Thanksgiving at Our House

 
​   Thanksgiving: I've said it before and will say it again, my favorite Holiday!  I still cook enough for  eight, even if its just for us two now-a-days.  When you are a cook and canner - your Holiday starts before anyone elses and ends long after too!  From the day after Halloween, gearing up to clear out the fridge and freezers to "make room" for the Holidays is how I kick things off.  If there is a free turkey to be found, I get it and throw it in the freezer to process into wonderful canned items like soups, stews, stocks and quick meals and save my fresh bird for the big day...Cranberries hit the store in early November and I get started on those next.  This year I am trying my friend Paula's "canned" homemade gelled cranberry sauce (first photo below)  No matter what you chose to make for your family, make it easy on yourself, jot ideas down on what you want to serve, how many you need to feed and work from there.  Budget minded folks can produce a beautiful spread with fresh, healthy and homemade side dishes too!  If its just turkey, salad and some homemade bread - that's just as great!  Thanksgiving is ALL ABOUT the memories and creating a warm welcoming atmosphere for you, your family and friends,  The meal is just the 'icing on the cake"   I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!  If you have a question about any of my recipes below - or others on my website - feel free to message me and we can work on getting you prepared for T-DAY!  Another reminder, think of the little items you use every day that you might forget about during the hustle and bustle of the Holidays...the simple things like tin-foil, dish soap, and leftover food containers come to mind over here... for you canners out there - remember you will be saving your turkey carcasses to create turkey stock - you don't have to process right away - just wrap well, bag and toss in the freezer until you have time and give my Turkey Bone Broth a try!   
Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy! Diane  

Gelled Cranberry Sauce (homemade) *can be canned 
Green Bean Bake
Sour Cream & Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Bake 
Herbed Stuffing
Southern Corn Pudding 
No Knead Dutch Oven Bread 
Turkey - Smoked & Grilled
Turkey - Roasted in the Oven 
Turkey Bone Broth

Desserts: I usually serve my homemade spiced apple galette, a cherry pie, a pumpkin pie and this year, my Pumpkin Spiced Bundt Cake will be added to the line-up!  I will be sharing that recipe soon!!