Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas from the Erica Diaz Team!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner! That means it’s time to get to planning dinner. Whether you are planning a meal with turkey and all the fixings or simply deciding what restaurant to enjoy, now is the time to decide.

Thanksgiving in Central Florida

Central Florida is a hotspot for Thanksgiving celebrations with all of the famous theme parks and attractions around. November is a gorgeous time of year as far as the weather goes. It’s no wonder that people are attracted to the area to enjoy their time off with family and friends for the holiday.

On the other hand, we have the best of both worlds for those of us who call Central Florida home. We get to be home for Thanksgiving and enjoy the convenience of popular attractions and theme parks. With the theme parks having the entertainment under control, it’s time to plan Thanksgiving dinner.

At the Erica Diaz Team, we love Thanksgiving. It’s the tastiest time of the year! Gathering with friends and family and enjoying each other’s company. Oh, and of course, all of the yummy food that comes with it.

Some of Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

If you plan to stay home for the holidays and cook Thanksgiving dinner, take a look at some of these fabulous recipes shared by some of the real estate agents on the Erica Diaz Team.

Thanksgiving Main Dish

Deep-Fried Turkey by Trevor Zwick

Traditionally the turkey is the highlight of Thanksgiving dinner. Nowadays, many people have begun their own traditions with various main dishes. However, if a turkey is on your menu, give deep frying a try this year. While standard turkeys cook in the oven, deep-frying the turkey is a quick delicious twist on the traditional main dish.

Ingredients:

2 cups butter
1/4 cup onion juice
1/4 cup garlic juice
1/4 cup Louisiana style hot sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
7 fluid ounces beer
3 gallons peanut oil for frying or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey neck and giblet’s removed

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the onion juice, garlic juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and beer. Mix until well blended.
2. Use a marinade injecting syringe or turkey baster with injector tip to inject the marinade all over the turkey, including the legs, back, thighs, and breasts. Place in a large plastic bag and marinate overnight in the refrigerator (do not use a kitchen trash bag.) If your turkey is large, you can use an oven bag.
3. When it’s time to fry, measure the amount of oil needed by lowering the turkey into the fryer and filling it with enough oil to cover it. Remove the turkey and set it aside.
4. Peanut oil to 365°F. When the oil has come to temperature, lower the turkey into the hot oil slowly using the hanging device which comes with the turkey deep fryer. The turkey should be completely submerged in the oil. Cook for 36 minutes or three minutes per pound of turkey. The turkey is done when the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180°F. Turn off the flame and slowly remove from the oil, making sure all of the oil drains out of the cavity allow to rest on a serving platter for at least 20 minutes before carving.

(The original recipe can be found here.)

Thanksgiving Sides

Green bean casserole by Nick McGrath

What’s Thanksgiving without a green bean casserole? Luckily Nick has been perfecting this recipe for years. This year wow your guests with the perfect green bean casserole!

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh green beans trimmed and cut into thirds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
16 ounces portobello mushrooms trimmed and sliced
4 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
2 containers of fried onions
1 small onion diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Blanch the green beans by boiling them in salty water for five minutes. Immediately drain and place an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a 12-inch pan, preferably cast-iron over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, diced onions, and salt and pepper until mushrooms and onions start to sweat out their juices (around 5 to 6 minutes.) Add the nutmeg and garlic and cook for a minute or two. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute.
3. Add the broth and cook for two minutes, decrease the heat to medium-low and add the can of cream of mushroom. Cook until ingredients start to thicken, occasionally stirring (about 5 to 8 minutes.)
4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/2 to 3/4 of the fried onion strings your preference. Top with the same amount of fried onions and place in the oven until the casserole starts to bubble (around 15 minutes.)
5. Remove from oven and serve! Remember cast-iron will be very hot!

Cornbread shortcake by Cassie Hoffmann

Ingredients:

1 can cream corn drained
1 package Jiffy cornbread mix
1 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
1 can hold corn
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1 onion chopped

Directions:

1. Sauté onion in butter. Add sour cream, salt, and 1/2 cup cheese.
2. Mix cornbread mix with milk, egg, and corn. Put in greased pan.
3. Pour onion mixture on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until light brown.

