• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQs/Help
  • Shop
  • Best Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQs/Help
  • Shop
  • Best Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • FAQs/Help
    • Shop
    • Best Recipes
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    🏠Home » Holiday Recipes

    Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

    Nov 12, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · Last modified: May 28, 2023 · 9 Comments

    It is time to finalize your Thanksgiving menu and start early shopping while you still can find what you need. Here are some of my favorite recipes. As always, all recipes are easy to make and have complete step-by-step photo instructions.

    Graphic for Thanksgivings Recipe roundup - Image licensed from Fotolia November 20, 2017. Copyright ©TeddyandMia - stock.adobe.com. Modifed per allow by licensed.
    Image licensed from Fotolia November 20, 2017. Copyright ©TeddyandMia - stock.adobe.com. Modified per allowed by the license.
    Jump To:
    • 🦃Turkey and More
    • 🍠Side Dishes
    • 🍞Bread
    • 🥧Desserts
    • 🍬Candy
    • Food Safety
    • Don't forget the dogs
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    While I love Thanksgiving, the amount of work can be overwhelming. So let's get our plan started. First, how many dinners and how many leftovers do you want?

    And second, how much time and energy do you have? Some super planners out there will pull everything off from scratch. I'm not there; honestly, I don't want to be. I have X amount of time and energy and will put it where it does most good.

    Our smaller holiday feast is very traditional, with a Roasted Turkey Breast, Sausage Stuffing, and Sweet Potato Casserole.

    🦃Turkey and More

    Since this is cooking for two, we usually start with a turkey breast, not the whole bird. And you can do two if you need more. Other options are provided.

    Roasted Turkey Breast—The Easy Way
    Don't be intimidated by cooking a turkey breast. This simple Roasted Turkey Breast recipe has crispy skin with moist, tender meat. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday dinner.
    turkey slice with gravy on orange plate.
    Small Crock Pot Honey Glazed Ham
    Small Crock Pot Honey Glazed Ham will enhance a small boneless ham with pineapple, honey, and spices to make a great holiday main dish—perfect for a small household. 
    slices of ham with pineapple on white plater
    Small Ribeye Roast
    Ribeye roast is a classic main entree for special meals. A ribeye roast is Prime Rib without the bone, making it easier to cook and scale to the right size at home.
    slice of Ribeye Roast on a white plate
    Turkey Tenderloin with Gravy
    Use this Turkey Tenderloin Recipe for moist and tender turkey with gravy. A brief pan searing on the stove finishes by roasting in the oven. 
    image of cut turkey with gravy on plate
    Grilled Turkey Breast
    Grilled Turkey Breast is amazingly easy. Moist, tender, and flavorful—perfect for smaller gatherings or Thanksgiving. Add the optional Brown Sugar rub for even more flavor or seasoning of your choice.
    sliced grilled turkey breast on a board

    🍠Side Dishes

    Side dishes make the meal. Every family has its traditions, so here are ours.

    How to Make Gravy—Quick and Easy
    Learn to make the best homemade gravy from scratch with these easy instructions. With or without pan dripping, you can have perfect gravy in about 10 minutes with either a roux or flour slurry. The same techniques can be used to thicken most liquids.
    pouring gravy on turkey and potatoes
    Easy Sausage Stuffing
    Our family's favorite sausage stuffing with herbs and savory sausage makes the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving turkey or other large feasts. This smaller recipe fits our current lifestyle, but it is easy to increase for a larger holiday feast. Or make this delicious and easy side dish for everyday meals.
    sausage dressing on a plate
    Green Bean Casserole Without Mushroom Soup
    Now you can enjoy a delicious green bean casserole without the mandatory can of soup. Just green beans, a simple homemade sauce, and a topping of your choice will give you a new appreciation for this classic Thanksgiving side dish.
    Green bean casserole on a plate
    Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
    Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole with a pecan topping (or a marshmallow topping) has become a traditional holiday classic. This sweet family favorite can be made ahead with the easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions.
    Sweet potato casserole on a white plate
    Broccoli Slaw Salad
    Broccoli slaw salad is a healthy side dish with veggies, crunchy almonds, sunflower seeds, rice noodles, and topped with a wonderful homemade dressing.
    broccoli slaw salad in a metal bowl

    🍞Bread

    I do love great bread. Here are some easy homemade choices—except the Julia Child's bread, but it is worth the work.

