Five Thanksgiving Favorites
Something Old and Something New...
There is something about Thanksgiving that speaks of the blending of old traditions and recipes with new ones.
My Grandma Nadean was the queen of the Potato Rolls and every family member anxiously awaited the holidays for the appearance of her amazing rolls. Although she lived until she was 97 years young, during her last several years she was unable to prepare the rolls. Physically she was not able to exert the efforts to make her divine rolls but she had her mind perfectly intact until the end. Thus, why when I was tasked with the role of bringing the rolls to the holiday table, I hesitated making her recipe for fear of not meeting everyone's standards of her perfected potato rolls. Instead, I tried other recipes, hoping the fact that they were "different" would distract everyone from her tried-and-true famous recipe.
1. This recipe for Crescent Rolls was the first one that I made as a replacement for the Potato Rolls.
2. Last year, the Hubs and I came across the best Turkey Brine recipe ever on Our Best Bites! I highly recommend it. It transformed our turkey into this succulent, mouth-watering creation, like no other.
3. I also tried a new sweet potato recipe, Candied Coconut Sweet Potatoes, also from Our Best Bites Cookbook that was incredible. I have never been a huge Sweet Potato casserole fan, but this changed my idea of sweet potatoes! My word, they were great!
4. The Barefoot Contessa Ultimate Pumpkin Pie with Rum Whipped Cream goes down in my notes as the best-ever pumpkin pie and whipped cream! This recipe transforms the already good pumpkin pie to extraordinary! It's a must-try addition to your Thanksgiving.
My mom has mastered the Thanksgiving Dressing recipe with her bits of bacon, onions and the perfect blend of spices and butter! She also makes incredible gravy and mashed potatoes. I won't get started on her world-famous pies! The Hubs requests my mom's Marion Berry Pies for his birthday instead of a cake!
Every other year we celebrate Thanksgiving with one side of the family and this year we will be spending the holiday with the Hub's family. Although the cooking responsibilities will not be mine this year, I still like to contribute to the meal.
5. In the past I've made this Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Relish and the Fresh Green Bean Casserole. My mother-in-law bakes almost 50 pies for the gathering. My sister-in-law is famous for her Pumpkin Bread. Another sister-in-law decorates the Thanksgiving table with projects she's worked on prior to the big day. Although I have yet to receive my assignment, I have still been studying the possibilities. Any new recipes I must try?
What dishes are your Thanksgiving favorites?
