Thanksgiving Guide 2009: What the Food Magazines Are Recommending

172 Recipes From 9 Leading Food Magazines

 

Thanksgiving is food magazines' time to shine. In years past, many of the food mags we read have used their November issues to really push the limits with innovative spins on Thanksgiving faves.

Sure, there are usually plenty of approachable standbys. But the classics usually sit alongside some really envelope-pushing ideas: Throw a Thanksgiving clambake! How about a Pacific Rim-fusion dinner? Truffle-laden turkey! Indian-spiced sweet potato gnocchi!! Vegan French-Vietnamese gluten-free stuffing!!!

Not so this year. From the looks of this year's crop of Thanksgiving food mags, 2009 is all about simplicity and basic, standard dishes. It's the Great Recession, and everybody just wants a big ol' piece of pumpkin pie.

Just look at what the magazines call out from the newsstands:

Martha Stewart Living: "Thanksgiving, simple and sensational"

Fine Cooking: "All the classics made easy"

Food Network: "Easy Thanksgiving"

Bon Appétit: "Thanksgiving made easy"

Everyday Food: "A Thanksgiving menu that's easy to make"

We have nine November issues in front of us, and nearly all of them are focused on "traditional" menus that are very straightforward.

The food magazines may have stuck to the classics this year, but that doesn't mean the options are limited. In the nine magazines we have, there are, in fact, 172 Thanksgiving recipes.

All those options can leave you more than a little stressed out. It's all too easy to get wrapped up in the idea that Thanksgiving has to be perfect and if you don't select the right stuffing recipe, your mother-in-law will break into tears at the table.

But fear not!  We've cataloged all 172 options below so that you, dear reader, can browse this year's recipes and make some selections for yourself. Over the next three weeks, we're going to be cooking and writing as many recipes as we can fit in. We'll post our photos and let you know how they turn out.

And as you're gearing up for the holiday, if you have questions, post them here and we'll do our best to answer them.

Okay, ready for the recipes?

Before we get to the 2009 recipes, here are a few links you may find useful in planning your own meal.

Recap of what we cooked for Thanksgiving in 2008: 

• Soup and popovers
• Turkey, gravy, dressing and cranberry sauce
• Sides
• Dessert
• Other recipes we tried, including Roasted Chrysanthemum Onions

Recap and Roundup of Food Magazine Recipes from 2008:

• Turkeys
• Starters and Sides
• Desserts
  

2009 ROUND-UP OF FOOD MAGAZINE RECOMMENDATIONS

Recipes without hyperlinks are only available in the print issues. If you're particularly drawn to recipes here from a certain magazine, we recommend picking up an issue this week, before they're off newsstands. After all, there is no better food porn than the November issues of these magazines.

SOUPS

• Scarlet Carrot Soup (Gourmet) -- Read our take on this dish
• Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds (Food & Wine)

STARTERS

• Beet-Pickled Deviled Eggs (Gourmet)
• Sweet and Savory Spiced Nuts (Gourmet)
• Crab Hush Puppies with Tartar Sauce (Gourmet)
• Chicken-Liver Mousse with Pickled Red Onion (Food & Wine)

SALADS

• Shaved Beet and Bitter Greens Salad with Garlic (Gourmet)
• Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette (Gourmet)
• Simple Green Salad with Celery Seed Vinaigrette (Gourmet)
• Marinated Cauliflower Salad (Martha Stewart Living)
• Roasted-Beet Salad with Blue Cheese  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Carrot and Cranberry Salad with Fresh Ginger Dressing (Bon Appétit)
• Fall Harvest Salad (Food & Wine) -- Read our take on this dish

TURKEY

• Cider-Glazed Turkey (Gourmet)
• Roast Turkey with Cream Gravy (Gourmet)
• Spatchcoked Turkey (Martha Stewart Living) -- Read our take on this dish
  
• Spice-Rubbed Roast Turkey  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Chile-Rubbed Roast Turkey (Saveur)
• Grilled Turkey (Saveur)
• Herbed Roast Turkey  (Saveur)
• Sage Butter-Roasted Turkey with Cider Gravy (Bon Appétit)
• Grilled Turkey with Toasted Fennel and Coriander and Fresh Thyme Gravy (Bon Appétit)
• Clementine-Salted Turkey with Redeye Gravy (Bon Appétit)
• Roast Turkey with Lemon and Chives (Food & Wine)
• Herb-Roasted Turkey with Gravy (Food & Wine)
• Salt and Pepper Turkey (Everyday Food)
• Turkey with Glazed Chestnuts, Parsnips and Mushrooms (Food Network Magazine)
• Butterflied Turkey with Apple-Cranberry Glaze (Food Network Magazine)
• Roast Turkey with Garlic, Sage and Fennel (Food Network Magazine)
• Old Fashioned Stuffed Turkey (Cook's Illustrated)

