Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday … or at least one of my favorite holidays
Getting together with the people you love most and eating delicious food all day – any excuse to do that is good in my book!
So in honor of this wonderful food-centric holiday, I’ve put together my list of Thanksgiving favorites, perfect for this year’s festivities.
Morning Bites
Perfect for munching on while you’re cooking up a storm the morning of Thanksgiving! You can enjoy these festive breakfast dishes totally guilt-free.
Omelettes, Oatmeal and Other Breakfast Options
Morning Glory Muffins
Light and Gooey Cinnamon Rolls
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Savory Stars
For the main event: healthy and satisfying entrees.
Acorn Squash Soup
Butternut Squash Soup
Goat Cheese and Honey Crostini; Parmesan and Arugula Salad
Mashed Potato Cakes with Onions and Kale
Indian Spiced Spaghetti Squash
Corn and Goat Cheese Polenta
Pasta alla Formiana
Two Hearty Vegetarian Lasagnas
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Sweet Endings
Because it’s not Thanksgiving without dessert!
Light and Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cherry Berry Crumble Pie
Mini Apple Pies
Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
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As you plan your dinner menu, keep these 5 Tips for a Stress-Free Thanksgiving in mind. There’s no reason this amazing holiday has to have any element of stress about it! You can have your pumpkin pie and eat it too
1. Prep Ahead: the more you prep before your big feast, the easier it will be, and the happier you will be. That way you aren’t spending all your time in the kitchen when your guests arrive, and you can actually spend time with them!
2. Finalize your Guest List (and make it a potluck!): My family’s Thanksgiving day is always a potluck. It’s actually fun to be able to contribute to the meal, even if I’m not hosting the party. And for the host, it takes off some of the burden of creating all the appetizers, sides and desserts!
3. Plan, plan, plan: Make a cooking plan and shopping schedule – sort out all the recipes you’ll be making, create your grocery list, and figure out what ingredients you can buy ahead of time. Then figure out your cooking schedule – plan out what you will do the week before, the day before and the day of.
4. Do the dishes. Ok this might sound strange, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled out those big casserole dishes and serving platters, only to find them super dusty and have to rewash all of them (which takes a lot of time!) If you figure out what dishware/cutlery/pots/pans/serving dishes you’ll need – you can get them washed and ready before hand so you’re not scrambling before your guests arrive.
5. Simplify! You don’t need to be the master chef in the kitchen. Pick simple, flavorful dishes that everyone will enjoy (and if you end up making it a potluck, you don’t have to do everything yourself!).
Above all, enjoy the holiday and the time off work! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
