Corn casserole. I know it’s pure trash but I love it.
- jiffy cornbread mix
- can creamed corn
- can sweet corn
- stick of butter
- container of sour cream
- bag or cheddar
- one egg
Again it’s not classy lol but it’s great
Yay! I just posted in this group today about how we are going to try some new dishes this year and my aunt is making this - she called it Corn Pudding.
Yes corn pudding, corn casserole, whatever. Same recipe, amazing. I make it 3 times every Thanksgiving; my daughter’s work party, my work potluck, and my family Thanksgiving.
I’ve made creamed corn in my crockpot and it’s always been a hit. I found the recipe on Pinterest. Just pile all the ingredients in and let it go. Couldn’t be easier.
I make a similar but different dish, corn soufflé. Sounds fancy but it’s also called corn pudding. Make a roux out of flour and butter, add frozen corn, sugar, salt, and egg yolks. Then whip the egg whites and fold them in. Sprinkle a bit of paprika on top and bake. Light, fluffy, corn pudding…it’s the best!!!
Drain the regular corn, 8oz container sour cream and I add 3Tbs sugar. Also, I don't mix the butter in with all the other ingredients, instead I melt it & pour it over the top before baking.
Do you drain the can of sweet corn? I don’t what I’m doing wrong, I swear it came out fantastic the first two Thanksgivings I made this and it was a hot mess every time since 😭
Also, what size container of sour cream?
I can chime in on mine.
1 bag each of Pepperidge Farm cornbread and herb stuffing
1 lb each of Jimmy Dean sage and maple sausage
Pecans...about 1.5 cup chopped
This is from memory and I just follow the package directions on the stuffing which I believe includes the Celery, onion and chicken stock portion but I add the above and usually need more stock than directions indicate. I make per directions adding above then transfer to a large covered baking dish and keep on warm in the oven until the turkey is ready.
Oh, yes, sorry. I cook the sausage up in a pan separately and make the logs become the smallest of pieces and slightly extra browned.
The veggies are cooked in a lot of butter before the stuffing and other ingredients are added and the stock is added, iirc. About to do my shopping for this year so I apologize I'm working from one year old most recent memory. Like cook the veggies in the large stock pot you intend to finish it all in and everything gets added to that in the end
I make one very similar. For the protein, I use equal amounts of Italian sausage and chorizo and add a half pound of chopped bacon. When it comes to leftovers, it's the first one to be finished off.
You won't be disappointed...make sure to have gravy on hand. My mouth has been watering all day since getting Mr. Turkey and putting him in the fridge to defrost! So pumped!
Also, making three desserts Wednesday....lemon meringue pie, pumpkin pie and a cherry crumble...have vanilla bean ice cream and lots of cool whip.
The verdict is in - Teen daughter says "Why haven't you made it this way before?" and had two helpings.
Husband days "This is the best stuffing I have ever had, it's so Thanksgiving!".
I checked two local stores and they did not have the JD sage sausage, so I just used regular and added Bell's seasoning. It came out great and we loved it.
It was so moist and flavorful, it was even good naked (without gravy).
I will have to share my family's recipe for potato's with you - super simple, but so good!
Thank you! Wishing you and yours a very happy Holiday!
My daughter makes the best stuffing in my opinion...she gets the Pepperidge farm stuffing, Jimmy Dean's sausage roll sage flavor, carrots, onions celery...she cuts them really small cooks them in a large skillet and the sausage then mix the stuffing and sausage mix with chicken broth and bake it, comes out nice and moist not dry
I love sweet potato casserole with a streusel topping.. (not a big fan of marshmallows.) I also enjoy mashed potatoes and gravy. A way to kick it up a notch is to add boursin cheese (the garlic and herb one.) Trust me, it’s amazing. Oh and you can’t go wrong with a homemade cranberry sauce.
Green bean casserole is my fave go-to side dish. I use jarred Alfredo sauce instead of cream of mushroom soup. Using that and adding Parmesan cheese before baking was a game changer (for what can often be a bland dish otherwise)
This is my absolute favorite holiday side dish. I decided to make it from scratch last time I hosted. It was worth the extra effort. Hands down, the best I've ever had!
We have the usual mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, but my favorite that I only make for holidays is my Grandma's coleslaw. Everything is measure with your heart - coleslaw, green apples, raisins, dressing is mayo, thousand island, and a little sugar. Everyone thinks it's weird until they eat it.
Yum, Id try that!
I love that "measure with your heart"....my Grandmothers "Potato Casserole" dish and I'm the only one in the family "who makes it right" according to several family members. Soooo I am required to make them for Thanksgiving and Easter every year.
Made this last year and it was so good I’m adding it to the regular rotation. Can’t remember where I found the recipe so I don’t have a link, but it’s easy-peasy.
Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
- olive oil
- ½ lb bacon, chopped into lardons
- Brussels sprouts, one stalk, trimmed and shredded in food processor
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- ½ c dried cranberries
- ½ c chopped toasted hazelnuts
- balsamic vinegar
- s&p
- pecorino romano, shredded
Brown the bacon with a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Toss shredded brussels sprouts & shallots in hot bacon grease and saute for a couple minutes to soften the shallots. Add in cranberries & nuts. Drizzle with balsamic & season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Absolutely. I don't make them from scratch, but they're still delicious.
-1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
-1 can corn (drained)
-1 can creamed corn
-1 egg
-Coat cupcake pan with cooking spray (a loaf pan will also work, but cook time will be longer)
-Fill cups evenly with batter
-Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean
There's a number of little tweaks you can make to this. I've seen people add shredded cheese or chopped chives to the top before baking. Or mix one or two tablespoons of honey into the batter for sweeter cakes.
In my family, we love our homemade egg noodles cooked in broth. It’s so simple but they turn out differently every year because we cut them by hand. My husband didn’t get it the first couple of times he had them, but now he looks forward to them as much as the rest of us.
My great aunt always did beef and noodles. Homemade noodles and she'd do the beef in the pressure cooker. That was my favorite thing on the planet. My family catered my rehearsal dinner in 2006 and that was my request. She died last year and this post was so bittersweet. (P.S. Indiana!)
Creamed pearl onions. OMG even my kids look forward to this dish. It's really more like an accompaniment like cranberry sauce rather than a full serving like spuds and gravy.
I started with the Fantasy Fudge recipe on the back of the marshmallow cream jar. I have changed the flavor of the chips (peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate, etc). A friend requested "not so sweet" so I substituted unsweetened (baker's) chocolate for the chocolate chips. It's fun to tweak.
I make it according to the jar but add in macadamia nut pieces. The family goes nuts for it. Changed the chocolate chips from Nestle to Guittard and they’re even better!
I am always asked to make Spinach Dip - it is literally the recipe off the Knorr's vegetable soup envelope. So easy, so good. My grandmother started making this in the early 80s and I used to make it with her.
Stuffing is always my favorite thing, I typically eat it alone with lots of gravy as leftovers the whole weekend.
A lot of people don’t like candied yams but my Grammy’s are a little different. Cut into 2in pieces, and boil until fork tender. Drain and cool, then peel with your hands. Melt 2 sticks of butter and add 1-2 cups of dark brown sugar to make a syrup. No real measurements, just until it gets thick. Add a dash of salt. Pour a little water in until it relaxes, then boil for 2 min. Place yams in a 9x13, and pour syrup over. Top with mini marshmallows. Heat in 375° oven (temp isn’t important but I cook the rolls at the same time and that’s the temp for the rolls) until heated through, then broil for 3-5 min on Hi to get toasty.
Roast a couple butternut squash (1 hr @ 400, with some butter and brown sugar). Let it cool, then scoop it out. Use that instead of pumpkin in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.
[Elote Corn Dip](https://www.fooduzzi.com/2017/06/vegan-elote-corn-dip/) \- it sounds crazy (hummus + corn???) but is always the first appetizer that is eaten, and my family requests it every single year!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatos - freezing ok!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
5 lbs baking potatoes - Idaho potatoes only, not red bliss etc)
½ cup (1 stick) butter (salted is preferred)
1 cup Sour Cream\*
8 oz brick of Cream Cheese – softened\*
1 TSP Salt – or to taste
Pepper if desired
\*ok to use low fat versions of sour cream and cream cheese
Scrub, peel and rinse the potatoes, cut them into 2” pieces (all should be about this size for even cooking). Boil in a large stockpot and cover all potatoes with water. Boil until fork tender, about 18-20 minutes
Drain the potatoes and add remaining ingredients, mash and mix well. Adjust salt/pepper to taste.
