Cookbook author and recipe developer Anna Francese Gass is gearing up for Thanksgiving and serving up some simple ideas to help put together the holiday meal with less stress.
Gass, the author of "Italian Snacking," joined "Good Morning America" to help count down to Turkey Day and share her easy oven-ready recipes.
First up on "GMA," Gass showed us how to make a turkey and stuffing meal on a sheet pan.
Ingredients
For the stuffing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 onions, minced
2 small apples, cored and minced
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons Anna's Italian Spice Blend (see recipe below)
1/2 cup white wine
2 1/2 pounds Italian bread, diced (I like ciabatta)
4 cups turkey broth
Optional mix-ins:
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
1 cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine
For the turkey:
5 pound turkey, butchered into breasts, thighs and legs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons extra-virgin oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons fresh cracked pepper
3 tablespoons Anna's Italian Spice Blend (see recipe below)
Anna's Italian Spice Blend:
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
Gravy:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1 teaspoon Italian spice blend
3 tablespoons fine flour, like Wondra
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups turkey broth
Directions
Combine all the ingredients for the Italian spice blend in a bowl and store in an airtight container.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium, add the garlic, onion, and apples, and cook for 3 minutes, just enough to soften but not brown.
Add the sausage, crumbling as it hits the heat to create small pieces. Season with the salt and spice blend. Allow to cook for 3 minutes, just so it begins to brown.
Add the white wine and cook for 5 minutes on medium to reduce.
Add the bread and the turkey broth or stock. Mix to combine. Remove from the heat.
Pour the stuffing mixture onto a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet. One with high rims is preferable. Spread the mixture evenly. Place the Dutch oven back on the stove. Do not wash (we will use it for the gravy).
Place the turkey pieces on top of the stuffing, skin side up. Lift the skin and evenly distribute the butter under the skin, a tablespoon or two on each piece.
Drizzle olive oil over all the skin and the exposed stuffing. Season the whole tray with salt, pepper and Anna's Italian Spice Blend.
Place it in the oven for 1 hour. Make sure meat reaches 165 F inside.
Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and place the meat on a tray, covering it with tented foil.
Place the stuffing back in for 10 minutes if you like a crispier stuffing.
Remove the stuffing, evenly spread the optional mix ins and place in a large serving dish. Serve with the turkey and gravy.
While the turkey and stuffing is in the oven, make the gravy:
Using the Dutch oven you made the stuffing in, turn heat to medium and add the butter, cooking it down until melted and beginning to brown. Add the salt, pepper, and flour, and whisk to combine. Once the flour turns medium brown, add the wine and cook for 3 minutes. Whisk to create a paste.
Slowly add the broth and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and then down to simmer until the turkey is ready.
Later, for "GMA3," Gass shared her recipes for a Hasselback-cut roasted butternut squash, pie crust ricotta cookies and an apple cider mocktail.
2 medium butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeds scooped
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil on a baking sheet. Rub the butternut squash halves with the rest of the olive oil, plus the salt and pepper. Place the squash on the oiled baking sheet, cut side down. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan.
Remove the squash from the oven and carefully make horizontal slices down the squash but not all the way through. You can use two wooden spool handles as a guide. Just lay them down next to the squash on each side.
Brush the squash with the maple syrup butter.
Roast the squash for an additional 30 minutes, then spread with the remaining maple butter, spooning any melted butter in the pan over the squash.
Put the squash back in the oven for another 20 minutes until it is super tender and golden brown.
Remove the halves from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle all the maple butter juices that have accumulated in the pan over the squash and then sprinkle the nuts, cranberries and parsley over the top right before serving.
Total time: 1 hour, 34 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
For two doughs:
2 3/4 cups 00 flour (319 grams)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cold water (I used 6 tablespoons)
For the filling for two doughs:
2 cups fig jam (453 grams)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup mini chocolate chips (165 grams)
1 cup dried figs, cut into small pieces (130 grams)
1/2 cup raisins (70 grams)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (54 grams), toasted
10 to 12 Amarena cherries, halved
1 egg, beaten, for brushing (optional)
Raw or sanding sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Directions
To make the dough:
Place flour and salt into a food processor. With the motor running, add the unsalted butter in 8 pieces. Add the olive oil. Slowly add the water until the dough comes together. You may not need all the water.
(You can also combine the flour and salt into a large bowl, and mix to combine. Add the butter and work the flour mixture into the butter pieces until the butter breaks down into very small pieces. Slowly add the oil and mix to combine. Slowly add a few splashes of water, while kneading. Continue to knead, adding a bit of water to incorporate the loose flour.)
Empty the dough onto a floured surface and knead into a soft ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
On a 9-by-13-inch piece of parchment, roll the pie crust out into a very large oval to the edges of the parchment. Transfer to a baking sheet.
Spread the fig jam all over the dough, leaving a 1/2 inch edge around. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the jam.
Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips, figs, raisins walnuts and cherries evenly all over the dough.
Lift the parchment lengthwise to fold the two long sides of dough into the middle, creating a long roll. Press the edges up to seal. At this point, it is traditional to gently move the ends in to create a horseshoe shape.
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with raw sugar if desired.
Bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheet set on a wire rack.
Once cooled, cut 10 to 12 horizontal slices to serve.
Ingredients
For the base:
2 cups apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
2 apples, sliced
2 lemons, one halved, one sliced for garnish
For serving:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Martinelli's Sparkling Cider
Directions
In a small saucepan, add the apple cider, cinnamon sticks, one sliced apple. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, it will begin to thicken.
While the cider is reducing, combine the sugar and spices. Wet the rim of the glass in the cider and press into the spiced sugar.
Pour the thickened cider into the glass and evenly divide the sparkling cider to the top. Add an ice cube, some apple slices and some lemon as garnish. Serve immediately.
'GMA' kitchen picks
By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave ABCNews.com and Goodmorningamerica.com, and these e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links. SOME PRICES ARE DYNAMIC AND MAY CHANGE FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. Have questions about ordering or a purchase? Click here.
