I tried to look up some photos for this post, maybe some old Thanksgiving photos, then I saw this, which is ummmm perfect and fitting. There was a point in my life that I was absolutely OBSESSED with the fat booth app. Literally obsessed. I did it to ANYONE I encountered. Flight attendants, waiters, anyone. I have hundreds of these photos on my phone. Also I figured that if I posted this at the top of this post, I’d be more inclined to post again soon, to try and bump it down to the bottom. I mean look at it. Shudder.
Ok so Thanksgiving.
Absolutely terrified. Excited. But LOATHING the trip to the grocery store for this. And I LOVE the grocery store. I go to one where they are a bit nuts, Ralphs on Ventura. Every couple of minutes someone comes on the intercom and says something funny or makes fun of the other employees (with love) or sings “happy super old birthday” to someone at the deli counter. It’s kinda awesome and I find myself giggling up and down the aisles.
We will be having about 20 or so people in our home, with one oven. John’s family will be coming from Ohio for Thanksgiving, whereas every other year we have gone out there. So it is awesome of them to come out…and I need to make this great. Did I mention one oven? I mean who has 2 ovens besides those real housewives people who hire outside chefs to even come use them, but man, you never notice until this holiday that having one oven sucks. As soon as I get back to LA, I will be looking for one of those double ovens because timing and hot food is extremeeeely important to me and something I am normally really good at, but not with this many dishes. Nooooo way.
Since a baked turkey would steal all my oven space, we bought a pretty snazzy deep-fryer and have Todd English sending us his favorite recipe for deep-fried turkey. What a cool semi-friend to have, right?? Didn’t even know you needed a recipe for deep fried turkey! I thought you just dropped that shit in (thawed, of course) and ran for your lives.
I never even eat turkey on thanksgiving. Maybe a tiny sliver, but for me, sides are where it’s at. Still picking out the desserts, but definitely thinking pumpkin cheesecake in jars (because jars are awesome), and berry cobbler with brown sugar crumble and vanilla ice cream melted all over.
And I’ll tell you this right now. Think of a flavor you want to to have. A dish. See if Paula Deen or Ina Garten have the recipe for it online by googling, and go to the food network site listed. That is the only way to go for me, unless it’s a family recipe or a near and dear friend of mine has passed me their own recipe for something. I always put all my faith in Paula and Ina and their hearty, homey, flavorful recipes have literally NEVER let me down.
Ladies and gentlemen. Presenting my starting lineup for Thanksgiving 2011…
*Deep fried turkey with gravy (recipe to come)
*Cranberry sauce. I refuse to have that can-molded cranberry gel on my table, delicious as it is. So simple. Make it. (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/cranberry-sauce/detail.aspx)
*John’s macaroni and cheese (http://www.marthastewart.com/348566/john-legends-macaroni-and-cheese) Make SURE to click the video for an awesomely red holiday sweater. Also, “seasoning salt” means LAWRY’s. MUST BE LAWRY’S!
*Ina Garten’s parmesan mashed potatoes, that I add some garlic and bacon crumbles to…tastes like you put a baked potato into a blender and poured it into your mouth, which is pretty much what my elderly years will be about. I’ve had other recipes where the parmesan overwhelms, but this is just perfect. (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-smashed-potatoes-recipe2/index.html)
*my mom’s scalloped potatoes with cream and bacon. You know, the one I cut my fingertip off for then came home to finish making like nothing had happened because THEY ARE THAT GOOD! Posting today, I promise. I also have a sweet potato dish coming up. You might think that’s a lot of potato dishes but 1, why are you questioning potatoes? Are you a terrorist? They’re awesome. 2, each dish has totally different flavors. Cheese. Cream. Sweetness.
