Melissa's Thanksgiving Survival Guide

Directions

1. Butterfly and brine. Pat the turkey dry. Set it breast side down, tail toward you. With kitchen shears, cut along each side of the backbone from tail to neck. Trim loose skin at the neck. Reserve the backbone, neck and giblets. Turn the bird breast side up and press the breastbone with both hands until it lies flat. Set on a baking sheet. Salt both sides and under the skin where possible. Refrigerate uncovered overnight.
2. Set up the pan. Take the turkey out 1 hour before roasting. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle. Put the roasting-rack vegetables and herbs in a rimmed roasting pan and set a wire rack over them.
3. Butter and roast. Mix the softened butter with the minced thyme and sage. Pat the turkey dry, season with pepper and place it breast side up on the rack. Tuck the wings under. Spread the herb butter over and under the skin. Place a probe in the thickest part of the breast. Roast until the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh and wing reach 165°F, about 80 minutes. Remove and rest 30 minutes.
4. Start the gravy. While the turkey roasts, roughly chop the reserved neck, backbone and giblets. Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large saucepan (at least 3 quarts). Brown the pieces, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the gravy vegetables, thyme and bay leaf. Cook until softened and browned in spots, about 5 minutes.
5. Strain the broth. Add stock to cover the turkey parts, about 2 quarts. Bring to a boil, lower to a bare simmer and cook 45 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a 2-quart heatproof measuring cup. Discard the solids and skim the fat.
6. Finish the gravy. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a 2-quart or larger saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the strained broth in a thin, steady stream. Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced to about 1 quart, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
7. Carve and serve. Separate the drumsticks and arrange them on the platter. Slice the thigh and breast meat ¼ inch thick. Garnish with orange wedges, pomegranate, sage and thyme. Pass the warm gravy.

Tip: Use a rimmed pan that fits the bird. If it overhangs, place a foil-lined rimmed pan on the rack below to catch drippings. Refrigerate leftover turkey for up to 3 days.

Chef's tip: For a juicier breast, chefs sometimes use a lower temperature with a carefully monitored hold. At 150°F, safety depends on the full cooking method and verified hold time, not a four-minute rest alone. Keep a probe thermometer in place. For home cooking, follow the recipe's 165°F checks in the breast, thigh and wing.

Directions

1. Toast the bread. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes on two large rimmed baking sheets. Toast about 15 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden. Transfer to a very large bowl and raise the oven to 425°F.
2. Brown the sausage. Cook the sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Transfer it to the bread bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the skillet.
3. Soften the vegetables. Melt half the butter in the skillet. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the fresh herbs, ground sage and red pepper flakes for about 1 minute. Add to the bread bowl.
4. Moisten the bread. Bring the stock to a simmer. Pour it over the bread mixture and gently fold with a large spatula, keeping the cubes intact. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake and serve. Generously butter two 9 × 13-inch casserole dishes. Divide the stuffing between them and dot with the remaining 4 Tbsp butter. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and crusty and the center reaches 165°F. Transfer to the serving bowl and serve immediately.

Make ahead: Toast the bread and cook the sausage and vegetables the day before. Chill the cooked mixture separately. Combine with the bread and hot stock just before baking. Refrigerate cooked stuffing for up to 3 days.

Directions

1. Simmer. Combine the cranberries, sugar, apples, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, cinnamon stick and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Soften the fruit. Cook, partially covered, until the cranberries are soft and the apples are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Chill and serve. Remove the cinnamon stick. Spoon the sauce into two porringers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fully chilled. Garnish with extra orange zest and fresh thyme.

Directions

1. Mix and rest. Combine the water, milk, butter, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir well and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until you see the yeast begin to foam.
2. Add the flour. Mix in 2½ cups flour by hand or with the paddle attachment until rough and shaggy. The dough will be just shy of forming a ball. Add up to 1 more cup flour, a little at a time, as needed. Knead by hand about 10 minutes, or with a dough hook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the dough forms a soft, smooth ball that feels elastic and slightly tacky.
3. First rise. Lightly spray the work bowl with cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl, spritz the top and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until full and puffy, about 20 minutes.
4. Shape the rolls. Gently deflate the dough and pat it into an 8 × 12-inch rectangle. Divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball with cupped hands, as you would a meatball. Lightly oil your hands if the dough sticks.
5. Second rise. Starting in the center, arrange all 12 rolls in the baker. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature 20 to 25 minutes, until well rounded and puffy. Heat the oven to 350°F.
6. Bake and finish. Uncover. For a shiny crust, brush with beaten egg white before baking. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and the center of a roll reaches 190°F. For a buttery finish, brush the baked rolls with melted butter and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired. Serve warm.

Make ahead: Mix the dough and let it rise once the day before. Shape the rolls into the baker, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. On Thanksgiving, uncover and let them finish rising at room temperature until puffed, about 1 to 2 hours, then bake as directed.

Store or freeze: Keep leftover rolls in a plastic bag for up to 3 days. To freeze unbaked rolls, let the shaped rolls rise in the pan for 10 minutes, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 4 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, unwrap, then bake as directed.

Directions

1. Blend. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Fill the crock. Transfer about ½ cup of the butter to the butter crock. Keep it refrigerated, including the portion in the crock. Store any remaining butter in an airtight container. Use within 4 days, or freeze for up to several months.

A note on salt: If you prefer to use salted butter, leave out the salt.

Directions

1. Prepare the shell. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line the pie plate with your pie dough.
2. Whisk the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, sugars, spices, salt and lemon zest until well combined. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the filling overnight before baking.
3. Make the butter crumbs. Combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the softened butter and mix on low until only small pieces of butter remain and the crumbs feel soft and moist.
4. Fill and bake. Pour the filling into the prepared shell. Gently crumble the topping over it. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the filling is set about 2 inches in from the edge. The center should still wobble slightly.
5. Cool before slicing. Cool on a rack; the center will finish setting as the pie sits. Slice once completely cool. Refrigerate within 2 hours of baking.