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My Best Thanksgiving Favorites

It’s time to think Thanksgiving day recipes so I am sharing our Thanksgiving favorites with you. Every year I add a few more so hopefully this list will give you some of our favorites and help you create new ones!

Thanksgiving is getting close and it’s time to make some of my favorite Thanksgiving Day recipes. Manservant will smoke his turkey and hopefully we will be blessed with leftovers. So have a seat. Grab a cup of coffee and figure out your Thanksgiving Day menu. There is no time like the present.

Maybe you will find a new favorite here, or a new way to make one of yours, whatever it may be I wish you a great holiday with lots of family, lots of food, and lots of blessings. This is the time to be grateful and I am grateful for all of you.

If you want to get a head start on setting a pretty table, just check this post out.

10 Tips To A Pretty Table

Thanksgiving Day Recipes for the morning of:

I don’t know about you but I don’t usually want everyone in the kitchen while I’m finishing up for the Thanksgiving meal. Though I don’t always get my wish (check this post on shakshuka out) I do try to put out a few things that can be taken into the den while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

These Maple Glazed Scones definitely work!

 
Maple Walnut Scones/Thanksgiving Day Recipes

As do these pumpkin scones with bourbon glaze.

Pumpkin Scones with Bourbon Glaze
 

If you need something a little more filling and also seasonal this Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal will surely keep everyone full until dinnertime. Just mix it up and bake it in a dish.

 
Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
 

And if you want something more substantial this make ahead egg casserole would work also. Granola is also good for company, especially when it’s homemade.

Pumpkin Brown Sugar Muffins are a major win!

Pumpkin Muffins

And The Easiest Cinnabon Copy Cat Recipe

 

Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll

Thanksgiving Day Appetizers:

I admit I have a weak spot for appetizers. I usually serve too many. And then you know what happens…everyone gets full and can’t eat the main meal. But Thanksgiving is the holiday of gluttony so just maybe it’s Okay for once.

Our table always includes an artichoke dip. I think my mom’s Artichoke Dip is meant for Thanksgiving. Three ingredients plus dippers and you are done.

After all on Thanksgiving we need to keep some things simple. Artichoke dip has been on my table since I was probably 10 years old and there is no need to replace it now!

3 Ingredient Artichoke Dip
 

From Artichoke Dip to Onion Dip, well I couldn’t leave this one out! I do love the kind from the container in the refrigerator section but OMG, this one is my all time favorite. Pass the potato chips!

 
Onion dip with Beer Potato Chips
 

So enough dips. Pimento Cheese with green chiles is always a winner and this spicy-but not too spicy-version is always a hit!

 
Pimento Cheese with Green Chiles

Of course there are plenty more to choose from under my Recipes tab up above.

There are things like pumpkin hummus

and lemon thyme crackers,

5 simple one bite appetizers,

Spicy Sage and Cornmeal Crackers

And this brie and blue, no bake, cheese cake is elegant and easy to prepare!

 
Brie and Blue Cheesecake
 
Brussels sprouts made into tots? You bet these disappeared fast!
 
Veggie Tots with Brussels Sprouts
 

Another option besides lots of appetizers is starting with a more elegant bowl of soup. This pumpkin chipotle soup is a winner and super simple to make!

 
Pumpkin chipotle Soup
 

Thanksgiving Day Recipes 

Turkey can kind of make me crazy because there are so many ways to make it. To tell you the truth, I’ve never made a turkey in the oven. My dad passed on the secrets of smoking a turkey many years ago to Manservant and therefore it is one thing I don’t worry about on Thanksgiving. He smokes a mighty fine turkey and maybe one day I’ll write it down for you!

In the meantime I can tell you that this savoury turkey pie is a crowd pleaser and is really simple to make. Complete with cranberries and sweet potatoes in the luscious layers, this is a great alternative to a big bird! Only have a small crew that like white meat?

Well then check out this whiskey glazed turkey breast.

 
Whiskey-glazed-turkey
 
 
roasted turkey breast tenderloins
 
 
turkey breast on white platter
 
 
Gravy without drippings in ladle
 
 
Turkey Breast Rub Recipe
 
 
Salsa Macha

Thanksgiving Day Recipes for Cranberries

But on to the more important things…like side dishes. I prefer to think of them as front and center because personally I like them better than turkey. Though I must admit that cranberries do taste mighty good with a bite of turkey in the mouth! The all time family favorite is this frozen cranberry mold.

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without these. Sometimes I make them in little muffin molds for individual servings. However you make them, these are a winner and are one of the most popular recipes at THIC this time of year.

 
Cranberry Freeze/Thanksgiving Day Recipes
 

Need Cranberry Sauce? This Southwestern version with tequila is really good! Want something light and fresh in the way of cranberries? These candied jewels of cranberries and caramelized oranges work as both a side dish and also are perfect for a light dessert. Top a pound cake with these or even tomorrow morning’s yogurt.

 
Cranberries and Candied Oranges
 

And last , but not least is this cranberry, apple green salad. Totally good!

cranberry apple salad 3 of 7

 

Potatoes and Other Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

Here is Manservant’s favorite dressing, Southwest style with tamales and cornbread and raisins. He eats leftovers with a fried egg on top for breakfast!

Tamale stuffing with chorizo, cornbread

 

My mother always made this classic Pepperidge Farm stuffing. So good. especially the crispy edges!

