley, if desired. : )
Favorite Green Beans with Shallots
Ingredients
• 1 pound French string beans (haricots verts), ends removed • Kosher salt • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon good olive oil • 3 large shallots, large-diced • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes only. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a very large saute pan (12-inch diameter) or large pot and saute the shallots on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned. Drain the string beans and add to the shallots with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, tossing well. Heat only until the beans are hot.
3. If you're using regular string beans, blanch them for about 3 minutes, until they're crisp-tender.
Cheers, friends!