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    Home » Thanksgiving

    Sweet Daddy D's Complete Thanksgiving Recipe Guide

    Published: Oct 1, 2023 · By: Sweet Daddy D · with Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

    358 shares

    Is there a better food holiday than Thanksgiving? It’s the traditional dishes we grew up with that come to mind, but let's reflect on the many things for which we are thankful. This year has been another challenging one but let's focus on the things that bless us. Let's give thanks and celebrate our blessings, large and small!

    a turkey being lifted out of a fryer
    Cajun Fried Turkey!

    This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.

    Here are some of Sweet Daddy D's favorite and most popular Thanksgiving recipes. If you’re looking for something new and different for your Thanksgiving feast, there's plenty here. Just click on the image and you'll be taken to my article with step-by-step instructions. As usual, if you have questions or comments, I would love to hear from you in the comment section at the bottom of the article. Let me know what you are going to try.

    Jump to:
    • Turkey Recipes
    • Ham Recipes
    • Great tools from ThermoWorks
    • Starters
    • Dressings and Stuffings
    • Side Dishes
    • Appetizers
    • Great Breakfast and Brunch Ideas
    • Sweets
    • Some Essential Kitchen Equipment
    • Comments or Questions?

    Turkey Recipes

    Turkey is the traditional centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal and here are three great ways to prepare your turkey.

    • herb roasted turkey on a cutting board with apple and parsley garnish
      Roast Turkey with Herb Butter
    • cajun fried turkey coming out of the oil
      Making Cajun Fried Turkey
    • smoked turkey on a cutting board
      Smoked Turkey

    Ham Recipes

    If you want a break from Turkey this year, or maybe looking for a change of pace, try one of Sweet Daddy D’s ham recipes.

    • smoked ham with pineapple and cheery garnishment
      Double Smoked Ham
    • baked ham on a cutting board with a fork
      Baked Ham
    coupon for Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning

    Great tools from ThermoWorks

    I am an affiliate of ThermoWorks which means that I earn a modest commission when you purchase a ThermoWorks product through my links. This will not affect the price you pay.

    Improve your chances of having your turkey or ham come out perfectly every time by keeping track of the time and temperature. To do that properly, you need reliable tools. I have been using products from ThermoWorks for years and have learned that they are high quality and reliable, two characteristics you need to make you a better cook.

    devices from Thermoworks on a board

    Starters

    Let's get the feast started. It's common in South Louisiana to start the meal with a pot of gumbo or a tasty Bisque.

    Gumbo

    • chicken and andouille gumbo with rice and garnish in a white bowl
      Chicken and Andouille Gumbo (Gumbo Ya-Ya)
    • seafood gumbo with rice in a white bowl
      Seafood Gumbo
    • Turkey Oyster Gumbo with white rice in a blue green bowl.
      Turkey Oyster Gumbo
    • shrimp and okra gumbo in a ladle over a stock pot
      Shrimp and Okra Gumbo

    Bisques

    • oyster artichoke bisque with garnish in a white bowl
      Oyster Artichoke Bisque
    • Mirliton crab bisque in a bowl with crabmeat and green onion garnish and whole mirlitons
      How to Make Mirliton Crab Bisque
    • oyster soup in a silver bowl with fleur de lis on a red background
      Oyster Soup
    • crawfish bisque with stuffed heads and rice in a white bowl with french bread and salad
      Cajun Crawfish Bisque

    Dressings and Stuffings

    The difference between a dressing and a stuffing is generally the manner in which they are prepared, although there may also be some regional influences. A dressing is a dish that supports or “dresses up” the main event, like your turkey or ham. It is part of the presentation, cooked separately and served on the side of the turkey but with familiar flavors that align with the main dish. That same dressing recipe, if stuffed and cooked inside the bird is called stuffing. Cooking a turkey stuffed is more challenging than cooking it outside of the bird, so caution should be taken to make sure that the stuffing gets thoroughly cooked (at least 165 degrees internal). If you are not highly experienced with cooking stuffed turkey, my advice is to cook it outside of the bird.  

    • oyster artichoke dressing in a baking dish with a serving spoon and onions, garlic and parsley garnish
      Oyster Artichoke Dressing
    • mirliton shrimp dressing on a blue green plate
      Mirliton and Shrimp Dressing
    • Oyster Dressing with roasted turkey on a plate.
      New Orleans Oyster Dressing
    • Oyster dressing in a glass baking dish right out of the oven
      Grammie’s Oyster Dressing
    • Cajun Eggplant Casserole on a fork over a dish
      Cajun Eggplant Dressing
    • Cornbread Dressing with Sausage in a glass baking dish with a serving spoon.
      Cornbread Dressing with Sausage

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    Side Dishes

    What are the side dishes you can’t wait for Uncle Stinky or Aunt Sue to bring to the feast? Most of the time these are the definition of comfort food.

