Friday, November 18, 2016

Friday's Five: Thanksgiving Recipes & Prep


How is it that Thanksgiving is less than a week away???  If feels like we've been talking about it forever because we're hosting both mine and Derek's families this year! It'll be so nice not to be traveling for the holiday as well as host our first and only holiday in this house.

We've got a pretty full menu with all the basics but I've had fun searching for some extras to throw in too which I've shared below with some of our other menu planning too...

I wanted another fresh dish & something new for the food display and chopped salads are my favorite so this was an easy add in.  It looks delicious.  Another green we'll have of course is green bean casserole. 


While I'm serving stuffing the traditional way, and mushrooms, this mixed stuffing looks pretty good!  Stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cranberries - we'll have all of the basics for the sides table too.


Can I just copy this one??? Derek's family is in from out of town and my family will be coming over early in the day so we'll have appetizers out a few hours before we eat.  If this isn't inspiration for a cheese board, I don't know what is!  We'll also have out some bbq/cranberry meatballs, shrimp and a dip.


I actually hate all things sweet potato - it just doesn't appeal to me! Needless to say, sweet potato casserole is one of the dishes my mom is bringing.  If I was in charge of this dish, these little bites would be darling to serve - or perfect for a Friendsgiving.


And for the sweet side... fudge! I'm cheating because time is running out, the list of items to cook keeps growing and we have a place close by that serves many flavors of delicious fudge.  However, I was all set to make this - saving it for the Christmas season now.  We'll also have the traditional pies amongst some other sweet treats. 


I've shared my plans and I love hearing from all of you so tell me, how are you celebrating next week??  Also, if you're hosting, any favorite menu items?? It's never too late to finalize my menu! xx

20 comments:

  1. Yum! I love Thanksgiving because it's so different for everyone. I love the cheese tray you have on here. I need to put one together for an app.

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  2. That cheese and fruit board display is amazing!! I'm bringing two apps and my brussel sprouts and I can't wait!! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  3. I love hosting- ok! Here is our menu. 1. Apps- Pumpkin Hard Cider Dip with Crackers, Cranberry White Cheddar Dip with French Bread Pieces and Fig and Goat Cheese in Puff Pastries drizzled with honey. I also always serve caramel apple martinis, wine and prosseco. 2. Main Event- Turkey with three kinds of stuffing- Traditional, Sausage Cranberry Cornbread and French Pork Stuffing, Green Beans with Shallots and Bacon, Ruth Chris's Bourbon Sweet Potato Bake, Onions in Cream Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Fried Corn and Rolls. 3. The dessert- apple pie, pumpkin pie and Mel's Pumpkin Bars (seriously no one ever eats dessert- we are always to stuffed!) Happy Thanksgiving!

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  4. This all looks too delicious and now I'm salivating at 6am lol

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  5. We will start celebrating Wednesday night with Dustin's family and then we've got 2 Thanksgivings on Thursday with my family. We eat a traditional Southern Thanksgiving meal! I think our families would die if we brought a different kind of dish haha
    Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts

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  6. I'm headed home next week to celebrate with my family, but this will be the first year I'm in charge of dessert! I just had s major baking fail last night so I'm really nervous about it- ha! That chopped salad looks awesome!! Can't wait to hear all about it!

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  7. That chopped salad looks delicious!!! For some reason we never have salad at Thanksgiving or Christmas, but you are making me want to! We always go to my grandma's and pretty much have the same thing, although my aunt usually tries out different stuffing recipes. Turkey two ways - a whole turkey and then turkey and thyme rolls, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberries (both ways), rolls, broccoli cheese and rice casserole (my fave!), sauerkraut...I think that covers it and now I am absolutely starved!

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  8. Yum! Everything looks so delicious! We are local this year (thank goodness for not having to travel with a baby and a toddler), and I'm making squash casserole, rolls, gingerbread pecan pie and banana pudding. And you know what? I totally hated anything sweet potatoes, too, until I started making Walker's baby food a little over two years ago. I baked some sweet potatoes and mashed them up for him to eat, and tried a bite and love them! Ha!

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  9. It's so hard to believe that the holiday is right around the corner! I'm getting nervous about hosting, too. My staple dish is a cranberry raspberry jello that my mom has made for years, and it's always a hit!

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  10. I can't believe Thanksgiving is in less than a week either - craziness! Have an amazing time with both of your families, I can't wait to see the amazing spread I'm sure you guys will have. Happy Friday gurlie <3
    Green Fashionista

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  11. Yum! You are making my mouth water with these!! Good luck with hosting! That's a lot of work! I'm sure it will be worth it!!

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  12. Love these fun and "different" recipes! Have so much fun hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year and enjoy it being your first and last one hosting :)

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    1. Well, your first and last in that house... not ever lol!

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  13. Almond maple fudge sounds delish. I'm a fan of pretty much anything maple! Have a great weekend, Christina!

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  14. I love your choices for non traditional dishes! I'm usually not the biggest fan of sweet potatoes either, but those sweet potato bites look good, along with the fudge! Yum!

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  15. All of these recipes look and sound delicious. That is really nice that you are hosting both families too!! :-) Have a great weekend!!

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  16. I can't wait to see how your Thanksgiving turns out! You always document everything so beautifully! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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  17. The cheese board looks delicious!! Sounds like so much fun! Enjoy! :))

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  18. Everything looks so yummy! Perfect recipes to try for a vegetarian navigating Thanksgiving! Enjoy your holiday!

    Ann
    www.StepInsideMyCloset.com

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  19. I am officially hungry after reading this post. There are some yummy versions here that I have never tried, but very interested in trying them.

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