SANTA PAULA, CA – Put the cobwebs, ghouls, and goblins away; Halloween is over and Thanksgiving is officially on the horizon! In honor of the upcoming holiday, Limoneira spokesperson and Healthy Grocery Girl’s Megan Roosevelt has created an array of her favorite recipes perfect for holiday entertaining and décor ideas to take any celebration to the next level. As always, the emphasis is on simplicity, ease, health, and, in the spirit of the season, gratitude.  

For a new twist on a holiday institution, try Roasted Garlic & Meyer Lemon-Rubbed Turkey.

Ingredients:

• 2 heads garlic
• 3 Meyer lemons                                                                                           
• ¼ cup white miso
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 3 sprigs
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 10 to 12-pound turkey
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered, divided
• 2 cups water, plus more as needed

Directions: To prepare the turkey: Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Rub off excess papery skin from garlic heads without separating the cloves. Slice the tips off, exposing the ends of the cloves. Place the heads on a square of foil. Sprinkle with 4 teaspoons water and wrap into a package. Roast until very soft, 40 to 45 minutes. Unwrap and let cool.

Zest lemons. Place the zest in a medium bowl; juice the lemons into the bowl through a strainer to catch the seeds. Reserve the squeezed lemon skins. Add miso, oil, chopped thyme, and pepper to the lemon mixture. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins into the bowl. Whisk until the mixture forms a paste.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Set aside giblets and neck for making Turkey Giblet Stock, if desired. Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.

Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat. Rub the paste under the skin onto the breast meat and leg meat and a little inside the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Place the reserved squeezed lemon skins, thyme sprigs, and 2 onion quarters in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the turkey breast-side up on a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 hour. Add 2 cups water and the remaining onion to the pan, tent with foil and continue roasting for 1 hour more. Baste the turkey with pan drippings and continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes or so, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 1½ to 2 hours more. Add more water 1 cup at a time if the pan is dry.

We all know there’s nothing quite like a bowl of hot soup when the weather turns cold, and this winter Megan’s Lemon, Carrot & Cauliflower Soup is sure to keep you warm.

Ingredients:

• 1 Limoneira lemon
• 2 heads cauliflower
• 5 carrots
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder

Directions: Wash and chop the cauliflower into florets, then peel and chop the carrots. In a large pot, add the cauliflower, carrots, seasonings and stock. Turn the heat to medium, and add a lid. Bring to a boil and stir occasionally, then simmer for 20-30 minutes (or until vegetables are soft). Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until it is smooth and creamy. Lastly, add juice from an entire Limoneira lemon and coconut milk and whisk together. Enjoy!

To spice up your holiday tables, try Megan’s Citrus Napkin Rings, lovely table accents that are both festive and easy to make.

You’ll need:

• A rolled napkin
• 8 inches wide ribbon/strip of burlap
• Dried Limoneira citrus round (such as an orange or lemon)

Directions: Start by wrapping the ribbon around the napkin, and pulling tight. Then feed the ends through the center of the dried citrus, and tie a nice, festive bow on top.

Or try Megan’s Citrus Nature Tablescape

Directions: Keep it simple with a variety of seasonal pumpkins, unscented candles, Limoneira lemons, and fresh lemon tree branches. If lemon tree branches are not available in your area, any local greenery that you prefer will complement the setting beautifully. (Megan suggests rinsing and patting dry any branches that you find outside before bringing them into the house!)

Limoneira has also partnered with additional global chefs and mixologists, nutritionists, and beauty lifestyle and green cleaning experts to share their knowledge with the customers of its grocery and food service partners around the world. Take a peek at their biographies featured on Limoneira’s website.

For helpful demonstrations guided by Megan for any of these recipes or décor tips, check out Limoneira’s Youtube channel, where each Friday new videos with recipes, tips, and tricks will be uploaded. Each month, Megan will also be featuring wonderful facets of citrus living, so subscribe for more information on the many ways this endlessly versatile fruit can improve life inside the home and beyond.

For more on all things produce, stay up-to-date with AndNowUKnow.

Limoneira