It’s that time of year again! The leaves have almost all fallen and are crunching underfoot in vibrant shades of red and gold. The days are shorter, the air crisp, cold with bright blue skies and frost on the grass in the early morning.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so turkey is inevitably on the brain these days. With that in mind, I have the perfect recipe to help us reflect on friends, family and life in general, as well as show some gratitude for the goodness and kindness therein. It’s such a fun time for coming together to reconnect with the ones we love and share some home cooked delicacies that are typcially only enjoyed on this one special day each year.

Whole Roasted Turkey

15-20 lb turkey

*Combine the following ingredients to make basting liquid

1 ½ cups of dry white wine

Generous splash of canola oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 heaping tsp margarine

4 generous shakes of parsley

2 shakes  of salt

*Creating the vegetable base

1 bag celery

1bag carrots

→ Alternate the carrots and celery on bottom of roasting pan as base for turkey

1 large onion, cut in half, slice thick, then separate slices

6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

→ Top with onions and scatter garlic, place turkey on vegetable base

*Use the following ingredients to stuff cleaned turkey cavity

1 large onion

1 pack of crimini mushrooms

4 whole garlic cloves

Place turkey in roasting pan, breast side down. Apply basting liquid generously, but be sure to save some to baste turkey midway through. Cover in foil, cook for 2 hours, uncover and re-baste. Cover again, cook for 1 more hour. Uncover turkey, and remove most of the liquid from bottom of pan, reserve if desired. Continue to cook turkey for 1 ½ hours, then turn oven off and let turkey rest inside oven for a minimum of 1 hour. Carve and reserve bones for stock, if desired.  Should you have an Electrolux oven, use the “Perfect Turkey” button for absolute best results. Otherwise, set oven temperature to 325° F or use best judgement based on your oven’s settings.

Red Bliss Mashed Potatos with Crimini Mushrooms & Onions

10-12 red bliss potatoes

1 pack crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 meduim onion, rough-minced

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp of margarine

Salt, pepper & parsley to taste

Peel potatoes, chop into quarters, and boil. Potatoes are done when you poke one and it’s soft enough that a fork goes in a little. Drain, and add an overflowing tablespoon of margarine, then mash to desired consistency. Set aside.

In a preheated saute pan, add margarine and melt, careful not to burn it. Add onions and garlic, saute this on high for 2-3 mins, until onions start to become transparent. Add sliced mushrooms and parsley. Reduce heat and cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are soft, slightly browned, and mushrooms are slightly crispy. Remove from heat and gently mix mushroom mixture into the mashed potatoes. Serve as is, or for extra crispness bake uncovered in oven at 350° F for 10-15 mins or until top is slightly browned.

Sauteed Colored Peppers & Yellow Squash

1 large red pepper, sliced

2 large orange pepper, sliced

1 large yellow pepper, sliced

3 yellow squash, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced very fine

1 medium onion, sliced

Margarine or olive oil to saute

Generous splash of dry white wine

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat a large, deep pan with either margarine or olive oil. Making sure oil is very hot (test with little  piece of onion, if it starts to bubble and sizzle oil is ready.)  Add onion and garlic, stirring often, cooking until onion starts to become clear. Add squash and wine, cooking for a few moments until squash just starts to soften, then add all peppers. Add salt and pepper to taste. Vegetables are done when they are tender, but not soft.

Like many holiday recipes, these are very special to me and my family. The turkey recipe will guarantee you very juicy breast meat and a crisp golden exterior. The mashed potatos with crimini mushrooms are “ridiculously good” according to my mother-in-law, a tough critic. While the sauteed colored peppers and yellow squash  have been deemed “yummy-yum” by my adorable-but-picky 3 year old daughter. From my family to yours, we hope you enjoy and wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!   -Sarah K

Blog entry & recipes courtesy of AJ Madison resident chef Sarah Klinkowitz.

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