*Green bean casserole. Can’t you just picture the fabulous Paula Deen saying this in that adorable southern accent? “Grain Bain Casserollllle”. There are about 350 comments on Paula Deen’s site regarding this 5-star reviewed recipe. I am a rating freak, by the way. I will do a lot of research before deciding upon a recipe, and make sure to read 90% of the comments. If a recipe is great, the only low ratings will be from people who made their own mistakes. Who burns something then gives it one star?? I give YOU, one star, jerk. NOT MY PAULA! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/green-bean-casserole-recipe/reviews/index.html)
*Deviled eggs with spicy dijon and tabasco. I know it’s a bit Easter-y, but these little egg halves basically exist for me to pop into my mouth all throughout this cooking process, so hours later I can say, “fuck, who let me eat all those eggs?? I feel disgusting”. It’s tradition. (http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/deviled_eggs/)
*My favorite Thanksgiving bite. Stuffing with a bit of gravy allll over it. Since this dish is clearly so important to my tastebuds and I, I will be branching out this year and trying a recipe different from Stove Top. All fanciness aside, I think Stove Top stuffing is delicious. I also love the Marie Calendar’s boxed mix. It’s so easy on a day where everything is a bit overwhelming. But I’m gonna really dive in this year, meaning I will be testing out some stuffings all week. Not a bad job at all. Now only if I got paid for it…..I pretty much only get paid to look like the opposite of someone who enjoys stuffing. Damn my love for food.
*Sweet potato casserole with pecan and brown sugar crumble. Never made it but this one has nearly 1000 reviews praising it like baby Jesus. The only tragedy here is that all the photos look like baby Jesus’ diarrhea. So that’ll be something to try and adjust. And I am totally doubling up on this butter/pecan/brown sugar crumbly top. BEST BELIEVE. (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/yummy-sweet-potato-casserole/detail.aspx)
*Paula Deen’s cream biscuits. Which will probably be the last thing I make. Out of exhaustion and basic lack of clean dishes to use, these biscuits (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cream-biscuits-recipe/index.html) might turn into pop n fresh.
*Paula Deen’s baked wild rice. Stumbled across this yesterday and it hasn’t left my mind. Mushrooms, onions, cream, sherry. And judging by the video, pretty easy. One of the things I am most looking forward to cooking! (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/baked-wild-rice-recipe/index.html)
* (UPDATED) Southern fried corn. Something I’ve been talking about ALL year. It’s time. It’s time. (http://www.deepsouthdish.com/2010/06/southern-fried-corn.html)
So there you have it. The list so far. No life-changing, innovative ideas here. But it’s Thanksgiving! Making things that everyone already knows, that everyone will love, more than any other year. I like that challenge. And did I mention the football and the drinking? The football and the drinking. And family. Family too.
PS: Really feeling like I need more veggies, so if you know of an awesome veggie dish, lemme know before I settle on cheesy broccoli. And believe me, I would love to settle on cheesy broccoli. Any other non-veggie side ideas also welcome in the comments! I want to over-do this Thanksgiving to the max. MOREEEE DISHES!
Xx
pioneer woman’s whisky glazed carrots and not a side or a veggie, but i feel like you should have a ham.
Holy wow. Impressed. That video of John on Martha is the best. We need to get you on Martha! Perhaps a Facebook petition is in order.
Oh, and Bacon wrapped asparagus, perhaps? http://www.justcookalready.com/2010/11/bacon-wrapped-green-beans.html
Made these few weeks ago and everyone loved them!!!
as far as veggies go: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1643,147188-235207,00.html
The original recipe is from Southern Living and my Mom makes it every.single.year. It’s nice to have a spot of fresh/cool in the midst of all the baked goodies. Plus, it’s best if made the night before. win/win
I eat something very similar to this, except mine has cashews in it as well.
we have thrown in sunflower seeds and walnuts but cashews sound awesome. Now I want it to be thanksgiving tomorrow!
This is super easy and one of my favorites. Sweet potatoes with a butter and cinnamon topping(not yams, yah I know you know but not everyone knows). Boil the potatoes in salted water until just soft. Drain and mash, leaving some lumps. In saute pan use 1 stick of butter and about a teaspoon of cinnamon. I actually don’t measure this stuff. Just put it in the pan and taste until I like it. Pour butter/cinnamon mixture over top of potatoes and add little marshmellows. A litte, a lot. Whatever you like. Bake uncovered in a 350 oven for 30 minutes or so. Til everything is nice and bubbly. Hope you like!
One of my families favs I’ve done for the past couple of our Canadian Thanksgivings is Grilled Asparagus rolled in Parmesan and wrapped in Prosciutto. Melted butter all over the asparagus before you roll it in the cheese.
Some family member like it without the Prosciutto, so I make both.Sooo tasty,and quick too.No oven required.
I wish I could eat my computer monitor.
