Food November 25, 2024

Chef reinvents 'GMA' anchors' favorite Thanksgiving recipes

WATCH: Chef Robert Irvine puts a twist on Thanksgiving classics

As "Good Morning America" gets ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, our anchors shared some of their favorite foods for celebrity chef Robert Irvine to reinvent recipes with a fresh spin.

Check out their top holiday dishes and Irvine's full recipes below.

I recreated my mom's stuffing to have a taste of home this Thanksgiving: Here's how it turned out

Robin Roberts: Canned jellied cranberry sauce

"To take canned jellied cranberry sauce up a notch, we have lifted up and brightened its flavor with the addition of orange marmalade and apple cider vinegar," Irvine said.

Cranberry Orange Compote

A bowl of cranberry sauce with orange zest, vinegar and dried cranberries.

Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients

14-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup prepared orange marmalade

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together and serve.

George Stephanopoulos: Mashed potatoes

"Mashed potatoes are supposed to be indulgent, and the addition of crème fraiche makes the texture smooth and rich, while the addition of sautéed garlic adds a depth of flavor," he explained of the upgraded dish.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Crème Fraîche

Garlic mashed potatoes made with creme fraiche.

Yield: 8 family style portions

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon potatoes, peeled

Salted water, as needed

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and diced

1/2 cup crème fraîche

3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic, sauteed with butter in advance

1 tablespoon kosher salt

Dash ground white pepper

Directions

Boil the peeled potatoes in the salted until tender, around 15 to 20 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the heavy cream in a separate saucepot.

Drain the cooked potatoes, and place them back into the pot they were cooked in and add the heated heavy cream and the rest of the ingredients.

Using a hand mixer on medium high speed, whip the potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth and serve.

Lara Spencer: Pumpkin cheesecake

"Using ricotta in this recipe not only makes the texture more creamy, the cake itself is more delicate and less heavy than some traditional cheesecakes, so you can feel a little less guilty about indulging at the end of this big meal. You can have your cake and eat it, too!" Irvine said.

Pumpkin Ricotta Cheesecake

A pumpkin cheesecake is a delicious spin on a classic Thanksgiving dessert.

Yield: 6 to 8 portions

Ingredients

Unsalted butter, as needed (for greasing the pan)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 pounds ricotta cheese

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla seed, removed from pod

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon fresh orange zest

2 tablespoons orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)

Dash of kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Prep an 8-inch springform pan by greasing the sides and bottom with butter and sprinkling with sugar to coat inside evenly, discarding any excess.

In a large bowl, blend ricotta and pumpkin puree until smooth, then whisk in sugar and flour.

Add eggs, whisking in one at a time. Then add vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, Grand Marnier and salt.

Once mixed, pour batter into pan.

Bake for 75 minutes or until set (firm, not jiggly). Once baked to a golden brown, remove and allow to cool for 30 minutes before refrigerating.

Ginger Zee: Cranberry muffins

"These muffins take a holiday favorite to the next level by adding more of the flavors of the season," Irvine said. "Ginger adds a welcome warmth and beautifully compliments the tart cranberries, while molasses adds richness but also moistness to the muffin."

Cranberry Gingerbread Muffins

A tray of cranberry gingerbread muffins.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2/3 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup molasses

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup frozen cranberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners (or butter and flour to prevent sticking). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, molasses, eggs and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Fold the cranberries into the batter. The batter will be thick.

Divide the muffin batter among the paper-lined muffin pans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Rebecca Jarvis: Pecan pie

"A great way to elevate a pecan pie for the holiday is by topping it with a delicious whipped cream that will not break!" Irvine said. "This take on whipped cream incorporates the more savory flavors of fresh cracked black pepper and fresh sage, and these herbaceous notes perfectly complement the sweetness of the pie."

Pecan Pie with Cracked Pepper-Sage Mascarpone Whipped Cream

A pecan pie with fresh black pepper whipped cream.

Yield: 6 to 8 family style portions

Ingredients

1 large prepared pecan pie

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon fresh coarse-ground black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh sage, minced

Editor's Picks

Directions

Place the heavy whipping cream, mascarpone cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, fresh coarse-ground black pepper, and the minced fresh sage into a chilled stainless steel mixing bowl, and whip the mixture together on medium-high speed with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft peaks form.

Serve right away with the pecan pie or refrigerate for later use.

GMA Kitchen Picks

By clicking on these shopping links, visitors will leave Goodmorningamerica.com. These e-commerce sites are operated under different terms and privacy policies than Goodmorningamerica.com. ABC will receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Plymouth Turkey 10 Year Anniversary Rectangular Platter

Price: $48.99 · 29% Savings
From Williams Sonoma

Original: $69.95

Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers (Set of 22), Airtight, Leak-Proof, with Lids

Price: $84.99 · 34% Savings
From Amazon

Original: $129.99

Heirloom Silver Gravy Boat

Price: $49.95 · From Williams Sonoma

Free Shipping. Use Code: FREESHIP at checkout.

Williams Sonoma Prep Tools Potato Ricer

Price: $69.95 · From Williams Sonoma