It's almost time for Thanksgiving!!!
A top two holiday for me. It teeter totters with Independence Day. I love both so much.
Growing up, my momma bear hosted every holiday. & still does.
It was always so comforting to be at home and have everybody you loved surrounding you.
But things look different these days; families branch, babies are born and people start sharing lives with their significant others.
I'm here for both, but do miss the large cuddle puddles in the man cave with my flock.
It's kind've crazy to think that we use certain days to represent togetherness.
My immediate family and I have not spent many holidays all together in the last 5 years. & this will be my Mom's first holiday season without either of her kids at home (for Thanksgiving or Christmas.) 😳
I would be lying if I said my heart didn't hurt a little for her.
But she is so great at making our time together important whenever we do have the chance to be together. A holiday doesn't have to justify it for her.
We have a family vacation planned for January so I think we are all looking forward to that.
But damn, it's actually bizarre to see how families spread throughout the years.
Keith and I spent last Thanksgiving alone in our new home.
I cooked a full Thanksgiving spread on my own for the first time ever. & my first ever bird!
& we actually had such a nice time, we are doing it again this year.
I plan to do it all again + some, but wanted to create a little something for those of you who are staying at home too and only have two of you to cook for.
Here is my take on:
THANKSGIVING FOR TWO
Now, this covers your main Thanksgiving grub; stuffing and turkey.
But feel free to add as many or as few sides as you wish.
I would recommend these to supplement:
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Sharp knife
Sharp serrated knife
Large mixing bowl
Frying pan
9x13 pan
Small roasting dish
Cutting board
Basting brush
FOR INGREDIENTS
Breadcrumbs - I like to make my own *see notes*
Pork sausage
EVOO
Butter
Dried and fresh sage
Dried and fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
Fresh parsley
Salt
Pepper
Celery
Onion
Chicken stock or broth - I like Kettle & Fire
Apple
Dried Cranberries
1 1/2 - 2# butterball turkey breast
First, you will need to prep your breadcrumbs if doing so.
Cut into 1/4 -1/2 inch cubes, drizzle with evoo, dried sage, dried thyme, salt and pepper.
Cook in oven at 250°F for one hour tossing every 20 minutes.
You can do this the day before if you'd like.
To prepare your turkey, you will remove it from the package, but leave the netting on. I throw away the gravy packet. They are always so full of artificial flavor and I'm not a big gravy girl. But you do you.
To prepare the turkey, melt 4 T butter in a saucepan. Once melted, add a few sprigs of fresh thyme and sage and simmer for 60 seconds. Take off heat. Place the turkey in a small roasting dish. Using a basting brush, paint the outside of the turkey with the herbed butter mixture. Then add the thyme and sage to the pan so it can infuse flavor while cooking. Cook turkey for 50 minutes at 325°F.
While it is cooking, prepare your stuffing.
Brown 1# pork sausage, add onion and celery s&p and sage. Sauté until soft.
While that is cooking down, add breadcrumbs, apple, cranberries, fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley to a large mixing bowl.
Once the sausage mixture is cooked, add it to the rest of the ingredients.
Add chicken stock/broth and mix it all together.
Pour into a 9x13 pan, leaving a small well in the center of the pan for the turkey.
Once the turkey has cooked for 50 minutes, transfer it to the stuffing mixture and place in the well you created. Let cook ate 325° for an additional 40 minutes or until the internal temperature has reached 165°.
Remove the butcher string, slice, place back on top and serve.
Enjoy!
RECIPE PDF 👇🏼
INGREDIENTS
8 cups breadcrumbs - I like to make my own *see notes*
1 teaspoon sage, to make breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon thyme, to make breadcrumbs
2-3 tablespoons evoo, to make breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons butter
Few sprigs fresh thyme
Few sprigs fresh sage
1# pork sausage
1/2 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 honeycrisp apple, diced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1 -1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 - 2# butterball turkey breast
DIRECITONS
Preheat oven to 325°F.
To prepare your turkey: remove it from the package, leaving the netting on. Transfer to a small baking dish. Melt butter in a saucepan. Once melted, add fresh thyme and sage and simmer for 60 seconds. Remove from heat. Using a basting brush, paint the outside of the turkey with the herbed butter mixture. Add the thyme and sage to the pan to infuse flavor while cooking. Cook for 50 minutes.
While your turkey is partially cooking, prepare your stuffing. Brown sausage in a skillet. Add onion, celery, sage, sat & pepper. Sauté until soft.
While your sausage mixture is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. To a large mixing bowl, add breadcrumbs, apple, cranberries, fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley. Add the cooked sausage mixture and chicken broth. Give it a good mix, coating everything. Pour into a 9x13 pan, creating a well in the center of the pan. Transfer the partially cooked turkey to the center of the stuffing mixture where you created the well. Cook for an additional 40 minutes or until the internal temperature has reaches 165°F.
Remove the butcher string from your turkey, slice and place back on top of the stuffing to serve.
Enjoy!
NOTES
To make your own breadcrumbs, you will need to cut a loaf of bread (preferably sourdough) into 1/4 -1/2 inch cubes, drizzle with evoo, sage and thyme and roast for one hour in a 250° oven, tossing every 20 minutes. Feel free to do this the day before. They will keep in a ziplock.
I throw away the gravy packet that comes with my turkey. They are always so full of artificial flavor and I'm not a big gravy girl. But you do you.
If you want to cook the turkey separately, you 100% can. I just like the flavor that seeps into the stuffing. Especially if you decide to omit the pork sausage, the turkey would be ideal cooked on top of the stuffing.
Hope you enjoy the recipe, friends.
& have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving celebrating all you are thankful for.
I am thankful for YOU!
As always, feel free to reach out.
Give this post a like, comment or share. (It really helps me out.)
If you make the recipe, send me some pics and let me know if you enjoyed it. (I love that so much!)
Have a great day!
xoxo
Kirsten ☀️