I cooked up my first Thanksgiving feast almost a decade ago. And to add pressure to the process, that first meal was for my future in-laws. But I had a guide to the process that I would like to introduce you to.

Alton Brown

He is a god of the kitchen. And when I made that very first turkey, he guided me the entire way. How to brine the turkey. How to roast the turkey. Using the aluminum tent to keep the white meat moist while the dark meat continued to cook.

I chose well in deciding a Thanksgiving guide with Alton Brown.

So if you are roasting you very first bird, or this is your latest in a long line of Thanksgiving meals tasked to you, I offer you this link to Mr. Brown’s blog. He has listed every one of his fabulous recipes perfect for Thanksgiving mains and sides.

But if you can only choose one, go with Good Eats Roast Turkey. It will give you the courage to try roasting anything once you have managed to cook up a moist and flavorful full sized turkey.

Go forth, cook and be thankful!

EDIT:

I couldn’t let you tackle Thanksgiving without this recipe for Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing.  It’s really the best recipe I’ve ever used, and I always make a double batch of it because my husband likes it so much.