It’s Thanksgiving Day. Hungry guests are arriving. The bar is open. Folks are chatting and socializing. Everyone is ready to eat. But… the turkey isn’t quite done. What to do? Satisfy your invitee’s munchies without spoiling their appetites with these three delicious make ahead recipes.
BBQ Turkey Meatballs
These gluten-free meatballs are sweet and tangy. They’re perfect served on toothpicks for a fun pre-Thanksgiving dinner appetizer. Use your favorite bottled barbeque sauce or make your own.
1 pound ground turkey
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 egg
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Vegetable oil
1 cup barbeque sauce
Chopped green onions, to garnish
In a medium bowl, mix ground turkey with chopped green onions and dried cranberries. Add egg and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands until well combined. Shape into 18-20 meatballs. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a small amount of vegetable oil to skillet to keep meatballs from sticking. Brown meatballs for 7 to 8 minutes, carefully turning occasionally to brown evenly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place meatballs in a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Pour barbeque sauce over meatballs and bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink. Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired. Serve warm. Makes 18-20.
Cranberry Cheese Dip
This easy baked dip is a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving Day menu. It’s cheesy, sweet-tart, salty and savory. Serve with water crackers or cocktail toasts. (I divided this recipe into two smaller dishes. One for Vince and me to eat and one to share.)
2 cups extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon brown sugar, optional
¼ heaping cup whole berry cranberry sauce, canned or homemade
½ cup fresh cranberries
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Additional cranberries to garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degree. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix 1½ cups of white cheddar cheese with cream cheese, brown sugar (optional, if cranberries are too tart), cranberry sauce, fresh cranberries and pinch of nutmeg. Mix well to combine. Spread dip in prepared baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheddar cheese. Garnish with additional cranberries. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until dip is heated through and edges begin to brown. Serve hot with water crackers or cocktail toasts. Serves 8.
Oreo Turkey Cookies
Oreo Turkey Cookies are a fun treat for kids and adults alike.
12 Oreo cookies
Candy corn
24 candy eyeballs
12 orange mini M&Ms
Small tube black cake/cookie icing
Separate Oreo cookies into two pieces. Press 4 candy corns on icing on one side. Place other half of cookie on top and press gently to stick everything together. Use small drops of icing to stick eyes and M&M beak on top of cookie. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Best eaten the same day that they are made. Makes 12.
The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@cateringbydebbicovington.com.
