When most people think about cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, they think of hours and hours in the oven. But what if you don’t have an oven at your disposal? Does that mean no traditional Thanksgiving dinner? Not at all! We’ve put together 10 Thanksgiving recipes anyone can make in their extended stay kitchen including a stove-top turkey!
1 | Microwave Sweet Potato Casserole
Not only is this Microwave Sweet Potato Casserole easy but it’s delicious too! The recipe calls for 5 sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of butter (and some for greasing), 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, ¼ cup of fresh orange juice, zest of an orange, salt, and 4 cups of mini marshmallows. First, you’ll want to grease a small glass or microwavable dish (8×8 works best). Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ½ inch slices. Mix all remaining ingredients except for marshmallows and pour over sweet potatoes. Tightly cover the microwavable dish with saran wrap and microwave for 12 minutes. Carefully remove, the dish will be very hot. Immediately add marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes and let them melt into the casserole. If you’re feeling fancy, use a kitchen torch to crisp the top of the marshmallows.
2 | One-Pot Mac And Cheese
One-pot recipes are our favorite, minimal cleanup, and tons of flavor! All you need is a box of macaroni pasta, 5 cups of milk, ½ cup of butter, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and fresh parsley. In a large pot, heat your milk on a medium-high setting. Add the macaroni to the pot and simmer until pasta is tender (about 10-12 minutes). Turn off the heat and fold in the all remaining ingredients except for the parsley. Stir until melted and creamy. Top each serving with a sprinkle of fresh finely-chopped parsley. This one-pot mac and cheese recipe is sure to please anyone dining in-room for Thanksgiving this year.
3 | Balsamic Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
Another super easy recipe that will add a little festive green to your Thanksgiving dinner –and you can do it all in your in-room kitchen! You’ll need 4 cups of Brussel sprouts halved, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 1-2 tablespoons of a balsamic glaze, and salt and pepper. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium and saute the Brussel sprouts and chopped garlic for 15 minutes. Test to make sure the Brussels are semi-soft with a fork, if they’re good to go stir in the balsamic glaze and good for 1-2 minutes more.
4 | The Best Ever Mashed Potatoes
The secret to the best ever mashed potatoes is BUTTER! For this recipe, you’ll need 4 medium russet potatoes, ¼ cup of butter, ¼ cup of milk (more depending on desired consistency), and salt and pepper to taste. Boil your potatoes for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Strain the water from your pot and gently mash your potatoes so they are too your desired texture. If you like them really creamy with little to no chunks, use a hand mixer to mash them. Add the butter, milk, and salt and pepper. You may want to add a little more milk depending on the consistency you prefer!
5 | Green Beans With Bacon
Green beans are a classic side dish for a Thanksgiving meal but this recipe calls for bacon, and bacon makes everything better, right? You’ll need 1 14oz bag of frozen green beans, 3-4 slices of bacon, 2 cups of chicken broth (additional may be needed), and pepper. Chop your bacon up and saute it, once it’s crispy set the bacon aside. In a pot big enough add your frozen green beans, chicken broth, and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for 2 hours stirring occasionally. If the chicken broth is low and your beans are not cooked through, add more chicken broth as needed. About 30 minutes before the beans are cooked, add in your bacon.
6 | Homemade Stovetop Stuffing
What’s Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing? You can make an authentic stuffing without an oven that’s just as savory as the oven-baked version. Here’s what you need: 2 packages of stuffing mix (cornbread is our favorite!), 6 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion chopped, 2 celery stocks chopped, ½ butter, 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 ½ cups water, ¼ cup turkey drippings (optional), salt and pepper. In a large pan add butter and minced garlic to the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add onion and celery to the pan and cook an additional 5 minutes. Pour in your liquids and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add dry stuffing and remove from heat stirring for a minute or two. Cover and let sit an additional 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, fluff, and serve.
7 | Speedy Cranberry Sauce
Another Thanksgiving meal staple is cranberry sauce and we have a recipe that is quick and easy to top off your holiday meal. All you’ll need is 2 bags of fresh cranberries (6 cups), 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1 ½ teaspoon of lime zest, ¾ cup of honey, and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Ready? Throw all your ingredients except for brown sugar into a small saucepot, cover, and heat on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add in your brown sugar and mash-up your cranberries a bit –that’s it! Super simple and delicious.
