Last Year – Thanksgiving 2017

What I Wore:

Drink:

Appetizers:

Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/230466/savory-pumpkin-hummus/

Don’t be afraid to play with it. I made it my own by adding rosemary, more cayenne pepper & garlic, and pumpkin seeds. 

Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16296/cranberry-meatballs/

Again, don’t be afraid to make it your own. Essentially, it has to be to your liking – take creative liberty with it. I made the meatballs from scratch, but you can also buy frozen ones and throw them in the crockpot (there are plenty of recipes that do this). Meatballs are always a hit in my house and this time was no different. 

Recipe: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/260573/turkey-cheese-ball-for-thanksgiving/

My Mom is allergic to pecans, so I altered it (I used almonds instead). I typically do some type of cheese ball every year, since everyone enjoys it. I love making this one because of its appearance. 

Sides:

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Turkey:

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JAM-PACKED Thanksgiving Plate!

Desserts:

In addition to pumpkin pie, I made pumpkin bread pudding. For my super easy pumpkin pie recipe click, here. 

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This Year’s Plan – Thanksgiving 2018

What I am wearing will not be shown until the day of – something has to be left as a surprise!

Check out my video on YouTube for a full explanation of my meal plan, along with my grocery haul:

Drinks:

Champagne with cranberries will still be served, since it is a crowd pleaser! I will also be making the refreshing and festive, Ginger Cranberry Cocktail; I have a really cute pitcher I’m excited to use for it!

Appetizers:

I am making all new appetizers this year! Every year I try new things, but I occasionally remake favorites. 

• Spicy Maple Rosemary Nuts (due to my Mom’s allergy, I am substituting the nuts used in the recipe with almonds and peanuts)
• Pesto Hummus with Homemade Pita Chips 
• Cranberry Pecan Mini Goat Cheese Balls (substituting pecans for almonds)
• Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta (I will be using this as a basis and adding cranberries)
• Spanakopita

Sides:

For the most part, we will be making the same sides (corn pudding, gravy, yams, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes).

Pro tip*** my cousin from Oregon taught me to add cayenne pepper to the cranberry sauce for a nice kick. You can follow a simple cranberry sauce recipe and play around with the sugar and cayenne pepper (I like to minimize the amount of sugar I use). 

This year, my mom will be playing around with the stuffing. She will be making corn bread and using it in the mixture! Her stuffing always turns out amazing and I am sure this time will be no different. 

Turkey:

This year, the turkey will be the same as always – shear perfection! My Dad has become a pro at cooking the turkey. It never comes out dry and the taste is always divine. We bought the biggest turkey I think we have ever gotten, 28-pounds!

Desserts:

We will be making 2 pumpkin pies using a jarrahdale pumpkin we got at a pumpkin patch (they apparently make flavorful pumpkin pies). Here is a recipe I found: http://canwad.com/pumpkin-pie/.

I will also be making pecan pie for the first time and I am so excited! I usually opt not to make it due to my mom’s allergy but this year, since we have other desserts (my grandma will also be making raspberry cheesecake), I was given the green light to give it a shot!

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Tips:

I wanted to share some tips before I go.

When meal prepping, try to select some things that you can make beforehand.

Also, if you are like me and you only have one oven, be wise! Not everything can cook at the same time… It may help to create schedule for yourself to keep track of everything. 

When grocery shopping, it is crucial that you make a list. List the items you need, along with how much you need of it. You do not want to make a mistake and get too little of an ingredient (no one wants to go shopping on Thanksgiving).