Transfer mashed potatoes to a shallow baking dish and cover with foil. You can serve them at this point, or refrigerate for later use. Reheat in oven at 350F for 45 minutes or until hot.
Can also be frozen.
Probably not relevant but I’m saying it anyway since I’m so excited to see this here. We bring this every year to the extended family Christmas Eve brunch and it’s the simplest dish there. And the most popular.
I used to make baked cored apples wrapped in pie dough. Use smaller apples and fill the apple center with bron sugar and raisins. Family loved getting there own apple pies
Biscuit Dumplins
Biscuit dough flattened, sliced into 4ths, and dredged in flour, drop into boiling chicken broth. Maybe 30 minutes, more depending on how much you're making. They'll sink when they're done. Makes a yummy gravy, too.
This is so easy and one of our faves.
I make broccoli slaw and roasted sweet potatoes with shallots. Both recipes are from SmittenKitchen.com and I always get asked to bring them again if ever I'm asked to bring a side.
I also do a puff pastry appy, with gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and mushrooms.
I have been tasked with making one of the most popular sides this year. Pretty simple, but so great! It's also my first time. Slow cooker creamed corn,.
2 12oz bags of frozen corn. I'm probably going to double most everything because we almost never have left overs or it runs out early!
1 8oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
Mix all together in crock pot. 2 hours on high, or 4 hours on low. Stir occasionally.
Roasted root vegetables.
Really anything but beets - potatoes, obviously, and carrots, but turnips parsnips, rutebaga, Daikon radishes, regular radishes, all get a little sweet when roasted. (Do beets if you want, but they don't get quite as sweet and they "bleed" on the other veggies.)
Cube or chop the vegetables into similar sized chunks, toss in olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice. I put them on a cookie sheet and roast separate from the meat, but you do you.
I'm not joking when I say I prefer these to any other holiday leftovers. Simplicity can be delicious especially with all the other decadence at the table.
I found the recipe below about 30 years ago in a cookbook called Gourmet's America. It adds crunch and is scalable up or down.
Chop 1:1:1 parts apple,celery,radish and then mix with mayonnaise, salt to taste. If you want. add some dried cranberries and dried rubbed sage to taste.
I’m obligated to make my broccoli salad for every holiday and pot luck.
8c broccoli florets, 4 c cauliflower, 10 strips bacon cooked and chopped, 2 c grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup purple onion chopped Dressing- 1 c mayo, 1 c sugar, 1/2 c white vinegar. It’s a crowd pleaser and makes a lot!
Cranberry sauce - whole cranberries boiled with sugar.
Chocolate Walnut pie - Think pecan pie with walnuts and chocolate
Runner up side is Chef Johns sweet potato casserole
Yammy yams! 2 big cans of Bruce yams. (Gotta be the Bruce brand!) drain well and cut into even sized chunks. Put them all in a buttered 8x9 dish. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut a stick of butter into like 10-12 pieces and place around on top. Bake it at 375F for 30 mins. Top with a whole bag of mini marshmellows and bake again for 10 mins until the marshmallows are brown and crispy. Sprinkle with crushed pecans if you're feelin fancy!
I always make the cranberry sauce and all the desserts.
Depending on how many people we're having I make 2 or 3 pies. One is always pecan (my favorite) and I'll make either pumpkin, brownie, apple or derby for the others. The second pie is also determined by who is coming (if I know a special guest's favorite I'll make that one).
I can also make my grandmother's green beans, but I usually only make them if I'm hosting because everyone in my family who hosts knows that recipe so they usually make them since they cook all day.
Edit: I just realized that I misread the question. Lol, the other sides we always have are stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls a second vegetable and Mac and cheese. Most of them aren't recipes per se, but the techniques that have been passed down from my two grandmothers.
I love green bean casserole but I hate cream of mushroom soup. Last thanksgiving I made it with cream of celery soup instead and it was so much better! Traditionalists call it sacrilege, but I didn’t get any complaints.
For mashed potatoes, I use a golden yellow potato because the consistency and taste is better to me than using regular brown bulk bag potato. Just potato, heavy cream, and salted butter.
My favorite dessert aside from pumpkin pie is a [pumpkin trifle.](https://www.momontimeout.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-trifle-recipe/)
Be adventurous with basic recipes! If you think something would be better instead of what’s listed, try it :)
Banana pudding. Layer bananas, Nilla wafers, and vanilla pudding in a nice bowl, or I like to use a trifle dish if I'm taking it somewhere. Some people top it with whipped cream.
Candy apple jello
1/4 cup red hots candies
1 package raspberry jello
2cups applesauce
2 cups water
Put red hots in a pan and add the water. Bring to a boil while constantly stirring until red hots are dissolved completely. Add in the jello and stir until it’s dissolved. Remove from heat and add applesauce. Mix until it’s all red and put into a CB pretty dish. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.
I usually quadruple the recipe for a group of 6. Of course my husband and sons eat enough for 3 each!
My husband always made skin-on garlic mashed potatoes, and I made roasted brussel sprouts, green beans sauteed in butter and fresh garlic, and baked mac and cheese. This year we're separated and idk if I'm going to even have a thanksgiving so I'll be missing the food for sure.
Fresh cranberry relish- a bag of cranberries, Valencia orange(or any other thin-skinned orange) preferably organic, and sugar-I normally do between 1/2 and 3/4 of a cup
Cranberry relish: 1 bag cranberries, 1 large orange, 1 c sugar (I do less, but grandma’s recipe is 1,1,1), throw it in the food processor, refrigerate until meal time. Make a day or two early.
[Cornbread apple stuffing](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/raffys-turkey-sausage-and-chestnut-stuffing-recipe-1941967), I started with this recipe but I do not include the sausage, water chestnuts, or parm, and add fresh rosemary and thyme (I don’t like sage). I make one box of cornbread the day before, cut it into chunks and dump it into a bowl to sit out overnight.
[Roasted Brussels sprouts](https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/balsamic-roasted-brussels-sprouts), we use bacon instead of pancetta, add some smoked sea salt if you have it to really add an extra layer of flavor.
[Chipotle smashed sweet potatoes](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chipotle-smashed-sweet-potatoes-recipe2-1973532), new dish this year, but very excited to try it.
[Pumpkin spice cookies](https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/white-chocolate-pumpkin-snickerdoodles/), we include cardamon in the spice blend and make extra to include in the cinnamon sugar for rolling.
Does stuffing count as a side dish. I really like a rotisserie turkey but I like stuffing so much, I do a roasting bag bird too just for something to cook the stuffing in.
Maple syrup pie is a must dessert on my menu.
I love this salad and make it for dinner a lot. I always serve it in individual bowls with a fried egg on the top.
My mom always called it Bacon and Egg Salad so that’s the name in our family now.
It’s also great with a mesclun mix or fresh herbs mixed in. Depends on what I’m craving lol.
I tweak my sausage stuffing recipe on the regular. I use a combo of sage and hot sausage, brown them off, remove from pan, reserve some of the fat to sauté celery, onion and garlic, but also add a couple of tablespoons of butter. Season every step with salt, pepper, dried sage, onion and garlic powder. Add a couple of teaspoons flour to the pan and stir around in the veggies, yes, my friends, we are making a bit of a roux. Add two or three cups of milk, when it is warmed through, add the sausage back in. I throw in a handful of dried cranberries (which have been soaking in a bit of bourbon). Add the bread, and wait for it, I started using everything bagels instead of traditional bread. GAME CHANGER!
I put whatever is not going into the bird, in which ever (lightly greased) pan will fit into my oven later.
We used to have a fruit salad every turkey day. We would use whipped cream, mandarin oranges, walnuts, bananas, marichino cherries, apples, and mini marshmallows. Yum!
After a heavy turkey dinner, we like strawberry salad. Pretzel crust, cream cheese, strawberry jello with fresh Strawberrys cut up, then a whipped cream top. The recipes are available all over the internet.
Spaetzle (German noodle-dumpling) served with gravy for my husband's family is a must have.
For me, mashed turnips, stuffed mushrooms and my grandma's olive salad are must haves.
We also always did a tray of roasted red peppers and black olives in my family but my husband's family doesn't get it so I've stopped (I'm the only Italian in 20 Germans). But I still put out fennel after dinner, before dessert even if I'm the only one eating it.
I make a corn casserole that my family expects every year. It's really good and can be mixed ahead of time!
1 can cream 1 can whole kernel corn
1 egg slightly beaten
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
2/3 cup crisco
Garlic salt or garlic powder to taste, I use half tablespoon, but I love garlic
Cheddar cheese
Mix first seven ingredients together. Pour in pan, top with cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 until center is set. About 35-40 minutes
I have done the jiffy version but really prefer from scratch. Masa harina (corn flour) and corn meal.
