From the archives: If you’re wondering what to serve this year for the holidays, this list may just help you find the perfect recipe for the job.
It’s that time of the year again! Families and friends are already preparing to gather together to give thanks for, well, whatever it is there is to give thanks for. The good china and grandma’s tablecloth get pulled out of storage and very soon most homes in America will be filled with the aromas of wonderful food, some from beloved family recipes and some that are new to your home. You may be an old hand at family meals, or it may be the first Thanksgiving dinner you’ve made.
Whether you’re a pro or novice at Holiday meals, please allow us to share some of the recipes that have graced our Thanksgiving Table in the past, and a few new recipes that will be gracing our table this year. Feel free to use these recipes as-is, for reference if necessary or as the basis for your own creations. I promise, they are all phenomenal recipes that I have served to our guests and will happily serve again. Every one was a hit!
The Main Dish
Our versions of the holiday staples
Holiday Roast Turkey
It wouldn’t really be a Thanksgiving recipe collection without the star of the Turkey-Day show, now would it? Allow me to present to you the star of any Holiday table, my own recipe and nearly fool-proof method for the most succulent, juicy and trouble-free turkey recipe you’ve ever used. You’ll never suffer through another dry, flavorless bird with this recipe in your arsenal, I promise you that.
Southern Cornbread Dressing (Stuffing)
You can’t very well have a turkey without stuffing, at least not where I come from. This is a variation on my mother’s very own recipe. I’ve looked forward to this dish since I was old enough to know that thanksgiving or Christmas meant Turkey and Dressing. Simple, sublime and flavorful. If you’ve never tried home made cornbread stuffing, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.
Apple Merlot Glazed Ham
For a lot of families, a ham will grace the table along with our fine feathered friend. If you’re looking for a ham recipe that’s a little less traditional that pineapple and cherries, why not give this variation a try. The result sis sweet and savory, succulent and indulgent; all at the same time!
Simply Mashed Potatoes
No holiday spread would be complete without a huge bowl of mashed potatoes sitting somewhere near the middle of the table. These spuds aren’t what you’d call fancy by any means, but this recipe will teach the basics of the perfect home style mashed potato. From here, the sky is the limit.
But wait! You wouldn’t want to eat those mashed potatoes without a little gravy, so why not check out this recipe for my Grandmother’s Turkey Giblet Gravy while you’re at it?
Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
I don’t know about your family, but in mine it was traditional to have a huge bread basket full of hot yeast rolls on every holiday table. They’re great with butter and honey, or perfect for sopping up any left over mashed potatoes and gravy that happen to be hanging around after that second helping. This recipe is my wife’s adaptation of a recipe by master Chef Emeril Lagasse, and something that I look forward to all year long.
Cranberry Sauce
This recipe is a sure-fire cure for a need to toss out half of a can-shaped hunk of gelatin after your holiday meal. This year make your own cranberry sauce from scratch instead of opening that can! It’s quick, simple and packs all the flavors of the holidays into every wonderful taste. My wife’s original recipe and one that I recommend to everyone who has ever had the cranberry sauce blues.
Gotta have some sides!
Updated versions of traditional holiday classics
Twice Baked Sweet Potato Casserole with Crispy Bacon
If you’re like me you grew up with a version of sweet potato casserole that consisted mostly of marshmallows and brown sugar. While there’s nothing wrong with tradition, I like to think of this as a slightly more grown up version of that dish. It’s still sweet, but not so sweet that it competes with everything else on the plate, and the bacon gives it a wonderful saltiness. Give it a try.
Green Bean Casserole (For the rest of us)
The classic green bean casserole was never something I looked forward to growing up, so when I saw Michael Chiarello make an updated version on Food Network one day, I knew I had to do the same. You won’t find any Cream of anything soup here, and the onions are caramelized. To be honest, it’s not really a casserole, but we’ll just keep that our little secret, OK?
The best Collard Greens You’ll ever Taste
Collard greens weren’t a staple on my holiday table until recently, but one very special family friend has made a permanent place for them on my table. I hope you’ll give these a try on yours as well, they’re sure to please any family, not just one with roots in the South. These truly are the best greens I’ve ever tasted and trust me, I’ve had a lot of collards in my life!