I always do a super-easy corn dish for Thanksgiving. The family INSISTS I bring it every year. It didn’t have a name until my sis-in-law dubbed it “Corn Happiness.”
Take a big-ass can of sweet kernel corn, drained. Cube a block of cream cheese. Dice a couple of serrano peppers into teeny, tiny pieces (do NOT forget to remove the seeds first). And no matter what you do, or how many times you wash your hands after, PUT YOUR CONTACT LENSES IN BEFORE YOU DICE THE PEPPERS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. NOT AFTER. Never making THAT mistake again. Dump it all together in a pot, add some butter to taste if desired, and stir it around on occasion until it’s heated through and well-mixed. Eat.
You can add more or less of any ingredient to suit your preferences.
Chrissy, you make me so happy!!! Keep on blogging your delicious food. Big kiss from Amsterdam. Ps. if you need some more penis pasta, let me know
Mary B’s dumplings. So easy and they taste homemade!
http://www.homadefoods.com/product1.aspx?parents=111
I’m on my lunch break at work eating carrots and hummus, this just made my day! As for veggies something really simple is roasted vegetables. Delicious and you feel like you’re being healthy. Here is where I found the best directions: http://www.salon.com/2010/03/13/how_to_master_roasted_vegetables/
Our family veggie dish is steamed brussel sprouts with our family cheese sauce. Super healthy! The sauce is a concoction of velveeta (yeah, I said it, velveeta!), sharp cheddar, chicken stock, milk, bacon and cayenne pepper. Mmmm nom nom nom nom.
there is nothing wrong with giving thanks for potatos
First of all, LOVE your food blog. Now onto to the food. Its all very british these dishes. But thats what I’ve been brought up on but you may like. Brussel sprouts with maple bacon and butter is one idea. Honey glazed parsnips or Cumin and Apricot glaze carrots and parsnips.Yotam Ottolenghi has some great recipes for side dishes for the holidays
You should throw a little jalapeño in yourcranberry sauce. I love the recipe on real simple. And I love Brussels Sprouts as my veggie side. Its not on a website but it includes the Brussels Sprouts, BACON, maple syrup and chestnuts. It’s a little Christmas-y but who cares? Thanksgiving is the better holiday!
I want to make alllll of this. Especially the most carby ones, i.e. wild rice and parm potatoes.
A surprisingly great veggie side dish (other than real simple’s gruyere broccoli) is celery casserole. I don’t even like celery but it’s so so so good and a total comfort food. It’s very similar to this recipe, http://www.food.com/recipe/celery-casserole-25385, but I add a shitload of pimentos
holy eff your thanksgiving line-up sounds amazing! sounds like you could use some kitchen help (*ahem*). for a veggie, green beans w/bacon is always delish!
http://beyondwonderful.com/recipes/side-dishes/vegetables/green-beans-with-bacon-shallots-and-red-chili-flakesrecipe/
http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/06/green-bean-bacon-bundles/
anyways, thanks for always making me laugh & hope your finger is healing well!
Sounds like you’ve got your work cut out for you but it sounds amazing! Last Thanksgiving I tried Brussels sprouts for the first time using Gwyneth Paltrow’s recipe from GOOP and it totally converted me. Very simple and delicious. Seriously! Try it!
you guys are so, so awesome. I will be updating this post with my additions. Totally forgot about creamed corn AND that southern fried corn I tweeted about!!
Sooooo jealous. I’m by myself this year for Thanksgiving. It all sounds so good!
Thee best pumpkin cheesecake recipe! I will be making this for thanksgiving dessert
so delicious everyone loves it!
👍
Check out this link… anything of hers is good!
http://www.woodhavenfarm.com/links.html
Former head chef for some of the Cameron Mitchell restaurants (very big in Columbus, OH!) and now runs Woodhaven Farms. I’ve taken some of her cooking classes and done dinner parties and all her food is so delicious and she is hilarious with a potty mouth… can’t beat that!
One of the veggie staples when I was a kid at my gma’s thanksgivings (we haven’t celebrated in years, boo) was cauliflower with a buttery bread crumb topping. Works on brussels sprouts too. or any veg for that matter. Buttery crunch with every veggie bite!! Basically just steam the veg and in a small fry pan melt some butter and add breadcrumbs until the consistency is not runny, but not crumbly/dry either. Let the breadcrumbs brown a bit, a golden brown is what you want but take off the heat when you think they are not quite there, it’s easy to overdo it and burn them.