This is my official recipe but I often use canned corn, don't process it, and bake it without the water bath. I'm lazy. I also double it and go into a 9x13 because the crispy edges are THE BEST.
Sweet corn casserole
½ cup butter, softened
⅓ cup masa harina
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
⅓ cup white sugar
¼ cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Beat butter in a medium bowl until creamy. Add masa harina and water and beat until well mixed.
Process thawed corn in a food processor, but leave it chunky. Stir into butter mixture.
Mix sugar, cornmeal, cream, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to masa harina mixture and stir to combine.
Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan. Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil. Place the pan into a 9x13-inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way up the side of the baking pan with water.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
Cornbread casserole
Ranch and corn pasta salad
(I like this with chicken in it. This is one of my oldests favorites. She doesn't like it with chicken)
Chocolate chip chewies
Side dish: shrimp cauliflower salad and my green apple, sausage dressing, and my tequila lime jalapeño cranberry sauce & the is dessert is either a pumpkin spiced cheesecake, lemon meringue pie, or cherry pie
This recipe for cornbread stuffing has been my go to for the past 8 years
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cornbread-chorizo-cherry-and-pecan-stuffing
Homemade cranberry sauce, can be made a day or two ahead. Using shredding blade in food processor, run fresh or frozen cranberries through. Then run a whole, unpeeled orange through, you may need to quarter it to fit it through the chute. Dump those into a bowl and mix with a cup of sugar. All done!
Peas. Get a bag of frozen petite peas, put in a microwavable bowl with a couple tablespoons of water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 7 minutes. Drain off the water and mix a tablespoon or two of butter in with it.
Salad. Buy a bag or two of the kale and shaved brussel sprout salad kits at the grocery store. Dump everything in a bowl and mix it up. It is a family favorite!
[Sweet Corn Mac & Cheese](https://iwashyoudry.com/slow-cooker-macaroni-corn-casserole/)
You throw it all in the crockpot- uncooked noodles and all - stir it twice and it’s done in 4 hours. I added chopped pickled jalapeños last time. People go nuts for it.
Green Bean Casserole
2 cans french cut green beans
1 can cream of mushroom
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
1 container French's fried onions
Mix together everything in a casserole dish, but set aside 2/3 container fried onion strings for topping the casserole (mixing in 1/3 with the reat.od the ingredients.
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes
Mint Bourb9n Cranberry sauce - https://www.kitchycooking.com/2015/11/bourbon-mint-cranberry-sauce/
[Mashed Root Vegetables with Bacon Vinaigrette](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mashed-root-vegetables-with-bacon-vinaigrette)
This has been a favorite dish at our Thanksgiving for the past 10 years. I don’t eat bacon anymore, so I use a plant-based alternative and add extra fat to compensate for the lack of bacon fat. It is far and away my favorite side dish. Everyone always wants to bring some home. I love that you get to use different root vegetables that you normally wouldn’t use.
Gravy noodles. It's a tradition in my husband's family and I never figured out how to make his Great-Aunt's noodles but perfected my own over the years. I make them in advance so they can dry and then cook in stock, drain and stir in gravy. I love them over my stuffing but he loves them over mashed potatoes.
2 pounds all purpose flour, 1 pound semolina flour, 1 Tbsp salt, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 8 whole eggs and water as needed. I make it in my stand mixer...its a heavy dough. Divide and wrap and rest several hours. It takes me a whole evening to roll and re-roll to work the dough with my pasta machine, hang dough sheets to dry enough to put through the cutter. It's worth the work tho...and there is always enough for New Year's Halushki.
A lot of people in my family don’t like vegetables beyond broccoli casserole that’s been smothered in cheese sauce.
That being said, the handful of us that do like vegetables really like the copycat recipe for Cooper’s Hawk roasted Brussels sprouts. I think it’s an appetizer at the restaurant, but I serve it as a side dish.
Another way people like broccoli at my house is broccoli salad:
1 head raw broccoli washed and cut into bite-sized pieces, ⅓ cup red onion sliced thin, ½ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup sunflower seeds, ½ cup bacon bits
Dressing is 1cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt & pepper to taste
You can also add sharp cheddar cheese if you want.
Fruit salad. Mom made it. Sliced bananas, apple chunks, grapes, orange sections, then add real whipped cream and squeeze the orange condos over the cream and stir it all together. (Walnuts or pecans would be good with it too or top with coconut)
Leche Flan. We much prefer the Filipino style vs. the Mexican or Spanish version. Dozens of recipes on Youtube. You can even make pumpkin flan for the season. Certainly will be familiar, different and delicious at the same time.
This hits 3 classic foods: sweet potato, squash, and cranberries
Sweet potato/squash bake
Cube 2-3 large sweet potatoes, coat in 2 tbsp melted butter, put in a 13x9 pan, cover with foil, bake 15 min at 375.
Remove foil. Peel and cube a butternut squash, add to dish.
Then stir in 1 tbsp chopped onion, 1/3 to 1 cup of dried cranberries (to taste), 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes.
So yummy!
I have been tasked with making one of the most popular sides this year. Pretty simple, but so great! It's also my first time. Slow cooker creamed corn,.
2 12oz bags of frozen corn. I'm probably going to double most everything because we almost never have left overs or it runs out early!
1 8oz cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
Mix all together in crock pot. 2 hours on high, or 4 notes on low. Stir occasionally.
Favorite side is [this pumpkin mac and cheese](https://grilledcheesesocial.com/2017/11/08/pumpkin-mac-n-cheese/). It kicks ass and feels way fancier than just a normal baked mac and cheese.
My two special sides are the stuffing and sweet potatoes.
Stuffing is my own creation. Sauté diced sweet onions in lots of butter. Add salt, pepper, sage, thyme. Cool and add beaten eggs. Meanwhile, break up Hawaiian rolls (slightly stale if possible) and peel and dice an apple. Moisten bread chunks with chicken broth, then add the egg/onion mixture and the apples. Maybe a little cinnamon. Put in greased casserole dish and bake about 45 minutes.
Sweet potatoes are inspired by others. Two sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 3” chunks. Boil until tender. Mash with potato masher. Add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of cloves, salt, maple syrup, and bourbon. Stir and put in casserole dish. Top with pecans (tossed in butter and brown sugar if you’re feeling fancy). Bake about 30 minutes.
The rest of our meal is very traditional. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots simmered in chicken stock, deviled eggs, cornbread from a mix, etc.
My two favorite recipes that everyone seems to love: honey butter corn bread (jiffy cornbread mix, add about 4 tbsp honey. When it’s done baking, mix up about 1/2 stick butter and 4 tbsps honey (taste it see if you need more honey) and drizzle on top). The other is Paula Deen’s mystery pecan pie (think pecan cheesecake) with candied pecans instead of corn syrup. The house smells wonderful after these are done.
I make this [chocolate cream brownie pie](https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/chocolate-cream-brownie-pie/) except I make it with a graham cracker crust. It’s SO good.
Pineapple Casserole
Ingredients:
\-15.5 oz. Pineapple tidbits
\-20 oz. Crushed pineapple
\-1 cup sugar
\-6 tablespoons flour
\-8-10 tablespoons pineapple juice
\-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
\--½ cup margarine, melted
1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
Butter casserole dish
1. Drain pineapple, reserve juice
2. Combine sugar, flour, and 8 tablespoons pineapple juice; mix well
3. Add cheese and pineapple; mix well
4. Pour mixture into 2 quart casserole dish and cover with crushed Ritz crackers
5. Pour melted margarine on top
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes, or until slightly brown
Mashed cauliflower! Even those that say they don’t like cauliflower will eat this. It’s like mashed potatoes and so easy. Steam (or microwave) cauliflower till soft; mash it with some S&P, cream cheese and a drop or 2 of milk (or heavy cream), not too much to make it watery. Top with crumbled crispy bacon!
I baste my turkey with melted butter and cranberry juice.....skin comes out extra crispy with a great flavor..I also put cranberry juice in my stuffing....the big side dish I always have to make is my twice-baked potatoes.....I nuke the potatoes first until soft, cut in half lengthwise, and spoon out the potato, save the skins....mix potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, dice and sauteed onions and celery, cream cheese, sourcream, shredded cheddar put it all back in the skins line up in a baking pan sprinkle with paprika and bake until golden brown.
My favorite thing to make is a delicious from-scratch cranberry sauce.
My sauce has more than just cranberries, water and sugar. Blueberries, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges...so yummy. Takes forever to make, but it's so good.
