One thing our team is always thankful for is good food, so this year, we wanted to share some of our favorite holiday recipes with you. Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving feast or contemplating what to bring to a potluck, here are some ideas – from the beerbutt turkey itself, to indulgent side dishes, drinks and desserts. Happy cooking and cheers to a delicious Thanksgiving!

Chelsey and Kyle Brices’ Beer Can Turkey

Yes, we go back to our roots for Thanksgiving, and have put our spin on the classic beer can chicken. Some people will say that stuffing a can of liquid up your poultry’s butt doesn’t help with keeping the bird moist, or add any flavor. To that I say, you’re officially uninvited to the Brices’ Thanksgiving. 

Ingredients:

1 turkey (15-20 lbs)
1 “tall boy” of Coors Heavy, plus any additional for chef (tall boy = 24 ounce can; Coors Heavy = Coors Banquet) 
1 boatload of butter
2 yellow onions
2 oranges
Seasonings of choice (Kinder’s Buttery Steakhouse is always a winner, same with Trader Joe’s coffee rub)
1 disposable aluminum tray (who has time to scrub a dish)

Steps:

1. Brine your turkey if you’re into that sort of thing. We use Alton Brown’s recipe. 4-to 5 hours before you have to serve your turkey, pull it out of the brine/fridge, and start seasoning. We like to mix our seasoning in with the butter and stuff it under the skin, in the carcass and all over the skin. 
2. Once the bird is seasoned up nicely, grab your aluminum tray and the Coors. Pour a third of the beer into the bottom of the tray, then set the beer down and carefully slide the turkey over the can. 
3. In the bottom of the tray add your quartered-up onion and orange (We stick one orange slice in the turkey’s neck hole to trap in all that beer steam). From there, let the turkey rest. (The closer you get it to room temperature the quicker it will cook and the less likely you’ll have a “Save the neck for me, Clark” situation). 
4. Preheat your BBQ  to 350°. Then toss the turkey in, upright (in its tray, of course), close the lid and wait. Give it 15-30 minutes before opening the lid again, to check and make sure the breast skin isn’t getting too dark (set a timer for this, or you’ll have a sad, burnt turkey). 
5. Once the breast is golden brown, put a piece of tin foil over the bird and quit opening the BBQ lid until your thermal probe says it's at temp. The internet says it will take 3 ½ to 4 hours to cook a turkey this size. That is an unreliable system, and will likely result in a bird that dehydrates your guests the second they take a bite. Instead, you’re looking for an internal temp of 165° at the thigh or 155° in the breast (the FDA will disagree, but we recommend pulling it off 5° early because the temp will rise as the turkey rests). 
6. Pull the turkey out, and let it rest for half an hour. At this point, you are ready to carve and serve. You’re welcome.

Nicole’s Crisp-Top Sourdough Stuffing

I got this recipe from Sunset.com. I made it the first time I hosted Thanksgiving (the Morettis + the Dions came together for the first time in my tiny house!) and it came out great. Ahead of that day, we did a Friendsgiving as a trial run and made it for the friends as well. It was a major hit with both groups!

Ingredients:

1 1-pound loaf sourdough, at least 1 day old
1/4 cup salted butter
2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
1 cup chopped celery (2 or 3 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cups turkey broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option)

Steps:

1. Slice bread into 1 1/2-in.-thick slices and tear into irregular 1- to 2-in. pieces. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet and leave to dry at room temperature until needed (up to 2 days). For the best stuffing, the bread should be very dry.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour out 2 tbsp. butter and set aside.
3. Add onion, celery, herbs, and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper to hot pan. Cook until onions are translucent and celery is tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
4. Add torn bread and broth to vegetables and mix in until bread is soaked. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Generously coat a 9- by 13-in. glass baking pan with 1 tsp. reserved melted butter. Pour stuffing into pan and drizzle with remaining melted butter.
6. Cover with foil; bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake until starting to brown on top, about 30 minutes more.
7. Make ahead: Up to 2 days, chilled. Reheat at 350°, covered, until hot (about 30 minutes). Remove foil and cook 10 more minutes for a crunchy top layer.

Michael’s Japanese-Style Deviled Eggs

A Japanese twist on classic deviled eggs, to add some global flavors to your Thanksgiving feast.

Ingredients:

9 large eggs
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
½ cup Kewpie mayonnaise
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2½ teaspoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1–2 tablespoons bonito flakes

Steps:

1. Place eggs in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 15 minutes. 
2. Remove eggs from hot water, cool under cold running water, and peel.
3. Place sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove to cool on a paper towel-lined plate.
4. Cut each egg in half lengthwise; place egg yolks into a food processor with Kewpie mayonnaise, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Process until smooth; add green onion to yolk mixture and pulse just enough to mix evenly.
5. Arrange egg white halves on a serving platter; spoon or pipe yolk mixture into whites. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and bonito flakes.

Paige’s Twice-Baked Potatoes

No one worried about fat, calories or cholesterol “back in the day,” and traditions are traditions, so we keep making this rich and dreamy side masquerading as a vegetable. Feeling extra indulgent? Sub cream for milk. 

Ingredients:

4 large baking potatoes
8 slices bacon
1 cup sour cream
½ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
8 green onions, sliced, divided

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bake potatoes in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour.
3. Cook bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.
4. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; save skins.
5. Add sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese, and 1/2 of the green onions to the potato; mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy.
6. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins; top each with remaining cheese, green onions, and bacon.
7. Return potatoes to the preheated oven and continue baking until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. 
8. Serve Hot! 

