Saturday, November 12, 2011

Thanksgiving 2011: The Menu Plan

We are just 4 class days {we meet MWF} away from Thanksgiving break…guess that means it’s time for me to plan our Thanksgiving eats!



On the menu:

Turkey
We’ll be cooking up our turkey on the grill {I hope} this year, and allowing it to self baste by laying raw bacon {nitrate free} over the top.  Oh, my does this make excellent gravy.  You can find the recipe here {or by clicking on the photo below}. 



Gravy



Did I mention that bacon in the gravy makes the most amazing gravy?  Gravy is super easy to make; here’s the recipe for bacon-infused gravy

Wild Rice Stuffing



Thanksgiving would not be thanksgiving without this wild rice stuffing.  It’s a family recipe, one that we LOVE.  The wild rice is accompanied by a delightful mix of whole wheat breads, mushrooms and rich flavors.  We make a BIG batch of this, and freeze some of the leftovers; it makes a great replacement for the packaged stove top stuffing in recipes. 

Sweet Potato Hotdish



Any long-time reader of Finding Joy in My Kitchen knows that we I love sweet potatoes.  This sweet potato hotdish is the one we’ll make this year to enjoy those lovely orange potatoes.  It’s a healthier take on the original, using oats, less butter and this year I might try it topped with our apple cinnamon granola

Green Bean Hotdish



The classic Thanksgiving dish will make our table come dinner time; only we make our own cream of mushroom soup for this green bean casserole.  Try it; you’ll love it. 

Crockpot Squash



We’ll make the butternut & acorn squash mix the day before, keep it in the crockpot & add molasses/honey to the mix.  Delicious. 

Sweet Potato Pie with a Gingersnap Crust & Spiced Whipped Cream



Um, yes.  It’s delicious.

Apple Pie



Another classic – one we can’t go without.  Yes, we’re traditional.  But, we like it that way!  We’ll have apple pie; a special recipe because it brings together recipes from both of my grandmothers. 
I’m guessing my sister will want Grandma’s Mashed Potatoes, but I need to check with her to see what else she’s planning to bring! 

What’s on your Thanksgiving menu?  Making it yourself, or bringing a dish to share?
Linked to: Fancy Friday, What’s On Your Plate?

7 comments:

  1. So glad to see you linked up over at LoveFeast Table. Can't wait to hear about your gravy. Would you like to come over and link up at a Thanksgiving Party sponsored by A Holiday Haven? I'd love to have you. Find it here: http://www.heidisrecipes.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-link-party.html

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  2. Roasting the turkey with bacon? What a GREAT idea!

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  3. We do a fairly traditional feast. Turkey, Mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, cranberry sauce, cranberry relish, stuffing, olives, gravy, rolls or bread, and lots of pie. We do pumpkin pie, cherry crumb, apple or apple cranberry, and we are going to add a coconut cream pie this year. That one with the gingersnap crust sounds really good!
    We made 7 pies for a family dinner last weekend and they were gone in a flash, so I guess we will be making about twice that many!

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  4. Yum!!!! Your thanksgiving feast made my mouth water, friend! Looks like a lovely one :)

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  5. Thanks for stopping by our table and linking up! Hmmm, bacon added to the turkey. I'm thinking you can never go wrong with bacon. May have to try this!
    Have a great holiday!
    ~Kristin

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  6. Yummy! I don't think that we are doing a turkey this year. I know I know... but I just don't have the room for it in my fridge. However, I still plan on making all of the fixings and I must say that your crock-pot squash looks really good. I usually just roast mine in wedges but I will have to give yours a shot.
    Holy Cannoli Recipes

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  7. These look great. I'm on a fennel kick, and am thinking about how I can incorporate it in a bold new way.

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Thanks for stopping by! I'd love to hear from you; especially how you're finding JOY in your kitchen.

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