STOCKS AND GRAVY

• Turkey Giblet Stock (Gourmet) -- Read our take on this dish
• Rich Vegetable Stock (Gourmet)
• Aleppo Pepper Gravy  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Turkey Stock (Bon Appétit)
• Turkey Stock (Food & Wine)
• Easy Turkey Stock (Everyday Food)
• Cream Gravy (Gourmet) -- Read our take on this dish

VEGETARIAN MAINS

• Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie (Gourmet)
• Vegetarian Squash and Cheddar Pudding (Bon Appétit)

POTATO SIDES

• Bacon Smashed Potatoes (Gourmet)
• Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potatoes and Acorn Squash (Gourmet)
• Sweet Potato and Sage-Butter Casserole  (Martha Stewart Living) -- Read our take on this dish
  
• Sweet Potatoes in Syrup with Guava  (Saveur)
• Garnet Yam Puree (Bon Appétit)
• Scalloped Potatoes and Fennel (Bon Appétit)
• Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Onions and Sage (Bon Appétit)
• Potato and Autumn Vegetable Hash (Bon Appétit)
• Mashed Potatoes with Ranch Dressing (Bon Appétit)
• Garnet Yams with Maple Syrup, Walnuts, and Brandied Raisins (Bon Appétit)
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Shallots (Food & Wine)
• Five-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee (Food & Wine)
• Bourbon Sweet Potatoes (Everyday Food)
• Chestnut-Potato Puree (Food Network Magazine)
  

OTHER SIDES

• Sauteed Green Beans and Brussels Sprouts with Chile and Mint (Gourmet)
• Golden Onion Pie (Gourmet)
• Sauerkraut with Apples (Gourmet)
• Carrots with Shallots, Sage and Thyme (Gourmet)
• Toasted Sweet Corn Pudding (Gourmet)
• Kale with Panfried Walnuts (Gourmet)
• Smoked Sausage Jambalaya (Gourmet)
• Braised Turnip Greens with Turnips and Apples (Gourmet)
• Wild-Rice Pilaf with Cranberries and Pecans  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Stewed White Beans with Tomatoes and Rosemary  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Roasted-Parsnip Bread Pudding  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Roasted Carrots with Ginger and Jalapeno  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Roasted Vegetables with Pomegranate Vinaigrette  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Green Beans with Shallots and Breadcrumbs  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Leek and Swiss Chard Tart  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Harvest Galette  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo  (Saveur)
• Baby Winter Squash with Spiced Orange-Currant Stuffing (Bon Appétit)
• Real Creamed Corn Pudding (Bon Appétit) -- Read our take on this recipe
  
• Brussels Sprout Slaw with Mustard Dressing and Maple-Glazed Pecans (Bon Appétit)
• Broccolini with Smoked Paprika, Almonds and Garlic (Bon Appétit)
• Sauté of Winter Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms (Bon Appétit)
• Thyme-Roasted Apples and Onions (Bon Appétit)
• Green Beans and Walnuts with Lemon Vinaigrette (Bon Appétit) -- Read our take on this recipe
  
• Green Beans with Crispy Pancetta, Mushrooms and Shallots (Fine Cooking)
• Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamom (Fine Cooking)
• Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Hazelnut Butter (Fine Cooking) -- Read our take on this recipe
  
• Pomegranate-Balsamic-Glazed Carrots (Fine Cooking)
• Bourbon Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole with Pecan Crust (Fine Cooking)
• Creamy Baked Leeks with Garlic, Thyme, and Parmigiano (Fine Cooking)
• Kale with Currants, Lemon and Olives (Food & Wine)
• Maple-Ginger-Roasted Vegetables with Pecans (Food & Wine)
• Sauteed Brussels Sprouts (Everyday Food)
• Green Bean Casserole (Everyday Food)
• Balsamic-Glazed Pearl Onions (Everyday Food)
• Bacon Braised Green Beans (Food Network Magazine)
• Fried Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Capers (Food Network Magazine)
• Lemon-Maple Squash (Food Network Magazine)
• Sauteed Peas with Shallot and Mint (Cook's Illustrated)

BREADS

• Cheddar Corn Muffins with Jalapeno Butter (Gourmet)
• Cornbread with Bacon Crust (Bon Appétit)
• Herb and Cheese Poppers (Bon Appétit)
• Cranberry-Nut Rolls (Bon Appétit)
• Multi-Grain Dinner Rolls (Bon Appétit)
• Wild Rice and Chive Bâtardes (Bon Appétit)
• Buttermilk-Parmesan Biscuits (Food & Wine)

