Thanksgiving Flavors

For me, Thanksgiving evokes strong flavor memories. I can taste the poultry seasoning and butter in my grandmother’s southern style dressing (stuffing). My mouth waters thinking about the tartness of a freshly made cranberry sauce. While the flavors are distinctly linked with Thanksgiving in my mind, they can be applied in different ways. I first made this easy weeknight dinner 15 years ago and it has been a regular in our dinner rotation ever since. Whether it’s made with all scratch made components or with a little help from boxes and cans, it is always a hit. Below you’ll find my take on Thanskgiving dinner for a weeknight - turkey and stuffing meatballs served with cranberry sauce. Add your favorite potato on the side (and maybe even green bean casserole!) for a meal with all the fixings. You could also buy (or make) gravy to pour over the top.

Whichever way you choose, the outcome is delicious! The same goes for your marketing; it doesn’t matter whether you create everything on your own or get a help from an expert as long as it captures the flavors of your brand and produces a delicous dish!

Thanksgiving Meatballs and Fresh Cranberry Apple Sauce

Makes 12 2” meatballs

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup stuffing mix + a little extra 
1/2 cup finely diced celery and/or carrots (optional)
1 lb. ground turkey meat 

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray
Mix egg and milk together in a large bowl
Add in celery and carrots if using and 1 cup stuffing and mix, making sure to moisten the stuffing
Add in turkey and mix using your hands, be careful not to over mix 
If the mixture is too wet, add in a little more stuffing
Form into 2 inch balls and place on the greased baking sheet
Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking time

Cranberry Apple Sauce

INGREDIENTS

16 oz. fresh cranberries, washed
1-2 apples, peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2 in cubes
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine water, sugar, cranberries, and diced apples in a medium saucepan
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat
Cook over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring constantly
The cranberries will burst and the mixture will begin to thicken

You can serve immediately with the meatballs, or to make a nice presentation, line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and spray the plastic wrap with cooking spray
Spoon the sauce into the loaf pan, cover with the plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours
Invert the loaf pan onto the plate and slice for serving

NOTES
Adjust the flavors and ingredients to your tastes.
Pick up a can of jellied cranberry sauce and slice to serve.
Make the meatballs into patties, cook like a turkey burger and serve on a kaiser roll with cranberry sauce and all the fixings for a delightful sandwich.