Thanksgiving is Just Two Weeks Away!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I wanted to share some of my favorite “Ten Dollar Dinners” recipes that could make for tasty additions to your table. Many, of course, could also be great should be going to a potluck this year, or even if you’d just like to bring a dessert to the home of your lovely host.

Speaking of turkey…two thoughts:

My Turkey Secret: Here is the question I get more than any other this time of year: How do you make a perfect turkey? Well, here’s my secret: Alton Brown’s Roast Turkey. Trust this voice of experience! Last year, I did a side-by-side comparison test. (My secret dream is to work for Cook’s Illustrated!). I made FOUR (!) turkeys last year (we have lots of family…), so I decided to try out four different recipes/cooking methods. Alton’s was, without a doubt, THE BEST! By far. And yes, the brining is worth it! Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try it this year.

Not Everyone Needs a Turkey: On the other hand, not everyone is feeding an army on Thanksgiving. So, for a smaller group, consider buying just a turkey breast to roast. While the per pound cost is slightly higher, the overall cost will be lower, and you won’t have waste. If you must have the “full bird” look, perhaps get a large roasting chicken. Even a small turkey is hard to polish off with only a few mouths to eat up leftovers. Here are my recipes for Flattened Pan-Roasted Chicken and Roasted Garlic Clove Chicken. If you have a copy of my cookbook, consider trying a one-pan option like the Herb-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes on page 144.

And just one more tip:

If you can bring yourself to buck tradition and serve something else altogether on Thanksgiving Day, you can load up on Thanksgiving goodies the day AFTER Thanksgiving for really cheap! Perfect if you want to celebrate Thanksgiving on Saturday for pennies!

Here’s a quick list of recipes to consider serving up this Thanksgiving. As always, please share thoughts and photos on Facebook and Twitter (@melissadarabian).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Melissa

Appetizers / Hors d’oeuvre

Caprese Tartlets

Antipasti Platter

BBQ Ranch Deviled Eggs

Green Salad with Roasted Pears and Blue Cheese

Orange-Scented Carrot Soup

Winter Kale Salad

Celery, Grapefruit and Olive Salad

Potatoes

Sweet Potato Empanadas