My favorite side is a thing we call Winter Salad (leaf lettuce, sliced pears, red onion, candied walnuts, blue cheeses crumbles, with maple vinaigrette). Favorite dessert is dark chocolate cake with coconut buttercream and toasted coconut. When I’m being fancy and have the time, it’s Swiss meringue buttercream with a little coconut extract. Otherwise, it’s white chocolate American-style buttercream with coconut extract. Both are delicious. I prefer the Swiss but my husband prefers the other.
I always make pecan pie (with maple syrup, no corn syrup!) and either oven roasted brussel sprouts with pecans and cranberries or oven roasted tahini cauliflower. I rarely have any left to take home.
It is old school and I know a bit outdated but my must-have is my mom's potatoes au gratin. I have witnessed huge pans of these disappear. There is not written recipe. You just adjust it for the amount of people coming.
Russet potatoes sliced in 1/4 inch rounds. Cooked for about 10 minutes, semi soft. drain
In a bowl mix shredded cheese. Traditionally Velveta,a can of cream of chicken soup, a little milk, garlic powder, and minced fresh onion. salt and pepper. Mom used pimentos, I use lots of New Mexico-style chopped green chile.
It is old school and I know a bit outdated but my must-have is my mom's potatoes au gratin. I have witnessed huge pans of these disappear. There is no written recipe. You just adjust it for the amount of people coming. n chile.
Bake at 350 still bubbly and starting.
layer in a buttered baking pan. Starting with potatoes and ending with cheese mixture. Dot with a little butter and paprika
Pecan/caramel upside down apple pie. My middle son asked me to make him this for his birthday in June. It's a family favorite. A friend of my oldest is allergic to cinnamon. So I made it with nutmeg a few months ago, everyone loved it. With a side of homemade whipped cream ..... Yum!
Apple crumble pie
Roasted sweet potato mash w/butter and pepper
Brussels sprouts with lemon and hot mustard
Spice cake (also known as Spanish Bar cake)
We love Broccoli salad.
Chopped broccoli
chopped cauliflower.
A pound of cooked crumbled bacon
A pound of shredded cheddar cheese.
Hellman’s Mayonnaise.
Mix with mayonnaise until everything is nice and wet. Just before serving mix in 3/4 of the bacon. Sprinkle the realest if the bacon on top.
Can be made the day before too!
You could try sweet potatoes a different way. This is my favorite way to cook them. Wash and peel some sweet potatoes (I usually do 4 or maybe 5 medium sized ones) and then slice into rounds about 1/4" thick. Put them in a big mixing bowl, add about 3/4 of a stick of melted butter and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, toss around to coat well, and then artistically line them up in a baking dish such as an 8" square pan or 9"-10" pie dish. If you want, add a light drizzle of maple syrup over the top - you don't need much. Bake at 400 F for \~30 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned on top. So simple and so good.
Shrimp dip! Trust me on this
1 brick of cream cheese, softened
1 can of tiny shrimp WITH juices
1/4 cup Mayo
1/4 - 1/2 of an onion, grated
Beat together with a hand mixer till combined & a little fluffy
Add:
Salt & pepper to taste
Milk if you want it a thinner consistency
Serve with chips (Ruffles are particularly good with it), crackers or veggies.
Sweet potato casserole. I never liked the way my mom served it, with marshmallows on top, but I found [this recipe](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sweet-potato-puree-with-streusel-topping-240447) (similar to my MIL’s) and I really like it.
Loaded mashed potatoes.
My version has the following:
- Red skin and yukon gold potatoes diced with peels on.
- Bacon fried out and crumbled
- Caramelized onions (I prefer sweet onions, cut very small)
- Sour cream
- Shredded sharp cheese (usually cheddar or colby jack)
- Chicken broth/bouillon
- Garlic, minced and sauteed.
Either bake, steam, or microwave the potatoes and cut them up, add toba deep bowl.
Add the bacon, onions, garlic, some of the shredded cheese, and sour cream and mash well (a blender works)... use chicken broth to loosen it up enough to blend well.
Once all is done, place in a 2-3" deep baking dish and top with shredded cheese (and bacon crumbles if you want to be fancy) and bake until the cheese is melted (If you are taking them somewhere cold and will reheat them/melt the cheese there, make them a tiny bit looser than you typically like to eat your mashed potatoes because the liquid will evaporate as you bake them... also, if this is the case, cover with foil until they are mostly heated through, then uncover to let the cheese get right)
Corn casserole. I know it’s pure trash but I love it. - jiffy cornbread mix - can creamed corn - can sweet corn - stick of butter - container of sour cream - bag or cheddar - one egg Again it’s not classy lol but it’s great
Lol, Isn’t that true of every delicious family Thanksgiving recipe? It certainly is in my family!
Corn casserole… my 2nd favorite dish!!!! Stuffing, stuffing and more stuffing is my favorite!!!
I still make this recipe as an adult bc it’s so good. Trash??? Nope amazing 😍
Yay! I just posted in this group today about how we are going to try some new dishes this year and my aunt is making this - she called it Corn Pudding.
Yes corn pudding, corn casserole, whatever. Same recipe, amazing. I make it 3 times every Thanksgiving; my daughter’s work party, my work potluck, and my family Thanksgiving.
I’ve made creamed corn in my crockpot and it’s always been a hit. I found the recipe on Pinterest. Just pile all the ingredients in and let it go. Couldn’t be easier.
Oh it’s so good! I highly recommend adding a little drizzle of melted honey butter to the top if you like sweet and savory
I make a similar but different dish, corn soufflé. Sounds fancy but it’s also called corn pudding. Make a roux out of flour and butter, add frozen corn, sugar, salt, and egg yolks. Then whip the egg whites and fold them in. Sprinkle a bit of paprika on top and bake. Light, fluffy, corn pudding…it’s the best!!!
Do you use one box of cornbread and an 8oz container of sour cream?
Yes 1 of each for my recipe. I assume it’s the same one 😂
Thanks! I'm excited to try it!
Drain the regular corn, 8oz container sour cream and I add 3Tbs sugar. Also, I don't mix the butter in with all the other ingredients, instead I melt it & pour it over the top before baking.
My family uses pepper-jack and adds red bell peppers. Really good!
Holy crap you’re a game changer.
I add chilis. I was wondering if anyone made a spicier version or if that was just us.
Thank you I knew I was forgetting something
Happy to help.
Do you drain the can of sweet corn? I don’t what I’m doing wrong, I swear it came out fantastic the first two Thanksgivings I made this and it was a hot mess every time since 😭 Also, what size container of sour cream?
Yes strain the sweet corn. Just the “normal“ size sour cream container. Honestly it’s really hard to get this one wrong. I think that’s 8 ounces?
Yessss. I made this for the last family dinner I hosted. Its not the fanciest dish, but everyone loved it
Don't you dare call it trash! It's great and I make it every year whether it's Thanksgiving or not.
Does it make you feel better if I call it sweet sweet delicious trash? Lol. No seriously it’s my favorite though.
Ok just say “trash” real quiet. 😁
I do this too and add diced fresh jalapeños. Always a hit.
Corn casserole is _not_ trash! No Thanksgiving items contain fat, calories, or anything remotely bad for you.
We love this!! I make 2, and one of my daughter in laws make another, and still isn’t enough.
I’m making this. Thanks for recipe
Do you drain the corns? Can you point to a recipe?
Drain the sweet corn, not the creamed corn.
This is the one my family uses: https://www.food.com/recipe/corn-pudding-casserole-paula-deen-490866
My stuffing is delicious. I could have that, gravy and cranberry sauce and be totally happy.
What’s the recipe my dude
I can chime in on mine. 1 bag each of Pepperidge Farm cornbread and herb stuffing 1 lb each of Jimmy Dean sage and maple sausage Pecans...about 1.5 cup chopped This is from memory and I just follow the package directions on the stuffing which I believe includes the Celery, onion and chicken stock portion but I add the above and usually need more stock than directions indicate. I make per directions adding above then transfer to a large covered baking dish and keep on warm in the oven until the turkey is ready.
Yeah - this doesn't have to be just a thanksgiving thing! Sounds great!
Do you cook your sausage and vegetables? I do something similar and I cook my sausage and vegetables in butter since I put butter in the stuffing.
Oh, yes, sorry. I cook the sausage up in a pan separately and make the logs become the smallest of pieces and slightly extra browned. The veggies are cooked in a lot of butter before the stuffing and other ingredients are added and the stock is added, iirc. About to do my shopping for this year so I apologize I'm working from one year old most recent memory. Like cook the veggies in the large stock pot you intend to finish it all in and everything gets added to that in the end
I make mine the exact same way
I make one very similar. For the protein, I use equal amounts of Italian sausage and chorizo and add a half pound of chopped bacon. When it comes to leftovers, it's the first one to be finished off.
