Three Thanksgiving Menus: Classic, Southwestern, and Indian

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Being an east coast transplant, we typically stay in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving and opt to head back east for Christmas, so my house has become the hub for friends who live too far away from family — we spend the Thanksgiving holiday together. It’s grown over the years — now it’s not unusual to have at twenty-plus friends and their children over on Thanksgiving enjoying a fun day together and the feast.

I’ve cooked dozens of Thanksgiving meals–and have tried countless recipes. I’m still deciding on the menu for this year, so in the meantime I thought I’d share my three favorite menus from Thanksgiving’s past.

First: no matter what menu I choose, all my turkeys start the same way: I always get a natural (I prefer Diestel) turkey the day before Thanksgiving and set it in an overnight brine. You can find pre-mixed brine spices at the market which work fine, but here’s my mix of choice, from the Food Network’s Alton Brown:

(For a 15-pound turkey)

- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 gallon vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice berries
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped candied ginger
- 1 gallon heavily iced water

Combine all the ingredients but the ice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature and put in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.

Now, get your thawed turkey and place it a large stock pot or brining bag (which is what I use), pour the brine over the turkey, cover the pot or tie the bag and place the whole thing in the fridge overnight.

Classic Favorites for Thanksgiving Menu

Here’s a menu I’ve used time and time again. Classic and simple, but oh-so-good.

The Turkey: Simple Roast Turkey

The Sides:

-Baked Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Garlic

- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

- Sage Stuffing

The Dessert:

- Pumpkin Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream

- Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust

Southwestern Thanksgiving Menu

This is my favorite Thanksgiving menu–it’s a bit on the spicy side, but so worth it!

The Turkey: Southwestern Chipotle Turkey

The Sides:

- Cornbread and Green Chili Stuffing

- Chipotle Corn

- Green Beans with Caramelized Red Onion

- Butternut Squash Soup

- Cranberry Relish

The Dessert:

- Pecan Pie

Indian Thanksgiving Menu

My family is East Indian, so one year, I was inspired to serve an Indian-themed menu with all the spices and dishes you’d expect from a traditional Indian feast within the Thanksgiving setting. Here’s what I put together from recipes I found on various sites:

The Turkey: Cumin and Coriander Spiced Turkey

The Sides:

- Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
- Saag Paneer (Spinach with Cheese)
- Vegetable Biryani Rice
- Cranberry Chutney

The Dessert:

- Ginger-Honey Pumpkin Pie
- Classic Lassi