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    Home » Recipes » Recipe Roundup

    Dad Cooks Thanksgiving Dinner 2021

    Published: Nov 23, 2021 · Modified: Jan 25, 2024 by Mike Vrobel · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

    My non-negotiable Thanksgiving foods are the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a lake of gravy covering it all.

    I’m usually cooking for a crowd, so I’ve got my grill, oven, stovetop, and a couple of Instant Pots. Everything in my kitchen is pitching in to get the job done. Except…this year my brother is hosting. (Hi, Pat!) So I’m just bringing a couple of side dishes and desserts. (My wife, the baker, is making a bunch of pies.)

    If you’re looking for Thanksgiving inspiration, here are my favorite recipes for the Turkey Day Holiday:

    Rotisserie turkey breast on a spit in a grill above a blue speckled drip pan
    Rotisserie Turkey Breast with Basic Wet Brine

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    The Bird

    I cook my turkey outside, on the grill, to save space in the oven for side dishes.

    My Rotisserie Turkey, Dry Brined with Orange and Spices is still my favorite recipe; if you don’t have a rotisserie, that’s fine, you can still grill your turkey: Dry Brined Grilled Turkey (Grilling Basics) - DadCooksDinner.

    If you’re cooking for a smaller group, grill a turkey breast: Rotisserie Turkey Breast with Honey-Bourbon Glaze

    Or, for a smaller group, you can pressure cook: Instant Pot Turkey Thighs with Thanksgiving Flavors or Instant Pot Turkey Legs with Poultry Seasoning

    Gravy pouring on to slices of turkey on a red plate
    Pressure Cooker Giblet Gravy

    Sides

    I start ahead of time, making a batch of Turkey Broth on Wednesday for the gravy and the stuffing.
    The gravy: Pressure Cooker Turkey Giblet Gravy
    The stuffing: Rotisserie Pan Bread Stuffing with Cranberries and Apples, though a friend who grew up in the south insists it should be Cornbread and Sage Sausage Stuffing.

    I need a big batch of fluffy mashed potatoes. (Which I still don’t have my recipe for on the blog.) Here’s the closest one: Pressure Cooker Smashed Garlic Red Skin Potatoes

    .

    In my family, sweet potatoes and squash are also essential: Pressure Cooker Sweet Potato Puree and Pressure Cooker Butternut Squash with Honey and Sage are my versions.


    I know some people like their cranberry sauce straight from the can. People with more refined tastes will love this sweet-tart Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

    And last, but not least, Shaved Brussels Sprouts. I feel like we need something green on the table, and I love these Brussels sprouts. Or, if I’m feeling decadent, this cheese-covered Brussels Sprouts Gratin

    Four mini cheesecakes in canning jars, with cherry and blueberry topping, on a wood tabletop
    Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes

    Desserts

    For dessert, some mini pies and cheesecakes:

    Instant Pot Mini Pumpkin Pies
    Instant Pot Mini Cheesecakes
    …made a few days ahead, stashed in the refrigerator, and with strict warnings passed out to all the kids about the disaster that will befall them if any go missing before Thanksgiving.

    Pressure Cooker Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Soup | DadCooksDinner.com
    Pressure Cooker Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Soup

    Leftovers

    Save the bones! Your turkey carcass is perfect for making a big batch of broth, and I think I like day-after-Thanksgiving Turkey Soup as much as the main event. And, I will have my annual New Turkey Soup recipe next Thursday, so save some broth for then.

    Pressure Cooker Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Soup
    Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Carcass Southwestern Soup
    Instant Pot Day-After-Thanksgiving Turkey Tortellini Soup (from the bones)

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    For the second year in a row - hang in there. We need you on the other side of all this craziness. I know it feels like it’s been going on forever - it has been going on forever - but we’ll get through it. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

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    Comments

    1. Jill Kirkland says

      December 24, 2021 at 8:29 am

      I made your mini pumpkin pies and they were delicious! As a kitchen disaster, I appreciate your Instant Pot recipes because the Instant Pot is the only way I’ve found to achieve success in the kitchen. That said, these mini pumpkin pies were simple and easy and amazingly delicious! Living in Mexico, I can’t find graham crackers down here so I used Marias cookies and it worked like a charm!!! Thanks Mike…I appreciate you!

      Reply
      • Jill Kirkland says

        December 24, 2021 at 8:31 am

        I would love to see a recipe for mini key lime pies….

        Reply
      • Mike Vrobel says

        December 25, 2021 at 10:24 am

        You're welcome - and thank you for the key lime pie idea - I'll check it out.

        Reply

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    Welcome to Dad Cooks Dinner!

    I'm Mike Vrobel, a dad who cooks dinner every night. I'm an enthusiastic home cook, and I write about pressure cooking, rotisserie grilling, and other food topics that grab my attention.

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