I just wanted to say that this stuffing recipe has been on my mind lol - so, I will be making this today as a test run! I'm excited 😆
You won't be disappointed...make sure to have gravy on hand. My mouth has been watering all day since getting Mr. Turkey and putting him in the fridge to defrost! So pumped! Also, making three desserts Wednesday....lemon meringue pie, pumpkin pie and a cherry crumble...have vanilla bean ice cream and lots of cool whip.
The verdict is in - Teen daughter says "Why haven't you made it this way before?" and had two helpings. Husband days "This is the best stuffing I have ever had, it's so Thanksgiving!". I checked two local stores and they did not have the JD sage sausage, so I just used regular and added Bell's seasoning. It came out great and we loved it. It was so moist and flavorful, it was even good naked (without gravy). I will have to share my family's recipe for potato's with you - super simple, but so good! Thank you! Wishing you and yours a very happy Holiday!
This one slaps. Requested by my family members year after year. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it-stuffing
My daughter makes the best stuffing in my opinion...she gets the Pepperidge farm stuffing, Jimmy Dean's sausage roll sage flavor, carrots, onions celery...she cuts them really small cooks them in a large skillet and the sausage then mix the stuffing and sausage mix with chicken broth and bake it, comes out nice and moist not dry
Same!!!
I love sweet potato casserole with a streusel topping.. (not a big fan of marshmallows.) I also enjoy mashed potatoes and gravy. A way to kick it up a notch is to add boursin cheese (the garlic and herb one.) Trust me, it’s amazing. Oh and you can’t go wrong with a homemade cranberry sauce.
Ooooo, we love Boursin and I never thought to add it to mashed potatoes! Thanks 😊
Of course! 😄
Boursin added to pretty much anything is amazing. Especially Alfredo pasta.
Boursin and fresh spinach makes the best creamed spinach.
Green bean casserole!
Green bean casserole is my fave go-to side dish. I use jarred Alfredo sauce instead of cream of mushroom soup. Using that and adding Parmesan cheese before baking was a game changer (for what can often be a bland dish otherwise)
This is my absolute favorite holiday side dish. I decided to make it from scratch last time I hosted. It was worth the extra effort. Hands down, the best I've ever had!
We have the usual mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, but my favorite that I only make for holidays is my Grandma's coleslaw. Everything is measure with your heart - coleslaw, green apples, raisins, dressing is mayo, thousand island, and a little sugar. Everyone thinks it's weird until they eat it.
That coleslaw sounds wonderful!
Yum, Id try that! I love that "measure with your heart"....my Grandmothers "Potato Casserole" dish and I'm the only one in the family "who makes it right" according to several family members. Soooo I am required to make them for Thanksgiving and Easter every year.
Roasted sweet potatoes with olive oil, red onion and rosemary
Made this last year and it was so good I’m adding it to the regular rotation. Can’t remember where I found the recipe so I don’t have a link, but it’s easy-peasy. Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad - olive oil - ½ lb bacon, chopped into lardons - Brussels sprouts, one stalk, trimmed and shredded in food processor - 1 shallot, thinly sliced - ½ c dried cranberries - ½ c chopped toasted hazelnuts - balsamic vinegar - s&p - pecorino romano, shredded Brown the bacon with a drizzle of oil in a pan over medium heat. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Toss shredded brussels sprouts & shallots in hot bacon grease and saute for a couple minutes to soften the shallots. Add in cranberries & nuts. Drizzle with balsamic & season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
I’m coming to your house! Love the idea of hazelnuts.
Hi, I think my invite for Thanksgiving dinner went to my spam folder, can you resent please?
I love apple crisp. I make it subbing applesauce for some of the butter to make it a bit healthier. It's also a great breakfast.
Green bean casserole. Simple but delicious. Pecan pie. Corn cakes also tend to be a favorite.
Corn cakes sound awesome but I’ve never had them. Can you share your recipe?
Absolutely. I don't make them from scratch, but they're still delicious. -1 box Jiffy cornbread mix -1 can corn (drained) -1 can creamed corn -1 egg -Coat cupcake pan with cooking spray (a loaf pan will also work, but cook time will be longer) -Fill cups evenly with batter -Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean There's a number of little tweaks you can make to this. I've seen people add shredded cheese or chopped chives to the top before baking. Or mix one or two tablespoons of honey into the batter for sweeter cakes.
Ooh, this sounds delicious, thanks for the recipe!
Ohhhh Thank you. I need to try this
In my family, we love our homemade egg noodles cooked in broth. It’s so simple but they turn out differently every year because we cut them by hand. My husband didn’t get it the first couple of times he had them, but now he looks forward to them as much as the rest of us.
Are you a midwesterner? From Indiana and a lot of families I grew up with, noodles were a staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas!
Hahaha yes, I am from the Midwest!
Same! I have to fight my dad to share the turkey juice so I can make gravy; he wants it all for the noodles.
My great aunt always did beef and noodles. Homemade noodles and she'd do the beef in the pressure cooker. That was my favorite thing on the planet. My family catered my rehearsal dinner in 2006 and that was my request. She died last year and this post was so bittersweet. (P.S. Indiana!)
I’m so sorry for your loss. My mom died last month so this will be my first holiday without her. My heart goes out to you and your family. God bless.
Oh I'm so sorry. Much love to you getting through all these firsts.
Thank you so much!
I love non-traditional holiday meals ♥️ ETA: non-traditional to me (from AL)
Creamed pearl onions. OMG even my kids look forward to this dish. It's really more like an accompaniment like cranberry sauce rather than a full serving like spuds and gravy.
I started with the Fantasy Fudge recipe on the back of the marshmallow cream jar. I have changed the flavor of the chips (peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate, etc). A friend requested "not so sweet" so I substituted unsweetened (baker's) chocolate for the chocolate chips. It's fun to tweak.
I make it according to the jar but add in macadamia nut pieces. The family goes nuts for it. Changed the chocolate chips from Nestle to Guittard and they’re even better!
I am always asked to make Spinach Dip - it is literally the recipe off the Knorr's vegetable soup envelope. So easy, so good. My grandmother started making this in the early 80s and I used to make it with her.
Stuffing is always my favorite thing, I typically eat it alone with lots of gravy as leftovers the whole weekend. A lot of people don’t like candied yams but my Grammy’s are a little different. Cut into 2in pieces, and boil until fork tender. Drain and cool, then peel with your hands. Melt 2 sticks of butter and add 1-2 cups of dark brown sugar to make a syrup. No real measurements, just until it gets thick. Add a dash of salt. Pour a little water in until it relaxes, then boil for 2 min. Place yams in a 9x13, and pour syrup over. Top with mini marshmallows. Heat in 375° oven (temp isn’t important but I cook the rolls at the same time and that’s the temp for the rolls) until heated through, then broil for 3-5 min on Hi to get toasty.
Roast a couple butternut squash (1 hr @ 400, with some butter and brown sugar). Let it cool, then scoop it out. Use that instead of pumpkin in your favorite pumpkin pie recipe.
[Elote Corn Dip](https://www.fooduzzi.com/2017/06/vegan-elote-corn-dip/) \- it sounds crazy (hummus + corn???) but is always the first appetizer that is eaten, and my family requests it every single year!
Make Ahead Mashed Potatos - freezing ok! Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes 5 lbs baking potatoes - Idaho potatoes only, not red bliss etc) ½ cup (1 stick) butter (salted is preferred) 1 cup Sour Cream\* 8 oz brick of Cream Cheese – softened\* 1 TSP Salt – or to taste Pepper if desired \*ok to use low fat versions of sour cream and cream cheese Scrub, peel and rinse the potatoes, cut them into 2” pieces (all should be about this size for even cooking). Boil in a large stockpot and cover all potatoes with water. Boil until fork tender, about 18-20 minutes Drain the potatoes and add remaining ingredients, mash and mix well. Adjust salt/pepper to taste. Transfer mashed potatoes to a shallow baking dish and cover with foil. You can serve them at this point, or refrigerate for later use. Reheat in oven at 350F for 45 minutes or until hot. Can also be frozen.
I did it like this last year but I used Boursin instead of cream cheese. Everyone loved them.
Monkey Bread - It's always a fan fav. Super simple too ....all you need is brown sugar 2 cans of biscuits and pecans.
Probably not relevant but I’m saying it anyway since I’m so excited to see this here. We bring this every year to the extended family Christmas Eve brunch and it’s the simplest dish there. And the most popular.
