Three Must-Try Thanksgiving Recipes

Make your Thanksgiving unforgettable with these three delicious recipes: a tangy cranberry sauce, savory sausage & wild rice stuffing, and indulgent salted caramel pie. Perfect for a festive feast!

 ELA’s On the Water

Cranberry sauce

No Thanksgiving table is truly complete without cranberry sauce — the dish that divides opinions almost as much as politics at the dinner table. But if you’re one of those still on the fence, this recipe from ELA’s On the Water might just convert you. With the perfect balance of sweetness and a hint of citrus, it’s sure to win over even the most skeptical cranberry holdouts. Here’s how to make this holiday classic that could easily become the star of your feast.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Directions

[1] Rinse the cranberries thoroughly and combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. [2] Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You’ll know it’s ready when the cranberries start to pop and soften. [3] Remove from heat and blend the mixture with a hand blender until smooth. Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. [4] Let it cool and serve alongside your Thanksgiving feast — it’s sure to win over even the cranberry skeptics. 

Celeste

Savory sausage & wild rice stuffing

This cherished family recipe comes from Diane Nightingale’s mother, Celeste, the namesake of their restaurant on Hilton Head Island. Passed down through generations, this classic stuffing takes a flavorful twist with wild rice, sage and sausage, making it a coveted Thanksgiving side dish.

Ingredients

• 1 (13-ounce) bag Pepperidge Farm Herb-Seasoned Classic Stuffing
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup Jimmy Dean Sage Premium Pork Sausage, cooked and browned
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cups Swanson Chicken Broth
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup wild rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup turkey drippings or gravy
• Pinch of sage, parsley, thyme, and rosemary

Directions

[1] Heat your oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped celery and bell peppers, cooking until they are tender but still slightly crisp. [2] Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in the stuffing mix, seasonings, and cooked wild rice. Add the browned sausage and walnuts, mixing everything together lightly. [3] Gradually fold in the beaten eggs. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 2-quart casserole dish, then drizzle the turkey drippings or gravy over the top. [4] Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Charlie’s Coastal Bistro

Salted Caramel Pie

For the holiday season, Chef Josh Castillo at Charlie’s Coastal Bistro shares his new favorite dessert: salted caramel pie, a decadent blend of rich caramel and a touch of sea salt that creates the perfect balance of sweet and savory.

Ingredients (crust)

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter

Directions

[1] Mix everything together in a bowl. Spray the pie pan with nonstick cooking spray. [2] Spread and press the crumb mixture into the mold and bake at 350 for 5-6 minutes. Let cool before filling up the crust.

Ingredients (filling)

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 pound butter
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 can sweet condensed milk

Directions

[1] Melting the butter in a pot. Add everything except the milk. Bring to a boil and cook down for 5 to 8 minutes. [2] Lower the flame and add the sweet condensed milk while whisking the mixture. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, always going around the whole pot to avoid letting the bottom burn. [3] Bring up to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes and then pour into your pie crust and cool overnight in fridge.