Your spread sounds fantastic and makes me long for thanksgivings past. If you have a tradition of taking in charity cases for thanksgiving, I volunteer to help you eat deviled eggs while helping you cook and sit on the couch next to you in some version of Joey’s thanksgiving pants while watching football and moaning. and popping just one more deviled egg in for good measure.
happy early thanksgiving to you and yours! xo, Caz
lol thanks!! i might need you at the house
CHRISSY! My friends and I adore your blog. We are Manhattan foodies as well and love your commentary! #1 Eataly is amazing and I can not believe you only went there for the first time a while back. #2 Sauteed Cauliflower with pine nuts is a must. Basically you boil cauliflower flourets until they are just about done then you saute them in a pan with olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, lemon juice, pine nuts then sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese and a few breadcrumbs in the mixture and it is amazing. Enjoy!
yummmm thank u!!
I want to try the Sweet Potato Casserole!! I love sweet Potatoe ANYTHING! You should try looking up African Thanksgiving Dishes, Ever Heard Of Jollof Rice? Taste like Heaven (super popular Nigerian Dish) Totally loving your blog
Try a pineapple casserole! It is delicious!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pineapple-casserole-recipe/index.html
Oh Chrissie you are funny! Now I want the fat app.
Meanwhile my daughter and I are frantically emailing the links to your recipes back and forth. We are NOT having 20 people for dinner so some painful editing is necessary…and can’t make any final decisions until I see your mom’s scalloped potato recipe!
Loving your blog! It’s the only one I read consistently.
You should make crispy parmesan asparagus sticks! It’s delicious (I mean, delushious)
1 bunch of asparagus (mine had about 30 spears)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1 cup seasoned panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay a wire rack on a baking sheet and coat with non-stick spray. Snap off the tough ends of each asparagus spear. On two separate plates, add the eggs whites (lightly beaten) and the panko + flour + cheese. Season the panko mixture with salt and pepper if desires. Coat each asparagus spear in egg whites, then lay in the panko mixture and thoroughly cover. If the panko won’t stick, dip back in the egg whites and roll in panko once again. Lay each spear on the wire rack. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
whoa sounds amazing!!! thank u!
Yumm!! I love John’s recipe for mac & cheese, almost identical to mine! Sounds like you have a lovely Thanksgiving lined up! Enjoy!
we love it too, I make it at least once a month.
Hollllly mother of god. I’m exhausted just READING about everything you’re making. Maybe for veggies, you could just have a salad? Easy, doesn’t require oven space, you can make it ahead?
A nice fruit salad or ambrosia would be good too.
I think it’s so funny that you haven’t made the country fried corn and it’s featured on your own blog! Since I saw it here, I’ve made it 3 times and hubby asks for it as a regular dish now!
Have you thought about doing garlic sautéed asparagus? We’re huge asparagus lovers here; haven’t heard you mention it before though, so maybe you’re not a fan, but it’s super yummy and super simple!
Super simple green beans and almonds recipe, but it’s SO GOOD. Saute green beans in half butter and half olive oil, add garlic to taste, and then add honey roasted sliced almonds (we use Almond Accents Honey Roasted) near the end, but make sure they’re mixed in well so the sugar on the nuts melts onto the beans. Addicting and delicious.
I’ve never heard of pumpkin cheesecake in a jar but the way that I make mine is to have a graham cracker crust (of course) then have a thin layer of tart cranberry sauce. It goes so nicely with the sweetness of the cheesecake.
Super basic Veggie casserole that I am obsessed with…a bag of frozen green beans, a bag of the corn/broccoli/cauliflower mix, a can of cream of mushroom soup, like a cup of sour cream and a bag of shredded swiss…cook at 350ish til it’s hot and bubbly (i’m at work so this is as nonscientific as it gets but whatev) delish, creamy, cheesy, so NOT healthy but there are VEGGIES so it counts right? I only eat this at thanksgiving and look forward to it every year.
Yummmmmmy!! Im totally gonna jack a few of these! Thanks Chrissy!!