    Quick and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls
    These Quick and Easy Yeast Dinner Rolls are golden brown with a buttery crust and tender inside. Perfect for holiday meals or your family dinner.
    nicely browned dinner rolls still in a baking pan being brushed
    Lunch Lady Rolls—Smaller Version
    Old fashioned 60s school Lunch Lady Rolls, those wonderful hot rolls everybody loved in the cafeteria, can now be made with this smaller recipe mixed by hand or in a stand mixer.
    Stand Mixer Lunch Lady Rolls from 101 Cooking for Two
    Julia Child's French Bread - Simplified
    Julia Child's French Bread recipe is the ultimate crusty artisan French bread. An excellent round bread, simplified to the essentials to get it done with less fuss. While speed was not a goal, it was 5 hours from the start to the cooling rack.
    Julia Child's French Bread on wooden peel
    Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls
    These soft, homemade Honey Wheat Dinner Rolls are perfect for everyday or special dinners. Vary the amount of whole wheat flour to your taste and add a touch of honey—quick to make in about an hour.
    the soft inside of a wheat dinner roll.

    🥧Desserts

    We must have something sweet to finish the feast. Here are some easy treats.

    Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
    Learn how to easily make a Pumpkin Cheesecake without a water bath with pumpkin pie spice mix, pumpkin puree, cream cheese, and eggs. No water bath is needed to avoid cracks with just a few simple tips.
    pumpkin cheesecake on an orange plate
    Philadelphia Cheesecake Recipe—Vanilla or Chocolate Chip
    Philadelphia Cheesecake Recipe is a creamy, decadent dessert but is an easy recipe to make as classic vanilla or with mini chocolate chips—it will become your signature dessert.
    slice of chocolate chip Philadelphia cheesecake
    Easy Apple Cake
    Easy and delicious, this moist apple cake is bursting with cinnamon apple flavor. An old fashion cake like grandma would make with only a few pantry ingredients and your favorite fresh apples.
    apple cake on a white plate
    Apple Berry Crumble—Quick & Easy
    A quick and easy version of an old-fashion apple crumble even the beginner can make. Go the easy route with frozen berries and pie filling, or use fresh berries and apples. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the perfect company dessert or a family favorite.
    blue bowl of apple berry crumble with ice cream
    Easy Homemade Apple Crumb Pie—Quick to Make
    An everyday apple pie you will make over and over for the family. A refrigerated crust takes most of the work out of this homemade pie. Add a few fresh apples and some seasoning, and finish with an easy-to-make crumb topping. And you will be making this pie over and over.
    closeup of apple crumb pie
    Easy Crock Pot Apple Crisp
    Celebrate fall and apples with this easy classic dessert with juicy cinnamon apple filling with a sweet buttery and crispy oat crust. Great for the smaller households but easy to double for larger families. You need 10 minutes of prep time, a few ingredients, and your slow cooker.
    apple crisp with ice cream on an orange plate
    Easy Cheesecake Bars
    These Easy Cheesecake Bars are creamy and delicious with a Graham cracker crust and lemon—the quick small-batch recipe you need with great tasting cheesecake bars.
    Cheesecake bars on a blue plate

    🍬Candy

    Time to get into the holiday spirit and give some love to those you care about.

    Easy Oreo Fudge
    This super Easy Oreo Fudge recipe has only 4 ingredients and is packed with great flavor. It will melt in your mouth with chunks of Oreo cookies in sweet white chocolate fudge. 
    pile of oreo fudge
    Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
    Chocolate peanut clusters are the best candy treat and are super easy to make at home in your crock pot. Lightly salted peanuts covered with sweet chocolate coating make the perfect gift, or keep them all for yourself—you can always make more with this smaller recipe.Only a few ingredients.
    red plate full of chocolate peanut clusters
    Crock Pot Fudge
    Let's make some great fudge with this super-easy recipe using the gentle heat of your crock pot and only 4 ingredients. Have fun making fudge with your child or just by yourself. This chocolate fudge recipe is just what you need for the holidays.
    pieces of fudge with nuts on a red plate
    Easy 5-Minute Chocolate Fudge
    With only 3 ingredients, you can make the best chocolate fudge. This easy, foolproof 5-minute fudge with sweetened condensed milk never fails and makes perfect holiday gifts, party snacks, or just for you.
    pile of fudge on a white plate
    Candied Almonds or Other Candied Nuts
    This easy roasted candied almonds recipe makes the perfect holiday gift and a great crunchy party snack. Or make some delicious candied mixed nuts or other nuts with only a few ingredients and minimal skill.
    finished candied nuts on the cooking tray with white parechment paper

    Food Safety

    When I was still practicing medicine, I saw several kids with food poisoning—primarily minor after every major holiday. After only a few questions, the cause was almost always apparent and preventable with little care.

    Thanksgiving Food Safety
    Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and many of us will be cooking large feasts. While many experienced cooks will be cooking, a lot of inexperienced chefs will be hard at work, too. So for everybody, experienced or novice, let's take a few minutes to review relevant food safety and find some resources if needed.
    Food safety graphic. Licensed from Depositphotos Nov 12, 2022 Author: mybaitshop DO NOT COPY

    Don't forget the dogs

    Low-Fat Homemade Dog Treats—Healthy & Delicious
    Low Fat Homemade Dog Treats are the perfect low-calorie treat for your dog. With only five ingredients, your dog will love the peanut butter and pumpkin taste. Much healthier than commercial treats—any veterinarian would approve.
    Pile of homemade dog treats on a wire rack

    Are you feeling like a bit of holiday shopping early? Check out the new Holiday Shopping section in THE SHOP.

