It’s that time of the year again: a week before Thanksgiving when autumn paints the world harvest gold and gives us our favorite rich, hearty classics. At The Neighborhood Harvest, we honor Thanksgiving with the freshest, sustainably produced, and local ingredients. And we give it all— thanks to our small-scale farmers and sustainable farming practices. For the perfect Thanksgiving spread, enjoy our ready-to-eat holiday meals, sides, desserts, and a few recipes (at the bottom) for a bountiful blend of tradition, health, and local love.
Delectable Desserts
We’re excited to feature locally-grown Hayman sweet potatoes from the Eastern Shore and fresh-milled soft red pastry flour from Deep Roots Milling in a holiday favorite: Pilgrim Sweet Potato Pie. And don’t stop there! Other delicious desserts with freshly milled flour include these beloved picks:
Customer-Favorite Collards
It must be Thanksgiving since collards are back on the menu! Chef Andrea’s delicious Sauteed Collards, sourced from our friends at Flores Farm and sautéed with Edward’s Smokehouse bacon and special seasoning, are a crowd favorite. Check out Andrea’s popular scalloped potatoes and black-eyed peas, as well.
Free-Range Turkeys
Back by popular demand, The Neighborhood Harvest is once again offering free-range turkeys (approximately 12 lbs.) from our friends, The Miller Family, at Sunrise Farms in Stuarts Draft, VA. The Millers raise turkeys using only ethical farming practices and feed them non-GMO grains from trusted local sources. Check out our delicious Turkey Roast with Herb Butter.
Petite Hams
A seasonal favorite is here! This dry-cured and aged petite ham is hand-rubbed with salt, brown, and cane sugars, delivered fully cooked, and comes from our friends at Edwards Smokehouse. Just carve paper-thin slices with a sharp knife and serve at room temperature. And don’t let the smaller size fool you. When sliced thin, this 2-3 lb. tasty ham delivers 15 to 18 servings!
Apple Cider
What a treat! Fresh from the Silver Creek and Seamans Orchard in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, this sweet cider is pressed right at the orchard from a hand-selected collection of the season’s best apples. Serve it cold, or heat it up with your favorite spices. The Spiced Fall Fruit Cider can be enjoyed as is or spiked with your favorite autumn spirit for an extra warming touch. Perfect for those cozy fall evenings by the fire!
Eggnog
The holidays are here with this classic eggnog with the perfect balance of spices, eggs, and cream. Our partners at South Mountain Creamery bottle each glass with no added hormones, antibiotic-free. No matter how you serve it, it’s sure to please!
Remember, you can get many of these ingredients right to your doorstep with our fresh baked goods delivery service (and more). Take your Thanksgiving dinner to the next level with The Neighborhood Harvest and enjoy a cornucopia of locally sourced and sustainable food.
Local Sweet Potatoes
Also, enjoy delicious sweet potatoes from Nash Produce in Eastern North Carolina for your own holiday (and everyday cooking). Jam-packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and health-promoting phytonutrients, sweet potatoes are super easy to prepare, such as the favorite family-friendly Sweet Potato Fries and Stuffed Acorn Squash, perfectly cozy for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any winter-themed holiday.
Remember, you can get many of these ingredients right to your doorstep with our fresh baked goods delivery service (and more). Take your Holiday dinner to the next level with The Neighborhood Harvest and enjoy a whirlwind of locally sourced and sustainable food.
Our Best Thanksgiving Recipes For 2023
Free-range Turkey Roast with Herb Butter
Serving Size: 10-12 people
Ingredients
- 1 TNH Free-Range Turkey (approximately 12 lbs)
- 1 cup TNH Salted Butter, softened
- 6 cloves TNH Garlic, minced
- 1 bunch Fresh Rosemary, chopped
- 1 bunch Fresh Thyme, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 TNH Yellow Onions, quartered
- 1 bunch TNH Celery, roughly chopped
Let’s Roast!
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting.
- In a bowl, mix the softened butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels and season the turkey all over with salt and pepper. Loosen the skin and spread half of the herb butter under the skin. Spread the remaining butter all over the turkey.
- Stuff the turkey cavity with the quartered onions and chopped celery. Tie the legs together with a kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the turkey’s body.
- Place the turkey in a roasting pan and roast for about 3 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. Remember to baste the turkey every 30 minutes with the drippings from the pan.
- Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Note: For crispier skin, increase the oven temperature to 425°F for the last 20 minutes of roasting. Be sure to keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
Sweet Potato Fries
Serving Size: 4-6 people
Ingredients
- 2 pounds TNH sweet potatoes, peeled
- 2 tablespoons TNH olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Let’s Bake!
- Heat the oven to 400.
- Mix spices.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks ¼-1/2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long. Toss them with the oil and spices and spread them on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until crisp on the bottom, flip gently, and cook until the other side is crisp and brown for about 10 minutes. Serve hot!
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Serving Size: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 TNH Acorn Squash
- 2 tablespoons TNH Piqual Olive Oil
- Salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup Farro or Quinoa (cooked according to package instructions)
- 1 cup TNH local sweet potatoes (roasted and diced)
- 1 small TNH Red Onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves TNH Garlic (minced)
- 1/3 cup TNH Dried Cranberries
- 1/3 cup Chopped Pecans
- 2 tablespoons TNH Fresh Basil (chopped)
- 4 tablespoons TNH Salted Butter
Let’s Cook!
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and brush the insides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the squash on a baking tray, cut side down, and roast for about 25-30 minutes or until the squash is tender.
- While the squash is roasting, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Stir in the cooked farro or quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Sauté for a few more minutes until the ingredients are well combined. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped fresh basil.
- Once the squash is done, flip them so they are cut side up. Fill each squash half with the farro or quinoa mixture.
- Return the stuffed squash to the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes until the top is slightly golden and crisp.
- Serve the stuffed acorn squash warm.
Spiced Fall Fruit Cider
Serving Size: 8-10 people
Ingredients
- TNH Fruit Bundle
- 4 TNH Oranges
- 3-4 TNH Asian Pears
- 1 Bag TNH Cranberries
- 4 TNH Local Jonagold Apples
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 1 star anise
- 4-6 cups of water (or as needed)
Let’s Brew!
- Rinse all the fruit. Slice the oranges and apples into thin rounds. Core and slice the pears.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large pot. Pour in enough water to cover the fruits.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- After melding the flavors together, strain the cider through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pitcher or pot.
- Serve the cider warm, or let it cool and store it in the refrigerator.
