Chicago Tribune - Good Eatings Thanksgiving Recipes: Traditional and Unique Holiday Recipes for Desserts, Sides, Turkey, and More

Stuff yourself. This traditional Thanksgiving bird recipe has appeared in the Chicago Tribune for years. Prep: Rinse turkey (about 14 pounds) under cold water; pat dry. Rub inside of turkey with salt. Spoon 10 to 12 cups stuffing loosely into cavity and neck of bird. Close openings with kitchen string; tuck wings underneath; tie legs together.

Put turkey onto oiled rack in a roasting pan. Rub outside of turkey with melted butter. Tuck fresh sage leaves inside and under skin. Roast: Place in 425-degree oven. Roast uncovered, 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; roast until internal temperature is 165 degrees on meat thermometer, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Baste turkey occasionally with butter or any pan juices. Rest: Transfer turkey to platter; tent loosely with foil. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. Make gravy from pan drippings. Classic Turkey, Tribune Recipe Turkey with Cider Glaze When it comes to the biggest food holiday of the year, its about tradition, hand-me-down recipes and tried and true dishes. Prep: 25 minutes Cook: 4 1/4 hours Rest: 15 minutes Makes: 18 servings Stuff the bird with a favorite stuffing, if you like.

Just add 15 minutes of roasting time. 1 turkey, 18-20 pounds, giblets, neck removed 1 small bunch thyme sprigs 1 onion, quartered 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon cider vinegar 1 cup apple cider 1/2 cup honey 1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Fill the turkey cavity with thyme sprigs and onion. Turn wing tips under; truss legs with kitchen string. 2. 2.

Mix butter, pepper, salt and vinegar in a saucepan. Rub some of the mixture over the turkey. Roast turkey 3 hours, loosely covering turkey with foil if it is browning too quickly. 3. Stir cider and honey into remaining butter mixture; heat over medium heat, stirring, until smooth. Baste turkey with mixture.

Roast turkey until an oven-safe or instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 180 degrees, about 1 1/4 hours, basting occasionally. Remove turkey from oven; let stand 15 minutes before carving. Nutrition information Per serving: 530 calories, 43% of calories from fat, 24 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 245 mg cholesterol, 0.2 g carbohydrates, 72 g protein, 170 mg sodium, 0 g fiber Moms Turkey Soup Reader Lee Lepinske of Western Springs suggests removing leftover meat from the turkey bone right after turkey dinner to free refrigerator space. But dont toss out the carcass; those who find carcass a coarse description in an ingredient list should hear how reverently its mentioned by those who savor post-Thanksgiving gumbo and soup. Lepinskes recipe is an excellent example. Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Yield: 12 servings 1 turkey carcass Turkey giblets, optional, see note 2 ribs celery with leaves, chopped 2 onions, chopped 2 sprigs parsley 2 teaspoons salt 1 bay leaf 1 carrot, thinly sliced 1/2 cup quick-cooking rice or leftover rice 1/2 cup turkey gravy, optional 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce or to taste 1.

Cover turkey carcass with water in a stockpot; heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the giblets, celery, onions, parsley, salt and bay leaf; cook 5 minutes. Lower heat to a simmer; cover. Cook until meat falls off the bones, about 1 hour. 2. Remove the carcass and the giblets.

Chop the giblets; return to the pan. Remove any meat remaining on the carcass; return meat to the pan and discard the carcass. Stir in the carrot, rice, gravy, parsley, basil and hot pepper sauce. Cook until carrots are tender, about 25 minutes. Note: If using the giblets, you may want to omit the liver as it will overpower the other ingredients. Save it for another use, if desired.

Nutrition information per serving: 55 calories, 4% of calories from fat, 0.2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 411 mg sodium, 1 g fiber Thanksgiving Loaf Cant stomach your family? Sick of your friends? Why not enjoy Thanksgiving with the one person who understands you? That would be you. The beauty of inviting yourself to Thanksgiving dinner is that you dont need to accommodate unreasonable dietary demands.Thanksgiving loaf melds the flavors of turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing and cranberries in much the same way that you might be tempted to mush together the items on your plate at a communal Thanksgiving dinner because it really does taste better that way. Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 1 hour 40 minutes Makes: 4 servings 2 baby sweet potatoes, or 1 medium sweet potato 1 tablespoon each: butter, olive oil 1 small onion, peeled, chopped 2 slices stale bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, plus more for garnish 1/2 teaspoon fresh sage 1/4 teaspoon fresh or dried rosemary 1/4 cup water 1 pound ground turkey meat 1 egg 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce Freshly ground black pepper 3 slices uncooked bacon or turkey bacon 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a saucepan of water to a boil; add sweet potatoes. Cook until they can be easily pierced with a fork, 15 minutes.

Rinse to cool; slip off skin. Cut into 1/4-inch cubes. 2. Heat butter and oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onions. Cook until translucent, 5 minutes. Stir in bread cubes, thyme, sage and rosemary; cook until bread absorbs butter and oil, about 2 minutes.

Stir in 1/4 cup water; cook until bread absorbs water, about 1 minute. 3. Combine turkey, egg, cranberries, soy sauce and pepper in a bowl. Mix in potatoes and bread mixture. Pat into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Cover with turkey bacon.

Place loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 1 1/4 hours. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with thyme. Nutrition information Per serving: 350 calories, 50% of calories from fat, 19 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 155 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 363 mg sodium, 2 g fiber