What’s for dessert?
A sweet touch for the end of your holiday gathering.
Mini Bourbon Pecan Pies
If you’re looking for just one alternative to the classic pumpkin pie this year, look no further than this recipe. These single serving versions of my wife’s famous bourbon pecan pie are just the right size for an after-feast treat. Add a scoop of ice cream and some caramel topping and they are sheer bliss! Think small for dessert without sacrificing any flavor at all.
Peanut Butter Buckeye Bars
A treat for the kiddies and adults alike. These super-simple dessert bars will delight your guests with all the goodness that is peanut butter and super chocolaty fudge brownie, all rolled into one scrumptious bite. They only take a minute to make, but the impression will last the entire holiday season. Make someone’s day this Thanksgiving.
The Best German Apple Pie Recipe Ever
If you’re looking for a dessert that will wow your friends and family without costing you most of your morning before dinner you’ll love this one. Not only is this, in my humble opinion, the best apple pie you will ever have, it is simple to prepare and tastes fabulous at room temperature, which allows you to make it the day before and reheat on the big day if you like. Of course you might want to make two. you may find that the first one doesn’t survive.
And there you have it, a sampling of our very best Thanksgiving recipes. This list is not exhaustive however. There are a ton of other holiday recipes posted on CbsoP, and we’ll be adding new recipes throughout the season (and every season to follow). For a complete list of all the Holiday Recipes available on Cooking, by the seat of my Pants!, please check out all the recipes tagged Holiday-Recipes by clicking the link in the tag cloud, or following this link.
There is no joy as great as family and friends gathering together for good food, good drink and good times. We are honored and privileged to have you visit us here, if only for a moment, during this most precious time of the year. We wish you the very best of seasons and a joyous and bright new year to come, from our family to you and yours this holiday season.
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Where to look first? This is awesome. I think you’ve covered everything.
Great job on this Jerry. You’ve definitely taken some of the work out of this years planning for me!!!
That’s quite the spread! I’m with you on the green bean casserole. Ours doesn’t have a can of cream anything. Saveur recipe I think. Love Chiarello’s too, though. Making a sort of T-day dinner for mom & manfriend tonight. Lotsa food photos coming. Better late than never, right? You are sooooooooo prepared!
Thank you for posting all of these instead of stringing out several posts! It’s so helpful in planning and these are some awesome looking recipes!
Would it be alright if I ditch my folks and just come to your house?
DUDE! This is the ULTIMATE!
I agree with April, I love the way you gave us the complete meal deal.
Someone could just print off each recipe and hand them off to family members to tackle, then meet back up for an awesome feast.
**applauding** BRAVO!!
Amazing Jerry… everything one could ask for right here. Great job!
Anne,
Not everything, just the bones of the meal. I expect that every family has their own traditional sides, stuffings, dressings or what have you. This is just a snapshot of the things that I’ve made. Of course there will be a few new ones this year. Gotta try something new every year
Judy,
Glad I could help! It’s taken me quite a few years to perfect that method for turkey. I’ve never had a problem with it.
kellypea,
That’s about HALF of what will be on our buffet this. I figured I’d wait on a few so that there’s new stuff for the list next year.
Jill,
You are always welcome! bring Charles and the kiddos.
Jo,
Awwww shucks! I’m sure there are going to be things on your table that I haven’t listed here. Every family has their traditions.
This is simply awesome. Everything you could ever want to eat on Thanksgiving, there is a recipe for it here. Great article.
Thanks for the desert recipies. I am charged with the task of desert this season. I like to try to think outside of the box.
Great article.
N.
John,
I’m sure that there are a lot of other Turkey day recipes out there and if one belongs to your family, then it’s great! I’m just rounding up last year’s menu as a helpful guide. There will always be more next year.
Nigel,
have a blast, search the site or foodblogsearch.com for desserts. You’ll find a ton!
I love turkey! Excellent article.