With Covid-19 still around and it’s unfortunate presence in our lives, celebrations will be a lot different this year for most. Larger gathers will be canceled to help keep our families and friends safe.

So I’ve decided to help those who are having to adjust to smaller gatherings with recipes to help fit your table this year. Now, this won’t be the only recipe I’ll post this month, so don’t worry (Pinterest has a lot to share.)

We don’t need a whole turkey! Here is a recipe for turkey legs that will take a fraction of the time you spend on Thanksgiving cooking. This allows you to sleep in rather than rise before the rooster!

Here is the link to read further on this delicious substitute.
https://www.lordbyronskitchen.com/butter-basted-turkey-legs-and-thighs-with-fresh-herbs/
 

BUTTER BASTED TURKEY LEGS AND THIGHS WITH FRESH HERBS

COURSE: MAIN COURSECUISINE: NORTH AMERICAN, THANKSGIVING PREP TIME: 10 MINUTESCOOK TIME: 2 HOURSTOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS 10 MINUTES SERVINGS: 8 SERVINGS CALORIES: 362KCAL AUTHOR: LORD BYRON'S KITCHEN

Photo Credit: Lord Byrons Kitchen

A sure way to keep cheaper cuts of turkey moist and tasting great is with butter. Butter Basted Turkey Legs and Thighs with Fresh Herbs guarantee flavour and moistness!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 whole turkey legs, skin on; bone in
• 4 whole turkey thighs, skin on; bone in
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh summer savoury, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet or pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• NOTE: If you purchase frozen turkey legs and thighs, they must be fully thawed and at room temperature before attempting this recipe.
• Pat the turkey legs and thighs completely dry with paper towels. Set them aside.
• Combine the butter, summer savoury, thyme leaves, rosemary, onion flakes, salt, and pepper. Whisk it all together until the herbs and seasonings are well incorporated into the butter.
• Use about two tablespoons of the butter mixture to fully massage each piece of turkey with. This is messy, but the best way to do it is to pick up the turkey leg or thigh in one hand, scoop a mound of butter into your other hand, and massage the butter completely around the turkey. It should be coated thick.
• Transfer the butter-slathered turkey to the baking sheet, being careful to not let the pieces overlap and not to touch the side of the baking pan.
• Cover with foil, and bake for one hour.
• Remove from oven, baste each piece of turkey with the melted butter and turkey juices in the pan. Cover and return to the oven. Repeat this every fifteen minutes for the next hour. Leave the foil off the last 15 minutes.
• Transfer the turkey to a serving platter, spoon over some of the butter and herbs. Garnish with more rosemary, summer savoury, and thyme if you wish, and serve.

NUTRITION

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 855IU | Vitamin C: 2.8mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 0.9mg

For those who don’t eat meat or want a vegetable dish option I found this awesome option that seriously makes my mouth water!

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH + WILD RICE MEDLEY

Photo Credit: Simple Veganista

Here is the link to read further on this delicious veggie dish!

https://simple-veganista.com/stuffed-acorn-squash-with-wild-rice_28/#tasty-recipes-8928

• Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
• Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 45 min Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: Serves 6 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Oven, Stovetop
• Cuisine: Vegan

Ingredients

• 3 acorn squashes, cut in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• olive oil (to roast oil-free see notes)
• 1 teaspoon thyme, divided
• sea salt

Wild Rice Medley

• 1 cup wild rice, dry (I used half black wild rice and half long grain brown rice)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
• 1 medium/large red bell pepper, diced
• 1 small onion or 1 large shallot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz. mushrooms (about 2 cups), sliced
• 2 large handfuls baby spinach (baby kale or chard is great too, or a combo)
• 1 can cannellini beans (15 oz), drained and rinsed
• 1 teaspoon thyme (dried or fresh)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
• sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or silicone mat. In an ovenproof saucepan, fill halfway with water and place on the bottom rack (this will give a little steam to your squash).

Prep and roast the squash: Cut and seed your squash, place on baking sheet with cut side up. Brush each half with a little oil, and season with a sprinkle of thyme, salt and pepper. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until tender, knife should easily pierce the flesh. If by chance your squash is done first, cover with foil to keep it from drying out.

Rice: Cook your rice according to package directions. Wild rice will take about the same time as the squash to cook, about 40-45 min. Set aside.

Veggies: In large pan, heat oil on medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook 1 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, thyme, red pepper flakes, a few twists of salt and pepper, cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the mushrooms start to sweat and soften. Add the beans and leafy greens, stir frequently until they are wilted and warmed through (you may also want to use a cover in between stirring to help soften the greens).

Wild Rice Medley: Combine the rice and sautéed vegetables in the larger of the two pots. Taste for seasoning adding additional salt and pepper as needed.

Stuff: Scoop mixture into each acorn squash half and serve with any additional seasonings. I actually like to top mine with some sriracha for that extra heat and flavor I love so much. :)

Serves 6 (or 3 for the hearty eaters).

Store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in fridge for up to 4 – 5 days.

NOTES:

Quinoa or quinoa/rice combo would be great too and add even more protein per serving.

, omit the oil when roasting the squash and roast the squash cut side down to keep the moisture in. You can still add a little salt and pepper, and place a sprig of thyme underneath so the flavor with infuse the squash a little. Use water in place of oil when sauteing the vegetables.To make this oil free

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