I use a lot of recipes from Epicurious and these have been big hits with our family:
Good squash side dish:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Corn-and-Winter-Squash-with-Spinach-and-Bacon-15645
A Southern Stuffing:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bread-Stuffing-with-Crawfish-Bacon-and-
Collard-Greens-236497
And 2 Cranberry options:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Cranberry-Sauce-with-Zinfandel-105838
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Cranberry-Sauce-with-Zinfandel-105838
haha. oh my goodness I love this post. I go to the same Ralph’s and always tend to be checking out when someone’s wishing an employee happy birthday over the intercom. i love it. looking forward to trying some of your amazing recipes. would love if you’d check out my latest post. it’s about taking your style to edge. xo
http://fashboulevard.blogspot.com/
Our family made both of these Brussel Sprout dishes last year, recipes compliments of Bobby Flay – how can you go wrong? you can’t. they are both delish!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts w/ Pancetta – http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-pancetta-recipe/index.html
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranates and Vanilla-Pecan Butter – http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-pomegranates-and-vanilla-pecan-butter-recipe/index.html
Enjoy!
Brussels sprouts sound gross and remind me of gas and Roald Dahl’s violent hatred of them in his biography “Boy” but they have become one of my favorite fall staple sides, mainly because I put a crapload of bacon and garlic in them and roast the until they’re crispy and so yummy. This recipe looks like an even better version, I love the Ace hotel and brunches at the Breslin are delish so I trust them to know their sprouts, enjoy!
http://www.souschefseries.com/recipe/viewRecipe/Roasted_brussels_sprouts
Chrissy…when you rock that Sweet Potato Casserole, be SURE to add some nutmeg. My family recipe (at home – - will send when I get home) calls for slight adjustments to the one you posted. But a STAPLE for us is to use whole nutmeg. You must, must, must watch those fingers, though, because as you grate the nutmeg (on a zester…or, you could just pop the nutmeg in a bullet or food processor) your fingers may suffer. And Lord knows you can’t afford to have another finger injury. Whole nutmeg is key to flavor for a lot of our Thanksgiving dishes.
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving, all!!!
will do! thank u!!
You should try this recipe for your stuffing…
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/awesome-sausage-apple-and-cranberry-stuffing/detail.aspx
I know some of the ingredients are not in a traditional stuffing, but this stuff is fabulous! Only thing we change is to use pork sausage instead of turkey sausage.
My husband in in charge of it every year and always makes a double batch because everyone fights over the leftovers.
Any way, love your blog, and happy early thanksgiving!
Oops, and minus the turkey liver, cause I am just a wimp when it comes to random turkey parts!
Yum! You’ve listed so many great dishes. Can I invite myself over? Jk. I’ll be making John’s mac & cheese tomorrow for our class Thanksgiving lunch and again for Thanksgiving next week. It’s been a hit the past 2 years so thank him for me! Lol. I may try to make some of the dishes you mentioned too. Thanks for the ideas!
Green Beans Almandine….fresh Green Beans cooked, sauteed in a healthy amount of butter, then topped with toasted almonds…..always a favorite of mine.
What about dessert?? (Sorry – I’m a sweets freak and focus on saving enough space for the big finish.)
pleeeeeeeeeease post your desserts recipes or links! they sound sooo amazing!
My grandmother’s squash caserole… absolutely my favorite dish every single year for Thanksgiving! (It might take longer to cook, not sure exactly. My mom makes it every year and it was really hard for her to get the recipe because my grandmother just made it up as she went for the most part!)
Babo’s Squash Casserole
1 big onion, sliced
2 lbs. yellow squash, sliced
2-3 slices bacon
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 roll Ritz crackers
1 TBS. margarine
1 egg
Fry bacon. Use drippings, slowly cook squash and onion covered with lid until done (about 30-40 minutes). Mash. Add bouillon to a TBS. of water. Beat egg. Add bouillon and egg to mashed squash and onion mixture and place in casserole dish. Crush Ritz crackers in ziploc bag. Brown in melted margarine. Top squash casserole with crackers. Bake 30 minutes in 350° oven.
You should make cornbread and biscuit stuffing with homemade biscuits and cornbread, it’s delicious! http://www.marthastewart.com/328000/cornbread-and-biscuit-dressing
Southern Fried corn is the utterly awesome, second only to your comment about the sweet potatoes looking like Baby Jesus’ diarrhea. CLASSIC!
