Thanksgiving FAVORITES

What you need

• 1 turkey
• 3-4 oranges 
• 2 onions
• 4-5 stalks of oregano, cut into medium pieces
• Salt, black pepper to taste
• Melted butter  to taste
• Bamboo skewers
• Roasting pan (preferably with a bottom rack)
• Chicken stock or broth

How to make it

1. Remove the giblets from the turkey
2. Cut oranges and onions into wedges
3. Chop a couple of  oregano stalks into medium size pieces
4. Place orange & onions wedges and chopped oregano in a bowl - Toss in the melted butter, salt and pepper to task and "bruise" all the ingredients together.
5. Using your hands, coat cavities with melted butter, then stuff in the oranges, onions, oregano, and butter mixture.
6. Secure the cavity flaps with skewers.
7. Strip and chop the remaining oregano and place it in a bowl. Add melted butter, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Using your hands, smear the mixture along the surface of the bird, massaging gently.
9. Set oven to 220C/425F
10. Place turkey in the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes, keeping an eye on it, to prevent burning  (look for mild browning/crispiness on the skin).
11. After 20 minutes,  add chicken stock or broth to the bottom of the pan to prevent the drippings from burning.
12. Baste the turkey with the drippings gathered at the bottom of the pan
13. Roast for another 10-15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 160C/325F and set timer for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of the bird). You want to ensure the skin of the bird remains hydrated, so baste as needed.
14. Continue to add more stock/broth if needed (you can also use wine or beer if you prefer).
15. Once the turkey has reached a nice mahogany color, check the temperature at the joint between thigh and body.
16. Internal temperature should be around 74C-77C (165-170F)

Recipe courtesy of Apple Fam.

Step-by-step video  featured by Pottery Barn  

(Serves 6-8)

What you need  

• 1 large onion
• 1 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 orange, diced
• Several stalks of celery, cut into small dice
• 1 or 2 Guajillo chiles (or similar) 
• 113g (½ cup) of unsalted butter
• 500g (6 cups) diced bread, crust removed
• Coarse salt,  black pepper and dried oregano to taste

How to make it  

1. Rinse the chiles,  and toast in a 100C/200F oven for about 5 minutes or until slightly crisp (this will add spiciness and color to the dish).
2. Remove the seeds. Chop them into small pieces and soak them in a bit of water for approx. 15-20 minutes until real soft.
3. Finely chop the chiles into a coarse puree.
4. In a sautee pan, add half the butter and melt.
5. Stir in the chopped onion , and garlic until translucent, the add the celery and sautee for a few minutes.
6. Toss in the chile puree, let it cook for a few minutes, then toss in the diced orange 
7. Season generously with salt, fresh ground black pepper and dried oregano.
8. Toss in the diced bread, then add the remaining butter on top (melted).
9. Set the oven at 200C/400F
10. Bake util the bread is slightly crispy and golden in color.

Recipe courtesy of Apple Fam.

Step-by-step video  featured by Pottery Barn 

(Serves 4)

What you need

• 15ml (1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2kg (4 lbs) pumpkin (any kind but preferably sugar pie)
• 950ml (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 120ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream, plus more for garnish

How to make it

1. In a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden. 
2. Meanwhile, halve, peel, and scrape out seeds of the pumpkin. Cut into chunks.
3. Add pumpkin chunks and broth to pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, uncovered, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until pumpkin is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. 
4. Remove pot from heat and, using an immersion blender, blend mixture until smooth. (Alternatively, let soup cool, then blend in a blender.) Stir in cream and season to taste. 
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, add a swirl of cream, and garnish with pepper.

Recipe courtesy of Delish

(Serves 6)

What you need  

• 1 orange
• 750g (1 1/2 lb.s)  fresh or frozen cranberries
• 250g (1 cup/8 oz) sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 45ml (3 tbsp) water

How to make it

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in wide strips, leaving the bitter white pith behind. Juice the orange.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice, cinnamon stick and water. 
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to pop and the sauce thickens, 20 to 25 minutes. 
4. Remove the orange zest and cinnamon stick and discard.
5. Transfer the cranberry sauce to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature. Or let cool, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days, then serve cold.  

