Planning your holiday meal, but don’t know where to start?
Holiday meals are a BIG DEAL!
Make sure your guests get happy and full by using these tips.
Table of Contents
Tips for Planning Your Holiday Meal
Get in Prep Mode
If you’re going to make an awesome holiday meal, get in prep mode now!
Get excited, make a list, and start executing your plan for making an awesome holiday meal for your family.
The better attitude you have, the better your meal is going to turn out!
Clear your Schedule
When you are the host for the holiday meal, you need a few days to prep.
I love to prep a few days beforehand to relieve the stress.
It’s no fun being stressed out whenever you are planning a holiday meal.
Also, practice a few stress relieving techniques to help you stay stress free.
Get Creative with Your Meal
The best thing you can do is make stuff you want at your table.
Don’t worry about what everyone is making.
What are some meals you enjoy having at your table each year? Make those dishes and enjoy them.
Something that my family loves having around are table is a Glazed Roast Turkey with all the trimmings.
There is not anything that can rip away this tradition from our holiday meal.
Making a Canadian Turkey a part of your holiday meal is easier than ever.
I always have leftovers and I can make awesome leftover meals.
Turkey is an excellent choice for the holidays that are quickly approaching.
What are some tips you have for making your holiday meal awesome?
Please share your tips! You know I’m always up for a good meal.
Glazed Roast Turkey with Apricot and Pecan Stuffing
Turkey Ingredients:
1 whole turkey, 12-14 lbs.
4 tbsp olive oil
1 cup white wine
1 cup turkey broth
Rub Ingredients:
2 tbsp salt
1 ½ tbsp white pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp ground Italian seasoning
1 tbsp ground sweet paprika
Apple Butter Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup apple butter
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp pepper
1 tsp salt
4 branches fresh thyme
2 cloves finely minced garlic
Stuffing Ingredients:
3 cups crusty bread such as sourdough or Italian, cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup roughly chopped dried apricots
½ cup rolled oats
¾ cup turkey broth
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
Prepare Stuffing:
- Spread the bread cubes out on a baking tray and place in your oven overnight to dry out.
- Place in a large bowl.
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the onions and celery and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the turkey broth over bread to moisten.
- Add the onion and celery mixture.
- Add the oats, apricots and dried herbs.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix well and proceed to stuff your bird.
Prepare Glaze:
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until glaze is thick and syrupy.
- Remove fresh thyme stems and discard.
- If you are using a chunkier style of apple butter and you want a smoother glaze, use a hand blender to blend the glaze until smooth.
- Glaze can be made up to 1 week in advance.
Prepare Turkey:
- Make sure the turkey is thawed and the giblets and neck have been removed.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Pat the bird dry with paper towels.
- Rub the turkey with olive oil, inside and out.
- Combine all spices to make a rub. Sprinkle generously onto the bird, inside and out.
- Stuff the turkey, loosely, with the stuffing mixture.
- Place the bird into your roasting pan. Add wine and turkey broth.
- Roast the turkey for 4 – 4 ½ hours, until the juices run clear and an instant thermometer reads 170°F in the breast, 180°F in the thigh and the stuffing reaches 165°F.
- Generously apply glaze directly onto the turkey, twice, every 15 minutes in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- Return the turkey to the oven and then re-apply in the last five minutes of cooking.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
NOTE: Cooking times are for planning purposes only – always use a digital meat thermometer to determine doneness.
Looking for some additional glaze inspiration? Here are a few other variations:
Cranberry Rosemary Port Glaze
1 cup cranberry jelly
½ cup ruby Port
½ cup orange juice
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring to a low simmer and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes or until glaze is reduced to a thick syrup-like consistency.
Can be made up to 1 week ahead.
To use on your roast turkey, generously apply glaze directly onto the turkey in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Return the turkey to the oven and then re-apply in the last five minutes of cooking.
Rest and carve according to your turkey recipe directions.
Spicy Maple Bourbon Glaze
1 ¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup bourbon
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp tobasco or hot sauce
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
Bring to a simmer for 20 – 30 minutes until glaze is thick and syrupy.
Can be made up to 1 week ahead.
To use on your roast turkey, generously apply glaze directly onto the turkey in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Re-apply in the last five minutes of cooking. Rest and carve according to your turkey recipe directions.
TIP:
You can change the flavor profile of your glazes by adding a variety of spices.
Try adding a combination of one or more of the following: cloves, nutmeg, star anise, cinnamon or five-spice blend to any of these glazes to add a hint of holiday spice and change things up.
Our readers also enjoyed these recipes with “Printables” Sweet Maple Green Beans, Honey Glazed Oven Roasted Carrots, Low Carb No Bean Chili Recipe, Easy Creamy Chicken and Corn Chowder Soup and Easy Homemade Miso Soup.
I love making my own stuffing, I’ve used the same recipe for 30 years now, this recipe is for microwave stuffing but is great for the turkey and cooks amazing
Homemade stuffing is the way to go
I like the DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE HERB ROASTED TURKEY recipe
I cook the turkey upside down to keep the breast meat moist and flip it for the last hour to brown the turkey.
I enjoy a roast stuffed turkey with veggies and gravy. I like to make soup with the bones and leftover.
that’s very interesting turkey. I don’t have turkey tips
i think i’d love the TURKEY ENCHILADAS
Turkey tetrazini with leftovers….yummy!
My favourite holiday turkey recipe would be the HERB INFUSED TASTY ROAST TURKEY.
I put sausage meat in the neck,with a stuffing “plug”.This is ONLY used cold in sandwiches.It is AMAZING!
