Out of all of the holidays I indulge in each year, Thanksgiving tops them for me! One of my biggest hobbies is cooking: I have been cooking for my family for the past two years, which is why Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday! This year, I took a lighter approach in my involvement with our meal, but still have great recipes to share.
Cooking, for me, started ever since I was in middle school. Like many of us, hobbies give us a sense of self, and cooking has become my means of handling everyday stress and also dedicating myself to learning the craft of cooking. I remember my first brownie mix, just: egg, water, powder, and then brownie batter. I wish cooking Thanksgiving was this easy! Nonetheless, this love for cooking is always more rewarding during the holiday season.
When Thanksgiving comes around, I tend to lean towards my root memories of cooking. I lean towards remembering my favorite meals during the holidays. I lean towards a love for cooking, which now has inserted me into the process on Thanksgiving by not only eating food but preparing it.
Below is a short list of amazing recipes I’ve sought out, as well as one treat of my own accord, that are great to bring to the table for your family. Whether it be a biscuit, casserole, or cookies, I have collected easy recipes that can impress your family members with little stress on your end. Some of these recipes have brought me tremendous joy, and it is my intention, sharing them with you, that you will feel the same way.
Reflecting on Thanksgiving gives us a chance to prepare for future holidays! Let’s celebrate!
Cranberry Sauce
One staple that you will always see at the Thanksgiving table is Cranberry sauce. A hot take of mine is that I actually enjoy the oddly shaped can of cranberry sauce; when you mix it with turkey and stuffing, it is delicious! However, a great way to upgrade this staple is by making it homemade.
https://sugarspunrun.com/homemade-cranberry-sauce/
Mac and Cheese
If you’re looking to make a complete dish rather than a side, mac and cheese is super easy. Moreso, this can be prepared ahead of Thanksgiving, frozen, and then baked with cheese on top the day of; and defrosting it will still lead to it being fresh and tasty!The cheesy top is really easy to upgrade if you add breadcrumbs and chives. This is very simple to do, but do be careful, because your family might end up relying on you making the mac and cheese every year after this!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/southern-baked-mac-and-cheese-9412506
Sweet Potato Casserole
Tradition in my family, when it comes to a good sweet potato casserole, is to always add marshmallows on top! So, I’m going to need you to imagine the shown image covered in perfectly toasted, soft marshmallows. I did choose this recipe because the sweet brown sugar crust sounds so delicious alone, and adding the marshmallows can make it perfect! The most difficult part of this recipe, however, is sitting on the floor and watching the oven as your marshmallows toast. You won’t expect it, because they will sit for minutes in the oven without browning, but suddenly they will crisp up. You want to cautiously take them out at the perfect time because they burn up very fast. I’ve learned the hard way!
https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/sweet-potato-casserole/
Gluten-Free Stuffing
Another staple that is easy to make homemade is stuffing. I’m a part of the society that gets my stuffing from a grocery store like Whole Foods, but of the times, I have had it homemade, it has been much fresher and tastier than typical! More importantly, this recipe is gluten free and works for people with Celiac Disease. My mom has been gluten free for that reason since she was in her twenties, and prioritizing recipes that fit her needs end up satisfying the whole family in the end!
https://oliviaskitchen.com/gluten-free-stuffing/
Overloaded Thanksgiving Cookies
My own recipe this year is my favorite dessert of all time, cookies, specifically, chocolate chip cookies. Linked below are two recipes I follow the most. One is a brown butter cookie recipe and the other is softened butter. To make brown butter, you need to heat butter in a pot and stir the majority of the time until it begins to bubble, and then brown. Let it cool before use. You can also use this method to add flavor to any other recipes, like a sweet potato casserole! Now, when I make overloaded cookies, I add about 1 cup of chocolate chips, 1 cup of chocolate chunks, crumbled pretzels, and homemade salted caramel. Of course, the caramel is an extra step. To make it, heat sugar, salt, and butter over medium heat until toasty orange. This step is actually included in the detailed recipe I listed as well. On top of the cookies, you could even toast marshmallows, to wrap around some Thanksgiving flavors. These cookies are super rich but delicious and a great treat to show off to your friends and family.
https://joyfoodsunshine.com/the-most-amazing-chocolate-chip-cookies/
https://snackingemily.com/crispy-caramel-chocolate-chip-cookies/#why-this-recipe-works
Overall, I am so excited to share these recipes with you and hope food, as it does for me, will create lifelong memories and satisfied appetites! Happy Holidays!
