Thanksgiving Recipes
Likely no one needs another Thanksgiving recipe, but here is my menu and my recipes nonetheless. We are hosting this year, there will be 6 of us, 2 vegetarians (well, pescatarians, they eat fish). I will do as much as I can tomorrow afternoon, assuming I get off of work early.
Appetizers
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Brie and Crackers
- Chips and Guacamole – I meant to buy some veggies to dip in the guacamole as well, but I forgot. If we end up going to the store again for some reason, we can get some then.
Wine
I have 3 bottles of wine this year, which is too much for 6 people I suspect, but at least we’re prepared. I have a Cabernet Franc, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Chardonnay.
Main Course
- Turkey – I’m trying a new recipe this year. Why? Why not. 2 of my coworkers swear by this recipe. It has wine and a lot of butter, so I’m sure it will be delicious!
- Celebration Roast – for the vegetarians
- Stuffing – I just read back on my post from 2 years ago and Nance left a recipe in the comments for an amazing sounding stuffing, but I forgot about that and have already bought some Stove Top, so I’m going with that. I have some celery and onions in the fridge, maybe I’ll try to dress it up a bit.
- Mashed Potatoes – I don’t really have a recipe for this, I just cook the potatoes and mash them with butter, milk, and salt and pepper. Anyone got a great idea on how I should change them maybe?
- Sweet Potato Pudding – We celebrate both US and Canadian Thanksgiving, since my husband was born in Canada. For Canadian Thanksgiving, we have candied yams. For US Thanksgiving, we have this dish, which is a bit more work but not a ton.
- Cranberry Sauce – I like mine homemade. This one uses a bit less sugar and very little liquid, and I love it.
- Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms – I saw this on Barefoot Contessa a while ago, and it looks really good.
- Brussels Sprout, Apple, and Pomegranate salad – Our neighbor brought us some pomegranates, so I may as well make this one, it’s lovely.
- Dinner rolls
- Gravy
Dessert
- Pumpkin Pie – My BIL is bringing this
- Berry Pie – A neighbor gave us a pie, so why not? (We have great neighbors!)
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Any mashed potato tricks for me? I have some sour cream I might add…
34 Comments
Tobia | craftaliciousme
All of this sounds really yummy. I woudl take a seat at your table….
No Thanksgiving celebration here.
Whish you lots of joy and fun with your guests.
J
Thanks Tobia, you would be very welcome at our table!
Tobia | craftaliciousme
I am very sorry for my horrible spelling lately. Rereading that comment is embarrassing.
J
LOL, no worries, computers are FUN, right?
Melissa
We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving either, but this menu sounds delicious. I always do mashed potato the same as you so I’m no help, although with everything else you’ve got going on I don’t think you need to trick them up.
J
Good point Melissa! Especially since people will likely be putting gravy on their potatoes, there’s really no need to make them fancy.
AC
Our TG is long over now, but Sue still does the stuffing that she has done for decades. Daughter adds some sort of mashed potatoes but done with cheese or sour cream or something or other. At this point we just do a turkey breast. It is just as expensive as a whole turkey, perhaps more so because of where we have to order it, but Sue has had it with whole turkeys after some disappointments.
J
We like to have a whole turkey so we can have leftovers…I love turkey chili made with leftover roast turkey. I hope it comes out!
Tierney
Oh, this sounds very good. I do like homemade cranberry sauce, but this year we’re having it from the can. Something about those ridges makes it extra yummy. I am intrigued by the Sweet Potato Pudding- do you think I can put mini-marshmallows on top? That’s my favorite part of my current sweet potato casserole. Your menu sounds exceptional and now I’m very hungry. Happy early Thanksgiving!
J
Hmmm. I’m not sure marshmallows would be good on this one…it has a lot of ginger flavor and isn’t as sweet as candied yams. You could try!
Margaret
Mix in some sour cream to the potatoes? I don’t like mashed potatoes (I know, weird!) but I’ve heard of people doing that. I love your varied menu! I’m taking my mom (and John) to my brother’s house where his wife will do most of the cooking. I don’t think I even have to bring anything!
J
NICE that you don’t even have to bring anything, that’s GREAT.
Zazzy
I keep my Thanksgiving quite simple, out of habit really. Our family decided long ago that we’d keep only the things we like best on the menu and not have dozens of sides. Some things I make from scratch, some things I use the simple choice but that is more about health than anything else. Cranberry sauce is particularly fun to tweak. I’ve never made mine with so little liquid and I’m definitely going to try that. Ginger is a really good addition as is horseradish for a more savory dish. I miss creamed onions as we can’t seem to get Aunt Nellie’s onions even online and I don’t have the energy to make them wholly from scratch.
J
My FIL loves peas with creamed pearl onions, but you’re right, we can’t find it and it’s a lot of work. Interesting idea to add ginger to the cranberry sauce!
Elisabeth
I’m of the “crack open a can of cranberry sauce” variety. I make a fairly simple Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, but sure wouldn’t say no to celebrating with you. Everything sounds DELICIOUS!
Hope tomorrow is special and fun in so many ways.
