Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for the New Cook

Use These Easy Thanksgiving Recipes for Your First Thanksgiving Meal

Maggie Ray
Thanksgiving can be intimidating to a new cook, but it doesn't have to be. There are many easy Thanksgiving recipes that can be used to make the meal easier to prepare. As a new cook, easy Thanksgiving recipes will allow you to have a traditional meal for your family without worrying about having all the meal items done in time. To prepare for your meal, decide on what menu items you would like to have and search for easy Thanksgiving recipes to use. Here are several that you might consider:

Easy Thanksgiving Recipe for Turkey:

If your family is small, you may choose to do a turkey breast as your first easy Thanksgiving recipe. Purchase a turkey breast, either boneless or boned, and an oven bag. Place the turkey in the bag, pour one can of cream of chicken soup in the bag, tie the bag with the twist ties provided. Place the turkey in the bag in a 9x13 baking dish. Cut a couple of slits in the bag. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes for each pound of the breast. This easy Thanksgiving recipe produces a moist turkey with minimal work and the soup becomes your gravy.

Easy Thanksgiving Recipe for Macaroni and Cheese:

Baked macaroni and cheese can be intimidating for the new cook. It's not a difficult item to make, but cooking it for the first time on a stressful meal day like Thanksgiving is not advisable. Consider using an easy Thanksgiving recipe for your macaroni and cheese. Start with a box of deluxe macaroni and cheese. This is the prepackaged macaroni and cheese that has a package of cheese with it rather than the powdered type. Make the recipe according to the box, and then layer part of the cheese in a casserole dish. Add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese, more macaroni and cheese, another layer of shredded cheddar. Continue to layer until you have used all the macaroni. Cover with foil and sit on the back of the stove until the turkey is almost done. Place in oven for the last five minutes of the turkey cooking to be sure the cheese is melted in this easy Thanksgiving recipe.

Easy Thanksgiving Recipe for Potatoes:

Hash brown casserole is an easy Thanksgiving recipe that can be made by new cooks. It can be cooked in the oven at the same time as the turkey. Hash brown casserole is an easy recipe. Ingredients mix in one bowl, pour into the casserole dish and bake. No extensive preparation is needed. There are many versions of this casserole that can be found with a simple Internet search. The basic concept is to thaw a bag of shredded hash browns, add a chopped onion and stir in a cup of sour cream and can of cream soup. Add two cups of shredded cheese and mix all the ingredients before pouring in the casserole dish. This easy Thanksgiving dish is a big favorite at potlucks and is similar to the casserole you get at Cracker Barrel restaurant.

Easy Thanksgiving Recipe for Side Dishes

For your first Thanksgiving dinner, consider having some basic vegetables as side dishes. Even with easy Thanksgiving recipes for other items, having many new things to try can make the meal stressful. Thanksgiving is not meant to be a time of worry. Use the easy Thanksgiving recipes given as a core menu and add things like corn or peas. Use vegetables your family likes so that you do not encounter reluctant children when you add new things to the table.

Take advantage of Internet search engines to find easy Thanksgiving recipes that will help make preparing your first Thanksgiving meal an easier task.

Published by Maggie Ray

Maggie Ray is a freelance writer with more than thirty years of experience in contract writing and program management. She experienced military life as an active duty member of the United States Air Force fo...  View profile

  • Hash brown casserole is an easy Thanksgiving recipe that can take the place of mashed potatoes.
  • New cooks can find many easy Thanksgiving recipes on the Internet.
  • Add some family favorite vegetables to your Thanksgiving meal along with new Thanksgiving recipes.

4 Comments

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  • Aurora Aberdeen11/10/2009

    Great suggestions, Maggie! Thanksgiving Mac & Cheese - Awesome! :)

  • Kofi Bofah11/24/2008

    This what I am looking for.

    'Easy'

  • Sherry W11/23/2008

    I'm not a new cook, but the idea of preparing an entire Thanksgiving meal (especially the turkey) is pretty daunting! :) Good job.

  • C.B. Jones11/23/2008

    Great recipes!

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