Thanksgiving is a big deal in our family — we have much to be thankful for, so we relish celebrating this day with friends and family and, of course, lots of amazing food.
We typically celebrate with a classic Thanksgiving meal: turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry salad, and of course, pumpkin pie to finish it all off. However, my favorite recipes are anything but typical… Each has a bit of a twist that makes it unique to my family and/or simplifies our meal in some way, and I’d love to share them with you!
Deep Fried Turkey – I have to admit that I’m not really a fan of turkey, so there have been many years when we opted for a ham instead. Until we tried this deep fried turkey recipe… Now my turkey turns out tender, juicy and flavorful every time, and the cooking time is trimmed to under an hour!
Crescent Rolls with Fresh Herbs — fresh chopped herbs turn the mundane crescent roll into an upscale side worthy of special occasion status. These crescent rolls with fresh herbs are an elegant roll for dinner parties and holiday gatherings!
Green Bean Casserole – I know that green bean casserole is one of those dishes that everyone seems to either love or hate. I happen to fall firmly in the LOVE category, and this is seriously the easiest green bean casserole recipe ever. It’s made with just three simple ingredients!
Mashed Potatoes – Our dinner plates just wouldn’t be complete without a heaping helping of mashed potatoes, especially my very favorite creamy make ahead mashed potatoes. Filled with sour cream and cream cheese, they don’t even need gravy, and you can make up them a day or two in advance, so all you have to do it bake them before the big meal!
Stuffing – Of course, stuffing is a requirement at Thanksgiving, but when you deep-fry your turkey, you can’t bake your stuffing in it. These cute little stuffing muffins are the perfect solution, and the perfectly sized portions make them easy to serve!
Cranberry Salad – This is definitely not your average cranberry salad recipe, but it’s an absolute must on our Thanksgiving table. Truthfully it’s more like a dessert, but we serve it right alongside our main meal!
Pumpkin Pie – And last, but certainly not least, our table would not be complete without a couple of homemade pumpkin pies. I make my pumpkin pies from scratch using the classic Crisco pie crust recipe, filling them with the homemade pumpkin pie filling recipe that was passed down from my mom. Don’t forget the homemade whipped cream!
Traditional or not, I’m looking forward to sharing this special day and delicious meal with my family. Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours!
