family, friends, a healthy lifestyle, a beautiful house and everything else in between. thanksgiving is the day to be grateful for all of it. 

but there is one thing that we are grateful for more than anything else during thanksgiving and that is delicious food that makes you want to live just a little bit more

here are a few classic thanksgiving recipes to live and die for:

the essentials for a classic thanksgiving dinner are same everywhere: turkey, gravy, stuffing, potatoes and pie.

the roasted turkey and gravy

one thing that is emblematic of the thanksgiving feast, seen in every thanksgiving movie or tv show, is the roast turkey.

a classic roast turkey will have a prep time for around 30 minutes.

serves 8 to 10

what you need

for roast

12–20-pound scrumptious turkey (obviously!)

vegetable oil, as required

2 cups chicken/turkey stock

1 large onion, quartered

1 lemon, quartered

2 to 4 fresh rosemaries

3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme

salt, to taste

freshly grounded black pepper, to taste

for gravy

delicious turkey drippings

chicken or turkey broth or both, 3 cups

all-purpose flour, 5 tablespoons

unsalted butter, 5 tablespoons (melted)

salt, to taste

grounded black pepper, to taste

time to make it

the roast

step 1- the first thing to do is to not start at the last moment. why? because a frozen turkey takes time to thaw and come to room temperature. almost a day for every 4 pounds of turkey.

start planning at least a week ahead. gather all your ingredients.

step 2- when the turkey is fully defrosted, place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet. start removing the neck from the turkey cavity, and refrigerate it if you want to use it for stock or gravy.

step 3- pat the turkey dry with paper towels and place it in a roasting pan.

time to put it on the rack for some roasting. tuck the wing tips under the turkey.

step 4- preheat to 325 F. rub vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. place the lemon, onion and the herbs in the turkey cavity finally, add the stock to the roasting pan.

step 5- roast it until golden brown, take around 15 minutes per pound. if you have a food thermometer, then it should be 160 F in the breast and 175 F on the thighs. start checking at least half an hour before you expect your turkey to be completely cooked.

step 6- rest it for 20 to 30 minutes.

the gravy

step 1- gather the ingredients and strain the leftover pan drippings. reserve at least 3 cups after discarding all solids. set it aside and if needed add chicken or turkey stock.

step 2- melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. whisk it with 5 tablespoons of flour and start cooking, stirring for 2 minutes.

step 3- whisk the reserved pan drippings, bringing the gravy to a simmer. continue whisking, until the gravy thickens. don’t forget to season with salt and pepper.

your amazing classic roast turkey with gravy is ready to feed some very hungry people.

the classic stuffing

stuffing is usually cooked inside the turkey but many now prefer to cook turkeys without any stuffing, because it might not be safe. so here is a classic stuffing recipe to have on the side.

the stuffing will have a prep time for around 10 minutes.

serves 8 to 10

what you need

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

unsalted butter, 12 tablespoons

diced onion, 2 cups

thinly sliced celery, 2 cups

day-old cubed bread, 12 cups (1 pound approx.)

chicken stock, 3 cups

chopped fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon

chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon

salt, to taste

grounded black pepper, to taste

time to make it

step 1- preheat the oven to 350 F. take a 3-quart baking dish and layer it with a teaspoon of butter.

step 2- melt the remaining unsalted butter in a large pan over medium heat. add the onions and celery and stir it for 5 minutes. stop when the vegetables are tender.

step 3- combine the cubed bread and the vegetables (sauté) with herbs, salt and pepper in a large bowl. add 2 cups of chicken stock while adding the bread until it is moist.

finally, add the eggs and stir until well blended.

step 4- transfer the stuffing to the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 minutes. do not forget to cover the baking dish with foil.

the stuffing is now ready and irresistible.

mashed potatoes

a successful thanksgiving feast is impossible without a mashed potato recipe. this garlic mashed potato recipe is just the best.

garlic mashed potatoes will take around 20 minutes to prep.

serves 8

what you need

2 bulbs garlic

extra-virgin olive oil, 1 ½ tablespoons

red-skinned potatoes, 3 pounds

milk, ¾ cups or as needed

unsalted butter, 12 tablespoons (melted)

grounded back pepper, to taste

salt, to taste

time to make it

step 1- preheat the oven to 400 F

step 2- slice the top ½ inch of each garlic head, leaving the roots intact. place the 2 heads of garlic on a large sheet of foil and drizzle it with olive oil. wrap the foil around the garlic completely.

step 3- place the packaged foil on a baking sheet. bake it for about 50 minutes to an hour till tender and lightly browned. set them aside to cool.

step 4-meanwhile, prepare the potatoes. scrub or peel, as per your convenience. then, cut them into chunks.

step 5- place the chunks in a large saucepan and add water till it is 1 inch above the potatoes. add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water.

step 6- boil the potatoes on high heat and then reduce it to medium low to cook for about 25 minutes or till they are tender. make sure you cover the pan when you reduce the heat.

step 7- drain the potatoes thoroughly

step 8- while potatoes are cooking, heat milk and butter in a saucepan on low heat till the butter melts.

step 9- now, transfer the drained hot potatoes to a large bowl and add the milk-butter mix. use the potato masher to mash the potatoes.

step 10- squeeze the garlic cloves and mash them. add to the mashed potatoes and blend to get the best mashed potatoes recipe ever.

season with salt and pepper, as required.

the classic apple pie

the classic apple pie recipe is well, as its name suggests, a classic. you can’t skip apple pie on thanksgiving day, have a taste with this delish recipe.

it will take about 25 minutes of prep time.

serves 8

What you need

2 prepared, unbaked pie crusts

lemon juice, 1 tablespoon

baking apples, 5 to 6 medium ones

packed brown sugar, ¼ cup

granulated suage, ¼ cup

all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons

salt, 1/8 teaspoon

freshly ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon

ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon

unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons

optional

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk

ground allspice, one pinch

ground cloves, one pinch

time to make it

step 1- roll out the unbaked crusts. wrap one in a plastic wrap and chill

step 2- take one crust and line a pie pan. cover that with plastic wrap and chill. position a rack in the centre of the over and heat it to 450 F

step 3- meanwhile, peel, core and slice the apples. place the sliced apples in a large bowl with lemon juice. thoroughly toss them.

step 4- sprinkle the tossed apples with brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, cloves, nutmeg and any other seasoning you have. keep tossing thoroughly!

step 5- pour the apple filling into the crust-lined pie pan and place the second crust on top. seal the edges and trim the excess if you want.

step 6- now, slice a few vents on the top crust so that steam can escape. place the pie pan on a baking sheet for 10 minutes and reduce the heat to 350 F.

bake until well done and bubbling inside. will take around 50 minutes.

let the pie cool down before cutting into the magical deliciousness.

enjoy the cooking!

happy thanksgiving! live aastey!