8 | Stovetop Turkey
The feature of any Thanksgiving dinner is the juicy turkey and even in an extended stay kitchen, you can have a turkey cooked to perfection. Here are the tools and ingredients you’ll need: a small turkey completely thawed, a deep pot or dutch oven with a tight lid, cooking thermometer, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, salt, pepper, and 1-2 quarts of water or chicken stock. You can really add any other spices or flavors you want to your turkey, just follow these instructions. In the large pot or dutch oven, add you oil and saute all your chopped vegetables until they are soft. Next, you’ll want to season your turkey all over with salt and pepper or any seasoning you prefer. Set your turkey on top of the vegetables within the pot. Add 1 ½ – 2 inches of water or broth to your pot, heat to a simmer, and seal tightly with a top. Your turkey will need to cook for about 3-4 hours, but you will need to check the liquid level every 20-30 minutes. If the liquid is boiling, turn down the heat. If the liquid is low, add liquid so that you maintain the 1 ½ – 2-inches. At the 2 hour mark, use your thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh, it should read 165°F. Every 15 minutes continue to check the thickest part of the turkey breast until it reaches 165° F. Let rest for 10-15 minutes, carve, and dig in!
9 | Apple Crisp
Dessert is easily the cherry on top of any Thanksgiving day meal. This is a traditional yet simple dessert to whip up right in your suite. For the apples, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 apples (cored, peeled, and diced), 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Start melting your butter in a pan and toss your apples in the cinnamon and brown sugar. Cook while stirring occasionally on medium heat for about 7 minutes or until soft. For the topping, you’ll need ½ tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, ¼ cup of rolled oats, ¼ chopped pecans, and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Add your butter to a pan and let melt. Add all other ingredients (except ice cream) and brown for a few minutes on medium heat. Then you’ll just add your apples to a bowl, sprinkle with topping, and serve with ice cream or whipped cream!
10 | No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
We had to get pumpkin in there somehow! This is a quick no-bake recipe but it’s best to prepare this the night before your holiday meal. Here’s what you’ll need: 1 ½ cups finely chopped gingersnaps (and extra for topping), 2 tablespoons of sugar, 5 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of heavy cream, 2 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese (softened), 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon of salt, whipped cream for topping. Combine the sugar, butter, and gingersnaps in a bowl and mix until they have the consistency of wet sand. In a pie pan or spring-form pan, add the mixtures and press evenly along the bottom –this is your crust. For the filling, in a large bowl beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, add in your pumpkin puree, and mix until smooth. Add in your powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add in vanilla, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg and mix well. Fold in the heavy cream, do not overmix. Pour over your crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight. When it’s ready, serve with whipped cream and gingersnap sprinkled on top.
When most people think about cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner, they think of hours and hours in the oven. But what if you don’t have an oven at your disposal? Does that mean no traditional Thanksgiving dinner? Not at all! We’ve put together 10 Thanksgiving recipes anyone can make in their extended stay kitchen including a stove-top turkey!
1 | Microwave Sweet Potato Casserole
Not only is this Microwave Sweet Potato Casserole easy but it’s delicious too! The recipe calls for 5 sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of butter (and some for greasing), 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, ¼ cup of fresh orange juice, zest of an orange, salt, and 4 cups of mini marshmallows. First, you’ll want to grease a small glass or microwavable dish (8x8 works best). Peel and slice sweet potatoes into ½ inch slices. Mix all remaining ingredients except for marshmallows and pour over sweet potatoes. Tightly cover the microwavable dish with saran wrap and microwave for 12 minutes. Carefully remove, the dish will be very hot. Immediately add marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes and let them melt into the casserole. If you’re feeling fancy, use a kitchen torch to crisp the top of the marshmallows.
2 | One-Pot Mac And Cheese
One-pot recipes are our favorite, minimal cleanup, and tons of flavor! All you need is a box of macaroni pasta, 5 cups of milk, ½ cup of butter, 2 cups of cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and fresh parsley. In a large pot, heat your milk on a medium-high setting. Add the macaroni to the pot and simmer until pasta is tender (about 10-12 minutes). Turn off the heat and fold in the all remaining ingredients except for the parsley. Stir until melted and creamy. Top each serving with a sprinkle of fresh finely-chopped parsley. This one-pot mac and cheese recipe is sure to please anyone dining in-room for Thanksgiving this year.
3 | Balsamic Sauteed Brussel Sprouts
Another super easy recipe that will add a little festive green to your Thanksgiving dinner –and you can do it all in your in-room kitchen! You’ll need 4 cups of Brussel sprouts halved, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, 1-2 tablespoons of a balsamic glaze, and salt and pepper. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium and saute the Brussel sprouts and chopped garlic for 15 minutes. Test to make sure the Brussels are semi-soft with a fork, if they’re good to go stir in the balsamic glaze and good for 1-2 minutes more.
4 | The Best Ever Mashed Potatoes
The secret to the best ever mashed potatoes is BUTTER! For this recipe, you’ll need 4 medium russet potatoes, ¼ cup of butter, ¼ cup of milk (more depending on desired consistency), and salt and pepper to taste. Boil your potatoes for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Strain the water from your pot and gently mash your potatoes so they are too your desired texture. If you like them really creamy with little to no chunks, use a hand mixer to mash them. Add the butter, milk, and salt and pepper. You may want to add a little more milk depending on the consistency you prefer!
