If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of cooking a large thanksgiving dinner, then this post is for you. I am going to break down a few ways to make delicious Thanksgiving dishes in a simple straightforward style. Oven-cooked Turkey is difficult to get right. Below I have an example for you that uses a slow cooker to get the job done easier, juicier, and more delicious.
For this dinner menu, we're going to focus on only one meat (turkey), two veggies (corn and green bean casserole), two starches (mashed potatoes and stuffing), gravy, and two desserts (2 kinds of pie). Most of it is going to be store-bought and only a couple of things will be made by hand. Let's jump in.
Entire Shopping list:
1 Butterball Turkey Breast (4 pounds max)
2 White Onions
1 bag of garlic (3 or 4 whole garlic pieces inside)
1 bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bottle of Seasoning blend for Turkey
1 pack Salt & Pepper
1 Box Mashed Potatoes
1 Small Tub of butter spread
1 Box Stove-Top Stuffing
2 Cans Whole Kernel Corn - No Salt Added
1 Jar Turkey Gravy
2 Frozen Pies of your choosing
Tools you will need:
Slow Cooker (Crock Pot)
Meat thermometer
Serving dishes or bowls
Casserole cooking dish
Carving knife
Pick up this easy to use 7 Quart Crock-Pot on Amazon by clicking here.
Shopping list for green bean casserole:
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions
(Recipe and ingredients sourced from https://www.campbells.com/recipes/green-bean-casserole/)
Preparation (Before Thanksgiving Day):
Make sure you set a reminder in your phone to move the turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator according to this chart.
Meal Prep (Go time, on Thanksgiving Day)
STEP 1: The Turkey :)
Prep time: 5-10 minutes Cook time: 6-8 hours on LOW
Start by taking out the Turkey Breast. Open up the packaging but do not remove the skin. Place it on a plate. Prep the slow cooker by chopping the onions and garlic in half. Sprinkle those large chunks in the bottom of the slow cooker (this will elevate the meat off the bottom of the crock pot). Add 1-1/2 cups of water or vegetable stock to the bottom of the Crock Pot. Then place the turkey in the slow cooker on top of the onions and garlic. Drizzle a few teaspoons of olive oil over the turkey breast (make sure it's spread all over). Generously sprinkle the seasoning blend over the turkey.
Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Optional: Take the Turkey out of the Crock Pot and transfer to a casserole dish, bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees to crisp the skin.
Pro Tip: Serve Turkey on a large plate, sliced, and scoop some of the onions next to it on the plate. Spoon some of the juice from the Crock Pot over the sliced Turkey to keep it moist until it is eaten.
Recipe idea sourced from https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/crockpot-turkey-breast/
STEP 2: The Green Bean Casserole
Heat the oven to 350°F. Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 2/3 cup onions.
Bake for another 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
STEP 3: The Other Sides, and Corn
For the Stove Top and Mashed Potatoes, follow the prep instructions on the boxes. When the mashed potatoes are done, be sure to sprinkle a little pepper on top for the look. Also, scoop in a couple of spoonfuls of butter for taste. Mix until the pepper and butter are even throughout.
For the corn, open both cans and empty all contents (including the water from the can) into a microwave-safe container. Cover slightly with a plastic lid. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Strain the water out of the corn (CAREFUL IT WILL BE HOT!) Empty Hot Corn to a serving bowl. Scoop a spoonful of butter on top and sprinkle some salt to taste. Mix with the spoon and set aside, because that joker is DONE.
Serve the Stove-Top, Mashed Potatoes and Corn in Large Bowls with spoons for each.
STEP 4: Desserts
Place both pies in the oven and bake slightly longer than the recommended time suggested on the box. For example, one pie alone might bake for 25 minutes, but 2 at the same time might bake for 30 minutes.
Remember to set a reminder alarm or something so they don't burn. When they are done, place on the stove top to cool for several minutes. I usually let them sit in the kitchen while we eat and bring them out cool when everyone is ready for dessert.
ENJOY!!!