Thanksgiving Dinner Recipe in 75-Minutes

Thanksgiving Day dinner can be prepared in an hour and fifteen minutes, flat. Whoever said the day the pilgrims and Indians gathered to share a meal and show appreciation for a fruitful harvest had to be an arduous task, - never considered the self-indulgence of enjoying a holiday. A low maintenance, conveniently scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner is only 75 minutes away. Try this easy four-course Thanksgiving Day dinner meal:

Yield: 6-servings

Turkey Breasts (Preparation and cooking time: 1 hr 15 minutes)
Hazelnut, Sweet Potato Casserole (Preparation and cooking time: 1 hr 15 minutes)
Brussel Sprouts and Shallots (Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes)
Homemade Cranberries (Preparation and cooking time: 20 minutes)

All ready prepared items:
• Bakery Rolls
• Bakery Bought Pie
• Wine

Turkey Breasts à la Bay Butter

4 pounds of boneless turkey breast halves (with skin)
1 lemon
1 small Vidalia onion (chopped coarsely)
9 leaves of sage
Dozen medium sized basil leaves
1-teaspoon of lemon pepper
4-tablespoons of butter
4-fresh bay leaves
1-tablespoon of dry vermouth
3-tablespoons of garlic
Fresh ground black pepper (as desired)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Bay Butter
In a small pan, melt two tablespoons of butter and add two bay leaves. Bring concoction to a bubble over a low-medium heat. Cover, and set aside.

Sage Basting Mixture
In another petite saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter, add garlic as well as the chopped Vidalia onion. Cover for five minutes or until the onions are translucent and stir. Then scrub the lemon and basil. Next, use the lemon's peel to add zing to the paste. Add vermouth along with the chopped basil and sage, stir and then cover.

Hazelnut Sweet Potatoes

2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), scrubbed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus more for the preparing the pan
3-tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1-teaspoon kosher salt
1/4-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4-teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4-cup medium chopped hazelnuts

Take a medium-sized roasting pan, mist with a non-stick cooking spray. Now just before you place the turkey in the roasting pan, scrub 3 oversized sweet potatoes, puncture them with a fork, position on a wide bowl, add 8-droplets of water, cover in plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes. Rotate the potatoes, re-cover in plastic wrap and nuke for another 6 minutes.

Next, transfer the sweet potatoes into aluminum foil and bake in the oven for another 45 minutes (until the potatoes are tender to the touch.) Rinse the turkey breasts and create a gap between the skin and the flesh. Generously, season with lemon pepper and freshly ground pepper. Spread the basil and sage basting mixture amongst the turkey breasts, underneath the skin. Position the turkey breasts in the roasting pan and place the remaining bay leaves under each turkey breast.

Place the turkey breasts in the 425 degree F preheated oven with the sweet potatoes. Reduce the temperature to 400 degrees F and allow the turkey breasts to roast for 25 minutes before basting with the bay butter mixture. Return to the oven and allow to roast an additional 30-35 minutes. (The turkey should reach 170 degrees F. Use a thermometer in the densest region of the poultry). (Turkey Breast total roasting time: 55 Minutes)

After 45-minutes, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Discard the foil. In a bowl, peel off the skin, mix in two tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, cinnamon, pinches of ginger and other ingredients. Blend sweet potatoes so that ingredients are well distributed. Relocate the sweet potatoes to a buttered glass casserole dish (8 by 8 inches). Spread chopped hazelnuts over the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the last tablespoon of brown sugar and drizzle the last tablespoon of butter (melted). Place in the oven on convection roast 425 degrees F, for another twenty minutes. (Total bake time; 1 hour and five minutes).

Brussels Sprouts with Shallots

1 1/2 pound fresh Brussels sprouts, halved and trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces shallots, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2-cup low-sodium chicken broth

Ten minutes before you remove the turkey breasts and the sweet potatoes from the oven, start boiling two separate pans of water. One large pot will accommodate the brussel sprouts and a medium one is for the cranberries. While the brussel sprouts are coming to a rolling boil, in a heavy skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil over a medium heat.

Add the shallots and sauté four minutes or until they are almost crisp before introducing the garlic. For another 2 minutes, sauté the mixture. Next, drain the brussel sprouts, salt and pepper to taste, put in the skillet and cook until the vegetable begins to look brown. Next, pour in the chicken broth and the remaining olive oil. Allow the brussel sprouts to simmer until the broth is almost evaporated for about three minutes.

Cranberries and Lemon ZIng

1-pound (4 cups) fresh cranberries
1-cup water
1 1/2 cups Splenda or regular sugar
1-whole orange (unpeeled and deseeded)
1/4-teaspoon of lemon zing
1/8-teaspoon ground cloves
1 pinch of ground cinnamon

In a medium-sized pan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Add cranberries, lemon zing, the cloves and 1 orange. Next, over a medium-high flame, stir repeatedly, until berries pop open. Remove from heat, transfer to another dish and set aside. (Optional: remove peels).

For a little guidance on food and wine pairing, review these tips on pairing your Thanksgiving Day Feast with the proper wine. In the interim, don't forget to delegate other responsibilities, such as: table setting, clean up duty, desserts and wine to other guests. After all, Thanksgiving Day dinner is a collective effort of contribution and gratitude.