* If the water consistency in the onions when sautéing seems high, simply cut back on the milk slightly. It sometimes seems a little watery when done, but as it cools, it will come together.

Thanksgiving Desserts

Banana Pudding by Cassie Hoffmann

This particular recipe is extra special, as it was Cassie’s grandmothers’ recipe.

“Banana Pudding was a recipe passed down from my dad’s mom a.k.a. Ma’amom. She recently passed away last year. Ma’amom was a wonderful cook and taught my sisters and I most of the things we know in the kitchen. She had an old-school Rolodex of recipe cards, and this was one of our family’s favorites of her recipes. After she passed away, one of my sisters had the recipe put on a kitchen towel for my sisters, dad, and me.” – Cassie Hoffmann

Ingredients:

1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Dash of salt
1 egg – well beaten – stir in
2 cups of milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cap of vanilla
Bananas
Vanilla wafers

Directions:

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, egg, and milk in a pot over low heat, stirring until mixture boils. Boil for one minute. Then blend in 1 tablespoon of butter if desired and one and a half cap of vanilla.
2. After the custard is made, layer it with diced bananas and vanilla wafers

Pecan pralines by Paul Duhon

Try these pecan pralines if you’re looking for a simple but festive sweet treat. Paul makes them every year! So easy to make… Such a big hit with guests!

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar 
Dash of salt
1/2 a cup of milk
2 tablespoons white Karl syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Directions:

1. Mix the sugar, salt, milk, and Karo syrup in a heavy 3-quart pan. Cook to a soft ball stage and then remove from heat.
2. Stir in butter and vanilla and be until cool. Add pecans and drop by tablespoon onto wax paper.
3. When firm, store in a closed container. It makes about two dozen 3-inch pralines

(The original recipe can be viewed here.)

Cherry pie cookie cups by Mary Joe Beasley

These little cookie cups are the perfect treat after Thanksgiving dinner. They are easy to grab and sweet to eat. This recipe was shared with her by her sister, and now she’s sharing it with you!

Ingredients:

1 – 16.5 ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 21 oz canned cherry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 to 2 tablespoons of milk

Directions:

1. Divide cookie dough in half; cut each half into 12 slices. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Roll each slice into a ball, then roll in sugar and place each ball into a muffin cup. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.
2. Remove from oven and press down the center of each cookie cup gently to make a slight indention fill each with 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling. Return to oven and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Call slightly, then remove from pans.
3. Mix powdered sugar, melted butter, and milk. Drizzle over cookie cups. Store in fridge

*Makes 24 count mini pie cups.

**These can also be made with any kind of pie filling.

Leave the Cooking to Someone Else

If you are more of an eat-at-home but have someone else prepare the food kind of holiday chef, then check out these excellent places. They do all of the prepping and cooking for you. It’s easy, peezy. Simply, place an order at one of these places for all of the dishes you desire, then pick them up the day before Thanksgiving. All you have to do is warm and serve. Keep in mind they book out fast, so place your order today to ensure you’re not cooking on Thanksgiving!

• Publix
• Whole Foods
• Honeybaked Ham
• Cracker Barrel
• Boston Market

Skip the Cooking & Cleaning

Now, if you are looking for an easy and relaxing Thanksgiving dinner with NO cooking or cleaning involved, then check out these restaurants that are offering dine-in Thanksgiving dinner.

• Cracker Barrel
• Seasons 52
• Rainforest Cafe
• Romano’s Macaroni Grille
• Bahama Breeze

 

Erica Diaz Team – Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas from the Erica Diaz Team!

Central Florida is a great place to spend Thanksgiving. Whether you live locally or are here visiting, you are going to need to make plans for Thanksgiving dinner. Do you want to cook a turkey and all the fixings, or maybe you’d rather just go out to one of your favorite restaurants? There’s no wrong choice!

In this article, the Erica Diaz Team shares some of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes as well as local restaurants to help you with your holiday planning.

If you fall in love while on vacation, contact us to discover your perfect Central Florida home today!