Thanksgiving Recipes That Are Sure to Please!

It’s time for Thanksgiving! 🦃✨ On this episode of Cooking with Flava with Ava, prepare for a food coma! We have a 5 cheese AND a dairy-free mac & cheese, a twist on the classic Thanksgiving turkey with cornbread stuffing and fresh gravy, plus my new favorite – sweet potato casserole pie! 🥧  Click above to watch me cook up these recipes! 

5 Cheese Mac & Cheese

Not 1 not 2 but 5 kinds of cheese make up this mouth-watering Mac & Cheese!

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 6-8

      Ingredients

• • 3 tablespoons unsalted or plant-based butter
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons wheat butter
  • 1 12 oz can of evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup Wisconsin cheese
  • 1/2 cup yellow cheddar
  • 1/2 cup Monterey jack
  • 1/2 cup white cheddar
  • 1/2 asiago
  • 1 8oz box of macaroni pasta noodles
  • parmesan and parsley for garnish

     Directions

• • Boil water in a large pot and add uncooked macaroni.
  • While pasta is cooking, start on the cheese sauce.
  • Add butter and garlic to a medium-sized pan. As soon as the butter melts, whisk in flour.
  • Next, add evaporated milk a little at a time, followed by coconut cream, whisking until there are no clumps.
  • Simmer on low for 3-5 minutes until sauce thickens.
  • Whisk in salt, pepper, paprika, onion, garlic powder, pasta water, and simmer.
  • Stir in all those yummy cheeses until nice and creamy.
  • Toss cooked macaroni pasta in cheese sauce, coating each noodle evenly.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Transfer pasta into a baking dish.
  • Top with remaining cheeses and cook in a 375-degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until cheese has formed a nice golden crust.
  • Remove from oven, top with fresh parsley and enjoy!

3 Cheese Dairy Free Mac & Cheese 

Can’t tolerate dairy? Have no fear! I have a dairy-free mac & cheese recipe that is so scrumptious even cheese lovers will want a bite!

Total Time 35 mins

Servings 6-8

       Ingredients

• • 3 tablespoons plant-based butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free sour cream
  • 1 cup coconut cream
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2- 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 roasted garlic
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free mozzarella
  • 1 1/2 cups dairy-free smoked gouda
  • salt + pepper
  • 8 oz fusilli or swirl-shaped noodles
  • 1/2 cup pasta water
  • fried onions for topping

     Directions

• • Roast 1-2 heads of garlic in a 375-degree oven or in any grill gadget.
  • Boil water in a large pot and add uncooked noodles.
  • While pasta is cooking, start on the cheese sauce.
  • Blend or mash roasted garlic, then add butter to a large sauté pan.
  • Add flour and coconut cream whisking together until smooth, then simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  • Whisk in pasta water, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.
  • Stir in all those yummy dairy-free cheeses to your pan until nice and melted.
  • Add rest of the pasta water and almond milk, then whisk until creamy.
  • Toss cooked pasta into a pan with the sauce, coating each noodle evenly.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Transfer into baking dish.
  • Top with crushed fried onions and remaining cheeses, then cook in 375-degree oven for 15-20 minutes until cheese has formed a nice golden crust.
  • Remove from oven, top with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Turkey Roulade filled with Cornbread Stuffing and Cranberries with Fresh Gravy

Guarantee a juicy turkey for Thanksgiving! Why cook a whole turkey when you can save half the time and double the flavor!

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 8-10

      Ingredients

• • 1 boneless turkey breast (lbs)
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • seasoned salt
  • 3-5 slices of bacon
  • sage
  • thyme
  • Rosemary
  • 1 can cranberries
  • 1 bag of dried herb dressing
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 eggs
  • cornbread (make ahead of time)
  • 1/2 white onion chopped
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 1/2 stalks of celery
  • 1/2 green bell pepper
  • chicken or veggie stock

      Directions

• • Preheat the oven to 400° degrees. 
  • Let’s start with our cornbread stuffing! Make cornbread ahead of time to save time.
  • In a medium sauté pan, cook onions, peppers, celery, and shallots for 5 minutes or until soft.
  • Add sausage and cook until brown, then set aside.
  • Crumble cornbread into a large bowl, then add sausage and veggie mixture to the bowl as well.
  • Add dried herb dressing, chicken stock, and melted butter to the cornbread mixture.
  • Lay plastic wrap on the surface, followed by turkey breast skin side down.
  • Cover turkey breast with plastic wrap, then beat with a mallet until 1 inch thick.
  • Remove the top layer of plastic and season both sides of the turkey with salt and pepper.
  • Lay 3-4 strings (long enough to wrap turkey breast) of cooking string underneath the turkey breast.
  • Spread a nice layer of cornbread and stuffing onto the inside of the turkey breast.
  • Begin to roll turkey breast slowly until completely rolled.
  • Secure with string tying knots to keep the turkey in place while cooking.
  • Season with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and pepper.
  • Wrap turkey with bacon strips.
  • Transfer turkey breast to dutch oven.
  • Surround turkey with fresh herbs like sage, thyme, and rosemary.🌿
  • Drizzle the remaining chicken stock around the turkey to keep it moist.
  • Finish by topping with sliced butter and drizzling a little olive oil.
  • Cook in the oven for 20 minutes on 400 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and cook until the meat has reached an internal temperature of 155 degrees.
  • Remember to baste the turkey breast 3 to 4 times for a moist turkey.
  • With 10 minutes remaining, top with cranberries and remove the cover to allow the turkey to golden.
  • Arrange herbs and fresh cranberries in a circular wreath formation, leaving space in the center for the turkey.
  • Once cooked, remove from oven, slightly cool, and transfer to plate with herbs, enjoy!

* Baste: to pour juices or melted fat over (meat) during
 cooking in order to keep it moist --

Homemade Turkey Gravy

Always wondered how to make gravy?  Well, today’s your lucky day!

Servings 6-8

      Ingredients

• • 3 tablespoons unsalted or plant-based butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • drippings from turkey breast (around a cup or so)

     Directions

• • In a sauté pan, melt butter, then whisk in flour.
  • Add drippings, salt, and pepper to taste and whisk together until gravy thickens.
  • As simple as that, you have delicious gravy!

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole Pie

This sweet combination of casserole and pie is my new holiday favorite!

       Total Time 30 mins

   Servings 8-10

      Ingredients

• • 3 cups sweet potatoes (around 4 sweet potatoes)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup softened butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup coconut creme or almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • topping 1 cup brown sugar
  • mini marshmallows
    

    Brown sugar topping

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 more cup flour
  • 1/3 cup melted butter

     Directions

• • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Rub sweet potatoes in a little olive oil, then bake for 1 hour or until soft.
  • Remove skin and mash potatoes in a large bowl.
  • Add sugar, butter, eggs, coconut cream, cinnamon nutmeg, vanilla, and flour, to sweet potatoes.
  • Combine well with a hand mixer until creamy.
  • Transfer filling into pie shells evenly.
  • In a separate bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and melted butter into a crumble.
  • Once your pie is covered with brown sugar topping, bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees.
  • Remove from the oven and brush melted butter along the crust for a golden finish.
  • Add mini marshmallows, then cook for 5-10 more minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, slightly cool, and enjoy!