Best-Tested Thanksgiving Recipes

My favorite Recipes for Thanksgiving – bursting with flavor and creativity!

This is how you do gravy! Thanksgiving Turkey Marsala Gravy

Here are my favorite Thanksgiving Recipes!
Any questions… just write to me.

When choosing a menu for Thanksgiving, think about your guests and their tastes, and any dietary restrictions.
Try not to duplicate too many flavors/ingredients.

I like to start with a soup… but not the largest bowl! (This you can make a week ahead and freeze!) Garnishes matter ~ adds an extra element of taste, and looks gorgeous.
Following – I love salads, so I serve a light and tasty one with fall ingredients.
The turkey is the star of the meal – so here is your chance to upgrade the quality of the bird … organic is great… a Heritage bird is divine.
Side dishes also round out the meal and can show some creativity.
Shop at your local farmers’ market for vegetables, herbs, salads and potatoes.
I make two potatoes – a mashed yukon gold, and a caramelized yam.
Choose Fall Desserts with complimentary flavors… one apple, one nut, definitely one pumpkin, one chocolate … and a seasonal ice cream.
Textures matter too! Creamy – chunky – smooth – crunchy – flaky…
If the gravy is not great, the whole meal suffers in my opinion ~ So please make my Marsala Gravy – it’s deeply colored with a rich flavor.

Wishing all a joyous and tasty Thanksgiving,
Karen

Soups & Salads:

• Kabocha Squash Soup with Apples and Cashew Crema – Vegan
• Thanksgiving Squash and Celeriac Soup with Harissa
• Fall Salad with Pears, Pomegranate Seeds and Zesty Garlic Confit Vinaigrette
• Winter Salad with Grilled Radicchio and Pomegranate-Macadamia Vinaigrette
• Radicchio, Spinach and Kale Salad with Raspberry & Home Made Almond Oil Dressing
• Fall Salad ~ Greens, Nuts and Fruits with a Pickled Radish and Apple Vinaigrette

Breads & Appetizers:

• Karen’s Cornbread
• Blue Corn Madeleines with Cheddar, Fresh Corn and Scallions
• Goat Cheese and Garlic Pâté with Walnuts and Chives ~ Balsamic-Honey Drizzle
• Lebneh Balls – Yogurt Cheese with Herbs, Spices, Walnuts and Olive Oil
• Tuscan Stuffed Mushrooms

The Main Course:

• Roast Thanksgiving Turkey Basted with Fruit Juices and Marsala Gravy
  
• Thanksgiving Turkey Marsala Gravy – the best, richest and most delicious!
• Chunky Cranberry Sauce with Pineapple and Ginger
• Chestnut Stuffing with Shiitake Mushrooms, Apricots and Fresh Herbs
• Roasted Carrots with Fresh Figs ~ Pomegranate Glaze and Pistachios
• Karen’s Skillet Succotash
• Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Aged Gouda – Maple Syrup Glaze
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Spiced Candied Pecans
  

Sweets:

• Karen’s Fall Apple Cake with Streusel and Caramelized Apples
• Poached Pears in Spiced Red Wine & Pomegranate Juice (with Caramel Zabaglione)
• Vegan Apple Raspberry Crisp
• Pumpkin Cider Pie with Shortbread Cookie Crust
  
• Caramel Vanilla Bean Vegan Ice Cream
  
• Caramelized Apple Deep Dish Cheesecake Pie
• Caramel Vanilla Bean Vegan Ice Cream
• Chocolate Lava Cakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
• Cashew Caramel Lace Cookies