Enjoy an Herbalicious Thanksgiving!

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme can add a surprising amount of savory flavor to a dish and beverage. You can spruce up your stuffing and go from good to gourmet simply by adding your fav herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme. Enjoy creative, herb-inspired ideas to celebrate Thanksgiving – or for any time you have a hankering for the herbalicious!

Much more than garnishes that gorgeously glamorize your cocktails and mocktails, herbs can take center stage in the flavor department. Combine the sippable with the savory and creatively craft your beverages with fresh herbs. Here are some fun sippable ideas:

MINT CRANBERRY POMEGRANATE MOJITO:

Try a combination of fresh mint, gin, and tonic; rum and sparkling water/seltzer; cranberry and pomegranate juice; grenadine; or mint simple syrup.

ROSEMARY LEMON BALM MARTINI:

Try a combination of fresh rosemary and/or lemon balm; citron vodka; rosemary and/or lemon; simple syrup/honey/maple syrup; Cointreau/gin/Triple Sec; or lemon juice and zest.

SAGE CITRUS HONEY BOURBON:

Try a combination of sage/honey/orange/lemon simple syrups; bourbon; orange and/or lemon juice; orange/citrus bitters; or honey/maple syrup.

FOR HERBAL TEA LOVERS:

Steep peppermint, spearmint, and/or lemon balm in hot water to refresh and soothe your senses. With no stimulants like caffeine, you won’t miss any sweet slumber.

While sipping and savoring your herb-flavored and herb-garnished beverages, also consider adding them to your main dishes and side courses. Here are some recipes to herbify staple Thanksgiving dishes, like adding fresh herbs and Herbes de Provence to your turkey and fresh mint to your cranberry sauce.

HERBES DE PROVENCE CITRUS TURKEY

Ingredients:

1 15-pound turkey

1 orange, cut into wedges

1 lemon, cut into wedges

1 onion, cut into wedges

6 sprigs fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano

2 Tablespoons dried savory, marjoram, and lavender (optional)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 Tablespoons coconut oil or butter

1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup, optional to add sweetness

1½ teaspoon each lemon and orange zest

1½ teaspoon grated ginger, optional

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

3 green tea bags, optional for health benefits

1½ teaspoon Sea or Himalayan salt

1½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1½ Tablespoon soy sauce, optional for gravy

Instructions

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rinse and dry turkey; place into a large roasting pan.

Assemble orange, lemon, onion wedges, and tuck half the sprigs of fresh herbs in and around the turkey cavity.

Slather turkey in melted coconut oil or butter.

Pour broth along the sides and in the turkey cavity, then drizzle with olive oil.

Add green tea bags, submerged in broth.

Combine Herbes de Provence, salt, spices, grated ginger, lemon and orange zest and sprinkle on turkey.

Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate before roasting.

Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes, then add the other half of fresh herb sprigs.

Roast for another 40 minutes, reducing the cooking temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut an incision in the skin of thigh to determine when thoroughly cooked.

Let stand for 30 minutes.

In a pan, prepare gravy with the broth from the turkey, gradually whisking in flour to thicken.

Add in soy sauce (optional).

Dip a spoon into gravy mixture to test taste and adapt, as needed.

Recipe adapted from: foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/turkey-with-herbes-de-provence-and-citrus-recipe-1943593

MINT-ALICIOUS CRANBERRY ORANGE SAUCE

Ingredients:

2 12-ounce bags raw cranberries

4 oranges

¼ -1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

½ cup red onion, minced (optional)

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

1 Tablespoon grated ginger

3/4 cup mint or other tea

Short sprigs of fresh mint to garnish

Instructions:

Add tea and cranberries to saucepan, then bring to boil.

Grate 2 teaspoons of orange zest, then peel, section, and dice the oranges.

Add all other ingredients and stir continuously.

Depending on consistency of the sauce, add more tea or water.

Let stand at room temp about 2 hours, then chill in refrigerator.

Garnish with short sprigs of fresh mint before serving.

Recipe adapted from: bonappetit.com/recipe/cranberry-orange-relish-with-mint

Good news – if you can’t get ahold of fresh herbs, dried herbs in whole or powdered form are available year-round, so your turkey and sippables can take center stage and tantalize your taste buds for an herbalicious Thanksgiving celebration.

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Susan B. B. Schabacker

Susan B. B. Schabacker is a proud writer, team member, and fan of Forsyth Magazines and writes multiple articles every month for Forsyth Woman and Forsyth Family. She loves writing and is also pleased and honored to write for National Geographic and National Geographic Kids. Susan is a co-author of a children’s book, Huckleberry Robin, based on a three-generation true family story and hopes to write more children’s books. Susan is also a local singer/songwriter/musician (and aspiring artist) working on recording her third album about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), called Beyond the Virus, that has become both a local and international collaboration. Currently, she lives in the Winston-Salem, Piedmont Triad area of NC, where she has resided for over 20 years. Susan graduated with a B.A. in Corporate Communications and a minor in dance from Elon University. She has had the opportunity to travel internationally to Budapest, Hungary for classical ballet, when she attended UNCSA (University of North Carolina School of the Arts); London, UK; and Beijing, China, where she studied abroad through Elon University. In Stockholm, Sweden, she had a marketing internship at Hachette-Filipacchi, publisher of Elle and other magazines. She also had another marketing internship in London with the Bramah Museum of Tea. Susan is the founder, owner, and master tea blender of a local tea business, Tea-lation! (@Tealation on FB + IN), which she has designed ads for in Forsyth Woman. She hopes to share her love for life + teas and encourages everyone to share, sip, and savor their cuppa happy! Susan looks forward to writing more articles and books and embarking on a long and successful career in music. Susan’s other passions include: photography (@SBBSPhotography on FB + IN), acting, cooking, and arts + crafts.

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