Best Thanksgiving Recipes
Thanksgiving is about more than just the delicious turkey. We tossed out the traditional sides such as creamy mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. And upgraded to a spiced up, healthier version to create the best Thanksgiving recipes ever.
Involving the best way to get your calcium and vitamin intake. MILK!
Check out the best Thanksgiving recipes to pair with your Turkey on this holiday of thanks.
Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Below are 3 healthy sides that include the most important ingredient in having strong, healthy bones.
Natural cow’s milk is so important to include in your daily food intake. cow’s milk offers a rich source of calcium, a mineral essential for healthy bones and teeth. Cow’s milk is also often fortified with vitamin D, which is also beneficial for bone health.
Here is a great read to help you find more information on the health benefits of cow’s milk.
Getting back on track here; below we’ve posted some tasty yet healthy side options for your upcoming thanksgiving feast that your whole family will love!
Traditional Baked Stuffing
Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8 cups soft bread cubes, unseasoned
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, diced
- 1⁄4 cup butter, melted
-
1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 cup milk, approximately
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
- Mix onion, celery, parsley, melted butter, egg and poultry seasoning in a large bowl. Stir.
- Add bread crumbs and stir with a spoon to evenly distribute the mixture.
- Slowly drizzle milk over bread while stirring until bread cubes are moist but NOT soggy. (May need a bit more or less milk than this recipe calls for.).
- Stir in salt and pepper.
- Pour in a greased casserole dish or Pyrex bowl. (A 9×14″ baking dish will do in a pinch).
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until bread cubes on top are crispy.
If you enjoyed this amazing baked stuffing you’ll want to check out more of what the Food.com website has to offer.
Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Casserole
Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 small cauliflower, leaves removed and broken into small florets
- 1 small head broccoli, broken into small florets
For the cheese sauce
- 50g butter
- 50g flour
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 500ml milk
- 100g strong cheddar, or vegetarian alternative
- 2 tbsp snipped chives
Directions:
- In a very large saucepan, cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 5 mins. Then add the broccoli and cook for 3 mins more. Drain well and transfer to a large ovenproof dish.
- To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a small pan. When foaming, add flour and mustard powder, and cook for 1 min, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and add the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly to get rid of any lumps. Once half the milk has been added, return to the heat and add the remaining milk. Keep stirring and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 2 mins, until thickened and smooth. Add most of the cheese and some seasoning then take off the heat and add the chives.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. This can be done the day before and kept covered in the fridge. Cook in the oven with the pork for 35-40 mins until bubbling, allowing an extra 5-10 mins cooking time if from the fridge. Serve with the pork.
For more tasty vegetable sides, check out BBC Good Food.
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Serves: 4
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 pinches nutmeg
- 1 pinch ginger
- 1 pinch ground cloves
-
4 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup coarse sugar or raw sugar
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves over medium heat, stirring occasionally, just until it comes to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside to infuse at least 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the granulated sugar. Whisking constantly, gradually pour in the hot cream mixture. Whisk in the pumpkin puree.
- Pour the mixture into 4 ovenproof ramekins and arrange in a hot water bath. Bake in the center of the oven until almost set but still a bit soft in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. The custard should “shimmy” a bit when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools.
- Remove from the water bath and let cool 15 minutes. Tightly cover each ramekin with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic does not touch the surface of the custard.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to serve, preheat a broiler to very hot (or fire up your kitchen torch). Uncover the chilled custards. Pour as much coarse sugar as will fit onto the top of 1 of the custards. Pour off the remaining sugar onto the next custard.
- Repeat until all the custards are coated. Discard any remaining sugar.
- Place the ramekins on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan and broil until the sugar is melted and well browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool 1 minute before serving.
For more awesome thanksgiving dessert recipes, you can visit the Food Network website.
Thanksgiving Should Still Be Healthy
If you enjoyed the best thanksgiving recipes of 2015 then we’ve done our ultimate job. Changing up your traditional thanksgiving feast ideas is always fun and exciting.
But the best thing about it is that you’ve chosen to enjoy a healthier way of life.
Your next step in the right direction is to visit and support your local dairy. Picking up the freshest, coldest milk in glass milk bottles will help you in all your Thanksgiving recipes.
Don’t forget! Glass in milk bottles is also the healthiest way to get your calcium and vitamin intake.