
Are you cooking for Thanksgiving this year?
Having company over?
Or maybe traveling this season?
We're staying home as always. Last year my dad & step-mom were here visiting so it was nice to actually cook for someone else. But this year it's just us :)
And even though it's just the 5 of us I stil llike to make a nice dinner, pull out the 'fancy' dinnerware & make it special.
So I thought I'd share a few of the recipes I'm using in case you're looking for a little last minute inspiration :) You can find them all on my Thanksgiving pinterest board here.
I usually plan to eat around 2-3pm so it's kind of a late lunch & then we munch on leftovers for the rest of the day. So I try to make some kind of appetizer to tide everyone over until the meal is done. I tried these bacon wrapped smokies last year.

Oh my goodness...SO good! So we'll definitely be having those again.
For sure.
I will also be brining my turkey again. Let me tell you, if you've never brined a turkey you really need to try it. At least once. Seriously. It makes the turkey sooo juicy.
The first time I brined a turkey I pulled it out of the oven & there was hardly any turkey drippings in the bottom of the pan. I thought 'where is it all??' And then, when I cut into the turkey, I realized where all of it was. In the turkey!
By the way, I usually pull my turkey out of the oven about 1/2 hour before it's done & let it sit, covered in foil, on my stove for at least 20-45 min. That way all of the juices have a chance to stay in the meat & won't all come leaking out when you carve into the turkey.
I like to use Pioneer Woman's recipe but you can find tons online. I've also used the one from Williams Sonoma but that's a little pricey. I tried their brining bags last year & liked them but I also have a 5 gallon paint bucket that I use specifically for brining a turkey but I just didn't have the space in my fridge. If you use the bags make sure you turn the turkey at some point so the brine gets all over it.

Now when it comes to Thanksgiving I usually go with the good 'ol standards...like brown & serve rolls & Campbells green bean casserole. But last year I tried 7-Up biscuits. And the next day...I made some more. Oh yes! Here's a couple tips: first, don't try to make them bigger. They just don't turn out right. And I've found that they bake up better in a glass pan. Maybe it's just my pans but they burned in the metal pans.
To go with the biscuits I make a cinnamon honey butter (Texas Roadhouse knock off) but I alter the recipe a bit cause the way the recipe stands tastes too much like honey to me.
I always make mashed potatoes but I'm going to try Pioneer Woman's recipe this year. I like the idea of being able to make it ahead of time. Same with the Creamy Parmesan Corn...I like the idea of throwing that in the crock pot. One less thing I have to think about is one less thing I might forget!
I also want to try making stuffing from scratch. Still looking for a recipe for that. Might use Pioneer Woman's but I'll need to alter it a bit.
For dessert I always make 3 pies: apple for my hubby, pumpkin for me and chocolate for all of us :) This year I'm going to try the french silk pie I pinned instead of the regular 'ol chocolate pie from pudding mix.
And to drink I usually make my holiday punch that my kids love :) Just mix equal parts 7-Up & cranberry juice cocktail.
Now I have to go print some recipes & do my turkey day prep so that tonight we can watch Charlie Brown Thanksgiving :)
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!