I love roasted turkey dinner, and then making soup out of the bones the next day
I enjoy turkey tacos with the leftovers!
Save the carcass for delicious soup!
My fave turkey dish is my moms classic roasted stuffed turkey with all the trimmings 🙂
I like turkey on crackers with hummus
My best tip for cooking turkey is a timesaver for people who have a small number of people over. Just do a whole turkey breast instead of the whole bird. Easier and smaller!
My best tip is to get someone else to do it! 🙂 My husband is the cook in the family. (I am the baker)
Use loads of savoury and butter on the turkey mmm
My best tip is we use a Forman Rotisserie now for a small turkey! Feeds 12 people still and my oven is free for all the sides!
I love hot turkey sandwiches
turkey with cranberry sauce
I use a rack so the turkey cooks evenly all over and the underneath doesn’t sit in the juices and get soggy.
I use a rack and stuff the turkey with lemon, onion and herbs. Plaster butter all over it..
My favourite cooking tip is about the home made stuffing. The stuff from the boxes doesn’t taste as good.
I make home made stuffing that is a recipe that has been used in our family for a long time. It is moist and has great flavour.
I brine the turkey the night before!
I put butter under the skin of the turkey to keep it moist.
I love making homemade stuffing, I make a huge recipe and wrap some in bacon and bake. It’s so delicious! I’m going to try your glaze recipe this year. I like that you can make it up to a week in advance!
Our favourite side dish at Christmas is a broccoli casserole with cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese and toasted almonds.There is never enough!
The Peach Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast sounds delicious.
My favourite holiday turkey recipe would be the Peach Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast
turkey using bacon strip for basting
I like making turkey tacos, a family fave.
I’d love to try the Spice Rubbed Turkey with Wild Rice and Dried Cherry Stuffing for this holiday season.
I love leftover Turkey because Hot Turkey Sandwiches are the best!
I have never cooked a turkey and had it turn out in my life, so I have no tips nor recipes. My only tip would be – don’t try to cook turkey if you suck at cooking! 🙂 That’s all I’ve got.
I let someone else cook the turkey and I make soup with the leftover carcass.
Turkey is my favourite part of Christmas although I had not considered glazing it sounds good
This looks like a good recipe to try.
In the winter, we like a nice bowl of Homemade Turkey Soup-make the broth in the crockpot and it is delicious.
I love deep fried turkey! Boil in oil in a pot over propane fire, for 45 minutes…take it out…crispy skin, juicy meat…Mmmmmm…..delish!
Stuffeed turkey with sweet potatoes and green beans.
my mother in laws secret recipie for in bird stuffing.. to die for
I love veggie stuffed roasted turkey!
I love turkey and making stock with the leftovers
I never even heard of veggie stuffed roasted turkey. Need to try!
I like the Turkey Taco Pizza. Easy and great for movie night.
i put slices of bacon on my turkey
I use an electric roaster oven to save room in my oven for the other dishes.
I like stuffing and I like the turkey gravy poured right on it.
I like the traditional turkey with all the trimmings.
I lhave be smoking our turkey on our smoker
We love to brine our turkey the night before.
Brine the turkey so it’s tender when it comes out! I like to put extra stuffing. Also some rice inside the turkey when baking.
I keep my turkey covered with bacon – my Grandmother always used salt pork slices but I like the bacon. And baste it every 1/2 hour. The bacon is like a special treat for the kids when the turkey is cooking and the smell of it always reminds me of my Nan’s house.
Mishelle
My favourite recipe is using turkey leftovers to make turkey noodles.
I like to Brine my turkey. When making the stuffing I use my own homemade broth to moisten the breadcrumbs and my garden grown sage! Another one is I use olive oil to baste, keeps skin moistend doesn’t brown to dark!
My favourite holiday turkey recipe is Honey-Glazed Roasted Turkey with all the trimmings.
My favorite recipe is the one my husband makes every year. It is from an old cookbook we got one year and it is for a nutty stuffing. It is now everyone’s fave and is requested every xmas!
My favorite turkey recipe is hot turkey sandwiches. The recipe on the turkey website fro potato topped mini turkey meatloaves looks incredible. I definitely will be trying it.
The Peach Glazed Roasted Turkey Breast is my favourite recipe!
I love using left over turkey for wraps!
Love the traditional turkey dinner
I season mine the night before so it has time to soak in
I don’t have a recipe really, I do put butter under the skin when I cook my turkey!
I love homemade turkey leftover sandwiches with homemade cranberry sauce! Can’t believe I used to buy canned cranberry sauce before discovering how sweer and easy it is to stir up your own!
A friend and I experimented for years, trying different ways to roast a better turkey. We brined, salted, spatchcocked ( butterflied), used high heat, cooked breast down and every other way we could think of. Now, we both roast the turkey the way our Mothers did, stuffed and in a 350 oven. Simple.
My favourite holiday turkey tip is a classic – baste, baste, baste!
cook the turkey up side down to keep the meat moist then flip it and brown the skin
i COOK MY TURKEY IN A LOOK BAG COOKS FAST AND DOESN’T DRY OUT
We love open face turkey sandwiches with leftovers – and the rest goes into a turkey soup!
I am making a turkey for New Year’s this year and I’d love to taste the DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE HERB ROASTED TURKEY! With the leftovers I am intrigued to make the Stuffed Mexican Turkey Bites.
looks SO good!!
Looks really good I think I might try it
My favourite recipe has to be lemon and herb stuffed turkey!
I like to make sweet and sour ground turkey meatballs!
The Hearty Turkey Sausage and Tomato Risotto looks so good! I love Risotto, and the Turkey Sausage is a nice, healthier option. Yum! <3