    • stuffed artichoke casserole topped with lemon slices in a baking dish
      Stuffed Artichoke Casserole
    • spinach madeleine in a white casserole dish with a spoon on the side
      Spinach Madeleine
    • candied yams in a glass baking dish with a serving spoon inserted
      Candied Yams
    • Dirty Rice with Green Onion Garnish in a white bowl.
      Cajun Dirty Rice
    • Smothered Turnip Greens on a white plate with garlic bread
      Turnip Greens
    • broccoli cheese casserole with a serving spoon in a white baking dish
      Broccoli Cheese Casserole
    • spoonful of yellow squash casserole in a white baking dish
      Yellow Squash Casserole
    • Eggplant Casserole with Shrimp in a white baking dish.
      Eggplant Casserole with Shrimp
    • creamed spinach with mushrooms in a white baking dish
      Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Gratin
    • green beans smothered with potatoes, ham and bacon in a white bowl
      Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes-Cajun Style
    • Roasted eggplant stuffed with shrimp and vegetables on a platter with garnishment
      Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant
    • stuffed mirlitons with shrimp on a baking sheet
      Mirlitons Stuffed with Shrimp and Creole Tomatoes
    • creamed spinach with artichoke on a green platter
      Creamed Spinach with Artichoke
    • Double Shot Butternut Squash with pecans on a blue green plate.
      Double Shot Butternut Squash
    • creole green beans on a green-blue plate
      Creole Green Beans
    • Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup and thyme
      Roasted Carrots with Cane Syrup
    • brussels sprouts with pancetta in a serving bowl
      Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta
    • creamed spinach with mushrooms in a white baking dish
      Creamy Spinach and Mushroom Gratin
    • corn maque choux with green onion garnish in a brown bowl
      Cajun Corn Maque Choux
    • fried cabbage with bacon and cane syrup in a decorative bowl
      Fried Cabbage with Bacon
    • peas in a roux in a wooden spoon over a Dutch oven
      Peas in a Roux
    • close-up of crawfish monica
      Crawfish Monica
    • stuffed mirlitons with shrimp on a baking sheet
      Mirlitons Stuffed with Shrimp and Creole Tomatoes
    • Sautéed green beans with a chili pepper in a serving bowl.
      Sweet ‘n Savory Green Beans
    • Smothered Black-eyed Peas
      Black-eyed Peas
    • green beans smothered with potatoes, ham and bacon in a white bowl
      Smothered Green Beans and Potatoes-Cajun Style
    • six stuffed tomatoes in a baking dish
      Stuffed Tomatoes
    • smothered okra with tomatoes and ham on a wooden spoon over a Dutch oven
      Smothered Okra and Tomatoes
    • mirliton casserole with shrimp in a white casserole dish with serving spoon and a small blue plate of mirliton casserole on the side
      Mirliton Casserole with Shrimp
    • oyster patties on a baking sheet
      Oyster Patties
    • simmering smothered potatoes in a Dutch oven
      Smothered Potatoes and Sausage
    • mac and cheese on a plate
      Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Rocky and Carlo’s Style
    • roasted sweet potatoes with cane syrup and pecans
      Creole Sweet Potatoes with Cane Syrup
    • Double Shot Butternut Squash with pecans on a blue green plate.
      Double Shot Butternut Squash
    • Smothered Cabbage with Pork on a serving spoon over a Dutch oven.
      Smothered Cabbage with Pork
    • cranberry bbq sauce poured over port tenderloin with a side of green beans on a green dinner plate
      How to Make Cranberry BBQ Sauce
    • crawfish mac and cheese on a green plate with parsley garnish
      Crawfish Mac and Cheese

    Appetizers

    • oyster patties on a baking sheet
      Oyster Patties
    • crawfish in sauce ina puff pastry on a white platter with garnish
      Crawfish Vol Au Vents
    • cheese ball spread on a cracker
      Cheese Ball
    • tomato bacon jam being spread on a cracker
      Tomato Bacon Jam

    Great Breakfast and Brunch Ideas

    • grillades with gravy over grits on a plate
      Grillades and Grits
    • rice calas in a serving bowl with powdered sugar and cane syrup
      Calas
    • Pain Perdu (French toast) on a blue green plate with fruit garnish and powdered sugar.
      Pain Perdu

    Sweets

    Don't forget the cranberries (it's so easy to make a great cranberry relish) or the sweets!

    • cranberry relish in a glass bowl with Christmas decorations
      Cranberry Relish
    • Fruitcake Cookies (Christmas Lizzies) on a serving platter.
      How to Make Fruitcake Cookies (Christmas Lizzies)
    • Fruitcakes in baking pans.
      Aunt Ellen's Fruitcake
    • several pecan tarts on a white holiday dish
      Pecan Tarts (Mini Pecan Pies)
    • bread pudding with cane syrup rum sauce and glazed pecans with a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a bowl with green trim and an ice cream scooper
      New Orleans Bread Pudding with Cane Syrup Rum Sauce
    • Glazed pecans with rum and cane syrup
      Glazed Pecans with Rum and Cane Syrup

    Some Essential Kitchen Equipment

    Here is some of the general equipment that I regularly use for recipes such as these. The individual articles have more specific items listed.

    This post is not sponsored, but you will find affiliate links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The price you pay as a consumer does not change, but I may make a small commission based on your purchase.

    Stock Pot, Dutch Oven, Frying Pan, Baking Dish, Chef’s Knife, Cutting Board, Prep Bowls (Cambro), Prep Bowls (Glass), Measuring Cups-Glass, Measuring Cups-Metal, Measuring Spoons, Small Food Processor, Large Food Processors, Kitchen Strainer, Garni Bags

    coupon for Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning

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