I have a recipe for roasted cauliflower with pomegranate seeds that’s addicting –
http://foodandwinehedonist.wordpress.com/2011/11/09/football-week-10-roasted-cauliflower-with-pomegranate/
I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely love your blog!!! Thank you for always posting such yummy recipes and for making it entertaining!!
chrissy, you, you. are. just. fabulous. thank you. for you. just you being you: )
this made me ultra excited for THANKSGIVIN’ !!!!
Quick veggie side dishes stir-fried Chinese style – my mom’s recipes:
http://theactorsdiet.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/lynn-mommy-knows-best/
Hahaha love your thanksgiving list! Your blog has become the place I go to when I feel like making something different.
Btw- you had me cracking up throughout this blog entry. Literally LOL’ing
Xoxo
I LOVE your Thanksgiving menu! This is my favorite holiday! My uncle made the sweet potato casserole last year and it was SO GOOD! I can’t wait to see your post after you make everything!
I am going to try and make the fried corn this year! That sounds amazing!
chrissy – KALE! with garlic, bacon, and walnuts! YUM. AND it doesn’t require an oven
LOVE you and your blog!
First off, you make the sexiest fat chick I’ve ever seen.
Second, thank you so much for sharing your lineup. I have been franticly searching for good recipes. This helped me a lot. I’m going to make sure my long day of committing carbicide will be worth it!
This green bean/sage/pancetta recipe has become a staple on our holiday table, but this year I am going to mix it up with the fab green bean recipe that you shared recently.
Also!!! Sweet potato/parsnip mash! Just as the name implies, plus butter. Soooooo delush.
**************
Green Beans with Sage and Pancetta
2 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
8 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh sage
Fleur de sel* or other medium-grain sea salt for serving (optional)
Blanch the beans and drain.
Combine pancetta and 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet. Sauté over medium heat until pancetta is crisp, about 10 minutes. Add sage and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add beans and sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add pancetta mixture and toss to blend. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and fleur de sel, if desired, and serve.
First of all, I just want you to know that I’m eating a big bowl of shrimp sauteed in your chipotle marinade while I read this. I’m dipping them in an apricot/curry/fake mayo sauce that I whipped up to cut down on the heat a little. You know, just in case you were wondering lol. As for Thanksgiving, I think you really only need one more veggie recipe and then you are good to go. Ina has a great but simple roasted carrot dish. Love the line-up!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-carrots-recipe/index.html
All of this looks AMAZING! I made this stuffing recipe for my fella last year and he LOVED IT. Seriously. His birthday was last month and I put a candle in a dish of it instead of a cake. Plus side: It’s crazytown easy! http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/sausage-brioche-dressing-recipe/index.html. I also made this Alton Brown recipe for the green bean casserole, which was also a huge hit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/best-ever-green-bean-casserole-recipe/index.html. Can’t wait to see all the goodness!
Your line up sounds amazing!
These are my go to appetizers/side dishes for get togethers:
Cheesy bread balls from the Pioneer Woman (here name is slightly different):
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/03/yummy-delightful-mystery-rolls/
Hot cheese dip that gets requested a lot:
12 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. Real mayo
1 1/2 c. Italian cheese mix (asiago/parmesean)
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 c. Roasted red pepper chopped
Mix everything together w/mixer. Put in baking pan 8×8, bake for 30 min. At 350 degrees or til bubbly and lightly browned. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.
Since you love Ina Garten (me too!) I suggest make it easy on yourself (since you are killing it with the rest of the amazing menu) and make one of her roasted veggie dishes-roasted broccoli, roasted brussel sprouts, roasted asparagus, etc. I’ve made them all and they’re soooo easy and delicious to boot…PS-made your lemon-garlic-bacon chicken for my hubby last week and he said it was THE BEST CHICKEN HE’D EVER EATEN. thank you!!!!!!!!
Easy way to make Stove Top “fancier” is by dicing andouille and saute with bias-sliced celery and some sweet onion. Incorporate with the Stove Top. It can be done ahead of time then before the meal, heat in the warming drawer that’s obviously keeping everything else warm. When you’re about 5 minutes to serve, lightly pour melted butter on the tops (not too much otherwise it’ll be soggy), then crank the heat up in the broiler to make the top crunchy.
