Thanksgiving Turkey Vegetable Platter ♥

Thanksgiving Turkey Vegetable Platter ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, just your favorite veggies + creativity! Then wait for compliments!
graphic button small size size 10 Ready to create a real sensation at a Thanksgiving gathering? Turn your favorite raw and blanched vegetables into a Thanksgiving turkey! graphic button small size size 10

Welcome to November at A Veggie Venture, where ever since 2006, it's tradition to collect new Thanksgiving recipes throughout the month, adding new recipes to this huge collection of Favorite Recipes for Thanksgiving's Favorite Vegetables. (Who remembers the #1 favorite Thanksgiving vegetable?!) This year, I'm focusing on simple appetizer recipes, just small healthy bites to stave off hunger while gathering for the big dinner. If you have an idea that's special to your family gathering, I would totally love to know! But in the mean time, I'm starting off November with inspiration from one of my very favorite young cooks!

Oh how I love these girls! That's Kayla you see pictured. There's also Kayla's big sisters Erika and Niki (not forgetting their uber-talented brother Matt), kids when we first met seven years ago. (Just look how they've grown up!, that's Kayla in the center!) But now, wow, all three are such poised, adventurous and accomplished young women, from sports to academics to music to fashion. Each one is a huge help in the kitchen, they "know" what to do and are also happy to learn.

This Thanksgiving turkey vegetable platter? Last year just before Thanksgiving, Kayla took one look at a phone photo and decided to create her own turkey vegetable platter for our family dinner. Did she need to see the picture again? Of course not! She took the idea and ran with it, using her own eyes and imagination. Isn't it beautiful?! Like I said, capable, creative so-so cool kids. It gives me hope for this world.

Need more ideas? How about a Christmas Wreath or Christmas Tree? Or for next year, a Halloween Skull or Halloween Pumpkin? Too cute! And right up my vegetable alley!

"RECIPE" for THANKSGIVING TURKEY VEGETABLE PLATTER

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves a few to many

For example, Kayla's choices:
Raw cauliflower florets
Black olives
Raw carrot sticks
Raw red and yellow pepper slices
Raw celery sticks
Blanched asparagus spears
Blanched green beans

On a platter with a flat lip, arrange vegetables in the shape of a turkey, paying special attention to the tail fan and the face, building from the center out. Don't forget the turkey's wattle!

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
graphic button small size size 10 To blanch vegetables, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. While the water boils, fill a bowl with ice water. Be sure to use a bowl big enough to hold lots of ice (to keep the water really cold) but still have room for the vegetables. One variety of vegetable at a time, drop the vegetables into the boiling water and let cook for just a minute or two. You want the vegetables to be slightly cooked, still firm and still bright in color. Once ready, lift the vegetables out of the water and drop into the ice water, this "shocks" the vegetables, literally stops cold the cooking. As soon as they're cool, lift the vegetables out of the water and drain well on a double layer of paper towels.





A Veggie Venture is home of 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2015


Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. How awesome! I love that she came up with her own turkey. I too saw a picture a few years ago and "created" my own veggie turkey. This will be my 5th year - and the past 3 years, I've made 3 for different parties. My favorite is still my 1st though. I mix it up a little using whatever veggies I have on hand. Here's a link to a picture of my very 1st one, although I'm sure you've probably already seen it floating around the web ~
    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150416808622570&set=a.97628682569.87726.545157569&type=3&theater

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  2. Karen ~ What a wonderful wattle! PS I have one coming for Christmas too! Not to be outdone, her big sister did another one for Christmas Eve! So fun, these! I especially love it when kids are excited about “playing” with their food!

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  3. I was thinking of you today and just had to pop over and say hi. Hope everything is going really, really well in your world! xo

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna