Thanksgiving is right around the corner and, with it, time to get in the kitchen with your kids and cook up some mouth-watering treats. To help provide inspiration, we reached out to six chefs, restaurateurs and food experts and asked them to share their favorite seasonal dishes. Click through for some tasty inspiration for Turkey day — and beyond!

For a Turkey a Cut Above

Svitlana Flom
Food blogger, Art de Fete
ArtdeFete.com

Mom of Vivi, two, and a mom-to-be

Thanksgiving thoughts: “My daughter is always by my side in the kitchen, helping stirring, measuring or making some mess in the kitchen. This upcoming Thanksgiving will not be an exception. I am hosting a real feast for our family. When I cook a dish, it’s important to me that I talk through the recipe step-by-step with Vivian, and she loves it. She always wants to be picked up and help me out with her tiny little hands. So next on the agenda: we’ll pick the prettiest 15-pound turkey together and my husband will massage the bird to make her really tender. We call it ‘a real shiatsu massage experience Flom-style.'”

Recipe

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Mushroom Gravy and Cranberry Sauce with Pear & Cointreau

Serves 8-10

For the turkey:

12-14 pound organic or kosher turkey

1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons thyme, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

6 tablespoons butter, room temperature

Dry Brine William and Sonoma (A classic medley of fragrant herbs, spices with a hint of citrus)

For the stuffing

2-3 lemons, quartered

2 purple onions, quartered

1 carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 celery rib, cut into 2-inch pieces

3 garlic cloves unpeeled, crushed

For the gravy

2 lb. button mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup white wine

2 shallots, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 thyme sprig

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Unwrap the turkey and remove neck and giblets. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry. Following instructions, rub dry brine all over turkey and inside the cavity, refrigerate covered in a plastic wrap for 1 or 2 days. (I like to use dry brine from William and Sonoma but a blend of your favorite spices will work just as fine.) Rinse off dry brine and pat the turkey dry with paper towels. Let it stand at room temperature for 2 hours before cooking. Season cavity with salt and pepper liberally and stuff it with lemons, onions, carrot, celery and garlic cloves.

Preheat the oven to 450 F with the rack in the lowest part of the oven. Set a V-shaped rack in the roasting pan. Place turkey breast side-up onto the rack. Tie the legs loosely with the kitchen twine, the bird will retains its shape and moisture during cooking and tuck the wings under the breast (you might have to break them to do it). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Add 2 cups of water to the pan.

Combine butter, herbs, lemon zest, salt and pepper and massage the herb butter all over turkey. Using your fingers, carefully loosen skin of breast and around thighs and rub herb mixture under the skin of both. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides to ensure great flavors.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, rotating half way through. Reduce heat to 375 F and continue cooking for 1½-2 hours, basting with pan drippings occasionally (about every 20 minutes), until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 165 F and 175 F in the inner thigh. Cover the turkey loosely will foil and let rest for 1 hour before cutting. (If breast gets too browned, cover it with the foil and continue cooking.)

To make the gravy: Strain the pan juices into a heatproof bowl and skim off the fat. Pour the pan juices into a large glass measuring cup; let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim with a large spoon. Or use a gravy separator, this heatproof tool quickly separates juices from fat and filters solids.

Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium heat. Add butter, shallots and cook them for 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil; deglaze pan by scraping up any browned bits from bottom with a wooden spoon. Add stock; stir well, and return to a boil. Add thyme sprigs. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook 5 minutes more. In a small bowl mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of gravy liquid, mix well until it becomes a thick paste; slowly add a little more liquid until it gets thicker, resembling a heavy cream consistency. Whisk it into the pan drippings slowly; simmer the gravy for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat, and season with the salt and pepper. Pour it into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

Share your favorite holiday recipe below!

— Lambeth Hochwald

If you want the taste and crispiness of fried chicken, but aren’t thrilled with the idea of actually deep frying your meal here’s a tasty alternative: oven baked crispy chicken from one of our favorite food bloggers, Marin Mama Cooks. The chicken is packed with flavor thanks to the brine (good to know: you’ll need to plan ahead to make this as the chicken requires 3-4 hours to brine before baking). So if you have the time to plan ahead this recipe is a sure winner. Check it out below!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
6 chicken drumsticks and 2 thighs (bone-in, skin-on) or 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks – see my above note on chicken quantities – You can use any combination of chicken pieces for this recipe, even bone-in, skin on breasts. We just prefer the darker meat, as it has more protein and way more flavor.
3 tablespoons sea salt – Don’t use table salt! Table salt contains iodine, which doesn’t work with brining.
1 tablespoon honey – honey adds a depth of flavor
1-2 quarts warm/room temp water – you want enough water to cover all of the chicken
For the breading:

1 cup almond meal flour – I used Bob’s Red Mill
2 teaspoons celtic sea salt – I love this brand as it’s unrefined and chock-full of minerals
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast – I love this brand from Bragg
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
In a large (large enough to hold all the water and chicken) stainless steel or glass bowl, (don’t use plastic) whisk together 3 tablespoons sea salt, 1 tablespoon honey and 2 quarts warm water to create a brine.

