Oh my friends, it’s November! And although November certainly means cold, windy, dark days here in Minneapolis, November is completely redeemed by the fact that it brings THANKSGIVING (my very favorite holiday ever). Thanksgiving means thousands of sides, desserts, and leftovers for days. I make homemade rolls that serve as dinner rolls on Thanksgiving Thursday and serve as the backbone of the perfect turkey sandwich on Black Friday. Leftover stuffing and mashed potatoes serve as a Black Friday breakfast that dreams are made of. I know y’all are planning your own Thanksgiving feasts, so here are a few suggestions!
(Never fear, this is only part 1!)
Appetizers! This is the course that most often gets skipped in my house as we’re too busy concentrating on the traditional turkey and sides, but these Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms by Show me the Yummy may change all of that. These Rosemary Chipotle Spiced Nuts are also great to have on hand, and can be made ahead of time. For a simple but beautiful vegetable display check out this Thanksgiving Turkey Veggie Tray by Eating Richly, I have a feeling this will be a very good way to get your kids to eat their veggies since it’s just so darn cute!
Let’s talk turkey. For a traditional bird try this Juicy Roast Turkey Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen. Elevate your turkey with gravy, and try this Herb and Butter Roasted Turkey with White Wine Pan Gravy by Half Baked Harvest. I might try a spatchcocked turkey this year, and if I do, I’ll definitely use this Serious Eats resource on How to Cook a Spatchcocked Turkey. Want to stick to a turkey loin this year? Try this Beer Brined Stuffed Turkey Loin by Beer Girl Cooks (brined in beer, it has to be delicious!). Want to go smaller and just use turkey thighs? Pinch of Yum has you covered with their Skillet Turkey with Bacon and White Wine.
Stuffing, my absolute favorite course! Last year I made this Sausage, Apple and Pecan Stuffing by fellow Minneapolis blogger Greens & Chocolate. It was definitely worthy. Prefer cornbread stuffing? This Cornbread Dressing Recipe by Show me the Yummy is a definite contender. Vegetarian stuffing? Amanda at Heartbeet Kitchen has you covered with her Vegetarian Sheet Pan Stuffing with Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts, and Dried Tart Cherries which has all of the good things! What? You don’t like stuffing? Inconceivable to me, but neither does Tieghan from Half Baked Harvest, well, except for this recipe for this Butternut Squash and Wild Mushroom Stuffing, might turn you nay sayers into stuffing lovers after all.
Drool worthy potatoes are easy to come by (because potatoes are drool worthy to start with!). Try these Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes from our very own blog. Want to make your mashed potatoes the day ahead of time? I can personally vouch for these Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes from Ina Garten. Mashed potatoes in the slow cooker? The Kitchn has you covered with their cooking lesson on How to Make Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker. Want to try something new? Try these Pommes Aligot (Cheesy Mashed Potatoes) by Serious Eats. They got my vote by their description of “combines mashed potatoes with half their weight in melted cheese…” Ummm….YES!
Thanksgiving needs bread. After all, this holiday’s pure carb filled goodness is a major part of why I adore Thanksgiving! My entire family looks forward to a fresh batch of these Parker House Rolls. Not only do they taste amazing, they make the house smell fabulous. Or try this simple Rustic Onion Foccaccia, perfect for dipping in oil or slathering with butter. Looking for some spice? Try this Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread! The one I really want to try this year is this recipe for Homemade Sweet Potato Rolls from Oh Sweet Basil. Yum, yum, yum!
Now I’m so hungry, I have to go grab something to eat. Thanks for reading part 1, and as always, we’d LOVE to know what your favorite thanksgiving recipes are (leave them below in the comments). Next week, for part 2, I’ll tackle vegetables (green bean casserole anyone?), cranberries and desserts. Stay tuned!
OMGsh need these all! Thanks for including my Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms!
I can’t wait to MAKE those mushrooms! Delish! Happy to share!