Thanksgiving: Recipes, Traditions and More
If you enjoy celebrating the fourth Thursday in November, give thanks to Sarah Josepha Hale: In 1863, she wrote to President Lincoln advocating the declaration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Today, the Internet offers a cornucopia of information. Use our Thanksgiving Web Guide to find Thanksgiving traditions recipes and other Thanksgiving resources. You'll also find links to the menu from the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, learn ways to keep your guests entertained while you're doing the dishes, uncover the mystery of turkey brining and much more.
Expand All Guide SectionsThanksgiving History and Tradition
You may take Thanksgiving for granted as a day to watch football, spend quality time with your family, or eat, but 150 years ago, it wasn't even a national holiday. The day we celebrate to honor the Pilgrims' first feast in 1621 wasn't made official until President Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation. Below, you'll find a collection of sites elucidating the history of Thanksgiving and spotlighting some of its modern traditions.
Dulcinea's Insight
- As a country, we tend to romanticize that first dinner the Pilgrims had with the Native Americans. However, for many Native Americans, the settling of America is hardly cause for celebration. In 1970, many began observing a Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving. The Pilgrim Hall Museum (a valuable Thanksgiving resource that will appear again in the guide) devotes a page to recounting the history and current discussion of this tradition.
- If you're in or around the New York area for the holiday, consider heading to Central Park in Manhattan the night before Thanksgiving to watch the balloons being inflated for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The crowds are smaller than at the parade, and you still get to sleep late on Thanksgiving. For more parade details, check the Macy's site, listed below.
Dulcinea's Picks
The History Channel
Web site covers the full story of Thanksgiving from the first feast to the last float in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Listen to Pilgrim "interviews", watch videos on the Mayflower crossing, or view the History Channel's own float in the 2006 parade.
HowStuffWorks
gives the lowdown on Thanksgiving. Discover origins, symbols, traditions, and a history of the day itself, or compare Thanksgiving traditions in other cultures.
The Library of Congress
has a Thanksgiving timeline that commemorates all the important Thanksgiving moments from 1541 through 2001. Hallmark events including the first Thanksgiving Day football game and the day President Harry Truman pardoned a turkey are noted. The LOC also has a holograph of the letter written by Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of the magazine Godey's Lady's Book, to Abraham Lincoln persuading him to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.
Pilgrim Hall Museum
proves that Sarah Hale could not only write advocacy letters, she could also cook a mean roast turkey. Her recipe, and an array of other recipes from throughout Thanksgiving history, can be found here on the museum's Web site. Also swing by the museum's main Thanksgiving page, which provides Presidential Thanksgiving speeches, news about Thanksgiving events at the museum or around Plymouth, and a dancing turkey.
Scholastic
provides an educational tutorial on the first Thanksgiving that's designed for teachers but also useful for parents. Even an adult without children might be entertained by the simulated Mayflower voyage and ship tour, audio clips of Pilgrim interviews, and a slideshow of the first Thanksgiving (photos are of reenactments by actors from Plymouth plantation).
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
is a big part of Thanksgiving tradition for many Americans. On the official Macy's parade site, get information about this year's parade or play some fun (and addictive) parade computer games.
Who knew ...
The Canadian Encyclopedia
has a brief history of Canada's Thanksgiving Day, which is celebrated on the second Monday in October.
Host Thanksgiving
When you offer to host Thanksgiving, you're guaranteed to avoid the holiday traffic, but you are saddled (or privileged!) with numerous other responsibilities. What's the easiest way to get out invites? Will you have a kids' table? Is there a way to make sure nobody bickers at the table? These questions, and more, are answered by the sites recommended below.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Calm your fears by reading about, and laughing at, some Thanksgiving fiascos experienced by professional foodies at the San Francisco Chronicle.
- For more specific ideas on what to cook, explore the "Where can I get advice about turkey?" and "What else should I serve?" sections of this guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
For advanced preparation and planning tools ...
