I will start off saying, I am no cook! I do well following recipes and substituting better ingredients where I feel need it. These are a few recipes we have been using for a few years and the family likes them, so they are becoming a tradition to always have on the Thanksgiving table. 🙂 As the kids get older, I have started allowing each of them a different Thanksgiving food item to make. They LOVE this extra responsibility and to be part of the food making process!

Appetizers

Stuffed Dates (appetizer) – So delicious!!!

Vegetable Dip Turkey (appetizer) – We made this for the first time in 2019 and used my homemade cashew dip. The kids and adults enjoyed munching on this during the day. It is super cute!!

Sides

Rolls (side) – The kids love to help make these! My 5 year old made these last year all by himself with a little guidance from mommy on how much of what ingredient.  Super easy and lots of fun. All done in a stand mixer. I put my Amazon affiliate link for anyone looking for a possible Christmas gift for someone who loves to cook. I use mine all the time. 😉

Homemade Cranberry Sauce (side)- Has the texture of the canned cranberry but so much better!! My 9 year old was in charge of this dish. We have not tried the adding of orange juice but might switch it up this year.

 

Green Bean Casserole (side) – Frozen green beans come to the rescue to make this dish a faster and easier side to throw together. 😉

Roasted Butternut Squash with a Pecan Ginger Glaze (side) – I used coconut sugar instead of the regular granulated sugar to make this a great addition to Thanksgiving.

Mashed potatoes (side) – My dad makes this special each year! So fluffy and creamy! Not on the healthy side besides being homemade with love. Lots of butter and heavy cream for sure.

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie (dessert) – Making this from scratch is amazing. I use coconut sugar for my sugar substitute.  I used the 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree and 2 eggs option. I have made my own crust in the past but buying a frozen crust works well too when short on time. 🙂 I make this a day or so ahead.

Thumbprint Cookies (dessert) – My 11 year old made these. They are also used throughout the year to bring to gatherings as a healthier dessert. Such a huge hit!

Blueberry Peach Cobbler (dessert) – My husbands favorite. I only make it on special occasions to keep it that special. 😉 I use the jar of halved peaches from Trader Joe’s and frozen wild blueberries to make it easy to throw together. This is one I will make a day ahead of time. My husband likes more crust, so I plan to double the topping recipe this year and see how it goes.

Cooking for Thanksgiving should not be stressful. It should be a fun day with family enjoying each others company as we fill the house with delicious smells. Relax, talk and play games as the food cooks. Make the day a memory you will cherish and look forward to each year to come!

To stressing less and playing more,

Melissa 🙂