I love everything Thanksgiving! From the menu planning, the turkey roasting, the guests gathering, and right through to the final bite of pumpkin pie, it’s my favourite holiday.

With so many amazing turkey recipes, it’s hard to choose just one, so here are seven of my favourites. Hope you find one that you love!

1. Mushroom and Herb-Rubbed Turkey with Mushroom Gravy. A whole turkey is a must for my family (we love leftovers!) and this tasty recipe pairs mushrooms with turkey for a flavourful combo. Serve with roasted veggies and mashed potatoes (that mushroom gravy would be terrific on the potatoes too!).
2. Deconstructed Turkey with Stuffing. Made with various cuts of turkey, this recipe is ideal if you want the deliciousness of a whole turkey dinner but don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen – it cooks in an hour and a half! Just add a big leafy green salad and dinner’s ready!
3. Brazilian-Style Grilled Turkey Breast with Salsa Verde This turkey breast recipe is for those white meat lovers out there. I’d serve this with lemony roasted potatoes and a Double the recipe so you can have leftovers for super tasty turkey sandwiches and salads.

Cooking tip: if you’re roasting a skin-on turkey breast, keep the skin on while roasting to lock in the juicy deliciousness and take it off before eating to keep your turkey a lean choice.

5. Turkey Cranberry and Goat Cheese Party Bites – turkey is terrific for appetizers too and these bites are perfect for pre-dinner sharing. For something a little different, try the version made with ground turkey + jerk sauce + cubed pineapple + cilantro.
6. Sweet and Spicy Barbecued Half Turkey. This recipe is great for smaller gatherings. Buy a whole fresh turkey at the grocery store and get the butcher to cut it into two halves. Freeze one half for another meal, maybe in November when we can all use a tasty pick-me-up!
7. Asian Five Spice Roast Turkey The five spice marinade adds a big boost of flavour in this whole roasted turkey recipe. Extras would be fabulous the next day in a turkey pho.
8. Backyard Barbecue Turkey If you’re trying to hang on to summer like I am, you’ll love this barbecued whole turkey. It’s made with a simple spice rub that will make terrific gravy if you barbecue your turkey in a roasting pan to collect the juices.

Cooking tip: You can barbeque a whole turkey on a rotisserie or simply on the grill in a roasting pan. You can also cook side dishes on the barbecue like grilled corn or sweet potatoes. Even stuffing can be cooked on the grill – just wrap your stuffing in foil (I double the foil) and cook on indirect heat.

Got Turkey Cooking Questions?

If you’re new to cooking turkey, or just need inspiration, Canadian Turkey has delicious recipes, tips, and tools to set you up for success.

• New to carving a whole turkey? Watch this video for tips to carve a whole turkey:
• Not sure what size turkey to buy? Check out this whole bird calculator that helps you figure that out. It even allows you to specify if you want leftovers (I always say yes!)
• Not sure what to do with the scrumptious leftovers? Check out all the delicious leftover turkey Truly, with leftover turkey, the possibilities are endless.

No matter which recipe you choose, I’m wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Shannon