Thanksgiving Recipes: Turkey, Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is celebrated the fourth Thursday in November in the United States. It's a remembrance of the first Pilgrim feast in 1621 where they gave thanks for a bountiful harvest.

This is also one holiday that warrants nearly as many recipes for leftovers as it does the meal itself. In fact, many people claim that the leftovers are their favorite part of the holiday!

Every few years a new trendy fad develops to put a new spin on the traditional fare. For example, deep frying a turkey in place of roasting has become popular over the last few years as has brining the bird before cooking it.

Traditional Thanksgiving food (not to be confused with the food served at the original feast, only some of which is still served today) consists of a roasted turkey, gravy, stuffing (dressing), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin or pecan pie. Of course, many variations are common in different parts of the country and every family has developed their own traditions.

Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October (same as the former Columbus Day in the U.S.). Many of the same foods are eaten on both US and Canadian Thanksgivings.

Learn the tricks of the trade for keeping your potatoes lump free and preventing them from turning gluey

gravy basics

Lose the lumps, brown your flour, and other handy gravy tips

storing leftovers

A handy guide on how long to safely store those leftovers.

cooking the turkey

Tips for a perfectly juicy and tasty turkey every time

Recipes / thanksgiving

After-the-Holiday Creamed Turkey

Made with butter or margarine, flour, turkey broth, evaporated milk, cream of mushroom soup, diced turkey, hard-boiled eggs

Method: stovetop
Time: 30-60 minutes

Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Topping

Made with sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, eggs, pecans, brown sugar, flour

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: 30-60 minutes

Old-Fashioned Bread And Egg Dressing

Made with giblet stock, egg, black pepper, salt, onions, celery, butter or drippings, bread cubes or crumbs, hard-cooked egg, herbs

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: 1-2 hours

Southern Rice Dressing

Made with black pepper, bay leaf, sausage or bacon drippings, gizzards, pork sausage, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, green onions, parsley

Method: stovetop
Time: 1-2 hours

Smoked Sausage Dressing

Made with oil, onions, celery, green bell peppers, Cajun sausage, butter, sweet paprika, garlic, Tabasco sauce, turkey, duck or chicken stock

Method: stovetop, oven
Time: 1-2 hours

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Roasted Turkey Cornbread Sandwiches

Made with red onion, honey baked ham, cornbread mix, 2% milk, eggs, green chilies, Dijon mustard, roasted turkey breast

Method: oven
Time: 30-60 minutes

Wild Rice And Chestnut Stuffing

Made with chicken stock, wild rice, salt, olive oil, shallots, butter, mushrooms, garlic, dry sherry, dried thyme

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: 1-2 hours

Purple Smashed Potatoes

Made with white pepper, salt, purple or blue potatoes, whole milk, butter

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

Orange And Herb Roasted Turkey

Made with fresh thyme, frozen orange juice concentrate, oil, fresh rosemary, margarine or butter, chicken broth, cornstarch, Candied fruit

Method: stovetop, oven
Time: 2-5 hours

Slow Cooker Sausage And Corn Bread Stuffing

Made with pork sausage, onion, chicken broth, cornbread stuffing mix, butter

Method: crock pot, stovetop
Time: 2-5 hours

Turkey Curry Salad

This curried salad recipe is a tasty way to enjoy leftover turkey. Combining cubed turkey, crunchy celery, sweet apples, and golden raisins, this dish is coated in a creamy curry...

Time: 1-2 hours

Quinoa Stuffing with Oyster Mushrooms and Chestnuts

Made with salt and pepper, thyme, fresh sage, quinoa, chicken or turkey stock, olive oil, sweet Italian sausage, oyster mushrooms, chestnuts

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

Sausage And Wild Rice Stuffing

Made with salt and pepper, butter, wild rice, sausage meat, onion, parsley, mushrooms, sage

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

Cold Turkey Reuben Sandwich

Made with tomato, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island salad dressing, rye bread, cooked turkey, sauerkraut

Time: under 30 minutes

Turkey Pumpkin Curry

Made with onion, garlic, fresh ginger, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, red curry paste, kosher salt, cooked turkey pieces, chicken or turkey stock, sweet potatoes or yams

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

Graham Cracker Turkeys

Made with salt, baking soda, frozen apple juice concentrate, vegetable oil, banana, vanilla extract, cinnamon, graham flour, whole-wheat flour

Method: oven
Time: under 30 minutes

Louisiana Candied Yams

Made with yams, butter or margarine, water, sugar

Method: stovetop
Time: 30-60 minutes

Thanksgiving Yam And Apple Casserole

Made with salt, cinnamon, dry sherry, Granny Smith apples, yams, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup

Method: oven
Time: 30-60 minutes

Butterscotch Yams

Made with cinnamon, salt, butter, yams, corn syrup, brown sugar, evaporated skim milk

Method: stovetop, oven
Time: 1-2 hours

Turkey, Corn, And Cranberry Salsa Quesadilla

Tame the turkey leftovers with a quick quesadilla made with shredded turkey, corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and cranberry salsa (or sauce).

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

Quick Microwave Cranberry Relish

Made with sugar, water, cranberries, orange

Method: microwave
Time: 30-60 minutes

Roast Turkey With Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing

Made with oranges, dried thyme, salt and pepper, dried apricots, grand marnier, butter, celery, yellow onion

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: over 5 hours

Slow Cooker Peachy Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Made with ground cinnamon, sweet potatoes, peach pie filling, margarine or butter, ginger root, salt, brown sugar

Method: stovetop, crock pot
Time: 2-5 hours

Thanksgiving Frozen Cranberry Salad

Made with walnuts, vanilla extract, confectioners' sugar, cranberries, sugar, crushed pineapple, miniature marshmallows, whipping cream

Time: 2-5 hours

Green Beans With Caramelized Onions And Porcini Mushrooms

Made with black pepper, sea salt, green beans, vidalia or other sweet onion, butter, garlic, porcini mushrooms

Method: stovetop
Time: 1-2 hours

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle

Made with ground ginger, nutmeg, butter, cream cheese, pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, French vanilla pudding mix, cinnamon

Method: oven
Time: 1-2 hours

Easy Beginner's Turkey With Stuffing

Made with salt and pepper, whole turkey, dry bread stuffing mix, water, butter, celery, onion, white bread

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: 2-5 hours

Southern Comfort Sweet Potato Casserole

Made with pecans, sweet potatoes, butter, southern comfort, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: 1-2 hours

Turkey Gravy Noodles

Made with tomato, baby carrots, broccoli, turkey gravy, beef Ramen noodles, salt, pepper and olive oil, water, green bell pepper

Method: stovetop, microwave
Time: under 30 minutes

Turkey, Camembert, And Cranberry Bagels

Made with salt and freshly ground black pepper, pea shoots or snow pea sprouts, bagels, cream cheese, cooked turkey breast, Camembert cheese, cranberry sauce

Time: under 30 minutes

Cheesy Turkey Tetrazzini

Made with salt, pimientos, butter, fresh mushrooms, spaghetti, turkey, chicken broth, onion, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup

Method: oven, stovetop
Time: 1-2 hours

Cranberry Meyer Lemon Relish

Made with sugar, cranberries, lemons

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

French Fried Potato Puffs

Made with vegetable oil, baking powder, potatoes, eggs, onion, flour

Method: stovetop
Time: under 30 minutes

Sweet Potato Crescent Rolls

Made with flour, sugar, active dry yeast, salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, sweet potatoes, butter

Method: stovetop, oven
Time: 1-2 hours