Quick and easy recipes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is approaching and it will definitely be different this year.

I was wondering if it makes sense to roast a turkey for 5 people.

Well, the answer is obvious: of course not.

During all these years living in New York, my Thanksgiving parties hosted about 40 people and the turkey was never really my duty. I was always in charge of salad and roasted vegetables.

So I thought about asking help from someone that is an expert at cooking. After all, if you are like me, you still want to celebrate this wonderful holiday without necessarily spending the whole day in the kitchen.

That's why I invited Michele to give us some practical tips. She's one of the Healthy Table's creators, a digital food content specialized in functional food with Mediterranean inspiration.

Luis and Michele work with a healthy, modern, uncomplicated and unusual cuisine proposal. On their Instagram page you can find information about functional gastronomy and healthy recipes to lead a more balanced lifestyle.

So I took this chance to ask her two questions to save our 2020 Thanksgiving plans. Check out her amazing answers:

Me: This year we'll celebrate Thanksgiving in small groups. In the previous years, I was never in charge of the turkey and I don't want to make one for only 5 people. What is your suggestion?

Michelle: “Making a roasted turkey breast roulade might be a go-to choice for the Holidays because it takes less time to roast and looks stunning with the stuffing rolled up in the turkey.

Me: Oh, by the way, I love stuffing! It reminds me of our popular Brazilian side called "farofa".

Michele: “Just place an order with your local butcher/ or even WholeFoods to bone and butterfly the turkey breast - it's much more flavorful and a great option if you’re not confident in cooking a whole turkey!

Here are some recipes and tips for putting together a small Thanksgiving menu that hits all the classic notes, but without the mountains of cooking and messy kitchen.”

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TURKEY BREAST ROULADE WITH GRAVY

• Yield: 6 people

• Prep Time: 45 min

• Cook Time: 60 min

• Total Time: 1 h 45 min

Making a stuffed turkey breast from scratch starts with prepping the breast and preparing the stuffing. Then the turkey roulade is rolled up and secured with twine.

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless turkey breast skin removed

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 2 tbsp olive oil divided

• 2 medium onions divided

• 2 large cloves garlic minced

• 1 cup farofa (recipe below)

• 2 ½ cups chicken broth divided

• 1 cup apple cider

• 3 tbsp cider vinegar

• 2 tbsp chopped sage

• 1 tsp arrowroot dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Place the butterfly turkey breast open it like a book between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet to a thickness of about 1/2 inch, toss the plastic and season on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. Spread the farofa (recipe follows) over one side of the turkey breast, leaving 2 inches uncovered on all sides. Roll up and secure tightly with kitchen twine.

4. Heat the 1 tbsp oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the stuffed turkey breast on all sides until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Sprinkle the sliced onion around the turkey, pour in 1 1/2 cups broth, cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees in the thickest part. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil.

5. In the same roasting pan set on the stove over medium heat, combine apple cider, remaining broth, vinegar, and 2 tsp sage. Bring to a boil, and cook until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes. Slowly add the arrowroot mixture, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a smoother sauce- let it cool and blend then strain it through a sieve before serving.

How to Roll up a Stuffed Turkey Breast

1. Spread the stuffing over one side of the turkey breast, leaving 1-2 inches uncovered on all sides.

2. Starting at the long end, roll the turkey into a long tight cylinder. Use the plastic wrap to help you roll it up. Don’t worry if the stuffing peeks out in some spots.

3. Tie the roll with kitchen twine leaving about 1-1/2 inches between each knot. Then trim the strings.

GLUTEN FREE STUFFING - FAROFA

“Farofa is toasted cassava flour naturally gluten free and one of the most traditional dishes in Brazil. It has a smoky taste, together with the crunchy texture. Plus, it's super simple to cook with lots of flexibility.

Essentially, farofa is made with bacon, onions, and garlic, but it is a very easy dish to implement any flavor of your choice. Because we are talking Thanksgiving why not make an American version of farofa adding some herbs and condiments to add a rich taste of this Holiday.

Cassava flour is a dry ingredient that calls for fat, in this case, the rendered fat of bacon and butter, soaking up the flavor of the other ingredients.”

Where do I buy cassava flour?

In Brazilian or Portuguese shops near you, but it is also found in some online stores If you can’t find manioc flour in a grocery near you, you can also use farinha de milho (cornmeal).

BRAZILIAN FAROFA RECIPE

• Yield: 6 people

• Prep Time: 15 min

• Cook Time: 10 min

• Total Time: 20 min

Ingredients

• 4 sausages of your preference (I recommend sweet and spice Italian sausage) diced

• 1 medium white onion, chopped

• 4 large ribs celery, finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

• 5 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil (I use Safflower Oil)

• 2 ½ cups cassava flour

• 1/4 cup minced fresh sage leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried sage leaves)

• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped

• 1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a skillet, cook the sausages with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. The reason for that is because you need to render the fat before frying it.

2. Once the fat is rendered, add the butter and cook the sausage until golden brown.

3. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté them until transparent.

4. Add the celery and sauté it for 2 minutes

5. Add the garlic and sauté it for a minute.

6. Add chopped sage and sauté for less than a minute.

7. Add the cassava flour and stir continuously to avoid letting it burn.

8. Add salt and pepper to taste, and once the farofa is nicely and evenly toasted, remove it from the heat. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes after adding the cassava flour.

9. Now, add the parsley and chives and mix well the ingredients.

10. Transfer your farofa to a serving plate use partial to stuff your turkey breast and the remaining serve it at room temperature

Expert Tips:

• This recipe works for turkey breasts between 2 1/2 and 4 pounds. The recipe doesn’t need to be changed as long as the breast weighs less than 4 pounds

• Ask your butcher to bone and butterfly the turkey breast for you.

• You want to have about 1/2 pound of turkey breast per person. 2 1/2 pounds will feed 6.

• I recommend always checking your turkey with an Instant Read Thermometer or Meat Thermometer to make sure it gets to 165 degrees F for food safety.

• If you don’t have a Thermometer a visual indicator is that the juices will start running clear when the turkey is done.

• To reheat, slice the turkey roll then reheat it , covered, in a 300°F oven until warm, 40 to 45 minutes.

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Me: Can you share with us an easy, quick and delicious recipe for Thanksgiving?

Michelle: “Sure!”

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RED RICE WITH CRANBERRY, CASHEWS AND SCALLIONS

• Yield: 6 people

• Prep Time: 10 min

• Cook Time: 50 min

• Total Time: 60 min

Ingredients

• 3 cup chicken stock/ water

• 2 cup red rice

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 tbsp chopped garlic

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh ginger

• 1/2 cup chopped scallions (white part)

• 1 tsp chili peppers

• 1/4 cup dry cranberries

• 1/4 cup chopped scallions (green part)

• 1/4 cup roasted cashews

• Salt & pepper

Instructions

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the stock/ water and wild rice. Cover and cook until tender, more less 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain excess liquid if needed

2. In a wok (or frying pan) over high heat, add the olive oil. When hot, add the cranberry and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Stir in the chili first part of the scallions, then stir in the wild rice. Turn off the heat. Add the cashews and second part of the scallions and stir to mix.

Expert Tip:

• This rice is perfect to make a day ahead. If so, just add the roasted cashews and fresh scallions (green part) right before serving.

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Everything looks delicious, right? For more amazing recipes, follow Michele and her husband at @healthtablebyus.

Let me know in the comments below if you have already thought about what you will be wearing for Thanksgiving. My quick tip is to add earrings and lipstick and you're good to go!

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