Evite
is your virtual party planner and available for as little or as much help as you need. Create an invitation, enter the e-mail addresses of your guests, and Evite will e-mail the invitations, send reminders, and keep track of the RSVPs. You can design a custom invitation or choose from the selection of Thanksgiving-themed invitations. For more party-planning help, visit "Entertaining" for ideas and tips, or the "Party Store" for supplies.
MarthaStewart.com
teaches you how to make Thanksgiving easy (and if she can't, nobody can). This printable Thanksgiving planner tells you what to do and when to do it, ensuring that you have all your ducks (or turkeys) in a row before the big day. And don't forget to use Martha's calculator to help you figure out how big a turkey you need.
For an easier holiday ...
Real Simple
promises you a "No-Stress, Less-Mess Thanksgiving" with this article on how to stop bad family behavior before it starts. The tips are provided by Stephen R. Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families.
eHow
shows you an alternative solution to cooking Thanksgiving dinner: catering. If catering seems too nontraditional, but you're still loath to slave over a hot stove, check out the site's advice for having a potluck Thanksgiving.
For a guide to hosting Thanksgiving ...
TheNest.com
, a magazine devoted to newlyweds, promises that hosting Thanksgiving doesn't have to be difficult. Although the article is aimed at young couples, the advice it provides for navigating the day is widely useful. For more guidance and fun ideas, explore "10 Things to Know About Hosting Your First Holiday."
FoodNetwork.com
's Thanksgiving page includes substantial advice on anything you might be cooking, or thinking about cooking, this year. Look for links to all the television programs on Thanksgiving, or visit your favorite Food Network host's page of recipes and advice.
For something extra ...
Kaboose
's craft page has a cornucopia of fun, creative, and useful projects you can do with your kids (or any young dinner guests). Kaboose, one of the top five family destinations visited online, offers much more than suggestions for projects: you can also download clip art, including invitations, that help the whole family contribute to hosting the holiday.
Turkey recipes and tips
Although Ben Franklin made a strong case in favor of the wild turkey as the national bird, the bald eagle won out, and the turkey has only the month of November in which to shine. However, as anyone who's cooked a turkey before knows, it requires a fair bit of attention during that time. If you have questions about choosing, cooking, or carving a turkey, or are curious to know how many turkey feathers compose Big Bird's costume, you'll find answers at the sites we recommend below.
Dulcinea's Insight
- If you've never cooked a turkey before, or are trying a more complicated new recipe, consider doing a trial run (with a smaller bird) a week or two before the big day.
- Although we've designated some sites in this section as good sources for recipes, most of the sites with advice about cooking turkeys have recipes, too.
- Many of the sites below have turkey calculators to help you figure out how big a bird you'll need, but each varies slightly. For example, the Butterball calculator asks to distinguish between adults and children, and FoodNetwork.com asks how many servings per person you want. Choose a calculator depending on your preference, or crunch numbers on a few different sites and then make your own guesstimate.
- If you're a vegetarian, don't skip this section without investigating Tofurky. Or if you prefer, make side dishes your main meal with help from the "What else should I serve?" section of this guide.
- If, on the other hand, you're a devout carnivore and would prefer to eat three birds instead of just one, consider preparing a turducken. Preparation and construction are vital, so be sure to check not only recipes but also sites that teach you how to debone your poultry. Yes, we've included both in this section.
- The findingDulcinea Socially Responsible Food Web Guide provides information about purchasing an organic turkey and offers guidelines on safe meat.
Dulcinea's Picks
For an overview of turkey ...
The University of Illinois Extension
offers a "Turkey for the Holidays" guide that might be the most comprehensive one you'll find online, or anywhere. Developed by a food science and nutrition specialist at the extension, the guide draws on all areas of the college's expertise, including cooking techniques, the latest safety updates, guidelines for carving, and help with selection. While your bird is cooking, browse through "History and Lore" for more than you'll ever need to know about the bird.
Norbest
is a turkey farm that offers this virtual tour for those who want to learn more about the origins of the holiday's central figure.
For comprehensive preparation and cooking guides ...
