Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Dinner: Cranberry Ginger Fizz

8 Dec

I LOVE Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale, but it is the hardest thing to find!  The recipe below is my own cranberry ginger ale concoction that I make when I can’t find the original in stores.  Since ginger is a natural ingredient to help queasy stomachs, this drink is also a good one to make after a few too many pear bellinis the night before. 🙂

Cranberry Ginger Fizz

Ingredients
Ginger Ale (preferably Canada Dry)
Cranberry Juice (no sugar added, not from concentrate)
Lemonade
Limes

Directions (per serving)
1. Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.  Fill glass 3/4 of the way with ginger ale.  Fill glass remaining 1/4 with cranberry juice.  Top with a splash of lemonade.
2. Garnish with lime wedge.
Note: If you want to prevent this drink from getting watered down, fill an ice tray with cranberry juice the night before and use cranberry juice ice cubes!

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Thanksgiving Dinner: Dad’s Turkey Gravy

5 Dec

My Dad adapted this recipe from my Grandmother’s original recipe (created in November 1960!).  In addition to broth, he uses wine and flour to add depth and thickness to the gravy.  His adapted recipe is below.

Dad’s Turkey Gravy

Ingredients
Chicken broth or turkey stock
Flour
Marsala wine
Juices from bottom of turkey pan

Directions
1. Cook turkey according to instructions in Thanksgiving Dinner: Grandma’s Turkey.  Drain most of the liquid from the pan except for about 2 tbsp for each cup of gravy wanted.
2. Move the liquid wanted to a small saucepan and stir over medium-high heat.  Gradually, add an equal amount of flour.  Stir consistently.
3. After gravy is well-browned, add Marsala wine and some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan until it is the right consistency.  (Note: If you run out of broth, you can use water as a substitute.)
4. When hot and of desired consistency, strain broth and keep hot until serving.

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Thanksgiving Dinner: Grandma’s Turkey

1 Dec

The recipe below is for my Grandmother’s Thanksgiving turkey recipe.  I love this recipe because it’s simple, but produces the juiciest turkey that isn’t over-seasoned.  My Grandmother wrote this recipe in November 1960 and it’s still a crowd pleaser today.

Grandma’s Thanksgiving Turkey

Ingredients
1 9-12 lb. turkey
Stuffing (see Thanksgiving Dinner: Mom’s Stuffing post for recipe)
Salt & pepper
Poultry Seasoning
2 sticks unsalted butter

Other Items Needed
Cheese Cloth
Baster

Directions
1. Follow directions for thawing bird if frozen and be sure to allow enough time for this.  Then clean bird thoroughly and remove any traces of lining from inside around the bones.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Rub salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning along the inside cavities of the bird.
4. Stuff the bird according to directions on Thanksgiving Dinner: Mom’s Stuffing post.
5. Rub salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning along the outside of the bird.  Cover the breast of the turkey with cheese cloth (this will prevent the breast from burning or drying out).
6. Place turkey in a shallow pan.  It’s best to use not too deep of a pan as the turkey will brown better in a shallower one.
7. Melt 2 stick of butter and pour 3/4 of this over the turkey.  The remaining 1/4 you will use in your first basting of the turkey.
8.  Pop the turkey in the oven and set your timer for 20 minutes.  When it rings, open the oven and pour the remaining butter over the turkey.  Also, use your baster to take the juices from the bottom of the pan and cover the turkey.  Put the turkey back in the oven.
9. Set your timer for 20 minutes.  When it rings, open the oven and baste the turkey using the juices from the bottom of the pan.  Continue basting the turkey every 20 minutes until the meat thermometer has popped and the turkey is done.  This should take about 20 minutes per pound, or 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours for a 9-12 lb. turkey.  (Note: If you want the breast to be browner, remove the cheese cloth for the last 30-45 minutes of cooking.)
10. Remove turkey from oven and set on a carving board.  Cover with tinfoil and let sit 20 minutes before carving/serving.  Save the juices at the bottom of the pan as you will use these for the gravy (see Thanksgiving Dinner: Dad’s Turkey Gravy).

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