Thursday, Nov 8

I’m  hosting Thanksgiving Dinner this year.  It’s just going to be our family and a couple of guests, so nothing major.  I’m starting to sort through the recipes I’ve  used in the past, and thought I would share them with you.

Let’s start with what matters most.

Tyler Florence’s Velvety Mashed Potatoes

Wayne’s Cranberry Sauce by Paula Deen

This one is a little more involved, but man, is it good!  And you can make it ahead of time.

Martha Stewart’s Gourmet Green Bean Casserole

Ina Garten’s Smashed Sweet Potato Casserole

The Hubs is in charge of the turkey and he always turns to Martha’s instructional video on “How to Roast a Turkey.”  I guess I’m not the only Martha in his life.

Martha Stewart’s How to Roast a Turkey

Other than that, I just heat up some frozen corn, make stuffing from the bag mix — some in the bird, some separate.

I’m terrible at making gravy, so any tips or recipes would be appreciated!

Paula Deen’s Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie

The Pioneer Woman’s Pie that will make you cry

I think I’ll leave one more dessert to the guests who will be joining us this year.  But when it comes to the whipped cream, it simply must be homemade!

I just pour a quart of heavy whipping cream into my mixer, pour in a dash of really good vanilla, and a couple tablespoons of sugar.  I don’t like my whipped cream too sweet.  I whip it until soft peaks form and then cover it with saran and keep it in the fridge until dessert time.  Freshly ground nutmeg and/or cinnamon tastes (and looks) delicious on top of the cream.

Gobble, gobble.  Nap, nap!