Easy-to-make Thanksgiving recipes that will be sure to make you the “Host with the Most!” From mains and sides to cocktails and desserts, we’ve got you covered!
COCKTAILS

Sparkle and Spice

Recipe Credit: Sparkling Ice
INGREDIENTS
  • 750ml bottle aged rum
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1 clove
  • 1 cardamom pod
  • 1 star anise pod
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 3 allspice berries
  • Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
  1. Combine rum, cinnamon stick, clove, cardamom, star anise, vanilla bean, allspice berries, and nutmeg in an airtight jar.
  2. Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into jar along with the bean pod. Close jar and allow infusion to sit in a dark place for at least 3 days.
  3. Strain rum into an airtight jar with a fine-mesh strainer, discarding spices.
  4. Over ice, pour 2 ounces of rum infusion.
  5. Top with Sparkling Ice Lemon Lime and garnish with blackberries.

Ginger Whiskey Cider

Recipe Credit: Brooklyn Crafted
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 oz. Hard Cider
  • 1 oz. Whiskey
  • Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer Mini in Traditional, to fill
  • Crushed Ice
DIRECTIONS
  1. In a 12-16 oz. high ball glass, combine the hard cider and whiskey.
  2. Fill the glass with crushed ice and top with Brooklyn Crafted.

 Vodka Martini

Recipe Credit: GAEA
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
1.Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with ice.
2.Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.
3.Garnish with GAEA Pimento Stuffed Olives.
*Substitute Gin for Vodka with GAEA’S Dirty Martini Juice for Gin
FOOD

Corn Soup

Recipe Credit: HUROM
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups of Corn
  • 1 cup of Milk
  • 1/8 cup of Onion
  • Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS
  1. Boil raw corns until corn kernels are easily crushed by hand, and separate each from the bunch.
  2. Close the juice cap and the lever, and fill the chamber with milk.
  3. Extract corns and onions alternately.
  4. When putting the last ingredients in, place the lever in half-opened position to release the compressed pulp.
  5. Pour juiced corn milk into the pot and boil it over the medium heat by stirring not to be burned.
TIP: If you want to use canned corn, it is better to use after drying on a sieve. You can reduce sweet and salty taste after rinsing in mineral water.

Gluten Free Green Bean and Pasta Casserole Recipe

Recipe Credit: Carol Kicinski, Simply Gluten Free
Serves:  8 – 10 people as a side dish or 6 as a main course
INGREDIENTS
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut in half
  • 2 tablespoons butter or dairy free butter substitute
  • 8 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 cup gluten free chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups (7 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
  • Black pepper
  • Vegetable oil
  • 6 shallots, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 4 minutes. Add the beans to the pasta and cook for another 4 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta and green beans.
  3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they start to brown, about 6 – 7 minutes. Add the stock and cream, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese then add the pasta and green beans. Add kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Add a little pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Pour the mixture into a 9 inch by 12 inch baking dish and bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
  4. While the casserole is baking, prepare the shallots. Line a plate with paper towels. Pour enough oil into a large skillet to come up ¼ inch. Heat over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots and let cook for 12 minutes, the shallots should be quite soft. Raise the heat to high and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are well browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on the paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. The shallots will crisp more as they cool.
  5. When the casserole is done, scatter the shallots over the top and serve.

Daniel Mancini of Mama Mancini’s Stuffed Pepper

Recipe Credit: Mama Mancini’s
INGREDIENTS
  • 1-lb of ground beef
  • 1-lb of ground pork
  • 1/2 cup of minced onion
  • 1/4 cup of minced parsley
  • 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tsp of dry oregano
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • 1/2 tsp of black pepper
  • 1/2 cup of white rice prepared
  • 1 28 ounce can of Italian plum tomatoes crushed by hand
  • 1 cup of water
  • Bell peppers cleaned
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated romano cheese + more for topping
  • 1 lb of fresh mozzarella cheese shredded
DIRECTIONS
  1. Add the olive oil to a large skillet with the onion, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper, beef and pork. And using a spoon brown the meat breaking it up along the way.
  2. Drain the fat add half the tomatoes and the prepared white rice and saute for 15 minutes uncovered stirring along the way.
  3. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 30 minutes
  4. Fold in the romano and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese
  5. Place the cleaned peppers in a large pot of brisk boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and place peppers open side down on a rack or cutting board to cool
  6. Stuff peppers with the filling
  7. Add the cup of water to the reserved crushed tomatoes, mix together and pour into a baking dish
  8. Place the peppers in the baking dish cover tightly with foil and into a 400 degree pre heated oven for 30 minutes
  9. Remove and spoon some of the sauce on the peppers and top with shredded mozzarella a little romano and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted.
You can also bake these on a BBQ grill using an aluminum tin, just bake off to the side.
Enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Recipe Credit: Carrington Farms
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
  1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into ½ inch chunks.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a skillet, melt the coconut oil over low heat.
  3. When coconut oil is melted transfer it to a large bowl with the sweet potatoes and other ingredients to toss together.
  4. Spread the sweet potatoes evenly on a large baking sheet.
  5. Roast, tossing occasionally until soft and caramelized for about 1 hour.
DESSERT

Pumpkin Coconut Mousse

Recipe Credit: Terra’s Kitchen
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup organic canned pumpkin
  • ½ cup plus 2 teaspoons *coconut cream, divided
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon agave syrup, divided
  • 1 teaspoon plus a pinch of ground cinnamon, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted
DIRECTIONS
Make The Mousse:
  1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, ½ cup coconut cream, 2 tablespoons agave syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and pinch of salt.
  2. Divide mousse between two jars, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
Make The Cream Topping: Just before serving, stir together the remaining coconut cream, remaining agave syrup and remaining cinnamon.
To Serve: Place a small dollop of the topping on each jar of mousse and garnish with toasted coconut.

Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Recipe Credit: Santa Margherita
SERVINGS: 6
INGREDIENTS
  • 6 cups cubed French bread (about 8 oz)
FILLING
  • 2 large eggs, separate whites from yolks
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
MILK MIXTURE
  • 2 large eggs, whole
  • 2 ½ cups fat-free half & half
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
ICING
  • ⅔ cups powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 325o F.
  2. Grease a cast iron skillet. Place half of the bread cubes in the pan.
  3. For the filling, stir together egg whites from the large eggs (set yolks aside to use in milk mixture), sugars, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until well combined.
  4. Pour filling evenly over bread cubes and top filling with other half bread cubes.
  5. For the egg mixture, whisk together 2 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, half & half, and vanilla extract in the same bowl you used for the filling. Pour egg mixture over bread cubes, and gently press bread cubes into mixture. Bake casserole for about 40-45 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  6. To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, adding milk/half & half as necessary to make desired consistency. Drizzle icing over bread pudding before serving.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

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Author: Maralyn

Maralyn Dennis Hill, The Epicurean Explorer, is president emeritus of International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association, member of Society of American Travel Writers, and Society of Professional Journalists. She is Executive Editor of Luxe Beat Magazine and contributes to other publications. She also speaks and is a guest on many shows. The majority of Maralyn’s articles are now geared to the luxury market, spas, corporate retreats, business events, and culinary tourism, from simple to gourmet. Maralyn’s description of herself: I was born to travel and tell the tale. I’m energized by different cultures in every aspect of their lives, from food, wine, and destination, to how they conduct business. Travel represents a continual geography lesson.