Need a dish to take to Thanksgiving this year? Check out our list of 5 Thanksgiving recipes to try. The first on the list is from Menu Maker & Catering in Franklin and the others are the most viewed recipes for the holiday found at Just a Pinch recipe website.
1Apple Cranberry Chutney by Menu Maker & Catering in FranklinÂ
Sweet and tangy chutney with apples, cranberries, onion, vinegar, sugar, orange zest, and ginger.
IngredientsÂ
3 good granny smith apples (2 cups, diced, skin on)
1 cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped onion
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup of white sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest & lemon zest
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
½ Tsp Nutmeg
¼ cup of OJ
½ tsp kosher salt
Directions
Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for a few minutes more, to reduce any remaining liquid. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Find more information about Menu Makers & Catering here.Â
2Special Occasion Baked Mashed Potatoes
Home Cook recipe by Elaine Moretti
Ingredient
4 lb potatoes – baked, then mashed
1 1/2 c minced shallot
3 c grated white cheddar (divided in half)
1 Tbsp salt (use more or less to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
DirectionsÂ
Mix the potatoes, shallots, and cheese in a large mixing bowl until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in sour cream one cup at a time.
Oil a large baking dish (13×9) then place the potato mixture in the pan and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until hot and lightly browned.
3Baked Turkey Legs
Home cook recipe by Connie Ottman
Ingredients
2 fat turkey legs
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (more if you like)
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon or orange, zested
chicken broth
2 stalk(s)Â celery, peeled and diced (optional)
2 carrots, diced (optional)
DirectionsÂ
Rinse turkey legs and pat dry. Pull the skin of the turkey over the bone. Smear butter on both sides of the leg. Place the skin over the buttered leg. Cover the legs with lemon or orange zest. Place foil in the bottom of a baking dish and add chopped celery and carrots. Add chicken broth to the pan. Place the turkey on top of the carrots and celery. Â Roast at 350 for one hour. Let the turkey legs rest for one hour after taking out of the oven. Use the broth to coat the legs.
4My Mom’s Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing
Home cook recipe by Robyn Bruce
Ingredients
1Â onion, diced green pepper, diced
1 c butter
3/4 c diced celery (celery seed can be used, maybe a teaspoon or so)
2 eggs, beaten
2 c canned chicken broth
1Â 16 oz. bag of Pepperidge Farm herbed seasoned stuffing (is crumbs, not cubes or croutons and is sold in a blue & white bag
1Â 16-20 oz. bag soft bread cubes
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp poultry seasoning
2 Tbsp fresh parsley or dried parsley flakes
1 tsp oregano
1Â Reynolds turkey sized baking bag
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the bag of bread crumbs with Pepperidge Farm bread herbed seasoned stuffing.
In a fry pan, melt butter over a medium heat. Sautee’ onions, green peppers, and celery until all is softened.
Mix in the two beaten eggs. Add in garlic, poultry seasoning, dried parsley, and oregano. Pour chicken broth over all the mixture until it is almost wet. Toss again to make sure all of the bread is coated with ingredients.
Stuff the turkey, packing tightly, but not too tightly (as in “don’t really jam it in there”) at both ends. (If you have any left over, you can put it in a casserole dish, and refrigerate until 45 minutes before turkey is done, then put in oven with turkey for extra stuffing.)
Use softened butter, and using fingers, rub butter all over turkey until coated, and then shake a little paprika over top of entire turkey.
Put about 2 tablespoons flour inside baking bag before putting the turkey inside. Push turkey into bag, close bag tightly, make three slits across the top of the bag for ventilation, and put into roaster pan.
Put lid on roaster and then bake following instructions for the size turkey you have. (**Note: the baking bag will probably cut baking time by at least 3/4 hr to 1 hour, but really holds in the juices and turkey stays very moist and juicy.) No basting is required when you use the baking bag, but if you wish, you can baste one or two times during baking.
**Note**: Be sure to remember to make the slits in the top of the baking bag, maybe an inch or two long, and be sure to put the little bit of flour into the bottom of the bag before you put the turkey inside. When finished, you will have an ample supply of broth inside the bag to make your gravy. Simply use a cup or ladle to scoop it all out. (What broth I don’t need, I always put into a plastic container and freeze to use when I make my chicken soups. I add it into the pot of soup and it gives my soups added extra special flavor!)
5Pecan Pie Balls
Home cook recipe by Camille McClendon
2 1/2 c pecans, toasted and chopped
1 c graham crackers, crushed (vanilla wafers, Oreos can be subbed if you do not like graham crackers)
1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 tsp salt (if you can not handle the sodium, don’t use it!)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 c bourbon, brandy or spiced rum. non alcoholic version: use almond extract, rum extract, or any other that may suit your taste. add a little water/juice to equal the liquid amount.
1 tsp vanilla
7 oz dark chocolate bark. If you prefer white chocolate…go for it!
1 tsp coarse sea salt (optional)
DirectionsÂ
Combine first four ingredients in a bowl. Add maple syrup, bourbon, and vanilla. Use your hands to make sure all ingredients are mixed throughly. Form balls by scooping a tablespoon size of mixture. Roll in hands to form a ball. Place balls on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place cookie sheet in freezer for 2 hours. Melt chocolate bark in a double broiler or microwave. Dip balls into chocolate. Then place back on parchment paper. Optional- sprinkle coarse salt on balls.
