Food Network Employees Share Their Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes | FN Dish – Behind the scenes, Food Trends and Best Recipes : Food Network
Believe it or not, your Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be a grand or elaborate production. Although crispy fried turkey and eye catching duck is a surefire way to get all your holiday guests excited about your spread, nor can you beat classics like Basic roast turkey, mashed potato, mixture and other familiar things delicious side dishes. No matter which menu you choose – upscale or traditional – your Thanksgiving feast is sure to leave all of your guests satisfied and appreciative. Don’t believe us? Just get it from the chefs, food stylists, and recipe developers behind Food Network Kitchen. We’ve asked them to share their Thanksgiving recipes, and we have to admit we’re yearning to be invited to their holiday parties. Keep reading to find out which dishes always occupy a spot on the FNK team’s table.
Every year I want to change the way I flavor my turkey (this year could be a Turkey Grilled Mayo), but regardless of me rooster my bird. The meat cooks more evenly and takes less than half the time — it’s a game changer when I have so many other dishes that need space in the oven! (Plus, no need for a giant roasting pan.) I also love feeding my turkeys dry brine days before Thanksgiving to make sure the turkey is moist, well cooked.
— Sarah Holden, Culinary Producer
Every year, I celebrate Thanksgiving with my small, immediate family, and our meals consist mostly of heirloom recipes. (It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without my grandmother’s stuffed cornbread.) But over the past few years, I’ve decided to put together a number of new recipes, including Food Network Kitchen’s Vegan Sweet Potato Stew! This recipe is extremely rich from coconut milk and extremely smooth from soft sweet potatoes. Plus, the whole dish has a delicious crunch from the spiced pecan toppings. My family is not a plant-eater, but everyone loves this recipe and will be back in seconds.
— Amanda Neal, Formula Developer
This stuffing has always been my family’s favorite because you get the sweetness from the tortillas, but the crunchy bread keeps the cake from getting mushy. Chestnuts give it a rich, buttery, nutty flavor. Our turkey didn’t have liver one year, so we replaced the sauteed shiitakes with umami and it was amazing. I also use roasted and peeled chestnuts because I absolutely love Thanksgiving shortcuts.
— Jenny Bierman, Director, Culinary Production
One of the recent staples on my Thanksgiving table are these Angel cookies. Somewhere between biscuits and soft dinner rolls, these yeast butter rolls are easy to make and have an easy-to-make, overnight option. I always make them because my son doesn’t care much for turkeys or stuffing, so this is something a bit special that I know he’ll enjoy. There’s nothing wrong with super-delicious additions to the next morning’s breakfast or to a turkey burger.
— Melissa Gaman, Recipe Developer, Food Network
That’s bacon for me. Its delicious aroma adds something to a home that already smells like Thanksgiving, with turkey roasting in the oven. This Brussels sprout is rich, crispy, fatty and perfect in every way. It is important not to overcook them as they will become mushy and always double the recipe.
— Liza Zeneski, Culinary Producer
So every Thanksgiving, my mom (who’s also a great cook!) makes this recipe on the dinner table. It is a staple item. My mom will do it first because all the juggling needs to be done to get everything cooked and on time, which is lovely about this recipe. It also came together very quickly. The casserole is also a crowd pleaser. Sweet, crunchy, smooth, creamy – it really is the perfect partner for anything and everything on the Thanksgiving table. And when we have our grandchildren with us on Thanksgiving, she adds marshmallows to half of it! It’s fun!
— Matthew Skrincosky, Food Stylist