    Have a great Thanksgiving from

    Wifo, Molly, Lilly, and DrDan

    Molly and Lilly running in a row

    Editor's Note: Originally Published November 17, 2016. Updated yearly with current recommendations and discussion.

    More Holiday Recipes

    • pumpkin cheesecake on an orange plate
      Pumpkin Cheesecake Without a Water Bath
    • Labor Day Recipe Roundup
    • turkey slice with gravy on orange plate.
      Roasted Turkey Breast—The Easy Way
    • Graphic collage for Fouth of July. Has copyrighted material.
      Fourth of July Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a comment or ask a question. See comment policy for details. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Elisabeth Wasslen

      November 17, 2019 at 4:22 pm

      Hello Dr. Dan,
      It isn't Thanksgiving here right now, being in Canada, but I want to say I hope you and your family and your beautiful dogs have a Happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for, including your blog. Life is good.

      Reply
    2. Jean Rawlings

      November 17, 2017 at 2:01 pm

      Hi Dr. Dan,
      You'll get a chuckle out of this..I wanted to make your recipe for Sweet potato Casserole before the big day Thanksgiving to see if my husband of 50 years would enjoy it. Well he whined a bit when I told him there were no marshmallows going on top. He offered a half a dozen times to go to the store and get some because he was certain it would be a total failure without them. He loved your recipe. He had seconds and is waiting for the left overs for dinner tonight.
      Thank you..thank you!
      Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
      Warmly
      Jean Rawlings

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 17, 2017 at 2:37 pm

        Thanks Jean,
        You can feel free to change the topping but I want the nuts.
        I'm republishing that recipe Sunday.
        Have a good holiday.
        Dan

    3. Leslie

      November 15, 2017 at 11:55 pm

      Thanks for posting your menu ideas, makes cooking a special dinner easier (keeps me from getting anxious) thank you Leslie

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 16, 2017 at 8:20 pm

        Thanks Leslie,
        Have a good holiday.
        Dan

    4. laurajay

      November 15, 2017 at 4:25 pm

      Thanks Dr Dan, I always love the blog, recipes and pictures. Happy thanksgiving to you and your family.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 16, 2017 at 8:21 pm

        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    5. Joan

      November 17, 2016 at 1:43 pm

      How I use leftover turkey

      This is not a recipe although I am sure it started as one and is how my family uses some leftover turkey. My family calls it High Turkey Sandwich. It is really a form of a club sandwich and I first had it at Gilmore's Tea Room in Kalamazoo, Michigan and I think it may have been served at Marshall Field's in Chicago.

      So here is my non recipe which I would like to share with you. One slice of white bread, a slice of cheese, cold turkey meat, a slice of bread, bacon, tomato, lettuce, a slice of bread, slices of hard boiled egg, and to top it off, Thousand Island dressing made from mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet pickle relish. Once, I ate the whole thing, but now I leave out the center slice of bread and can't really get through that.

      You are welcome to make it into a recipe if you wish, Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 17, 2016 at 2:15 pm

        Thanks for sharing and Happy Holidays.

        Dan

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan, and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Join the club
    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Chicken, Chicken, and More Chicken

    • pile of chicken legs on a white plate
      Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
    • Large plage of chicken thighs
      Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • cut baked chicken on white plate
      How to Bake Chicken Breasts in a Convection Oven
    • Grilled Chicken Breasts on a blue plate
      How to Grill Chicken Breasts on a Gas Grill
    • grilled chicken drumsticks on a grill
      Grilled Chicken Drumsticks—Quick and Easy
    • grilled chicken thigh with some char
      Grilled Chicken Thighs—Quick and Easy

    Steak, Steak, and More Steak

    • cut ribeye steak on a gray plate
      How to Grill a Ribeye Steak on the Grill
    • filtet mignon with potatoes on a white plate
      Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Grilled filet mignon on a white plate
      How to Grill Filet Mignon
    • NY strip steak cut on an orange plate
      Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak
    • a strip steak with grill marks on a gray plate
      How to Grill Strip Steak on a Gas Grill
    • porterhouse steak with fries on blue plate
      Grilled T-bone Steak and Porterhouse Steak
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑Jump to
    Table of Contents
    Join the club
    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    About

    • About DrDan and the Blog
    • Comment Policy
    • Guest Posts, Partnering, and Business Questions

    Content

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Recipes Featured in the Videos
    • Guide To Cooking for Two
    • Saved Recipes Collections

    dogs by the pond

    ↑ back to top ↑a

    Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Contact

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2023 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME

    • Email
    • Pinterest