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5-Ingredient Thanksgiving Recipes

5-Ingredient Thanksgiving Recipes

Updated October 27, 2011

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Credit: Karry Hosford

Holiday meal planning is easy when you plan your menu around these festive 5-ingredient recipes.

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Cherry-Smoked Turkey on the Grill

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia Pursell

Cherry-Smoked Turkey on the Grill Recipe

The time put into the cooking process of this turkey is what garners such a stellar flavor. The smokey char that the exterior gets from the grill gives it a golden color and an even better rustic flavor. This turkey truly shines as an alternative method for Thanksgiving fare.

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Herb-Roasted Carrots

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Herb-Roasted Carrots Recipe

A simple side of roasted carrots is the breather a crowded table needs--a bit of palate relief (and ease for the cook) that still looks elegant. Use leftover cilantro in turkey chili or tacos.

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Pure and Simple Cranberry Sauce

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Claire Spollen

Pure and Simple Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Nothing on your Thanksgiving menu is easier than cranberry sauce, whether you keep it classic or spice it up.

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Green Beans with Crisp Meyer Lemon Bread Crumbs

Credit: Greg DuPree

Green Beans with Crisp Meyer Lemon Bread Crumbs Recipe

Time: 45 minutes. Olive oil– and citrus-toasted crumbs make this Thanksgiving staple special.

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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Victor Protasio

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Just whole buttermilk, butter, and crème fraîche make this dish wow worthy.

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Skillet Squash Blossom

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Skillet Squash Blossom Recipe

The best part of this showstopping dish is the caramelized edges.

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Balsamic Cranberry-Onion Jam

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Balsamic Cranberry-Onion Jam Recipe

This jam is an excellent, refined sugar-free alternative to the traditional, often too-sweet sauce, and tastes even better a day or two after it’s made. Because fresh cranberries are so tart on their own, be sure to use a sweet onion such as Vidalia in the jam. Pair this condiment with your Thanksgiving plate, then use as a sandwich spread for holiday leftovers.

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Smoked Paprika-Honey Butter

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Smoked Paprika-Honey Butter Recipe

moked paprika plays off the natural sweetness of the roasted sweet potatoes and gives the butter mixture a rich garnet color. Because of the sheer number of dishes available at Thanksgiving, we keep the serving size to a more modest one-half of a potato per person. You could also use small (4-oz.) sweet potatoes or cut the roasted potatoes crosswise into large pieces before drizzling with the butter mixture.

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Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons Recipe

Toasty brown-butter croutons make simple roasted Brussels sprouts holiday worthy.

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Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Credit: Ellen Silverman; Styling: Toni Brogan

Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Transform mashed potatoes from plain to perfect with the addition of tangy buttermilk and sharp Parmesan cheese.

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Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Fantasy

Credit: Oxmoor House

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Fantasy Recipe

This decadent ice cream dessert starts with a frozen pumpkin pie or a pie from your supermarket bakery. All you have to do is freeze it, break it into chunks, then combine with ice cream, caramel topping, and toasted pecans. You may never go back to plain pumpkin pie.

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Thanksgiving Punch

Thanksgiving Punch Recipe

Serve your holiday guests a festive fall drink made with pomegranate juice, pineapple juice and ginger ale.

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Pomegranate-Rosemary Royale

Credit: Ellen Silverman; Styling: Toni Brogan

Pomegranate-Rosemary Royale Recipe

This simple twist on the traditional kir royale blends tart-sweet pomegranate juice with subtle herbal notes from a rosemary-infused syrup.

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Thanksgiving Salad

Thanksgiving Salad Recipe

Use your Thanksgiving leftovers to make a hearty salad. Cut cornbread dressing into cubes and toast for croutons, and top mixed greens with leftover turkey and cranberry sauce.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples

Credit: Ellen Silverman; Styling: Toni Brogan

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples Recipe

Add amazing flavor to Brussels sprouts by combining them with sweet-tart apples and roasting them for about 25 minutes or until they are tender and mellow.

