Complete Thanksgiving Dinner Menu 

Here is a real treat for you – a Complete Thanksgiving Dinner Menu – with all the recipes to make your festive celebration easy and organized in one convenient place.

From all of us here at Mama Knows we hope you have a relaxing holiday filled with the love of family and friends.

1. Salad of Greens, Fennel and Tangerines with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
2. Roast Turkey with Pan GravyWild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing
3. Potatoes Gratin with Caramelized Onions
4. Cranberry Relish
5. Easy Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
6. Caramel Pumpkin Custard

Salad of Greens, Fennel and Tangerines with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

12 cups torn mixed salad greens
1 small fennel bulb
2 seedless tangerines or small oranges

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup tangerine juice
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp minced shallot
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp (liquid honey
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt

• Place greens in large salad bowl. Halve and core fennel bulb; slice paper-thin (using mandoline if available).Place over greens. Peel tangerines; cut off white pith and cut out segments from membranes. Place over fennel bulb.

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette:

• In small bowl and using whisk or hand blender, whisk together tangerine juice, oil, shallot, lime juice, honey, mustard and salt.

Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy

1. 1 Spanish onion or 2 onions
2. 2 stalks of celery
3. 1 large carrot
4. 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
5. 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped sage
6. 4 springs of fresh thyme
7. 1 bay leaf
8. 5 crushed peppercorns
9. 1 turkey – 12 – 14 lbs.
10. 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
11. ¾ teaspoon of salt
12. ¼ teaspoon of pepper

Pan gravy:

1. ¼ cup of flour
2. 6 cups of turkey stock
3. ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper
4. 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

• Dice onion, celery and carrot into small pieces. In a skillet, heat up oil and sauté vegetables until lightly browned. – That will take about 7-8 minutes on medium heat.
• Pat turkey dry inside and out. Stuff body cavity with vegetable mixture and close cavity shut with a skewer. Tie legs together and tuck wings under back.
• Let cool, then mix in sage, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. You can make this ahead and refrigerate the mixture for up to 8 hours.
• Lace turkey, breast side up on a greased rack in roasting pan. Brush with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast at 375F oven for 1 hour.
• Remove foil, roast, basting with drippings every 20 minutes, until meat thermometer, inserted in the thickest part of thigh registers 185F – that should take about 1 – 1-1/2 hours.Remove skewers.
• Spoon vegetable mixture and juices into a bowl; set aside. Lift turkey onto warmed platter, tent with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes – up to 30 minutes.

Pan Gravy:

• Meanwhile, skim all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from pan juices ; whisk flour into pan.
• Place pan over medium heat, cook for 2 minutes, stirring and scrapping up any brown bits from bottom of the pan.
• Gradually whisk in stock.
• Add vegetable mixture to pan juices along with salt and pepper. Bring to boil and boil, stirring constantly, until reduced by half – about 15 minutes.
• Stir in lemon juice, adding a little more to taste. Strain into warmed gravy boat.

Turkey Stock:

1. Turkey neck, gizzard and heart
2. 1 onion, quartered
3. 1 stalk celery with leaves chopped
4. 1 clove of garlic
5. 3 springs of parsley
6. 2 whole cloves
7. 1 bay leaf
8. ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper

• Chop neck into 5-6 pieces, cut gizzard and heart in a halfPlace in large sauce pan and cover with 8 cups of cold water.
• Bring to boil and skim off foam.
• Add onion, celery, garlic, parsley, cloves, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
• Cover and simmer over low heat for 2 hours. Strain.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing

1. 1 cup of wild rice
2. 1/3 cup of butter
3. 2 cups of cubed crustless bread
4. 1 cup of sliced shiitake mushrooms caps, cremini and oyster mushrooms
5. ½ cup of diced sweet red pepper
6. 2 tablespoon of chopped fresh sage
7. ½ teaspoon of each salt and pepper
8. 1-1/2 cups of chicken stock
9. 2 eggs beaten

• In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook rice covered until tender and split – about 40 minutes. Drain and place in a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, melt all but 2 tablespoons of the butter. Place bread in bowl and drizzle with butter, tossing to distribute evenly. Spread on rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 450F oven, tossing once until golden – about 8 minutes. Add to rice.
• In skillet, heat remaining b utter over medium heat; sauté mushrooms just until browning at edges, about 7 minutes. Add to rice mixture along with red pepper, sage, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Stir in stock and eggs.
• Spread in greased 13 x 9 inch glass baking pan; cover with foil and bake at 375F for 45 minutes.

Potatoes Gratin with Caramelized Onions

1. 2 cups of whipping cream
2. 4 cloves of garlic, slivered
3. 3 peppercorns
4. 2 springs of fresh thyme
5. ¾ teaspoon of salt
6. 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
7. 1 spanish onion or 2 onions, finely sliced
8. 3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
9. ½ cup of shredded Gruyere cheese

• In saucepan, bring cream, garlic, peppercorns, thyme and salt to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat cook onion, stirring often until light brown. Slice potatoes as thinly as possible.
• Layer one quarter of the potatoes in greased 8 inch square glass baking or casserole dish, top with one third of the onion and one quarter of the cheese.
• Repeat twice. Top with remaining potatoes. Strain cream mixture over potatoes, shaking casserole to distribute evenly, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake at 300F oven until tender and knife inserted in bottom pierces potatoes easily. – 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Cranberry Relish

1. 1 orange
2. 1 package of fresh cranberries (12 oz.)
3. 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4. ¼ cup of maple syrup
5. Pinch of salt
6. Granulated sugar – optional

• Remove rind from orange.
• Chop rind and place in food processor. Working over food processor to catch juice, cut off white pith; cut between membrane and pulp to release fruit into food processor.
• Add cranberries, jalapeno peppers, maple syrup and salt; blend until fairly smooth.
• Let stand for at least one hour. Add up to 2 tablespoons of sugar if desired to sweeten.

Easy Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

1. 16 ounces baby carrots
2. 2 tablespoons butter
3. 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
4. 1 cup water
5. dash salt
6. pepper, to taste

• In a medium saucepan, combine the baby carrots with remaining ingredients.
• Stir to blend ingredients.
• Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling (uncovered) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until carrots are tender and the liquid has evaporated.

Serves 4 to 6.

Caramel Pumpkin Custard

1. 1 small butternut squash (about 1 lb)
2. 2-3/4 cups sugar
3. 3 eggs
4. 2 egg yolks
5. 1 cup 10% cream
6. 1/2 cup milk
7. 1-1/2 tsp vanilla
8. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
9. 1/4 tsp nutmeg
10. Pinch salt

• Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out seeds. Place, cut side up, on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake in 425°F (220°C) oven for 25 minutes.
• Turn over; bake until soft and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Scoop out flesh and place in food processor; purée until silky smooth.
• Meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar with 1/2 cup (125 mL) water until dissolved.
• Reduce heat to medium; cook, without stirring but brushing down side of pan with brush dipped in cold water, until amber, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Immediately divide among eight 6-oz (175 mL) ramekins or custard cups, swirling to coat bottoms and 1/2 inch (1 cm) up sides. Set aside.
• In large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (250 mL) of the squash purée eggs, yolks, cream, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and remaining sugar until smooth.
• Strain through sieve into large measuring cup; pour into prepared ramekins.
• Place ramekins in large roasting pan; pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover with foil; poke several holes in top.
• Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until centres no longer jiggle, about 45 minutes.
• Uncover and bake for 5 minutes longer.
• Remove from water; let cool.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Holidays and remember to give thanks for all you have!