We have several family favorites. I love this holiday cause it is the one time the Hubby and I stay home for 4 days with no travel and no company, except our furr babies of course.
Hubby usually smokes several turkeys for our friends with another family. We are not doing smoked turkeys this year. I am looking forward to cooking for him this year. He usually does most the cooking cause he is disabled and is home all the time. This is my time to put my culinary skills to the test, lol.
We have for the last several years brined our turkey which we have found is the secret to the best turkey ever! I usually make Cornbread Dressing, not stuffed in the turkey, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy. I love sweet potatoes but not crazy about marshmellows so I make "Mashed, baked sweet potatoes with pecans" Even though I love jellied cranberry sauce, Hubby does not but we tried a new easy recipe last year and he love it. He is a pie eater, I am not so I usually make my famous Sweet potatoe bread which we both like and our family tradition, Heavenly Hash.
Here are a few of my easy sides ;
Baked, Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Wrap in foil and bake 2 large sweet potatoes at 450 for appox 1 hour
remove skin and with a mixer blend butter, brown sugar (can use Splenda Brown sugar) to taste.
Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
I like to mix pecan pieces in the mix, or you can just add pecan halves on top for decoration. My daughter makes a crumble topping with Brown Sugar, flour, butter and pecans adding the butter last just enough to make it crumble. She tops the mashed sweet potato and bakes just long enough to brown the crunchy topping.
Cranberry Delight
One can of jellied cranberry sauce, 1 package cream cheese blended til smooth and fluffy. Taste great with Turkey dinner really good on left over turkey sandwich.
Heavenly Hash
2 pkgs Strawberry/Banana Jello (we use sugar free) can make ahead made per pkg directions.
Fold in one large can fruit cocktail and 1 tub cool whip. (If you prefer real whip cream then it is double yummy)
Fold in pecan pieces (we like a lot of them)
Keep refrigerated til time to serve.
Cant wait to hear what everyone else's favorites are?
Gin