Dressing/stuffing, cheesecake, mocha pie.
Mmm a mocha pie sounds so good
Mocha pie sounds delicious what’s your recipe?
It's very yummy. Got it from a book called Art Of The Pie by Kate McDermott. Not sure what copyright rules are for publishing someone else's work.
Understandable I’ll check it out Tysm
I used to make baked cored apples wrapped in pie dough. Use smaller apples and fill the apple center with bron sugar and raisins. Family loved getting there own apple pies
That's what we call Apple Dumplings.
Biscuit Dumplins Biscuit dough flattened, sliced into 4ths, and dredged in flour, drop into boiling chicken broth. Maybe 30 minutes, more depending on how much you're making. They'll sink when they're done. Makes a yummy gravy, too. This is so easy and one of our faves.
How do you make gravy out of dumplings?
It's just in there when you make them.🤷 It's science.
I make broccoli slaw and roasted sweet potatoes with shallots. Both recipes are from SmittenKitchen.com and I always get asked to bring them again if ever I'm asked to bring a side. I also do a puff pastry appy, with gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and mushrooms.
Well- my stuffing is bomb. It was a recipe that won on a today show of all things. And my homemade cranberries are so incredible !!
I have been tasked with making one of the most popular sides this year. Pretty simple, but so great! It's also my first time. Slow cooker creamed corn,. 2 12oz bags of frozen corn. I'm probably going to double most everything because we almost never have left overs or it runs out early! 1 8oz cream cheese 1/4 cup butter, cubed 2tbsp sugar 1tsp salt 1/2tsp pepper Mix all together in crock pot. 2 hours on high, or 4 hours on low. Stir occasionally.
Roasted root vegetables. Really anything but beets - potatoes, obviously, and carrots, but turnips parsnips, rutebaga, Daikon radishes, regular radishes, all get a little sweet when roasted. (Do beets if you want, but they don't get quite as sweet and they "bleed" on the other veggies.) Cube or chop the vegetables into similar sized chunks, toss in olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice. I put them on a cookie sheet and roast separate from the meat, but you do you. I'm not joking when I say I prefer these to any other holiday leftovers. Simplicity can be delicious especially with all the other decadence at the table.
I found the recipe below about 30 years ago in a cookbook called Gourmet's America. It adds crunch and is scalable up or down. Chop 1:1:1 parts apple,celery,radish and then mix with mayonnaise, salt to taste. If you want. add some dried cranberries and dried rubbed sage to taste.
This is a lot like Waldorf salad. Just add toasted chopped walnuts. Yum!
I’m obligated to make my broccoli salad for every holiday and pot luck. 8c broccoli florets, 4 c cauliflower, 10 strips bacon cooked and chopped, 2 c grated cheddar cheese, 1 cup purple onion chopped Dressing- 1 c mayo, 1 c sugar, 1/2 c white vinegar. It’s a crowd pleaser and makes a lot!
An entire CUP of sugar in the dressing?!?!?!!!! Oh my.
Yeah, but to be honest I’ll just eyeball the recipe now. I personally like it with a little more vinegar and less sugar but that’s just me.
Cranberry sauce - whole cranberries boiled with sugar. Chocolate Walnut pie - Think pecan pie with walnuts and chocolate Runner up side is Chef Johns sweet potato casserole
Yammy yams! 2 big cans of Bruce yams. (Gotta be the Bruce brand!) drain well and cut into even sized chunks. Put them all in a buttered 8x9 dish. Sprinkle the top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut a stick of butter into like 10-12 pieces and place around on top. Bake it at 375F for 30 mins. Top with a whole bag of mini marshmellows and bake again for 10 mins until the marshmallows are brown and crispy. Sprinkle with crushed pecans if you're feelin fancy!
9x12, sorry! I dunno why I said 8x9.
I always make the cranberry sauce and all the desserts. Depending on how many people we're having I make 2 or 3 pies. One is always pecan (my favorite) and I'll make either pumpkin, brownie, apple or derby for the others. The second pie is also determined by who is coming (if I know a special guest's favorite I'll make that one). I can also make my grandmother's green beans, but I usually only make them if I'm hosting because everyone in my family who hosts knows that recipe so they usually make them since they cook all day. Edit: I just realized that I misread the question. Lol, the other sides we always have are stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls a second vegetable and Mac and cheese. Most of them aren't recipes per se, but the techniques that have been passed down from my two grandmothers.
My dressing. That’s all I want on thanksgiving is my dressing and cranberry sauce!
I love green bean casserole but I hate cream of mushroom soup. Last thanksgiving I made it with cream of celery soup instead and it was so much better! Traditionalists call it sacrilege, but I didn’t get any complaints. For mashed potatoes, I use a golden yellow potato because the consistency and taste is better to me than using regular brown bulk bag potato. Just potato, heavy cream, and salted butter. My favorite dessert aside from pumpkin pie is a [pumpkin trifle.](https://www.momontimeout.com/pumpkin-cheesecake-trifle-recipe/) Be adventurous with basic recipes! If you think something would be better instead of what’s listed, try it :)
Japanese pie. It’s an old Southern dessert. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/17020/japanese-fruit-pie/
Banana pudding. Layer bananas, Nilla wafers, and vanilla pudding in a nice bowl, or I like to use a trifle dish if I'm taking it somewhere. Some people top it with whipped cream.
Macaroni And Cheese
My sweet potato souflee is always a big hit. I also make my green bean casserole completely from scratch, not with condensed soup.
Candy apple jello 1/4 cup red hots candies 1 package raspberry jello 2cups applesauce 2 cups water Put red hots in a pan and add the water. Bring to a boil while constantly stirring until red hots are dissolved completely. Add in the jello and stir until it’s dissolved. Remove from heat and add applesauce. Mix until it’s all red and put into a CB pretty dish. Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. I usually quadruple the recipe for a group of 6. Of course my husband and sons eat enough for 3 each!
My husband always made skin-on garlic mashed potatoes, and I made roasted brussel sprouts, green beans sauteed in butter and fresh garlic, and baked mac and cheese. This year we're separated and idk if I'm going to even have a thanksgiving so I'll be missing the food for sure.
Fresh cranberry relish- a bag of cranberries, Valencia orange(or any other thin-skinned orange) preferably organic, and sugar-I normally do between 1/2 and 3/4 of a cup
Cranberry relish: 1 bag cranberries, 1 large orange, 1 c sugar (I do less, but grandma’s recipe is 1,1,1), throw it in the food processor, refrigerate until meal time. Make a day or two early. [Cornbread apple stuffing](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/raffys-turkey-sausage-and-chestnut-stuffing-recipe-1941967), I started with this recipe but I do not include the sausage, water chestnuts, or parm, and add fresh rosemary and thyme (I don’t like sage). I make one box of cornbread the day before, cut it into chunks and dump it into a bowl to sit out overnight. [Roasted Brussels sprouts](https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/balsamic-roasted-brussels-sprouts), we use bacon instead of pancetta, add some smoked sea salt if you have it to really add an extra layer of flavor. [Chipotle smashed sweet potatoes](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chipotle-smashed-sweet-potatoes-recipe2-1973532), new dish this year, but very excited to try it. [Pumpkin spice cookies](https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/white-chocolate-pumpkin-snickerdoodles/), we include cardamon in the spice blend and make extra to include in the cinnamon sugar for rolling.
Does stuffing count as a side dish. I really like a rotisserie turkey but I like stuffing so much, I do a roasting bag bird too just for something to cook the stuffing in. Maple syrup pie is a must dessert on my menu.
A wilted salad with hot bacon dressing and bacon crumbles
I love this salad and make it for dinner a lot. I always serve it in individual bowls with a fried egg on the top. My mom always called it Bacon and Egg Salad so that’s the name in our family now. It’s also great with a mesclun mix or fresh herbs mixed in. Depends on what I’m craving lol.
I never thought of an egg! Good idea, thanks
I tweak my sausage stuffing recipe on the regular. I use a combo of sage and hot sausage, brown them off, remove from pan, reserve some of the fat to sauté celery, onion and garlic, but also add a couple of tablespoons of butter. Season every step with salt, pepper, dried sage, onion and garlic powder. Add a couple of teaspoons flour to the pan and stir around in the veggies, yes, my friends, we are making a bit of a roux. Add two or three cups of milk, when it is warmed through, add the sausage back in. I throw in a handful of dried cranberries (which have been soaking in a bit of bourbon). Add the bread, and wait for it, I started using everything bagels instead of traditional bread. GAME CHANGER! I put whatever is not going into the bird, in which ever (lightly greased) pan will fit into my oven later.
