Before I share some of the recipes I’ll be putting on my Thanksgiving menu, I’m going to ask you to indulge me for a second. Do you know the Andy Williams Christmas song, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year?”
Related: 7 Dessert Ideas for Thanksgiving
With that tune in mind, swap out the words and replace them with this line instead: “It’s my most fa-vor-ite meallll of the year!.” That’s exactly how I feel about Thanksgiving dinner. It really is my favorite meal of the year.
Family Favorites
My family’s Thanksgiving dinner isn’t anything fancy or elaborate or frankly, probably any different than what most people serve. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pies. All the things you’ll find on most Thanksgiving menus.
But, the recipes I use for these various dishes make our Thanksgiving, OURS.
My family members all have their favorite things I make, so being the pleaser I am, I try to make all of it so everybody’s happy!
It’s All About The Sides
As much as I love putting together the dessert section of my Thanksgiving menu, I really do think the best things about Thanksgiving dinner are the side dishes. Let’s start with stuffing. I’ve been making my stuffing recipe for decades and it has become a true family favorite.
My Thanksgiving stuffing recipe uses 3 types of bread, savory breakfast sausage, and apples. It’s as flavorful as the day is long. It makes a lot, so there are always leftovers. And let me tell you, this is good as a leftover cold. Weird, right? Try it and you’ll see.
A staple for most people at Thanksgiving is mashed potatoes. Several years ago, I tried Ina Garten’s Parmesan Smashed Potato recipe and it was such a hit, it’s the only mashed potato recipe I make.
It’s a bit of a time saver too since you don’t have to peel the potatoes! These are really decadent, but one bite, and you’re hooked!
Without a doubt, one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes comes from my husband’s family. I was never a cranberry person, but this cranberry apple bake is THE BEST!
It uses fresh cranberries, and puts the canned jellied cranberry sauce to shame! This has become one of my most popular recipes on the blog. I’ve had some of you ask about the sugar content in this recipe. I have made it reducing the amount to 1 cup and it turned out great.
You can watch me make the cranberry apple bake in the video above. This is another one of those recipes that tastes great the next day, cold or warm. It’s also quite good over ice cream. ENJOYABLE!
Ask my kids for their requests for side dishes for Thanksgiving and David Venable’s corn bake is at the top of their list. David and I used to spend Thanksgiving together in our early days as program hosts at QVC. This recipe was his grandmother’s and has become a family favorite in our home too.
I usually have to double this recipe because people love it so much!
The Dessert Menu
I’ve never been shy about sharing my love of sweets. For my Thanksgiving menu, I usually try to have something with fruit, chocolate, and of course, pumpkin.
My daughter, Kylie, always requests my Grandmother’s cherry cheesecake dessert. I usually make this the day before, so I’m not as stressed about getting another dessert ready on Thanksgiving day.
For chocolate lovers, my easy chocolate pie is always a hit. I love this recipe so much. It takes such little effort and the result is absolutely scrumptious.
And then there’s pumpkin pie. While I’ll often make the recipe on the back of a can of Libby’s pumpkin, when I really want to go for it, I make this version which has a ribbon of cream cheese and some chocolate chips too.
Yep, this pumpkin cheesecake pie is over-the-top rich and delicious. Plus, worth every calorie!
Happy Thanksgiving!!
As you’re putting the finishing touches on your Thanksgiving menu, don’t forget to make sure you have a few kitchen and tabletop basics on hand to make your life a little easier.
You can see how I decorate my own Thanksgiving table HERE. The decor may not be the star of the show, but it certainly brings everything together and adds a festive feel to the room.
I hope by sharing some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you, you’re armed and ready for a delicious day with family and friends!
I know one thing for sure — I have so much to be grateful for this year and all of you, my wonderful followers, are at the top of the list. Thank you for your continuing support!
From my home to yours,
Jill
Did you know I have my own online shop? Check it out HERE!
