From: Princess Cruises

Looking for an easy alternative to trussing and stuffing? This recipe calls for pounding turkey breasts, filling them with spinach, and wrapping them in Parma ham — an elegant twist on traditional roulades. Best of all, it cooks up in a tiny fraction of the time you'd spend roasting a whole bird. 

Ingredients

• 4 turkey breasts
• 8 slices of Parma ham
• 3 1/3 cups of spinach
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 dash of olive oil
• salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Roll out a large piece of cling film on the work surface and place 2 pieces of Parma ham next to each other, slightly overlapping by about 1/2 inch.

2. Butterfly the turkey breast. Season with salt and beat it with a mallet until it reaches a thickness of 1/2 inch. Lay out on top of the Parma ham.

3. Place the butter and olive oil in a hot pan and as it begins to sizzle, add the spinach to wilt. Season well with salt. Remove the spinach and drain on kitchen paper. Divide the spinach into four portions, take one portion and arrange it in the center of the turkey, running the length of the breast.

4. Roll up the turkey in the cling film to make a tight cylinder shape. Twist the ends tightly and, using two strips of cling film, tie off the ends. When all is secure and firm, wrap in aluminum foil. Repeat 3 more times so you end up with 4 ballotines.

5. Place the ballotine in a deep oven tray with enough water to be half way up the turkey. Cover with aluminum foil, place in the oven and cook until core temperature is 170˚F for about 30-45 minutes. Remove and allow to rest to reheat before serving.

From: Oceania

Hors d'oeuvres make any holiday elegant, but you want to keep them simple since you'll be tight on time. This recipe was created by legendary chef Jacques Pépin, and it's as easy as it is tasty. While the turkey is still in the oven, put out a tray of baguette slices topped with cheese and a mixture of seeds, dried fruit, and honey that hits a range of sweet and savory notes.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound assorted cheeses (such as feta, blue, Gouda, Gruyère, or Camembert), room temperature
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup dark raisins (soaked in port, if desired)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher or sea salt (optional)
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced and toasted

Directions

1. Cut or crumble the cheeses into pieces about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in size. Place in a medium bowl.

2. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pumpkin seeds for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly and watching to ensure they do not burn.

3. Add the pumpkin seeds, raisins, honey, and lime juice to the cheeses. Stir to combine. Season to taste with pepper and salt, keeping in mind that salty cheeses may not need any additional salt.

4. Serve on top of toasted baguette slices.

From: Viking Ocean Cruises

This autumnal twist on a traditional Italian bread salad is filled with fall root vegetables and squash, so it's sure to add a lot of color to your table.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 roasted garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
• 3 cups ciabatta bread, 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 10 leaves fresh sage
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup butternut squash, peeled and small diced
• 1/2 cup parsnip, peeled and chopped
• 1 can Gigante beans or other large white beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 1/4 cup scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced into rounds
• 3 cups loosely packed wild greens, mesclun mix, or arugula
• 2 oz ricotta salata, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Directions

1. For the croutons, preheat oven to 350°F. In a large oven-safe frying pan set over medium heat add olive oil and roasted garlic paste, stirring to break it up. Toss in bread cubes and season with salt. Stir bread once edges become golden and carefully transfer to oven. Bake croutons, stirring every so often until light golden brown on all sides, approximately 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven, test for seasoning, and allow to cool on clean paper towels. Reserve.

2. For the vinaigrette, add Dijon mustard, white balsamic vinegar, and a few pinches of kosher salt to jar of a blender. With motor running on medium speed, slowly drizzle in canola oil. When you’ve added approximately half of the oil, drop in sage leaves, turn up speed, and drizzle remainder of oil in at a faster pace. When all oil has been incorporated, vinaigrette should be pale yellow-green and thick enough to coat a spoon. Adjust seasoning with more kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

3. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add a thin film of extra virgin olive oil. When oil is hot, toss in butternut squash and a few pinches of kosher salt. Allow squash to get golden brown along edges and stir. Cook until just tender and drain on paper towels and cool to room temperature. Repeat process with parsnip. When ready to serve, place croutons, butternut squash, parsnips, Gigante beans, scallions, and greens to a large bowl. Add enough sage vinaigrette to taste, a sprinkling of kosher salt, and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss and divide among plates. Garnish with shaved ricotta salata.

From: Azamara Club Cruises

This pumpkin soup is made with fresh, cubed pumpkin rather than canned. While chopping up the pumpkin will take some time, the result is a creamy comforting dish that will warm everyone up before the main event. It's also a great meatless option for vegetarian holidays.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (8 cups) pumpkin, cubed
• 2 cups onion, finely diced
• 2 1/2 cups carrot, finely diced
• 2/3 cup white leeks, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 1/3 cups vegetable broth
• 4 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron

Directions

1. To prepare the pumpkin soup, place the pumpkin in a high pot with some olive oil and heat without coloring the pumpkin. Add the onions, carrots, leek, and garlic and let simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Add the vegetable stock, heavy cream, and saffron. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low. Let this cook slowly for 50 minutes.