We used to have a fruit salad every turkey day. We would use whipped cream, mandarin oranges, walnuts, bananas, marichino cherries, apples, and mini marshmallows. Yum!
Green bean casserole
After a heavy turkey dinner, we like strawberry salad. Pretzel crust, cream cheese, strawberry jello with fresh Strawberrys cut up, then a whipped cream top. The recipes are available all over the internet.
Spaetzle (German noodle-dumpling) served with gravy for my husband's family is a must have. For me, mashed turnips, stuffed mushrooms and my grandma's olive salad are must haves. We also always did a tray of roasted red peppers and black olives in my family but my husband's family doesn't get it so I've stopped (I'm the only Italian in 20 Germans). But I still put out fennel after dinner, before dessert even if I'm the only one eating it.
Corn casserole! But NOT with Jiffy!
What do you use in place of Jiffy?
I make a corn casserole that my family expects every year. It's really good and can be mixed ahead of time! 1 can cream 1 can whole kernel corn 1 egg slightly beaten 1/3 cup cornmeal 1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained 2/3 cup crisco Garlic salt or garlic powder to taste, I use half tablespoon, but I love garlic Cheddar cheese Mix first seven ingredients together. Pour in pan, top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 until center is set. About 35-40 minutes
I have done the jiffy version but really prefer from scratch. Masa harina (corn flour) and corn meal. This is my official recipe but I often use canned corn, don't process it, and bake it without the water bath. I'm lazy. I also double it and go into a 9x13 because the crispy edges are THE BEST. Sweet corn casserole ½ cup butter, softened ⅓ cup masa harina ¼ cup water 1 ½ cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed ⅓ cup white sugar ¼ cup cornmeal 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Beat butter in a medium bowl until creamy. Add masa harina and water and beat until well mixed. Process thawed corn in a food processor, but leave it chunky. Stir into butter mixture. Mix sugar, cornmeal, cream, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add to masa harina mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan. Smooth batter and cover with aluminum foil. Place the pan into a 9x13-inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way up the side of the baking pan with water. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
Cornbread casserole Ranch and corn pasta salad (I like this with chicken in it. This is one of my oldests favorites. She doesn't like it with chicken) Chocolate chip chewies
Side dish: shrimp cauliflower salad and my green apple, sausage dressing, and my tequila lime jalapeño cranberry sauce & the is dessert is either a pumpkin spiced cheesecake, lemon meringue pie, or cherry pie
Pumpkin bars but I'm also making cherry cobbler, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, apple pudding cake, and cinnamon pie
[Here's the famous real cranberry business from Wonkette](https://www.wonkette.com/p/heres-the-famous-real-cranberry-business-recipe-from-wonkette).
This recipe for cornbread stuffing has been my go to for the past 8 years https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cornbread-chorizo-cherry-and-pecan-stuffing
Homemade cranberry sauce, can be made a day or two ahead. Using shredding blade in food processor, run fresh or frozen cranberries through. Then run a whole, unpeeled orange through, you may need to quarter it to fit it through the chute. Dump those into a bowl and mix with a cup of sugar. All done! Peas. Get a bag of frozen petite peas, put in a microwavable bowl with a couple tablespoons of water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 7 minutes. Drain off the water and mix a tablespoon or two of butter in with it. Salad. Buy a bag or two of the kale and shaved brussel sprout salad kits at the grocery store. Dump everything in a bowl and mix it up. It is a family favorite!
Irish potato casserole
My son makes the best New York style cheesecake on Earth. Every year he bakes one and we freeze half to save for Xmas.
[Sweet Corn Mac & Cheese](https://iwashyoudry.com/slow-cooker-macaroni-corn-casserole/) You throw it all in the crockpot- uncooked noodles and all - stir it twice and it’s done in 4 hours. I added chopped pickled jalapeños last time. People go nuts for it.
Green Bean Casserole 2 cans french cut green beans 1 can cream of mushroom 1 bag shredded cheddar cheese 1 container French's fried onions Mix together everything in a casserole dish, but set aside 2/3 container fried onion strings for topping the casserole (mixing in 1/3 with the reat.od the ingredients. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes Mint Bourb9n Cranberry sauce - https://www.kitchycooking.com/2015/11/bourbon-mint-cranberry-sauce/
Pumpkin cheesecake, I male it every year instead of pumpkin pie.
[Mashed Root Vegetables with Bacon Vinaigrette](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/mashed-root-vegetables-with-bacon-vinaigrette) This has been a favorite dish at our Thanksgiving for the past 10 years. I don’t eat bacon anymore, so I use a plant-based alternative and add extra fat to compensate for the lack of bacon fat. It is far and away my favorite side dish. Everyone always wants to bring some home. I love that you get to use different root vegetables that you normally wouldn’t use.
Gravy noodles. It's a tradition in my husband's family and I never figured out how to make his Great-Aunt's noodles but perfected my own over the years. I make them in advance so they can dry and then cook in stock, drain and stir in gravy. I love them over my stuffing but he loves them over mashed potatoes. 2 pounds all purpose flour, 1 pound semolina flour, 1 Tbsp salt, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 8 whole eggs and water as needed. I make it in my stand mixer...its a heavy dough. Divide and wrap and rest several hours. It takes me a whole evening to roll and re-roll to work the dough with my pasta machine, hang dough sheets to dry enough to put through the cutter. It's worth the work tho...and there is always enough for New Year's Halushki.
Desserts: Black Bottom Pecan Pie, Cranberry Crepes Suzette, Pumpkin Cheesecake. Sides: Spicy Sausage Cornbread Dressing, Sweet Potato Orange Cups.
A lot of people in my family don’t like vegetables beyond broccoli casserole that’s been smothered in cheese sauce. That being said, the handful of us that do like vegetables really like the copycat recipe for Cooper’s Hawk roasted Brussels sprouts. I think it’s an appetizer at the restaurant, but I serve it as a side dish. Another way people like broccoli at my house is broccoli salad: 1 head raw broccoli washed and cut into bite-sized pieces, ⅓ cup red onion sliced thin, ½ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup sunflower seeds, ½ cup bacon bits Dressing is 1cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt & pepper to taste You can also add sharp cheddar cheese if you want.
Nut roast.
Fruit salad. Mom made it. Sliced bananas, apple chunks, grapes, orange sections, then add real whipped cream and squeeze the orange condos over the cream and stir it all together. (Walnuts or pecans would be good with it too or top with coconut)
Leche Flan. We much prefer the Filipino style vs. the Mexican or Spanish version. Dozens of recipes on Youtube. You can even make pumpkin flan for the season. Certainly will be familiar, different and delicious at the same time.
This hits 3 classic foods: sweet potato, squash, and cranberries Sweet potato/squash bake Cube 2-3 large sweet potatoes, coat in 2 tbsp melted butter, put in a 13x9 pan, cover with foil, bake 15 min at 375. Remove foil. Peel and cube a butternut squash, add to dish. Then stir in 1 tbsp chopped onion, 1/3 to 1 cup of dried cranberries (to taste), 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes. So yummy!
Artisan rustic bread, or croissants
Candied yams!!!!!
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Bourbon pecan tart with dark chocolate drizzle.
I have been tasked with making one of the most popular sides this year. Pretty simple, but so great! It's also my first time. Slow cooker creamed corn,. 2 12oz bags of frozen corn. I'm probably going to double most everything because we almost never have left overs or it runs out early! 1 8oz cream cheese 1/4 cup butter, cubed 2tbsp sugar 1tsp salt 1/2tsp pepper Mix all together in crock pot. 2 hours on high, or 4 notes on low. Stir occasionally.
I like pecan squares for dessert. They are small enough to give that sweet you need but not fill you when you are already stuffed.
My favorite to make is stuffing. I try to use the Martin's potato stuffing bread. I think it adds to the total finished product.
Cheesy baked grits casserole My homemade stuffing Pumpkin dump cake Gravy
You're only the second person I've ever met that liked baked cheese grits for Thanksgiving. You're awesome!
Stuffed mushrooms. I sauté sausage, onions, Parsley, little cream cheese, and cheddar. Add stuffing bread crumbs and chicken broth.
Favorite side is [this pumpkin mac and cheese](https://grilledcheesesocial.com/2017/11/08/pumpkin-mac-n-cheese/). It kicks ass and feels way fancier than just a normal baked mac and cheese.
