All the Thanksgiving Ideas
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #153 [vol4, 11.3]
Thanksgiving is my SuperBowl. I love all of it - planning, procurement, prep, presentation and pigging out!
Mindful Eating
Three tips as an abundance of calories come our way:
Choose water, still or sparkling. Empty calories rack up in the form of drinks.
Choose the homemade. If the dessert isn’t homemade, I usually skip it. Decide in advance not to be tempted by sub-par sweets. Lots of homemade sweets? Try them in smaller portions.
Don’t eat standing up. Grazing inevitably leads to consuming more than I realize. Make a plate and sit your booty down.
Conversations with Awkward People
There’s a strong likelihood that we find ourselves sitting at a table with a relative we haven’t seen for a while. Or more honestly, they’re a bit awkward. Or am I that person? I wrote more tips here for keeping the conversation going at the table.
Table Convo Starters
Assign these or ask at random:
What Thanksgiving memories come to mind about your childhood?
What's something you got in trouble for as a kid?
What defines a good vacation?
What motivates you to work hard?
How do you rest or recharge?
What is one word a friend would use to describe you?
Would you rather: wash dishes, mow the lawn, clean the bathroom, or vacuum the house? If you could hire someone to do one of those, which would it be?
What are/were your mother's best qualities? your father's?
What's something you had as a child that today's kids are missing out on?
Appetizers
Make Ahead Spinach Balls
If you make sausage balls, here’s a homemade Bisquick recipe, also can be used in this savory breakfast bundt cake.
Time Saving Tip
Buy already boiled and peeled eggs (from Costco or Sam’s) for deviled eggs.
Mostly Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
Make sure you have broth on hand. Never made it? Read this for tips. Save that turkey carcass and make more.
Quiche is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner — and great to have on hand for overnight guests coming in late!
2 tips for amazing sweet potato casserole: 1/ roast, don’t boil the sweet potatoes. Let the maillard (pronounced MY-yard) reaction caramelize the potatoes - get a little brown on the bottom. 2/ Instead of mashing, run potatoes through a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients to eliminate lump and produce a silkier, pudding-like consistency. Bonus: use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
Make ahead mashed potatoes? Save precious oven space and reheat in a CrockPot with a bit of extra butter, sour cream or milk (moisture will escape as it reheats). Alternatively, I present to you Alice Waters’s Potato Gratin.
Make ahead this yummy green bean salad.
Super easy bread dough up to 9 days in advance. Bake just before your meal. This brioche dough can be made a couple days in advance, too.
What’s Thanksgiving without macaroni and cheese? Another PW recipe that does not disappoint. Keep your noodles al dente and it freezes perfectly. Can be made in advance, too.
This roasted beet and carrots with tahini is seriously delish. Roast the roots in advance and sprinkle with pistachios just before serving. Be sure to double or triple the tahini sauce.
Brussels with bacon, pecans, and a generous dose of blue cheese? Um, yes. Here’s one for brussels with balsamic.
If cinnamon rolls are remotely on your radar, The Pioneer Woman’s recipe is my all time favorite for a giant batch. You won’t fight with the dough. For a smaller batch, this King Arthur milk dough recipe is a winner. Reserve the icing and make the rolls several days in advance. I have a regular sized Kitchen Aid mixer and it can handle doubling the dough.
Here’s a recipe round up for all things fermented. Find one that floats your boat and surprise your family!
Alexandra Cooks has allll the trusted recipes including a super helpful printable timeline.
After Thanksgiving my fav way to use up turkey: Kentucky Hot Brown or chef’s salad.
Super Easy Bread
My top 3 bread recipes are:
Desserts
Easy Gingerbread cookies are always on the menu this time of year. I’ve made Tieghan’s Molten Chocolate Crackle Pie before and it’s on the menu again.
Pumpkin Roll Bars are easy (yum for breakfast too.)
Kid Table
Print this list of would you rather questions for the kids’ table. Here are links to the other websites that prompted the above list of questions: here, here and here.
Use the back of wrapping paper or buy an inexpensive roll of packing paper as a table cloth and let kids color on it.
Set out printer paper and scissors to make old-fashioned snow flakes. Add tape and make these a huge 3D snowflakes.
Money Saving Tip
When sweet potatoes go on sale this week (fingers crossed), buy a hilarious amount like 20 pounds. They will keep for months in a cool, dark space that doesn’t freeze. I used to keep them in the garage in Little Rock until February. We have a basement in KY. They will keep in your pantry for a long time but the warmth of your house may cause them to sprout sooner.
Let Me Be Weird
Last night at church I was responsible for the salad bar. It may seem like I’m making a big deal out of an insignificant thing but it made my heart sing to see children sneaking tomatoes and nutrient dense pumpkin seeds after dinner. I made a gallon+ of ranch (as a healthier option to store bought) and offered protein rich options like garbanzo beans, cheese, eggs and sprouted pumpkin seeds. Except for the homemade dressings, all of this was purchased from Costco. Well, the garbanzo beans I soaked/cooked because I didn’t want to open a jillion cans.
I had a conversation at dinner with parents who said, “We’ve found if we prep healthier options for our kids, they will eat it.” Sometimes it is just a matter of offering the nutritious.
Enjoy the extra holiday time with your people.
Life is hard; food doesn’t have to be.
Julie
PS - Last week I shared Free and Easy Baby Steps to Healthier Living. If you’re considering how to clean up personal care, Beautycounter’s best sale of the year is now. Reply to this email and let me answer questions.
Such great ideas, Julie! Happy Thanksgiving!