3. Use a blender to purée the soup — you can put it through a sieve to get rid of any chunks. Season with salt and pepper.

4. To serve, you can garnish or enhance the soup many different ways. You can place warm ricotta gnocchi and mushrooms in the bowl first, pouring the soup on top, or sprinkle with bacon and parsley. Here are some ideas.

Garnishes

• 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup whipped cream
• 1 tablespoon basil oil
• Chervil
• Sour cream
• Ricotta gnocchi
• Sauteed sliced mushrooms
• Chopped bacon
• Parsley

From: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

This popular river cruise line may be based in France, but since their guests are primarily Americans they have become experts in serving up a classic Thanksgiving dinner. If you are looking for a homey and substantial side dish to go with your turkey, this potato alternative does the trick.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup slivered almonds
• 3 1/3 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 5 onions, sliced into 1/2 inch wedges
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 2/3 cups dried cranberries
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• Orange zest
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes.

2. Mix broth, brown rice, and wild rice in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, until rice is tender and broth is absorbed.

3. In medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and brown sugar. Sauté until butter is absorbed and onions are translucent and soft. Reduce heat, and cook onions for another 20 minutes, until they are caramelized.

4. Stir cranberries and mushrooms into the skillet. Cover, and cook 10 minutes or until berries start to swell. Stir in almonds and orange zest, then fold the mixture into the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

From: Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian's sweet potato bread pudding is prepared in individual servings using a cylinder mold — a method that creates an elegant presentation and allows you to skip the annual tradition of wrestling pie slices out of the pan at the last minute. When it comes time to serve, all you need to do is place each pudding in a shallow bowl and pour on caramel whiskey sauce.

Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
Ingredients

• 1 lb. loaf of sliced bread
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 12 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• Salt
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 2/3 cups sweet potato, cubed

Directions

1. On sheet pan spread out the bread, cut in 1/2 inch cubes, brush the melted butter on top, sprinkle the sugar, and bake to toasted golden brown.

2. In a mixing bowl combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk until completely blended. Strain through a china cap.

3. Spray a cylinder mold (with openings 4-inches in diameter) with pan coating and place the toasted bread cubes.

4. Divide the sweet potato evenly and mix with the bread.

5. Pour the egg mixture over bread and let it soak for a half hour. Press the bread down in the mixture to allow it to soak in the liquid custard.

6. Bake in water bath at 350°F for about 50 to 60 minutes or set.

Caramel Whiskey Sauce
Ingredients

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 stick butter
• 1 1/3 tbsp whiskey
• 8 fl oz. heavy cream, heated

Directions

1. Combine the sugar and the corn syrup in a heavy saucepan and cook to a moderate heat, stirring constantly until all the sugar has dissolved. Stop stirring and continue to cook to a golden caramel.

2. Remove from heat and shock the saucepan in an ice bath to stop cooking.

3. Remove from the ice bath and stir in the butter. Carefully stir in the hot heavy cream, mixing until fully blended and add the whiskey. Cool.

From: Celebrity Cruises

Forget canned pumpkin. Celebrity's pie calls for things to be done the old-fashioned way, by roasting a pumpkin first. The addition of bourbon whipped cream gives it a boozy, Southern kick.

Pie Crust
Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add in the butter and work into the dough with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in just enough cold water (4 to 5 tablespoons) with a fork just until the flour is moistened.

2. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball and flatten slightly. Wrap one ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another use.

3. Roll out the remaining dough ball on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch round. Transfer to an oven safe pie dish. Fold the overhangs under and crimp decoratively. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

4. Line the crust with foil, place pie weights, and bake until the sides are set, about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and weights.

Pumpkin Pie Filling
Ingredients

• 1 medium sugar pumpkin (about 3 pounds)
• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3 large eggs
• Canola oil, for oiling pumpkin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the stem from the pumpkin and scrape out the insides, discarding the seeds. Cut the pumpkin in half and lay the pieces cut-side down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

2. Rub canola oil all over the skin and bake until fork-tender, about one hour. Let cool.

3. Scoop out the pulp from the roasted pumpkin and puree in a food processor until smooth. Add the condensed milk, cream, cornstarch, molasses, canola oil, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and eggs and combine thoroughly.

4. Pour the filling into the crust and bake until the filling is set in the center, about one hour. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Bourbon Whipped Cream
Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 1⁄2 tbsp premium Bourbon

1. In a medium bowl, whip cream until soft mounds form.

2. Gradually add sugar, whipping until cream forms stiff peaks. Gently fold in bourbon.

3. Chill until ready to serve.