Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be turkey day
By now, you’re probably sick of turkey. Between turkey bacon, sausage, burgers and the rotisserie turkey breasts sold in supermarkets and delis, the big bird has lost its specialness as it’s become a regular staple of our diets. So making it the centerpiece of a Thanksgiving feast seems almost anticlimactic at this point.
So what to do instead? Well, a lot if you give it a little imagination. The following are a few suggestions for alternative Thanksgiving meals that are guaranteed to wow your holiday diners.
Certainly, filet mignon has to be on anyone’s list. In her “Everyday Italian” segment on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?vASJk1pmJjAI), Giada De Laurentiis seers her beautifully marbled cuts in butter in a hot pan before drizzling them with balsamic syrup, then melts goat cheese on top. Not exactly for the calorie conscious but then neither is traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy just the same.
Of course, ham also has to be on the radar. Ree Drummond shows how to do a glazed ham right in this “Pioneer Woman” video (www.youtube.com/watch?vASpwAKy_Eog). The secret, she says, is in the glaze, which she makes from orange juice, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, grainy brown mustard, grated garlic, the zest of three oranges and spices, then cooks on medium high until thick. She drizzles it over her spiral cut ham and puts it in the oven. What comes out is a caramelized masterpiece. Yum!
Another option is leg of lamb. In his video (www.youtube.com/watch?vSzv5Yx7xdyM), Jamie Oliver seasons his with garlic, rosemary, anchovies (just a little), olive oil, salt and pepper before placing the meat directly on the rack in the oven) for a more even roasting) with a tray beneath to catch the drippings. Cook to taste and serve.
If you really want to go outside the box, how about a Thanksgiving clambake? Ina Garten shows how to do a kitchen clambake in this segment from “Barefoot Contessa” (www.youtube.com/watch?vaVeas0P2pfQ) using kielbasa, clams, mussels and shrimp steamed in a leek and white wine broth. How can one resist?
And if you’re going meatless, try this vegetarian lasagna courtesy of Al Roker. In this video from “Today” (www.youtube.com/watch?ve1W3gSzX1cQ), he shows how to make a delicious veggie lasagna using crushed peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, noodles, mozzarella, ricotta and grated parmesan cheeses and marinara sauce – homemade or store-bought. He then bakes at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. The smell practically comes through the screen. Too enticing to say no to.