Thanksgiving Menu
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday! Growing up, we always spent it at my Aunt Beth and Uncle Dick's house and I looked forward to it every single year! To me there is nothing better than my entire family being under one roof especially when your family is as awesome as mine is! There was always fun, laughter and amazing food! Every year Grandma Betty, Aunt Beth and Mom would cook up a traditional Thanksgiving feast- turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, gravy...the works! And it was always amazing! Year-after-year the food hasn't really changed because quite frankly, it doesn't need to! It is tradition and fabulous!
If for some reason we are not able to spend Thanksgiving with my family, I don't try to recreate the same recipes. There is something about eating that food with those people that is just completely irreplaceable to me- and I'm sure that is how you feel about your family's holiday meal! So I like to use those times that we don't spend with them to try something new...keyword NEW, not weird! The recipes you'll find here are still pretty traditional, but just a little mix-up from the usual. Have you ever had a guest say "Oh, I'd love to bring the yams this year!" And you're like "OMG, thanks! That would be awesome!" but in your head you're thinking Grandma is still going to make hers just in case those new ones are terrible! haha With these recipes, you don't have to worry about having backups.
Appetizers
Nothing too heavy here! You want snacky stuff that won't really fill people up or take up prime oven space. Also, don't be afraid to use something store bought for appetizers. It will make your life easier and it won't take away from the rest of the cooking.
- Goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon
- Charcuterie/Cheese Platter
- Pretty much anything from Trader Joe's
Main
- Ina Garten's Accidental Turkey: I LOVE the cooking method on this turkey recipe! I never understood why a turkey took sooo long to cook and after trying this method I will never roast a turkey any other way again! Also, I have a secret twist to this moist turkey recipe. I know what you're thinking- "You tweaked an Ina recipe?! BUT she's perfect!" Hello? I know she's perfect, but seriously trust me...Don't judge me when I tell you my secret...I feel like you're going to judge me...I rub the inside of the turkey with mayonnaise! (pause for reaction) And under the skin, too! I know it may sound odd, but you do not taste the mayo at all and it leaves the bird so moist and juicy! Try it and never look back.
- Gravy Option 1 or Option 2: I always enlist a Grandma for this because let's face it, they know how to make gravy! But if I ever had to make it myself I would probably try one of these recipes.
- Butternut Squash, Apple & Goat Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin: This is a great option for Friendsgiving or to have as an alternative to the turkey. We have someone with a poultry allergy in the family so I will be making this recipe as another option and I'm actually doubling the recipe because it's so amazing! The butternut, apple and goat cheese mixture is so good on it's own, it would even make a great side dish.
Sides
Mushroom and Leek Bread Pudding: This is fabulous, definitely not your boxed stuffing recipe! What I love about this? It's called bread pudding. The whole stuffing vs. dressing thing really pisses me off! I get that stuffing is in the bird and dressing is not and now that I'm pushing 30 I am trying to be mature about it by using the proper language, but I just can't call it dressing without hating myself. It just sounds weird! P.S. I use bacon instead of pancetta.
Sweet Potato Casserole: One of my best friends brought this amazing dish to Friendsgiving one year and I'm pretty sure I went back for THIRDS! It's so good, hello it has over 1,000 five star reviews! Roast your sweet potatoes in the oven (as opposed to boiling them)- it brings out the natural sweetness in the yams and makes a world of difference. Thanks Little Miss Jasmine for this gem of a recipe!
Loaded Skillet Green Beans: So this may seem like a bit of work for green beans especially if you are making a bunch of other dishes, but the flavors are great! You could totally blanch the green beans and make the bread crumb topping earlier in the day and then just reheat everything together before serving.
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes: You can definitely jazz these up with garlic and chives, but mashed potatoes tend to get drenched in gravy anyways so a simple recipe is usually best in my opinion.
Brussel Sprouts: For brussel sprouts I usually just roast them in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper then drizzle with Trader Joe's balsamic glaze before serving, I wanted to provide you with a recipe that you could follow for cooking temp and time. The TJ's balsamic glaze is a must though and if you've never tried it, it will quickly become a pantry staple once you do.
Rolls: Another time when store bought is totally acceptable! Bobby Flay seems to know what he's doing, so I guess you could try these.
Dessert
- Pecan Pie: This is fantastic! I have had trouble on the baking time for this, it usually takes longer than the directions say, so keep an eye out for that. I love the salted caramel twist on this pecan pie and the presentation is beautiful!
- Pumpkin Pie: I'm not much of a baker (ask my friend, Erika, who receives pics of all my baking fails...it's seriously sad how often I fail, but it makes her laugh), but my mother-in-law uses this recipe and it's great! I love Cook's Illustrated because their recipes are tested to perfection so you can always count on a delicious outcome.
Holy Cow, can you tell I love Ina Garten?! It's kind of embarrassing... I feel like I come off as a super fan in this post! Is it too much? Is Chris my Jeffrey? Whatever, I'm just going to own it! Chris, you're Jeffrey now, k?! Although I tend to never fully follow a recipe to a tee (I like making my own tweaks), I always turn to places I know I can count on to give me excellent food. Pinterest is a great source for recipes and inspiration, but can be hit or miss. I'm (obviously) big on Ina, How Sweet Eats and Cook's Illustrated because they are so reliable, straight forward and (as my girl would say) fabulous! I also really enjoy getting recipes from family and friends that they have tried and loved! So please comment below with some of your Thanksgiving favorites, I'd love to try them! I hope you all have an amazing holiday celebrating with your loved ones.