Butterball
, a prominent purveyor of premium poultry, shows you how to prepare its product with the "Easy Cooking Guide" for turkey. Try out calculators and conversion charts, find basic advice, or watch a variety of how-to videos. If you're still stuck, ring up the experts at the toll-free Turkey Talk-Line, but before you do, investigate whether yours is on the list of Frequently Asked Questions.
Whole Foods Market
, a popular chain of markets specializing in high-quality natural and organic products, shares tips for a perfect turkey. Benefit from the "Turkey Tool Kit" so you won't suddenly find yourself without the right knife for carving, and several other short guides. And don't miss the "All About Brining" page.
TurkeyHelp.com
is another brainchild of America's Test Kitchen, a group of three dozen full-time cooks and product testers who develop recipes for their TV show and Cook's Illustrated magazine. Once you've nailed the basics with the "Turkey Q&A," explore advice on equipment, cooking preparation, and staying safe in the kitchen. Or investigate "25 Foolproof Recipes," and brace yourself by reading "Top 10 Holiday Cooking Disasters."
The San Francisco Chronicle
's 2006 feature "Turkey Training Camp" proves that you're not the only one who's worried about cooking turkey. In fact, there are least five other novices who qualified for extensive lessons on cooking and serving turkey. Their education is recounted in this article.
For recipes ...
FoodNetwork.com
has an entire page devoted to turkey, with various recipes and tips. (You may have peeked at it if you visited FoodNetwork.com's Thanksgiving page, recommended in the "How do I host Thanksgiving?" section of this guide.) Use the turkey calculator at the bottom of the page to determine how much turkey you need for the number of people eating and how long you need to cook it. Take advantage of colorful slides and Thanksgiving advice from all of your favorite TV show hosts.
Food & Wine
presents a recipe created and perfected by chef Pam Anderson. Anderson literally roasted hundreds of birds while researching and writing her book, The Perfect Recipe.
Allrecipes.com
has a collection of the best user-submitted Thanksgiving turkey recipes. You'll find a featured daily recipe, a collection of newly added recipes, and, on the left-hand side of the page, a list of popular recipes like Deep-Fried Turkey and how to brine a turkey.
To fry your turkey ...
The National Turkey Federation
gives a thorough lesson on how to deep-fry a turkey. Given how hazardous turkey frying can be, carefully following this advice from the turkey industry's official advocacy organization is probably your best bet for safety.
For turducken ...
The New York Times
explains what turducken is and where it came from in this 2002 article, written when the turducken was first hitting the mainstream.
Chef Paul Prudhomme
's official site is probably the best place to go for a turducken recipe, including information on how to debone your fowl. Prudhomme is often credited as the innovator of the dish, and his site is professional and easy to navigate. The recipe here serves 24 to 30 people.
1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook
gets into the nitty-gritty of "Boning Birds Whole" with a tutorial that teaches you, via some explicit photographs, how to debone your birds.
For Tofurky ...
Turtle Island Foods
is the innovator of Tofurky, one of the better-known vegetarian alternatives to meat. On the site, explore plentiful meatless options, compare the nutritional information of tofu and animal products, or go directly to the "Tofurkey Holiday Products" section.
To make good use of your leftovers ...
Mr Breakfast.com
is your go-to guy if the calculators didn't work for you, and you bought a turkey that was too big. Rather than violate Puritan values and waste food, put it to good use with these Thanksgiving leftover breakfast recipes.
Who knew?
CBS News
proves you're not the only one obsessing about turkey. Gourmet magazine selects the turkey that will appear on the front cover of its November issue months in advance.
Thanksgiving Side Dishes and Desserts
Just because the Pilgrims didn't really eat sweet potatoes at the first Thanksgiving doesn't mean you should suffer without them. In fact, the side dishes and desserts are as crucial to the Thanksgiving meal as the turkey. Whether you'd like a fresh recipe for a traditional garnish or are looking to incorporate a new side or dessert, you'll find bright ideas for your Not-Just-Turkey Day at the sites we've collected here.
Dulcinea's Insight
- If you're experimenting with new dishes, consider trying them out privately first before you debut them for a big Thanksgiving crowd.