All these look so yummy! Have you tried Pioneer Woman’s Green Bean Casserole??
Also I would love to try the recipe for cheesecake in a jar! Did i miss the recipe??
Chrissy-love the blog and you! For a veggie side dish try -Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pine nuts:http://www.weheartfood.com/2008/12/brussels-sprouts-with-pancetta-and-pine-nuts.html
I’m Canadian – we already had our Thanksgiving. And now I’m sad because I’m so hungry I want to eat my left arm. Can I come to your place for Thanksgiving?
I agree, no jelly cranberry sauce. If you’d like thing a little different, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this balsamic-cranberry sauce is da BOMB!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pork-Tenderloin-with-Balsamic-Cranberry-Sauce-100314
DEFINITELY trying this!!
Just so you know this is also great on prime rib, pork tenderloin, pork chops, lamb, with a spoon…you get my point. I’ve used it with many recipes. You’ll wanna do an entire post dedicated to this sauce. LOL Enjoy!
I have made pumpkin cheesecake cupcakes for the past few holidays and they are always a hit, in fact I always double or triple the mixture so there is enough for seconds.
Filling:
1 pound (16 oz) cream cheese, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup sour cream
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Heat oven to 375° and line 15 muffin cups with paper liners. Make the crust, and (if you double the filling, make sure to double the crust) then scoop about 1 tbsp of crust into each cupcake and press down to ensure a flat crust.
I then use an electric mixture for ease to blend the cream cheese until it is smooth. Then you’ll want to gradually add the sugar and beat until well mixed.
Beat in the vanilla and eggs, until well blended. During the whole process make sure that you scrape the edges so that you don’t leave any cream cheesy goodness out. Lastly beat in the sour cream and salt and then you will want to add in your pumpkin and pumpkin spices, instead of using the individual cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, I’m lazy and I buy pumpkin pie spices and add 1/2 tsp of it. But this part is definitely to taste, so don’t be afraid to sample and make sure the flavor is how you like it.
You then want to fill each cupcake up, and it shouldn’t rise too much, so you can leave less space at the top than when you make cake cupcakes. Then place your cheesecake in the oven and bake for 11 minutes, then rotate 180 degrees and bake for 11 more minutes, or until the center is set. Let them cool completely, and then place in the refrigerator, I typically do overnight but about 4 hours should do. Serve with whipped cream. If you could make this even more awesome by making fresh whipped cream and adding just a touch of pumpkin spices.
Can’t wait for thanksgiving to be here so I can make them again!
whoa THANK YOU!
This TGiving post has me wanting to leave my desk, run to the store and get home and start cooking NOW. Not to mention these fabulous comments. Damn I think we’re a great bunch of foodies on this site!!! Crissy, you have really found your calling — the whole looking fab in a bikini thing really needs to become your side job!
Have you thought about getting someone to video you cooking some of these things once in a while (a la Jess Seinfeld’s doitdelicious.com videos — or I think Gwynnie even did one or two on GOOP)? With your personality, it would be a blast for us to see videos of you cooking, and I swear I cannot see how this couldn’t turn into some kind of bigger thing for you. Anyway, who’s with me on this?!
ummm…close friend spells her name “crissy”, so sorry about that CHrissy!
I’ve made this stuffing a couple of times, and it’s awesome. I’m also a Stove Top convert.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sourdough-Stuffing-with-Sausage-Apples-and-Golden-Raisins-355795
Chrissy. My girl. Eff Brussels sprouts. If you’re gonna eat a mini cabbage wannabe why not eat the real thing? My roommate and I have about 15 people over for friendsgiving every year and we make everything ourselves bc we don’t trust potlucks…thanksgiving is wayyyy too important to leave it in other people’s (possibly terrible cooks) hands. My favorite recipe that I got from my dad is called glorified cabbage. It is one of the most delicious things you’ll ever eat. I really suggest you make it for that extra “veggie” you need…
1 med. head of cabbage
2 onions, chopped
1 bell pepper (green), chopped
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 lb. butter
1/2 pint cream
1/4 c. (or so) fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 lb. sharp cheddar, shredded
Bread crumbs
Boil the cabbage till just tender. (You don’t want to over boil to where it’s really tender bc you are gonna cook it some more later, and if it’s boiled too much at first the whole thing will be really mushy.) Then drain the cabbage really well and set aside to cool a bit. Melt your 1/2 lb. of butter in a big saucepan and sauté your onions, bell pepper, garlic, & celery till limp (you know, just sauté em). While that’s sautéing, take your cabbage that should be cooled off enough to chop, and chop it up into little slivers, not too fine but not too thick, you know, slivers. Then add that too your veggies along with the cream, parsley, and cheese and mix it together. This mixture will be pretty liquidy, so that’s where your breadcrumbs come in. Mix some in a little at a time, until your cabbage has a good consistency that looks delicious. Add in your lawrys season salt, Worcestershire sauce, and tobasco to taste. Then move to a casserole dish, top with bread crumbs, and bake on 350 for about 30 min. Trust me. Your guests will die for this. I’ve never had any leftover.