 

Pepperidge Farm stuffing

And don’t forget this Beer, Bacon And Cheese Stuffing. Perfect with smoked turkey!

Bacon-beer-cheese-thyme-dressing

Cheesy Baked Pineapple is a weird sounding side dish, but I promise it is good. Many like it with ham, but since I’m not a ham eater I eat this with turkey!

Cheesy Baked Pineapple

Now onto potatoes. You can’t go wrong with mashed, and though I don’t have a recipe on the blog just remember your milk, cream and butter should be warm when you mix them into the warm potatoes. Another option, and a decadent one is this scalloped truffle potato casserole. 

Not being gravy folks we always loved this!

Scalloped Truffle Potatoes

My pommes anna recipe would also be fun to serve not only because it tastes good, but because who doesn’t love their own stack of potatoes? 

And you can make them with sweet potatoes!

Pommes Anna in Muffin Cups

Make Ahead Frozen Duchess Potatoes

Duchess Potatoes

Another twist instead of potatoes might be this squash dish. I love squash and this silky smooth puree with browned butter and crispy sage leaves is outstanding.

Squash with Fried Sage

A new classic is this toasted quinoa, dates and pumpkin mixture that I threw together last year. Love the toasted quinoa and besides this looks so pretty, doesn’t it?

Toasted Quinoa, Dates and Sage with Roasted pumpkin

Brussels Sprouts

Caramelized Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Roasted Carrots with Hazelnuts

Roasted Carrots with Brown Butter and Hazelnuts

Sweet Potatoes? Topped with streusel, these were sure tasty!

Hasselback-sweet-potatoes-whiskey-streusel-image

Bread is kind of a no brainer. I have a great recipe for whipped cream biscuits. Yeah, these are great!

However in my family we fight for the last one of these gorgeous maple challah rolls. These are glorious and also make perfect little slider buns for turkey leftovers.

Maple Glazed Challah Rolls

Need Pumpkin Bread? Well of course you do and here are 8 things you can do with it also!

Brown-Butter-Pumpkin-Bread-with-Bourbon-Image
 
 
No Knead dinner rolls
 
 
cranberry walnut bread recipe

Love this hearty salad, too. Perfect for those who don’t eat turkey. Check out this farro and kale salad with a browned butter vinaigrette.

This one can tolerate sitting on the buffet for awhile without getting soggy, which makes this perfect for any party.

Farro and Kale Salad with Brown Butter vinaigrette

Maple Vinaigrette Kale Salad with Apples and Pecans

 
Chopped Kale Sald

Thanksgiving Day Dessert

So that leaves the best for last. We can’t finish without dessert. Need just a little bite? Try these maple glazed cookies.

maple glazed maple shrtbread

Then there are these decadent maple chomeur puddings

Maple puding chomeur

and instead of pecan pie I always make these little shortbread walnut or pecan bars.

Pecan Bars

Trust me this is so the way to go! And for pies? I always have to have something chocolate so sometimes we do this.

Yes chocolate and oatmeal go together very well.

Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie
 
Want a change from pecan pie? This pecan pie bread pudding has everyone swooning!
 
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

And if you haven’t had enough cranberries this cranberry crostata is easy to make and tastes good too! But you know that already right?

Cranberry Crostata

If you want something pumpkin, these pumpkin butter bars are like way better than pie. Just sayin’! 

Magic Layer Pumpkin Bars
 
But you may also like my pumpkin kringle which could be breakfast or dessert.
 
Pumpkin Kringle
 
 
Non-Dairy Pumpkin Pie
 
 
pumpkin trifle
 
 
pecan pie slice with ice cream and whole pie behind

So that about covers it for our Thanksgiving Favorites until next year.  Hopefully however, these suggestions will help you create some new food traditions for your favorite folks. Check out my recipes tab and as usual I am always grateful when you share my recipes on social media. I am a small little blogger and do what I can to get the word out! Thanks for reading and being such great friends. I am very thankful for all of you!

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classic thanksgiving favorites

 

 

 

Juliana

Tuesday 19th of November 2019

OMG Abbe...can I have them all? They all look so good that I have a hard time to pick...thanks for the recipes... Have a wonderful week!

Abbe

Thursday 21st of November 2019

Just come help me cook them Juliana and you can have them all!

Healthy World Cuisine

Monday 18th of November 2019

So much deliciousness all in one post! We have no idea where to begin, so I guess we will start at the top and work our way down.

Abbe

Thursday 21st of November 2019

Sounds like a plan!

Jeff the Chef

Saturday 16th of November 2019

Thanks for this post! I'm looking for something to bring to my brother's house for the holidays, and this gives me loads of ideas.

Abbe

Thursday 21st of November 2019

Jeff, I am sure you have a lot of your own ideas, but thanks!

mae

Thursday 14th of November 2019

Everything looks delicious -- it would be hard to choose just enough for one family for one day!

best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Abbe

Thursday 21st of November 2019

I know Mae. I always over cook because I want to eat everything. Somehow though it always disappears within a few days!

angiesrecipes

Wednesday 13th of November 2019

Wish I could savour every single dish here! What an amazing collection of holiday recipes!

Abbe

Thursday 21st of November 2019

I hear ya Angie. Me, too!