5 | Green Beans With Bacon
Green beans are a classic side dish for a Thanksgiving meal but this recipe calls for bacon, and bacon makes everything better, right? You’ll need 1 14oz bag of frozen green beans, 3-4 slices of bacon, 2 cups of chicken broth (additional may be needed), and pepper. Chop your bacon up and saute it, once it’s crispy set the bacon aside. In a pot big enough add your frozen green beans, chicken broth, and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for 2 hours stirring occasionally. If the chicken broth is low and your beans are not cooked through, add more chicken broth as needed. About 30 minutes before the beans are cooked, add in your bacon.
6 | Homemade Stovetop Stuffing
What’s Thanksgiving dinner without stuffing? You can make an authentic stuffing without an oven that’s just as savory as the oven-baked version. Here’s what you need: 2 packages of stuffing mix (cornbread is our favorite!), 6 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion chopped, 2 celery stocks chopped, ½ butter, 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 ½ cups water, ¼ cup turkey drippings (optional), salt and pepper. In a large pan add butter and minced garlic to the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add onion and celery to the pan and cook an additional 5 minutes. Pour in your liquids and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add dry stuffing and remove from heat stirring for a minute or two. Cover and let sit an additional 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, fluff, and serve.
7 | Speedy Cranberry Sauce
Another Thanksgiving meal staple is cranberry sauce and we have a recipe that is quick and easy to top off your holiday meal. All you’ll need is 2 bags of fresh cranberries (6 cups), 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1 ½ teaspoon of lime zest, ¾ cup of honey, and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Ready? Throw all your ingredients except for brown sugar into a small saucepot, cover, and heat on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add in your brown sugar and mash-up your cranberries a bit –that’s it! Super simple and delicious.
8 | Stovetop Turkey
The feature of any Thanksgiving dinner is the juicy turkey and even in an extended stay kitchen, you can have a turkey cooked to perfection. Here are the tools and ingredients you’ll need: a small turkey completely thawed, a deep pot or dutch oven with a tight lid, cooking thermometer, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 carrots, 3 stalks of celery, salt, pepper, and 1-2 quarts of water or chicken stock. You can really add any other spices or flavors you want to your turkey, just follow these instructions. In the large pot or dutch oven, add you oil and saute all your chopped vegetables until they are soft. Next, you’ll want to season your turkey all over with salt and pepper or any seasoning you prefer. Set your turkey on top of the vegetables within the pot. Add 1 ½ - 2 inches of water or broth to your pot, heat to a simmer, and seal tightly with a top. Your turkey will need to cook for about 3-4 hours, but you will need to check the liquid level every 20-30 minutes. If the liquid is boiling, turn down the heat. If the liquid is low, add liquid so that you maintain the 1 ½ - 2-inches. At the 2 hour mark, use your thermometer to check the thickest part of the thigh, it should read 165°F. Every 15 minutes continue to check the thickest part of the turkey breast until it reaches 165° F. Let rest for 10-15 minutes, carve, and dig in!
9 | Apple Crisp
Dessert is easily the cherry on top of any Thanksgiving day meal. This is a traditional yet simple dessert to whip up right in your suite. For the apples, you’ll need 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 apples (cored, peeled, and diced), 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Start melting your butter in a pan and toss your apples in the cinnamon and brown sugar. Cook while stirring occasionally on medium heat for about 7 minutes or until soft. For the topping, you’ll need ½ tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, ¼ cup of rolled oats, ¼ chopped pecans, and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Add your butter to a pan and let melt. Add all other ingredients (except ice cream) and brown for a few minutes on medium heat. Then you’ll just add your apples to a bowl, sprinkle with topping, and serve with ice cream or whipped cream!
10 | No-Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake
We had to get pumpkin in there somehow! This is a quick no-bake recipe but it’s best to prepare this the night before your holiday meal. Here’s what you’ll need: 1 ½ cups finely chopped gingersnaps (and extra for topping), 2 tablespoons of sugar, 5 tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of heavy cream, 2 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese (softened), 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon of salt, whipped cream for topping. Combine the sugar, butter, and gingersnaps in a bowl and mix until they have the consistency of wet sand. In a pie pan or spring-form pan, add the mixtures and press evenly along the bottom –this is your crust. For the filling, in a large bowl beat cream cheese until light and fluffy, add in your pumpkin puree, and mix until smooth. Add in your powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add in vanilla, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg and mix well. Fold in the heavy cream, do not overmix. Pour over your crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours or overnight. When it’s ready, serve with whipped cream and gingersnap sprinkled on top.