Those green beans you posted a while back sound good.
Butternut squash soup shooters!! It takes time, but it doesn’t require a ton of supervision. You can make it as an appetizer veggie so you don’t have to worry about timing it with other items. Just pour in small, cute mugs and pass around. Plus it gives you a little leeway on time whe you’re trying to get everything on the table and 20 people seated since they’ll have a little food in their bellies
I liked this recipe, but there are several on food network. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_1939,00.html
You MUST try Rachael Ray’s stuffin muffins. Amazeballs. I make the savory kind, and it makes for perfect portion sizes (or 12) and are amaze. I couldn’t say enough.
Also, Barefoot Contessa- brisket. Jewish style. If you wanna go the brisket route, I have a version that compiles barefoot’s recipe plus my grandma’s plus my gay best friend’s. Perfection. Let me know
oh man, chrissy. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/11/broccoli-cheese-cracker-casserole/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pwcooks+%28The+Pioneer+Woman+Cooks%21%29
This si a pretty good recipe…
http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/haricots-verts-casserole/
and, I love this brussels sprouts recipe but sometimes I skip the brown butter and it’s still delicious…
http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/caramelized-brussels-sprouts/
Copper Pennies are a yummy staple for our family.
Copper Pennies
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Yield: 12 to 15 servings
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato soup
2 pounds carrots, peeled, cooked, and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
Combine the sugar, vinegar, oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the soup. Mix the carrots, onion, and bell pepper together in a large glass dish; pour the sauce over the vegetables, stir gently to combine, and refrigerate overnight. This salad will keep for up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator.
Here is a recipe that is a hit at T-Day, Xmas, etc. It’s an Cheesy, Onion side dish that is easy to make and very good (if you like onions of course…):
3 – 4 Large onions, cut into bite sized pieces (I normally go 4)
1 cube butter
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 lg. can evaporated milk
french bread, sliced into 1/2 inch slices, with the crust cut off
Lots of grated Guyere cheese (yes, that’s a direct quote from the recipe)
Saute onions in the butter at Med-Low, making sure that the onions do not brown, until translucent
Pour the onions into a 13×9 baking dish
Cover with the sliced bread – I like to break up the slices a bit, which makes it a bit easier when dishing out the goods.
Mix the soup and evaporated milk, and then pour over the top
Cover the top with LOTS of Guyere cheese.
Heat in the oven at 350, until cheese is bubbly and brown around the edges
That’s it!
If you like cheesy broccoli, then you will love the following for “Broccoli Souffle” – it’s so stinkin’ good it is a staple for both Thanksgiving and Christmas on our family table…
1 bunch broccoli – cut up and pre-cook to soften
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 cup Mayo (must use Dukes!)
1 cup cheddar cheese or a little more…
1 med. onion, chopped and softened in butter
3 eggs beaten
Mix it all together add some salt and pepper. Put in a casserole dish, top with crushed butter crackers, a few dots of butter and bake at 350 degree oven about 30 minutes. Test with knife, it will be done when knife comes clean. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I too found the sweet potatoe casserole with brown sugar/pecan topping on food network website and made it this year instead of the one with marshmallows! It was GOOD plus everyone loved it! I also love the pioneer woman and I made her 9 hour drunken mushrooms with her prime rib for Xmas! Mushrooms were freaking good! Buttery and winey and lovely! I love ur blog, I’m a huge cooking and eating fan and love experimenting and I am also a snohomish graduate! Small world huh!
xoxo