The star of the meal, of course, is the turkey stuffed with My Great-grandmother's Stuffing. This stuffing is made from apples, raisins, onions, butter, eggs, and bread - that's it! Its simplicity complements the other flavors in the meal. I did change it this year by adding some toasted pecans.
The gelatin salads, Parker House Rolls, desserts, and most of the side dishes can be made ahead of time. At the last minute, we're mashing potatoes, making the gravy, and carving the turkey, but everything else is on the table.
And for your grocery list, don't forget to get English muffins and refrigerated pizza dough, along with Gruyere cheese and celery for my favorite after Thanksgiving recipes: Turkey Mornay and Turkey Salad Focaccia Sandwiches (use leftover turkey instead of the canned chicken).
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
My Family's Thanksgiving Menu
- Crudites platter with pickles, olives, and thin celery sticks
- My Favorite Thanksgiving Turkey
This is my Grandmother's recipe. Remember, if you forget to thaw the turkey or you don't have time to thaw it, you can roast it according to Cooking Turkey From the Frozen State. - My Great-Grandmother's Stuffing Recipe
Once you've tried this stuffing, you will be converted for life. If you'd like, add 1 cup of toasted coarsely broken pecans for some crunch. - Traditional Mashed Potatoes
These perfectly creamy potatoes can be held for an hour over simmering water: that's one task out of the way! - My Mother's Gravy
Making a slurry from water and flour and stirring that into pan drippings along with broth made from the turkey giblets makes the creamiest gravy ever. And don't forget - the secret is salt! - Glazed Sweet Potatoes
This simple recipe really highlights the flavor and texture of sweet potatoes. Once again, this can be made ahead of time and baked for about 50-60 minutes. - Antique Broccoli
This rich dish will make even broccoli haters fall in love! Cheese sauce, you see, will fix any vegetable. - Pear and Greens Salad
This fresh salad with sweet pears is a nice crisp and cool contrast to the other rich hot dishes. And it adds a nice burst of color to the table. - Sour Cream Cherry Fruit Salad Mold
I adore this salad; it's bright pink, full of cherries and nuts, with the most perfect soft set texture. Try it! - Carrot Pineapple Salad
This is another of my Grandmother Matha's recipes. Do try it with a bit of mayonnaise on top to add some creamy tartness. Yum. - Parker House Rolls
These infamous rolls are simply the best. And they're fun to make! I double the recipe because my nieces and nephew just adore these rolls. - Chocolate Sundae Pie
Another of my Grandmother's recipes. This simple vanilla chiffon pie is topped with any kind of sundae toppings you'd like. Set up a buffet and let your family top their own! - My Sister's Lemon Meringue Pie
Tart lemon and a light sweet meringue makes this pie a fabulous ending to a rich, heavy meal. We always have this pie along with pumpkin or pecan pie at Thanksgiving. - Butter Pecan Cookies
These rich little cookies are nice for the kids, who may not enjoy the pies but still (of course!) want something sweet. They're easy to make, rich and chocolate-y, and delicious. - Pumpkin Pie
And, of course, what Thanksgiving meal would be complete without pumpkin pie? Whip some heavy whipping cream with a spoonful of powdered sugar and a pinch of cinnamon to top this creamy, heavenly pie.
