Easy No Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey

1 12-20 lb. turkey

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 lemon, quartered

1 apple, quartered

.75-oz. container fresh rosemary, divided

.75-oz. container fresh thyme, divided

.75-oz. container fresh sage, divided

Coarsely chopped vegetables: 4-5 ribs celery and 4 large carrots

 

Herb butter:

1 c. unsalted butter, softened, room temperature

1 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. fresh chopped rosemary 

1 T. fresh chopped thyme

1/2 T. fresh chopped sage

If the turkey is frozen, thaw in the fridge, 24 hours for every 5 lbs. of turkey. Give one extra day, just to be sure.

Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge 1 hour before roasting, to let it come to room temperature.

Adjust oven rack so the turkey will sit in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Make the herb butter: combine softened butter, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and sage. 

Remove turkey from packaging and remove neck and giblets from inside the turkey. (No need to wash; cooking the turkey kills any bacteria.) Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels.

Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple, and remaining herbs.

Optional: Loosen the skin over the breasts and smooth a few T. butter underneath the skin.

Place coarsely chopped vegetables in roasting pan. Add a little water. Set the turkey on top of the vegetables. 

Rub the rest of the herb butter all over the outside of the turkey, including legs and wings.

Roast at 325 degrees for 13-15 min. per pound. Check the turkey about halfway through cooking; once the skin gets golden brown, tent with tinfoil to prevent the breast meat from overcooking. (Alternatively, tent the turkey to start, then remove the tinfoil during the last hour of cooking to allow browning.) 

DO NOT open oven frequently to check turkey or baste it; that's what makes it dry and tough.  

Remove turkey to platter to rest once cooking is complete. Discard vegetables from roasting pan. Reserve drippings and juice from the pan to make gravy. 

Adapted from tastesbetterfromscratch.com.

Sausage, Apple, and Squash Sheet Pan Supper

1/3 c. olive oil

1-2 sprigs each fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary

2 medium unpeeled Honeynut squash (1-1/2 lbs. total) or equivalent amount of peeled butternut squash

1 large red onion, cut into 1/2"-thick wedges

1 large firm-tart apple, such as Granny Smith, cored and cut into 1/2"-thick wedges

1/2 c. fresh cranberries

1-1/2 t. kosher salt

3/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

6 fresh (uncooked) sweet or hot Italian sausages (1-1/2 lbs. total)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and set a rack in the middle position. Combine oil and herbs in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until herbs have wilted and oil is very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove herbs from oil and set aside herbs and oil separately.

Halve squash lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and cut crosswise into 1/2"-thick half moons. In a large bowl, combine squash, onion, apple, cranberries, and herbs from the oil. Pour oil over the vegetable mixture (do not need to use it all*). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Gently stir everything together with a spatula, then turn out onto a rimming baking sheet and spread into an even later.

Prick sausages several times with a sharp knife, then lay them over the vegetables. Roast, turning sausages and stirring vegetables halfway through, until squash is tender and sausages are browned and sizzling, 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.

*Use any leftover oil in a vinaigrette or drizzle over potatoes. 

Serves 4-6.

Adapted from New Hampshire Magazine, October 2025, p. 18. 

Fruit Slump

For the filling:

5 c. raspberries

5 large ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced

1/2 c. sugar

3 T. cornstarch

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. kosher salt

For the topping:

1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. plus 2 t. sugar

2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. kosher salt

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set a rack in the middle position.

For the filling, in a 12" ovenproof skillet, combine raspberries, nectarine slices, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.   

For the topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 1/3 c. sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, butter, and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine.

Drop the batter by large spoonfuls over the fruit, then sprinkle with the remaining 2 t. sugar. Bake in the skillet until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from Yankee magazine, Sept./Oct. 2025, p. 94. 

Apple-Cranberry Breakfast Pudding

Butter, for greasing baking dish

3 c. milk

4 large eggs

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

3/4 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

2 c. rolled (old-fashioned) oats

3/4 c. halved fresh cranberries

3/4 c. diced firm-sweet apple

1/3 c. chopped walnuts

1-1/2 t. baking powder

3/4 t. kosher salt

Yogurt and maple syrup, for serving

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 2-qt. baking dish and set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the oats, cranberries, apples, walnuts, baking powder, and kosher salt, and stir until evenly combined.

Pour into the baking dish and bake until the center is set and the top is golden brown, 50-60 minutes. Serve warm with yogurt and maple syrup.

Makes about 8 servings.

Adapted from Yankee magazine, Sept./Oct. 2025, p. 48.

Party Dips

Crunchy Honey-Almond Dip: 

Combine cottage cheese, almonds, vanilla, and honey in a food processor and process until mostly smooth, about 5 seconds (no longer, so the almond bits are still crunchy). Serve with apple slices. 

2 c. cottage cheese

1/2 c. unsalted sliced almonds

2 t. vanilla extract

2 T. honey

3 c. apple slices

Cheesy Taco Dip:

Combine cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, and taco seasoning in a food processor and process until just blended, about 5 seconds. Serve with celery sticks.  

2 c. cottage cheese

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 T. reduced-sodium taco seasoning

3 c. celery sticks 

Serves 8.

Adapted from EatingWell.com.