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Glazed Carrots with Pecans

Credit: James Baigrie; Styling: Randy Mon

Glazed Carrots with Pecans Recipe

Make the most of the natural sweetness of carrots by cooking them in a skillet with brown sugar and minced fresh ginger, and add just the right crunch with toasted pecan halves.

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Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes

Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes Recipe

For a quick and easy alternative to sweet potato casserole, stir maple syrup and butter into mashed sweet potatoes and top with toasted pecans.

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Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans Recipe

Instead of green bean casserole, go with a simpler dish featuring beans flavored with bacon, onion, sugar, and cider vinegar.

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Sweet-Potato Gratin

Credit: Ray Kachatorian

Sweet-Potato Gratin Recipe

Layer sliced sweet potato in a baking dish and bake in a mixture of whipping cream and Parmesan cheese for a luxurious variation of a sweet potato casserole.

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Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

Credit: Ellen Silverman; Styling: Toni Brogan

Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish Recipe

No Thanksgiving meal is complete without the cranberry relish, and this easy one will help streamline your holiday meal preparation because you can make it up to 3 days ahead.

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Roast Peppered Cornish Hens

Credit: Beau Gustafson; Styling: Cindy Barr

Roast Peppered Cornish Hens Recipe

For a small holiday gathering, hens offer a smart-sized option in lieu of a large turkey. Mustard, jelly, and black pepper combine for a simple glaze.

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Sunset's Best Easy Gravy

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Sunset's Best Easy Gravy Recipe

Once you’ve cooked the turkey, just add broth or stock, flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper to the drippings and make a rich and creamy gravy to serve with the big meal.

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Molasses-Glazed Turkey

Credit: Luca Trovato

Molasses-Glazed Turkey Recipe

Add sweet, tangy flavor to your holiday bird by brushing it with a mixture of molasses and Dijon mustard.

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Simple Baked Ham

Credit: Randy Mayor

Simple Baked Ham Recipe

If you want to break outside of the turkey routine this year, consider a simple ham that’s flavored with cloves, apple juice, brown sugar and mustard. And, like turkey, there are a number of ways you can use up leftover ham.

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Flaky Dinner Rolls

Flaky Dinner Rolls Recipe

These superlative rolls derive their texture and beautiful shape from employing a simple folding technique twice and allowing them to rise just once.

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Hurry-Up Homemade Crescent Rolls

Credit: Beau Gustafson; Styling: Sissy Lamberton

Hurry-Up Homemade Crescent Rolls Recipe

Add yeast to all-purpose baking mix and let the dough rise just once for these shortcut dinner rolls. You can make these up to two months ahead and store in the freezer.

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Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream

Credit: Karry Hosford

Sweet Potato Pie Ice Cream Recipe

Deconstruct a sweet potato pie and turn it into a frozen dessert by simply folding mashed sweet potatoes and baked pastry crust dough into vanilla ice cream. Simply amazing.

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5-Ingredient Thanksgiving Recipes

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Cherry-Smoked Turkey on the Grill

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Herb-Roasted Carrots

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Pure and Simple Cranberry Sauce

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Green Beans with Crisp Meyer Lemon Bread Crumbs

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Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

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Skillet Squash Blossom

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Balsamic Cranberry-Onion Jam

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Smoked Paprika-Honey Butter

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Brussels Sprouts with Cornbread Croutons

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Buttermilk-Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

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Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Fantasy

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Thanksgiving Punch

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Pomegranate-Rosemary Royale

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Thanksgiving Salad

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples

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Glazed Carrots with Pecans

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Whipped Maple Sweet Potatoes

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Sweet-and-Sour Green Beans

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Sweet-Potato Gratin

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Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

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Roast Peppered Cornish Hens

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Sunset's Best Easy Gravy

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Molasses-Glazed Turkey

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Simple Baked Ham

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Flaky Dinner Rolls

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Hurry-Up Homemade Crescent Rolls

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