STUFFINGS & DRESSINGS

• Rye Bread Stuffing (Gourmet)
• Oyster Casserole (Gourmet) -- Read our take on this recipe
• Sausage Stuffing and Shiitake Mushroom Stuffing  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing (Bon Appétit)
• Whole Wheat Stuffing with Pancetta, Chestnuts and Parmesan (Bon Appétit)
• Sourdough Stuffing with Sausage, Apples and Golden Raisins (Bon Appétit) -- Read our take on this dish
• Rustic Bread Stuffing with Red Mustard Greens, Currants, and Pine Nuts (Bon Appétit)
• Cornbread Stuffing with Andouille, Fennel and Bell Peppers (Bon Appétit)
• Sweet Potato Stuffing with Bacon and Thyme (Bon Appétit)
• Bacon, Onion and Rye Bread Stuffing (Food & Wine)
• Fig-and-Almond Bread Stuffing with Fennel (Food & Wine)
• Bread Stuffing with Sage (Everyday Food)
• Apple-Raisin Stuffing (Food Network Magazine)
• Bacon-Jalapeno Stuffing (Food Network Magazine)
• Collard-Cornbread Stuffing (Food Network Magazine)
• Fennel-Sausage Stuffing (Food Network Magazine)
• Pear-Pecan Stuffing (Food Network Magazine)

CRANBERRY SAUCES, CHUTNEYS AND RELISHES

• Cranberry Orange Relish (Gourmet)
• Cranberry and Celery Relish (Gourmet)
• Cranberry Sauce  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Cranberry Sauce  (Saveur)
• Cranberry-Mustard Relish (Bon Appétit)
• Beet Chutney (Bon Appétit) -- Read our take on this recipe
  
• Cranberry Sauce with Red Wine, Pomegranate Molasses, and Mediterranean Herbs (Bon Appétit)
• Chipotle Cranberry Sauce (Bon Appétit)
• Onion Marmalade (Bon Appétit)
• Jellied Cranberry Sauce with Fuji Apple (Food & Wine) -- Read our take on this dish
• Cranberry-Quince Chutney (Food & Wine)
• Orange-Scented Cranberry Sauce (Everyday Food)
• Spicy Cranberry Salsa (Food Network Magazine)
• Nutty Cranberry Relish (Food Network Magazine) -- Read our take on this dish
  
• Cran-Citrus Chutney (Food Network Magazine)

DESSERTS

• Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake (Gourmet) -- Read our take on this dish
• Cranberry-Apple Crumble Pie (Gourmet)
• Lemon Custard Pie (Gourmet)
• Spice Cake with Caramelized Pears and Maple Buttercream (Gourmet)
• Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle (Gourmet)
• Fig Crostata (Gourmet)
• Grape and Almond Frangipane Tart (Gourmet)
• Pear Cranberry Cake (Gourmet)
• Bourbon Pumpkin Pie (Gourmet)
• Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie (Gourmet)
• Cinnamon Custard Pie  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Apple Tart  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Vinarterta  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Chocolate Roulade  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Pumpkin Pie with Press-In Shortbread Crust  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Pecan Pie with Cream Cheese Crust  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Apple-Blackberry Pie with "Fall Leaves" Pate Brisee  (Martha Stewart Living)
• Apple Pie  (Saveur)
• Squash Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce  (Saveur) -- Read our take on this dish
  
• Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting (Bon Appétit)
• Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Cinnamon Creme Anglaise (Bon Appétit)
• Harvest Pear Crisp with Candied Ginger (Bon Appétit)
• Bourbon-Pecan Tart (Bon Appétit)
• Pumpkin Pie with Brown Sugar-Walnut Topping (Bon Appétit)
• Mock Mincemeat Pie (Bon Appétit)
• Brown Sugar-Pecan Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting (Bon Appétit)
• Maple Apple Pandowdy with Dried Cherries (Bon Appétit)
• Fresh Pear Pie with Dried Cherries and Brown Sugar Streusel (Fine Cooking)
• Jamaican-Spiced Pumpkin Pie (Fine Cooking)
• Ginger-Spice Cranberry-Apple Streusel Pie (Fine Cooking)
• Coffee-Toffee Pecan Pie (Fine Cooking)
• Classic Pumpkin Pie (Food & Wine)
• Pear Tarte Tatin with Red-Wine Caramel (Food & Wine)
• Vanilla-and-Cider Panna Cottas with Spiced Ginger Cookies (Food & Wine)
• Pumpkin Ice Box Pie (Everyday Food)
• Panna Cotta Pie with Poached Fruit (Everyday Food)
• Chocolate Mousse Tart with Hazelnuts (Everyday Food)
• Coconut Cream Pie (Everyday Food)
• Deep-Dish Apple Pie (Food Network Magazine)
• Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart (Food Network Magazine)

Comments

[Shannyn]

This list is incredible!! I am so using this as my template, instead of running around to find great recipes to cook up. Love this post.

[MyChefRegina]

Thank you!

[hope chests]

Thank you! Your list is so well done! I don't have to search for recipes everywhere!

[Ken]

Incredibly helpful list. Thanks for putting it together!

[sarah]

Wow, impressed with your organization over here...bookmarking now.

[Linda]

Thanks so much for compiling this. It WILL be used by me!!

[Jackie at PhamFatale.com]

awesome compilation of great recipes for the holiday. Thanks!