Time for Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, which can only one thing... FOOD! And lots of it!

Thanksgiving is the time of year where families get together to give thanks and to show appreciation for the wonderful things in our lives.

It is also the time time of year where families spoil themselves with more food then one can eat. From turkeys and hams to stuffing and mashed potatoes to delicious pumpkin and pecan pies, it leaves everyone in a state of awe with a giant food baby for a few days. But it's all worth it, after hours of preparation and getting the family together, turkey day is definitely a day to be thankful for.

Preparing for the Thanksgiving can definitely be a challenge, especially to the families celebrating on their own for the first time or to the families looking for new recipes to try out versus the recipes that has been passed along from their grandmas, grandmas, grandma. Even though it was bad, you just might want to try something different.

So for the people in need of wanting to try something new, we have decided to pass along some ideas for you to try out to give our thanks for your support!

Simple Roast Turkey

Time

3 1/2 hours, plus 1 to 3 days’ standing

Yield

10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 turkey
  (10 to 12 pounds)
• Coarse kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 lemon, zested and quartered
• 1 bunch fresh thyme or rosemary
• 1 bunch fresh sage
• 12 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 bottle hard apple cider (12 ounces)
• Dry white wine, as needed
• 2 onions, peeled and quartered
• 3 bay leaves
• Olive oil or melted butter, as needed

Preparation

1. Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
2. Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
3. When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
4. Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff remaining onions and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
5. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

GRAVY

Time

20 minutes, with premade stock

Yield

5 to 6 cups

Ingredients   

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt and pepper
• 4 to 5 cups rich stock, warmed
• Turkey drippings and giblets, optional

Preparation

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on the onions, stirring constantly, and cook until flour is golden to brown. Adjust heat so mixture does not burn.
2. Gradually whisk in 4 cups stock until mixture thickens and is smooth. If it is too thick, add liquid. Cool, cover and chill.
3. When ready to serve, reheat mixture over low heat, stirring. Scrape bottom of turkey pan and add drippings or giblets to gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning, then serve.

For more ingredients, go to Essential Thanksgiving!

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