Method:
1. Place chicken drumsticks and thighs into the brine, cover, and transfer to the refrigerator. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Make sure that there is enough water to submerge the chicken, if not, add more water.

2. When the chicken is finished brining, preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Take out the chicken drumsticks and thighs and pat each piece of chicken throughly dry with a paper towel. Drying the chicken drumsticks and thighs will keep your chicken from getting soggy.

4. In a shallow bowl, gently whisk together the almond meal, seal salt, nutritional yeast, thyme, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Dredge the chicken drumsticks and thighs in the seasoned breading until well-coated on all sides. Arrange them presentation side down in a single layer on the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn over each drumstick and thigh, and then increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Increasing the oven’s temperature to 425 helps to ensure a crispy skin.

Note: If your chicken is finished cooking, but not browned to your liking, then you can place the chicken under your boiler for a few minutes to brown up the skin.

NOTE: Baking times vary as chicken cuts vary in size. My chicken cuts were on the smaller side, so my total baking time was roughly 30 minutes. Don’t worry if you overcook the meat, brined dark meat chicken is very forgiving and still tastes great even if it’s overcooked!

Have you tried brining meat before? We love this method! Tell us your thoughts below!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Jacquelyn of Marin Mama Cooks. Visit her website for more tasty kid-friendly recipes.

Ever dream of enjoying a postcard perfect urban park outing in the heart of L.A. with the brood? Well, now you can!  Echo Park Lake still has the feel of late nineteenth century leisure, when ladies strolled in full skirts and men were sure to bring their top hats when stepping out in public. But the recent re-do takes that vibe and mixes it up with a dose of contemporary, diverse, and vibrant Los Angeles life to create one super special (and unique) place.  From lotus blossoms to pedal boats, playgrounds to tasty snacks, this 150 year old park has it all.  ($45 million still buys a little something in LA!)  So spend the day at Echo Park Lake – your kids, and your memories, will thank you for it.


Pedal the Boats
The lake dominates the park, and the pedal boats will dominate your kids brains until you rent one, so this is clearly your first stop. Get gentle exercise and work on your family’s team-building skills while riding the pedal boats on the freshly refilled lake.  Some daredevils might want to get as close as possible to the geyser mist…if you prefer to stay (mostly) dry, just glide and enjoy the sunshine, along with the view of Downtown L.A. shimmering in the distance. And even though your kids might not care about the difference, remember, it’s pedal, not paddle, boats we’re riding here. (Cost: $5 kids, $10 adults per hour. Ten-dollar two-seater boat rentals for Echo Park residents on Wednesdays. No babies allowed.) Canoe and gondola rides are available, too.  Our tip: try to nab the blingy red sparkly two-seater.  Everything is better with sparkles.

Walk the Paths
Next, take a civilized stroll (read: chase your kids) around the revitalized iconic lotus flowers on the park’s decomposed granite paths surrounded by native plants. The historic wooden bridge is closed to the public, but the modern design of the span at the north side of the lake provides a lovely juxtaposition of the old and the new.

Grab a Bite
High quality food in L.A. public parks can be hard to find, so don’t miss the offerings at Square One’s outpost at the Boathouse. Everyone will find something that suits his or her tastes, whether it’s just a nibble, or a heartier meal of farm-to-table dishes from this favorite East Hollywood daytime eatery. The tot set is likely to go for organic hot dogs on whole wheat buns (add local Brassica and Brine sauerkraut for a buck extra), a patty melt, and potato-stuffed taquitos served with fresh guac and salsa for $4. There’s also housemade potato chips and jars of soft cookies, as well as lemonade for the kids, and thankfully, Intelligentsia coffee for the adults. Should anyone scream for ice cream, plenty of park vendors pushing carts full of frozen treats can help with that.

Learn About the Environment
The staunch dedication of local leaders and community members who treasure this resource meant that the lake’s signature lotuses would deflintely come back. And flourish they have. (The next Lotus Festival should be even more awesome than year’s past.) This rehabilitated body of water boasts approximately 400 new lotus plants, and the project ensured that the animals which had come to call Echo Park home over the course of many decades would thrive. Stop to read the signage about how the park functions as a wetland habitat, and the various animal species that are part of this ecosystem. Chances are you’ll have some close encounters with the various ducks and birds that go about their daily routines in plain sight of park goers.

Hit the Playground
If all these activities haven’t been enough and the kiddos still need to get more ya-yas out, head to the new playground at the northern end of the park for spinning, sliding and climbing. Lastly, don’t forget to create your own postcard moment by having the kids pose for a photo with the sleek “Lady of the Lake” Art Deco figure by sculptor Ada May Sharpless. (Read more about the fascinating history of the statue here.)

Parking and Potties:
On busy weekend days, nabbing a (free) parking space on the street might require circling the perimeter of the park a bit. (There’s not a parking lot.) But someone is always bound to leave! Two public restroom facilities are located on the premises.
Learn More Online:
Echo Park at City of L.A. Dept. of Recreation and Parks: laparks.org
Echo Park Lake Rehabilitation Project: echoparklake.org
Echo Park Historical Society: ephsnews.blogspot.com

-Jessica Ritz

What’s your favorite neighborhood park in the city?  Let us know in the comments below.

Photos by Jessica Ritz