J
When we celebrate with Ted’s uncle and his family (we used to every year, but they moved about an hour and a half away and it’s not happening this year) we have to have both kinds of cranberry. Fresh for me, canned for his aunt and cousin. Luckily it’s not difficult either way!
nance
All of that sounds delicious. We’re guests of Jared and Jordan and Theo this year. Her parents and sister are coming in from out west, and we’re celebrating Theo’s first birthday as well. I’m taking along enough stuffing/dressing for 10 people (!!) and Rick’s famous cranberry-orange relish was requested, too.
I have a turkey in the freezer for us to roast later. I love a good roast turkey with homemade gravy. And the leftovers! Mmmmmm. I’ve never made chili, but I always make a turkey pie with double crust and plenty of gravy.
(My herb garden really hung in there for me again this year! All my own fresh herbs went into my stuffing.)
J
You’re smart! I got a smaller turkey because there are only 4 meat eaters, and I’m already regretting it. I need to have enough for my chili! And I’m sure they are going to want to take some home with them…maybe I’ll measure mine out and then tell them they can have what’s left.
I love a good turkey pie. I’ll be by with some wine and a salad, ok?
Lisa's Yarns
I have never hosted Thanksgiving! I joke that as the 4th child of 5, no one would trust me to host a key holiday like that. 😉 I always bring the veggie tray + dips and a brussel sprout salad as my contribution. I’ve hosted my family the day after Thanksgiving multiple times, though, and have made lasagna and soups in the past. This year we are having everyone over for an early bdy party for Taco. He gets to pick the meal, so we are having pizza (delivery obv!) and salad + cookie cake.
Your menu sounds wonderful, though!!
J
We’ve hosted a few times. It’s more expensive for sure, and a lot more work, but I liked it.
Jenny
Ha, we just had an argument in my family because my son insists on carnberry sauce from a can. I certainly wan’t going to MAKE it, but I got some from Trader Joe’s that he thinks is a little too gourmet. He wants it to hold his shape and actually be able to see the ridges from the can on it.
My son and husband are always in charge of the mashed potatoed, and they use a recipe from Bon Appetit (that we veganize.) It was a topping that includes crushed potato chips and it’s SO GOOD! Not a health food though.
J
There is nothing about Thanksgiving that is health food, I think. I used to be fine with canned cranberry, but since I learned how EASY it is to make yourself, I will never go back. I have nothing against having 2 types on the table, though.
Kyria @ Travel Spot
Wow, you are going all out! It sounds like it is going to be delicious! Wine and butter, yes please! I am going over to my cousin’s house and he told me to bring nothing, and so I am not sure if I will actually bring nothing, but I probably won’t have to do much work, which is weird!
J
How nice to do nothing! Maybe you could bring flowers, or a bottle of wine?
Alexandra
I’m an ex-pat Brit, now a Canadian citizen living in a French speaking province, everything here is different. Thanksgiving is in Oct and, as far as I know, the food is so different here to elsewhere.
As a Brit it is so hard to get use to Thanksgiving style food. Candid yams? It’s like having your dessert on your plate with gravy. I’ll never get my head round some of these dishes.
Now, mashed potatoes? That’s a whole other matter. Try stirring in some crushed garlic (mine comes in a jar) or shredded cheese, or fried onions, or powdered chilli, or garam masala for a great curry flavour.
J
Yeah, I’m not actually a fan of the yams. But everyone else loves them, so I’m happy to make them. I remember when my husband and I lived in Philadelphia, far away from our families, we went ahead and had a full Thanksgiving dinner, just the two of us. I’m curious as to what the traditional Thanksgiving dishes would be in French Quebec!
Ernie
Thanks for sharing this. I am not hosting but bringing our whole crew means I bring as much food as my SIL will allow. She asked me to bring a tossed salad. Among other things. I am curious though., growing up we did not do a tossed salad at thanksgiving bc there is so much Other food. We also never did appetizers, but Coach’s family does. I like seeing the differences in what people serve.
J
We never grew up having a salad either, there is so much food. I just like a bright compliment to all of the heavy Thanksgiving dishes.
Maya
What a delicious Thanksgiving menu, Jules! I hope you got all the prep you wanted to do today done and have a lovely celebration tomorrow!
J
Thank you Maya, I’ve been absent here but yes, I got all of my prep done and Thanksgiving went well. <3
Ally Bean
I love, love the cartoon. That’s exactly how I feel about cranberry sauce, make it if it means that much to you, but don’t yuck on my kind of yum! Thanks for the laugh.
J
I am fine with the canned when I can’t get cranberries (often happens for Canadian Thanksgiving), but I prefer fresh. But I know a LOT of people are partial to the canned, ridges and all.
San
What a lovely feast (and thanks for all the recipes). We also usually get crackers and brie as an appetizer.
Here’s how I make mashed potatoes for a “lighter” version: I cook the potatoes in broth (for flavor), then catch the broth and add some of it back in when I mash the potatoes. Then I add a splash of half and half or cream and nutmeg. That’s how my mom makes them.
You can also, for a more interesting flavor, cook a small celery root with the potatoes and mash it all at the end.
J
Oh, I forgot about cooking the potatoes in broth! That’s how my grandma did it, and hers were always amazing.