REcipe courtesy of Williams Sonoma 

(Serves 6 to 8)  

What you need

• 500g (1 ¼  lbs) green beans
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 280g (10 oz) button mushrooms, sliced
• 3 large shallots, plus 30g (3 Tbsp) minced
• 45g (1/3 cup) plus 25g (3 Tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 250ml (1 cup) half-and-half
• 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock or broth
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) soy sauce, preferably mushroom soy sauce
• Canola oil for deep-frying
• A deep 2.5l (2 ½ -quart) baking dish
• A deep-frying thermometer
• Paper Towels

How to make it  

1. Preheat an oven to 175°C (350°F). 
2. Lightly butter the  baking dish. Trim the green beans and halve crosswise. 
3. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. 
4. Add the green beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside. 
5. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. 
6. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they give off their juices and are browned, 6 to 7 minutes. 
7. Stir in the 30g (3 tbsp) minced shallots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. 
8. Sprinkle with the 25g (3 tbsp) flour and stir well. 
9. Slowly stir in the half-and-half, stock and soy sauce and then bring to a boil, stirring often. 
10. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. 
11. Stir in the green beans, season with salt and pepper and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. 
12. Bake until the liquid is bubbling, about 20 minutes (30 minutes if it has been refrigerated).
    While the casserole is baking, pour oil to a depth of 5cm (2 inches) into a heavy saucepan and heat over high heat to 175°C/350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. 
13. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove. 
14. Cut the remaining 3 shallots crosswise into slices 30mm (1/8 inch) thick and separate into rings. Place the remaining 45g (1/3 cup) flour in a small bowl. 
15. Toss the shallot rings in the flour to coat evenly, shaking off the excess. 
16. In batches to avoid crowding, add the shallots to the hot oil and deep-fry until golden brown, about 30 seconds. 
17. Transfer to the paper towels to drain. Remove the casserole from the oven, scatter the fried shallots on top and serve. 

Recipe courtesy of Williams Sonoma

(Serves 6)

What you need    

• 200g (2 cups) rinsed raw cranberries
• 2 peeled and cored tart green apples, cut into thick slices
• 1 large, whole (peel ON) seedless orange, cut into sections
• 200-400g (1 to 2 cups) granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you would like your relish to be)

How to make it  

1. You can use the grinder attachment to a KitchenAid mixer, or you can use a food processor. If you use a food processor, be careful not to over-pulse! Or you'll have mush instead of relish.
2. You can also just chop very finely by hand, but that's difficult, especially with the cranberries.
3. Push the cranberries, orange sections, and apple slices through the grinder. Include the orange peel! Alternate the fruit as you push it through the grinder so that different fruits get ground together. If you do not have a grinder, pulse fruit in a food processor.
4. Stir in the sugar. (Start with less than a cup and keep adding 1/4 cups until you reach your desired level of sweetness.) Let sit at room temperature until the sugar dissolves, about 45 minutes. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use   

Recipe courtesy of  Simply Recipes

(Serves 8 to 10) 

 What you need

• Pan drippings from roasted turkey
• 57g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 35g (1/4 cup )all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 4g (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

How to make it 

1. Strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 
3. Whisk in flour and thyme until lightly browned, about 1 minute.
4. Gradually whisk in reserved pan drippings. 
5. Add water if needed.
6. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. 
7. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
8. Serve warm.

Recipe courtesy of Damn Delicious

(Serves 8 to 10) 

 What you need

• 2.5kg (5 lbs) potatoes (russet preferred), peeled and cut into about 5cm (2-inc)
   pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more, to taste
• 115g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small
   pieces
• 60ml (1 1/4 cups) half-and-half or heavy whipping cream, heated
• Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
• A potato ricer or potato masher

How to make them  

1. Put the potatoes and the salt in a large pot, and cover the potatoes with approx.. 7cm ( 3 inches)of water.
2. bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well in a colander.
   Set a potato ricer over the pot and pass the potatoes through in batches. Alternatively, return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher. 
4. Add the butter and gradually add the heavy whipping cream, beating constantly with a large spoon, until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
5. Season with salt and white pepper and transfer to a warmed serving dish. 
6. Serve immediately. 