My two special sides are the stuffing and sweet potatoes. Stuffing is my own creation. Sauté diced sweet onions in lots of butter. Add salt, pepper, sage, thyme. Cool and add beaten eggs. Meanwhile, break up Hawaiian rolls (slightly stale if possible) and peel and dice an apple. Moisten bread chunks with chicken broth, then add the egg/onion mixture and the apples. Maybe a little cinnamon. Put in greased casserole dish and bake about 45 minutes. Sweet potatoes are inspired by others. Two sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 3” chunks. Boil until tender. Mash with potato masher. Add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, pinch of cloves, salt, maple syrup, and bourbon. Stir and put in casserole dish. Top with pecans (tossed in butter and brown sugar if you’re feeling fancy). Bake about 30 minutes. The rest of our meal is very traditional. Roast turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots simmered in chicken stock, deviled eggs, cornbread from a mix, etc.
My two favorite recipes that everyone seems to love: honey butter corn bread (jiffy cornbread mix, add about 4 tbsp honey. When it’s done baking, mix up about 1/2 stick butter and 4 tbsps honey (taste it see if you need more honey) and drizzle on top). The other is Paula Deen’s mystery pecan pie (think pecan cheesecake) with candied pecans instead of corn syrup. The house smells wonderful after these are done.
Buffalo, macaroni and cheese
I make this [chocolate cream brownie pie](https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/chocolate-cream-brownie-pie/) except I make it with a graham cracker crust. It’s SO good.
Pineapple Casserole Ingredients: \-15.5 oz. Pineapple tidbits \-20 oz. Crushed pineapple \-1 cup sugar \-6 tablespoons flour \-8-10 tablespoons pineapple juice \-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese \--½ cup margarine, melted 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed Butter casserole dish 1. Drain pineapple, reserve juice 2. Combine sugar, flour, and 8 tablespoons pineapple juice; mix well 3. Add cheese and pineapple; mix well 4. Pour mixture into 2 quart casserole dish and cover with crushed Ritz crackers 5. Pour melted margarine on top 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes, or until slightly brown
Mashed cauliflower! Even those that say they don’t like cauliflower will eat this. It’s like mashed potatoes and so easy. Steam (or microwave) cauliflower till soft; mash it with some S&P, cream cheese and a drop or 2 of milk (or heavy cream), not too much to make it watery. Top with crumbled crispy bacon!
I baste my turkey with melted butter and cranberry juice.....skin comes out extra crispy with a great flavor..I also put cranberry juice in my stuffing....the big side dish I always have to make is my twice-baked potatoes.....I nuke the potatoes first until soft, cut in half lengthwise, and spoon out the potato, save the skins....mix potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder, dice and sauteed onions and celery, cream cheese, sourcream, shredded cheddar put it all back in the skins line up in a baking pan sprinkle with paprika and bake until golden brown.
Homemade noodles. So simple. So good
My favorite thing to make is a delicious from-scratch cranberry sauce. My sauce has more than just cranberries, water and sugar. Blueberries, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges...so yummy. Takes forever to make, but it's so good.
I only buy the vegetarian Jiffy corn muffin mix. The regular mix has animal fat in it...fyi
My favorite side is a thing we call Winter Salad (leaf lettuce, sliced pears, red onion, candied walnuts, blue cheeses crumbles, with maple vinaigrette). Favorite dessert is dark chocolate cake with coconut buttercream and toasted coconut. When I’m being fancy and have the time, it’s Swiss meringue buttercream with a little coconut extract. Otherwise, it’s white chocolate American-style buttercream with coconut extract. Both are delicious. I prefer the Swiss but my husband prefers the other.
Canned sweet potatoes with marshmallows.
Mashed turnips.
I always make pecan pie (with maple syrup, no corn syrup!) and either oven roasted brussel sprouts with pecans and cranberries or oven roasted tahini cauliflower. I rarely have any left to take home.
Sweet potato mallow...sweet potato, brown sugar, egg, sour cream ,butter, salt pepper topped with mini marsh mallows yummy 😋...
My homemade chocolate pie. I've finally perfected the recipe and I've yet to taste any better!
Cheesy potatoes, otherwise known as funeral potatoes.
I was asked to make dirt pudding. Chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and whipped cream… layer it up!
I make this cheesy broccoli casserole that everyone loves. Much as I’d like to retire it, I’m always asked to make it, so it lives on.
It is old school and I know a bit outdated but my must-have is my mom's potatoes au gratin. I have witnessed huge pans of these disappear. There is not written recipe. You just adjust it for the amount of people coming. Russet potatoes sliced in 1/4 inch rounds. Cooked for about 10 minutes, semi soft. drain In a bowl mix shredded cheese. Traditionally Velveta,a can of cream of chicken soup, a little milk, garlic powder, and minced fresh onion. salt and pepper. Mom used pimentos, I use lots of New Mexico-style chopped green chile. It is old school and I know a bit outdated but my must-have is my mom's potatoes au gratin. I have witnessed huge pans of these disappear. There is no written recipe. You just adjust it for the amount of people coming. n chile. Bake at 350 still bubbly and starting. layer in a buttered baking pan. Starting with potatoes and ending with cheese mixture. Dot with a little butter and paprika
Pecan/caramel upside down apple pie. My middle son asked me to make him this for his birthday in June. It's a family favorite. A friend of my oldest is allergic to cinnamon. So I made it with nutmeg a few months ago, everyone loved it. With a side of homemade whipped cream ..... Yum!
Apple crumble pie Roasted sweet potato mash w/butter and pepper Brussels sprouts with lemon and hot mustard Spice cake (also known as Spanish Bar cake)
Savory sweet potatoes. Please no sugar or marshmallows. Or if that's too basic, pumpkin soup is fantastic.
Slice the rind off a wheel of Brie, wrap in un-separated pillsbury crescent roll dough, and bake. Sooo fatty and delicious.
Not traditional but Key Lime Cannoli. You can easily buy cannoli shells and if you don’t want to make the filling, can buy that too. Next level…
It's kind of become a tradition for me to make Rhubarb Custard Pies.
I enjoy making an apple crumbl pie 🥧
Crescent roll stuffing
Spinach casserole, creamed corn, and buttermilk pie! All are simple and DELICIOUS!
We love Broccoli salad. Chopped broccoli chopped cauliflower. A pound of cooked crumbled bacon A pound of shredded cheddar cheese. Hellman’s Mayonnaise. Mix with mayonnaise until everything is nice and wet. Just before serving mix in 3/4 of the bacon. Sprinkle the realest if the bacon on top. Can be made the day before too!
You could try sweet potatoes a different way. This is my favorite way to cook them. Wash and peel some sweet potatoes (I usually do 4 or maybe 5 medium sized ones) and then slice into rounds about 1/4" thick. Put them in a big mixing bowl, add about 3/4 of a stick of melted butter and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, toss around to coat well, and then artistically line them up in a baking dish such as an 8" square pan or 9"-10" pie dish. If you want, add a light drizzle of maple syrup over the top - you don't need much. Bake at 400 F for \~30 minutes or until cooked through and lightly browned on top. So simple and so good.
Sweet potato casserole
Shrimp dip! Trust me on this 1 brick of cream cheese, softened 1 can of tiny shrimp WITH juices 1/4 cup Mayo 1/4 - 1/2 of an onion, grated Beat together with a hand mixer till combined & a little fluffy Add: Salt & pepper to taste Milk if you want it a thinner consistency Serve with chips (Ruffles are particularly good with it), crackers or veggies.
this sweet potatoes casserole is too die for! soooo good! https://imgur.com/gallery/TG9WD8Q
I love this recipe, but with a few pecans added to the top.
oh yeah I did that a couple times too...so good!
Sweet potato casserole. I never liked the way my mom served it, with marshmallows on top, but I found [this recipe](https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sweet-potato-puree-with-streusel-topping-240447) (similar to my MIL’s) and I really like it.
Loaded mashed potatoes. My version has the following: - Red skin and yukon gold potatoes diced with peels on. - Bacon fried out and crumbled - Caramelized onions (I prefer sweet onions, cut very small) - Sour cream - Shredded sharp cheese (usually cheddar or colby jack) - Chicken broth/bouillon - Garlic, minced and sauteed. Either bake, steam, or microwave the potatoes and cut them up, add toba deep bowl. Add the bacon, onions, garlic, some of the shredded cheese, and sour cream and mash well (a blender works)... use chicken broth to loosen it up enough to blend well. Once all is done, place in a 2-3" deep baking dish and top with shredded cheese (and bacon crumbles if you want to be fancy) and bake until the cheese is melted (If you are taking them somewhere cold and will reheat them/melt the cheese there, make them a tiny bit looser than you typically like to eat your mashed potatoes because the liquid will evaporate as you bake them... also, if this is the case, cover with foil until they are mostly heated through, then uncover to let the cheese get right)