Emily’s Noodle Kugel

Not to play into the food blogger stereotype, but this recipe is incredibly close to my heart. This kugel recipe comes from my Nana. I remember helping her make it for Hanukkah every year (sneaking little handfuls of the topping while I mixed it was my favorite part). Today, serving it at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah reminds me of my Nana and Papa, and I find joy in knowing that their memory lives on through the family traditions they started. 

Fair warning, this came out of a family recipe book that’s older than sliced bread (literally) and features handwritten annotations and ambiguous measurements like “a small stick of cream cheese” (which wouldn’t be an issue if grocery stores carried the exact same products as they did in 1920). That being said, I’ve done my best to adjust the topping to how I make it, but please feel free to add “way more of this” or “a little bit less of that” if that’s what your heart is telling you. And if it comes out a little different each time, that’s part of what makes it special.

Ingredients:

4 oz broad egg noodles
8 oz cream cheese 
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
1 cup milk (lukewarm)
½ tsp vanilla

Topping: 

¾ cup crushed corn flakes
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup brown sugar

Steps:

1. Cook noodles as directed on the package. 
2. Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add eggs, sugar and milk. Add the noodles. 
3. Pour it all into an 8x8 baking dish (or whatever medium-sized dish you have on hand). 
4. In a separate bowl, mix the topping ingredients together (don’t forget to sneak a couple handfuls). 
5. Sprinkle the topping on the noodles and spread evenly. 
6. Bake for 45 minutes at 350° (or until the topping looks brown and toasty, because this part of the original recipe was super ambiguous). 

Michala’s Anti-box Mashed Potatoes

Every time you use boxed mashed potatoes, one of Michala’s 62 plants dies.

Ingredients:

12 russet potatoes, peeled
1 1/4 cups hot milk
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp fresh parsley or chives, finely chopped for garnish

Steps:

1. Peel potatoes and cut in half if super big. 
2. Place potatoes in a large pot (5 Qt+) and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook partially covered until easily pierced with a knife (boil 20-25 minutes depending on size). 
3. Drain well and transfer to the bowl of your stand mixer. Grab the whisk attachment and mash potatoes lightly by hand to break them up. 
4. Fit mixer with whisk attachment and start mixer on low speed 30 seconds.
5. Increase speed to medium and slowly drizzle in 1 to 1 1/4 cups HOT milk. With the mixer on, add softened butter 1 tbsp at a time, waiting a few seconds between each addition.
6. Add salt to taste! 

Leslie’s Pear 75 Cocktail

A classy combination of a French 75 with a hint of autumn. 🍐 

My love for the French 75 has turned into an obsession, so much so that it’s become a must have for almost any festivity that permits drinking before noon. So why not create several versions of it? The classic ingredient was passed down to me from my best friend, with whom I’ve shared countless “Frenchies” (as we call them) and created the best memories with. I then took it upon myself to share my love for this elevated mimosa with my friends and family, especially during the holidays. Wink, wink. If you enjoy this version, ask me for the Christmas version! Or my fav, the classic Frenchy. ✨

Ingredients:

1 oz gin 
½ of pear syrup 
½ lemon juice (freshly squeezed, trust me) 
3 ounces of prosecco (La Marca is a favorite) 

Garnish: lemon twist, mixture of cinnamon and sugar 

Pear Syrup Ingredients: 

2 pears (muddled)
¾ of a cup of sugar
¾ of a cup of water 

Steps:

1. Make the pear syrup: Cut your pears and muddle them in a large glass. Add your sugar and water to a small saucepan and stir on low heat. Add your muddled pears and turn heat to medium. Use a spoon to smush to soften the pears as much as you can. Once the sugar is dissolved, use a cheesecloth or strainer to strain the syrup into a cup or jar. Let cool.
2. Wet the top of a champagne flute with a wedge of a lemon, gently dip it into a mixture of cinnamon and sugar until it sticks to the rim. Set aside while you make the cocktail. 
3. Add the gin, lemon juice and pear syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.
4. Pour into the champagne flute.
5. Top with prosecco.
6. Garnish with a lemon twist. 

Stephanie’s Smoked Bacon-Bourbon Apple Crisp 

A BBQ twist on apple pie if your smoker or bbq is feeling lonely on Thanksgiving. 🥧

Ingredients:

2 strips artisanal bacon, like Nueske’s. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slivers
3 pounds crisp, sweet apples like Honeycrisps or Galas
1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar, or to taste
1-1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons bourbon

Topping:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and placed in the freezer until icy cold
1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies or granola
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Steps:

1. Set up your grill for indirect grilling and preheat to 400°F.
2. Make the filling: Fry the bacon in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, stirring with a slotted spoon, until crisp and golden brown, 4 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a large bowl. Pour off and reserve the bacon fat for another use. Don’t wipe out or wash the skillet.
3. Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Add them to the cooked bacon. Stir in the sugar, flour, lemon zest, Spice cinnamon and salt. Stir in the bourbon. Taste the mixture for sweetness, adding sugar as needed. Spoon the filling into the skillet.
4. Make the topping: Place the butter, cookie crumbs, flour, white and brown sugars, and salt in a food processor. Grind to a coarse mixture, running the processor in short bursts. Don’t overprocess; the mixture should remain loose and crumbly like sand. Sprinkle the topping over the apples.
5. Place the crisp on the grill or smoker rack away from the heat. Add the wood to the coals and cover the grill. Smoke-roast the crisp until the topping is browned and bubbling, the apples are soft (they should be easy to pierce with a skewer), and the filling is thick, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
6. Serve the crisp hot off the grill or smoker. Extra points for topping it with ice cream.