Recipe courtesy of Williams Sonoma

(makes 12)  

What you need

• 270g (2 cups all-purpose flour), or more if needed
•  7g (2 ¼ teaspoon) rapid rise or instant yeast  
•  25g (2 tablespoons) sugar 
•  3g (½ teaspoon) salt 
•  120ml (½ cup) milk 
•  60ml (¼ cup) water 
•  30g (2 tbsp) butter 

How to make them  

1. Combine 95g (3/4 cup) flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. 
2. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (50C/120F  to 55C/130F). 
3. Add to flour mixture. 
4. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. 
5. Add 1/4 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. 
6. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
7. Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
8. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces andshape into balls. Place in greased 8-inch round pan. 
9. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
10. Bake in preheated 190C/375F  oven for 20 minutes or until done. 
11. Remove from pan;
12. Brush with additional melted butter, if desired. 
13. Serve warm.

Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

 What you need

Pie Crust:

• 175g (1 1/3 cups)  all-purpose flour
• 2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt
• 15g (1 tbsp) granulated white sugar
• 113g (1/2 cup)  cold unsalted butter, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks
• 3 to 4 tbsp icy cold water
• A 23cm (9 inch) pie pan

Pumpkin Filling:

• 3 large (approx. 150 grams)  eggs at room temperature
• 425g (1 - 15 ounce can) pure pumpkin puree (no spices added)
• 120ml (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream , at room temperature (best with 36-40% butterfat content)
• 100g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2g (1/2 teaspoon) salt

Creme Chantilly (Whipped Cream):  

See ingredients and recipe here

How to make it 

Pie Crust:

1. In your food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. 
2. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 10 seconds). 
3. Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of water over the flour mixture and process just until the dough holds together when pinched. (You don't want a solid ball of dough.) 
4. If necessary, add more water. 
5. Turn your dough onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, and flatten into a round. 
6. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour or until firm. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.   
7. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, remove from the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. 
8. Roll the pastry into a 30cm (12 inch) circle.
9.  To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).
10. Loosely roll the pastry around your rolling pin and transfer to the pie pan.
11. Tuck the overhanging pastry under itself and use a fork, or your fingers, to make a decorative border.
12. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill.
13. Bake in 190C/375 F  oven until golden brown (about 10 minutes).
14. Use to decorate the baked pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin Filling:

1. In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. 
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. 
4. Set the pie on the baking sheet and bake for about 40 - 50 minutes or until the crust has browned and the filling is set around the edges but the center of the pie will still look wet. (A knife inserted into the filling about 2.5cm  (1 inch) from the side of the pan will come out almost clean.)
5. Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool. 
6. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream. 
7. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. 

Creme Chantilly (Whipped Cream):

See recipe here

Adapted recipe courtesy of Joy of Baking 

What you need

Pie Crust:

• 175g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 14g (1 tbsp) granulated white sugar
• 113g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into pieces
• 30-60ml (1/8 to 1/4 cup) ice water  
• 23cm (9 inch) pie pan

Pecan Filling:

• 210g (1 cup) dark brown sugar 
• 160ml (2/3 cup) light or dark corn syrup
• 1 tbsp rum or bourbon
• 56g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 60ml (1/4 cup) cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 150-200g (1 1/2 - 2 cups) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

How to make it

Pie Crust: 

1. In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds).
2. Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched. If necessary, add more water. Do not process more than 30 seconds.
3. Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour. 
4. After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 33cm (13 inch) circle. 
5. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).
6. Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to the pie pan. Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself. 
7. Use a fork to make a decorative border or else crimp the edges using your fingers. 
8. Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes before pouring in the filling. 
9. Preheat oven to 180C/350 F 
10. Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven

Pecan Filling:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the brown sugar, Lyle's Golden Syrup, rum, and butter until boiling, stirring constantly. 
2. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. When the boiled syrup has cooled, beat in the eggs, salt, and cream. 
4. Remove the chilled pastry crust from the refrigerator and evenly distribute the chopped pecans over the bottom of the crust.
5.  Pour the filling evenly over the nuts. 
6. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is just set (a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie will come out clean. (If you find the edges of the pie crust are over browning during baking, cover with foil.) 
7. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Joy of Baking