Thanksgiving Dinner In 1 Hour??

Think it's impossible to create a tasty holiday meal in only one hour? Think again. The following guide will help you cook a succulent roast bird, a savory apple and sage dressing, flavorful green beans, and a sweet homemade cranberry and cherry sauce. Just an FYI....this would be for a SMALL gathering, or a senior citizen...or a single person:


1 minute

Center rack in your oven and set the temperature to 500 degrees F.

3 minutes

Add 1 cup orange juice and 1 ½ cups of cranberry juice (not cocktail) into a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat.

8 minutes

Place two turkey breasts (skin side up) on a baking sheet. Rub them with olive oil (2 tablespoons) and sprinkle with a tablespoon of thyme and salt, followed by a pinch of freshly ground black pepper on each. Place into oven.

15 minutes

Add 1 cup (packed) brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice to juices in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in 1 cup dried cherries and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 3 cups (one 12-ounce bag) cranberries.

25 minutes

Chop 1 large, day-old French baguette (6 cups) and add to a large mixing bowl. Peel, core and chop 3 green apples and add to the bowl and set aside.

Remove cranberry mixture from heat and transfer it to a serving bowl and set aside to cool.

42 minutes

Melt ¼ cup butter in a skillet on medium heat. Chop 1 large yellow onion and add to skillet. Saute onion until softened, and then add half of the onions to bread cubes and apples. (Keep other half of onions in skillet off heat.) Add 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh sage, ¼ cup chopped parsley and 1 cup of chicken broth to dressing mixture and gently blend. Add mixture from mixing bowl into a shallow 9 x 13-inch baking dish and place dish into oven on a rack below the meat.

57 minutes

Remove ends and wash 1 pound of green beans. Add beans to a pot of boiling water, cook 4 minutes and drain. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the remaining onions in the skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer onion mixture to a large serving bowl with green beans and toss. Set aside.

58 minutes

Remove dressing and turkey breasts from the oven. Slice breasts and place on serving platter.

1 hour

Dinner is served. Happy Thanksgiving!