Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I have such fond memories as a child, helping my mom and aunt in the kitchen preparing all the festive goodies together. There's something so rewarding about working in the kitchen all day and reaping the rewards while gathered around all your family and friends, and sharing memories.
What makes the holidays so special are traditions. There's comfort in the familiar. So, I thought I'd share some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes. These recipes have been handed down through the generations. I've been making these dishes along side the women in my family for as long as I can remember.
So, I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!
The Menu
1. Green Bean Casserole
2. Indian Corn Casserole
3. Mashed Potatoes
4. Apple Pie
5. Pumpkin Pie
Green Bean Casserole
This is probably one of the most common Thanksgiving recipes. Every family has there own variation of this dish, but my favorite part about this recipe is the crispy onions on top!
Ingredients:
- 2 cans organic French style green beans (you don't have to buy organic but I prefer it)
- 1 can cream of potato soup (I stay away from Cambell's because of the MSG and other questionable ingredients, the brand I like is from HEB but if you aren't local to Texas, I'm sure you can find another similar brand)
- 1 can sliced water chestnuts
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 can fried onions
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix everything together except for the fried onions. Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle top with fried onions.
3. Bake for 30 mins.
Indian Corn Casserole
I'm not sure where this recipe actually came from, or if it's something other people make too, but we've been making it in our family forever. My favorite part about this recipe is the crispy bacon bits.
Ingredients:
- 2 cans of organic corn (you don't have to use organic but I always try to)
- 3 eggs well beaten
- 1 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup flour
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Mix the corn and eggs. Add remaining ingredients and stir until blended well.
3. Bake for 30 mins.
Mashed Potatoes
Such a simple dish, but so easy to mess up. I feel like mashed potatoes are one of those side dishes that can either be super creamy and delicious, or super dry and gritty. This is by far my favorite recipe for mashed potatoes ever!
Ingredients:
- 4-6 Russet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes (the amount of potatoes you use will depend on how much mashed potatoes you want. This is more of a rough guide)
- Whole milk as needed for consistency
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp garlic powder (this varies, again on how much you want. I actually never measure when I make this so this is just a rough estimate)
- 1-2 Sticks butter
1. Put potatoes in large pot, covered with water and boil.
2. When the potatoes are tender (you can pierce them with a fork easily) take the potatoes off the heat and drain the water.
3. With a hand held mixer, whip the potatoes until majority of the potatoes have been mashed.
4. Add in the milk, seasonings, and butter. To be truthful I never measure things when making my mashed potatoes. I just add as much as feels right.
TIP:: when adding the milk and butter, I do it slowly. better to underestimate than add too much. you can always add, but you can't take away!
Apple Pie
I'm not sure there is a more American dessert than apple pie. Something so comforting about the gooey appley goodness and flaky crust. It's hands down my favorite pie flavor ever!
Ingredients:
- 6 cups thinly sliced green apples
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 2 pie crusts (homemade or store bought, but I prefer homemade)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 425° F.
2. Combine all filling ingredients and toss until apples are evenly coated.
3. Line a 9 in pie pan with one of the pie crusts. Spoon filling into pie crust lined pan.
4. Top with second crust. I like to make slits on the top and fun designs to make it festive!
5. cover edges with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Bake for 40 mins or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is a close second to apple pie in my eyes. I love the warm fall flavors of pumpkin, and the crunchy graham cracker crust. Topped with whipped cream, this pie is nothing short of heavenly.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups evaporated milk
- 2 cups pumpkin puree (I make mine from scratch, but if you use canned you will need 16oz. of canned pumpkin puree)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs slightly beaten
- 1 graham cracker crust (store bought or homemade, you guessed it...I like to make my from scratch)
Ingredients:
1. Heat oven to 425° F.
2. Mix all the filling ingredients together using a hand held mixer.
3. Prepare your graham cracker pie crust. Pour filling into pie crust lined dish.
4. Bake for 15 mins. reduce oven to 350° F. Bake for another 40-45 mins, or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
What are your favorite holiday recipes?
