Thanksgiving is one of the biggest days of the year for many families, a time to come together, to share goodwill, and to stuff one’s face to a level of excess. Thanksgiving dinner, for that reason, is usually already pretty extravagant and out there. However, whether you’re looking to make this year a little extra special, to welcome some new guests, or just to try something different, this year you might want to try a new recipe.
Here, we’re going to look at some of those recipes, be they new ways to perfect Thanksgiving classics, or something new to put on your plate to see how you like it. Hopefully, you’ll find something that makes an appearance year after year.
The question of the turkey
Turkey is delicious. However, turkey is also super easy to make dry and flavorless if you don’t put in the right level of care. If you want to avoid that classic Thanksgiving mistake, then you can instead try grilling your turkey. Aside from the fact that you don’t need it taking up your oven all day, it can also add that delicious charred taste to the outside, without overpowering the classic turkey taste. It’s a super easy way to make your turkey just a bit more flavorful.
Get fancy with your stuffing
Some people get really picky with their stuffing, so if you’re trying out a new recipe, you might want to make sure you have a serving of your traditional mix to ensure that no one gets too offended. However, stuffing is one of the easiest recipes to elevate, and this mixture that uses Swiss chard and chestnuts can bring in a delicious mix of fluffy and crunchy texture that makes every forkful a delight, especially when paired with your meats.
Don’t forget the yams
Yams are a true Thanksgiving classic, but one that might have fallen out of favor over the past few years, but it’s time for them to make a comeback. If you’re not from the southern side of the country, then it might be your first opportunity to try out candied yams, but once you do, it’s clear to see why they’re a favorite. The combination of that sweet glaze with the softness of those sweet potatoes when cooked right can make them the perfect thing to fit in amongst all that comfort food, and a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg gives them a delicious bit of holiday spirit.
Go back to the roots
It’s winter, meaning there’s no shortage of in-season root vegetables to add to your dinner, and one of the easiest ways to get the very best out of them is to cook them together with this one-sheet pan recipe. You can bring all of those diverse tastes together with an easy infusion of coriander and cumin seeds, too. It’s going to make for a delicious, aromatic mixture, whether it all compliments the more savory and sumptuous side of the meal, without the tastes fighting to overpower each other. Easily going to elevate the root vegetable game beyond being one of the expected parts of any dinner.
A seafood side-dish
When choosing side dishes for your Thanksgiving meal, it’s a good opportunity to offer something really rich and decadent, but you might not want to push the boat out too far, to offer tastes a little too strong for some. This scalloped oyster recipe could be just the perfect thing, bringing that richness in flavor and texture, but without a taste as strong as some other oyster dishes. It evens out the heavy-hitting notes to create a more mellow side, that is going to be easy for even the kids at the table to dig into, never mind the fussy adults.
It’s okay to go with canned peaches
Peach cobbler is a very popular traditional Thanksgiving dessert, but one that has become a little less widely used as of late, due to how much effort it can take to cut up those peaches, alongside all the other work you have to do. If you have to provide the dessert, there’s nothing at all wrong with using canned peaches to fill in for you and using a little spice like ginger and cinnamon to give it a taste boost that will make sure no one can tell the difference.
If Thanksgiving dinner isn’t the time to try something a little extra, then when is? With the recipes above, you’re sure to able to find something that proves a hit and might even become a new tradition itself.