- Don't discount recipes on the backs of boxes and labels of cans. After all, if the pumpkin puree company isn't an expert on turning its product into pie, who is?
- You'll find more recipe sites in the findingDulcinea Recipes Web Guide, and plenty of advice on preparation and execution in the findingDulcinea Cooking Web Guide.
- Vegetarians abstaining from turkey can eat most of the vegetable-based dishes suggested in this section, but we've also included a site specifically for vegetarian dishes.
Dulcinea's Picks
For articles and suggestions ...
The New York Times'
article "Fixings to Make Any Turkey Fly" reveals the gourmet food products that will push your side dishes into the limelight. Take food writer Florence Fabricant's advice about farm-fresh brussels sprouts or winter squash, and you'll "glorify the bird, and make the meal worth eating."
CBS News
shares recipes presented on The Early Show by cookbook author and teacher Tori Ritchie. She offers "fun spins" on typical Thanksgiving sides.
To browse through recipes ...
Epicurious
aggregates recipes from top food magazines and cookbooks, including Gourmet and Bon Appetit. If you find the 458 recipes for Thanksgiving side dishes overwhelming, narrow your search by entering specific terms into the search bar. And be sure not to neglect your 257 options for Thanksgiving desserts. For a really authentic Thanksgiving, peek at descriptions and recipes circa 1621.
Food & Wine
displays a slideshow of 58 Thanksgiving dishes. You'll find pictures and recipes, but there's only one way to browse: you've got to go through the whole thing in order. Depending on how much time, patience, and enthusiasm you have, this can be thrilling or frustrating.
In a Vegetarian Kitchen
provides several recipes to create a colorful, tasty, and meatless vegetarian Thanksgiving (all recipes are vegan or have vegan versions). It features seasonal vegetable dishes and even includes vegan desserts.
In a Vegetarian Kitchen
provides several recipes to create a colorful, tasty, and meatless vegetarian Thanksgiving (all recipes are vegan or have vegan versions). It features seasonal vegetable dishes and even includes vegan desserts.
For wine ...
FoodNetwork.com
explains the best wines to serve with your Thanksgiving meal. As the holiday repast reflects a variety of flavors and textures, each traditional Thanksgiving dish is paired with a recommended wine.
Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes
Although it seems to celebrate overeating, Thanksgiving doesn't have to mean adding "new pants" to your Christmas wish list. The sites we've collected for this section can give you a clear picture of what's on the table and how much of it you can eat without adding year-round stuffing.
Dulcinea's Insight
- You'll discover on the sites below that most people exceed their recommended daily calorie intake at the Thanksgiving meal, but that doesn't mean you should starve yourself for the rest of the day. Eating healthful snacks during the day makes you less likely to overeat later.
- The following Web sites offer advice on monitoring calories during the meal itself, but remember to be wary of the junk food you eat on the couch while watching football or other Thanksgiving programming.
- If you're on a well-known diet such as Weight Watchers(tm), Atkins(tm), or South Beach(tm), check the official site of the diet for tips and adjustments you can make so you won't slip up on Thanksgiving.
- For more thorough advice on healthful eating, try out the findingDulcinea Nutrition Web Guide.
Dulcinea's Picks
CNN.com
reports how many calories are in a typical Thanksgiving meal, using nutrition information from a prepared-foods market. The data is from 1998 but is consistent with current values.
MSNBC
describes the portion sizes that can help you adhere to moderation this Thanksgiving. You'll find basic guidelines for how much to pile on, using real-life measures like a deck of cards (the recommended portion of turkey), as well as strategies for sticking to your plan (for example, if you absolutely must fill your plate, use a smaller plate).
iVillage
has created this "Menu Makeover" that replaces all your Thanksgiving favorites with a healthier variation. With some painless substitutions, you can save yourself about 700 calories. Check the "Related Content" box on the right for more helpful articles.
The American Dietetic Association
has more than 20 articles on how to have a healthier Thanksgiving. Scroll through the titles on this page and read one or several, depending on your needs and interests.
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