What Unique Dishes Can Elevate a Small Thanksgiving Dinner?

[Teresa Lynn]

ok, Rae where in the heck did you get kangaroo meat in the middle of Indiana???We have shrimp cocktails, cheese tray & crackers 7 usually a hot appetizer of some type
turkey and ham
mashed potatoes/gravy & homemade noodles (I add a little baking powder to my mashed potatoes with the butter and cream
bread dressing
fresh salad
cranberries & orange relish
hot yeast rolls
french onion casserole
green bean bundles (or fresh steamed with almonds if I can find decent produce)
acorn squash
creamed corn
& a variety of desserts (bought from the bakery if I'm having it and its just the 5 of us) homemade if we are in Iowa and my mom cooks

 

[Stampaholic1961]

oops! I hadn't refreshed my screen & didn't realize others had already answered about the green bean casserole! Sorry!

 

[raebates]

Well, Teresa, that's certainly one we didn't shoot in the backyard. LOL!There's an amazing place on the north edge of Cincinnati called Jungle Jim's. It's almost six acres of groceries from around the world. They have all kinds of exotic meats. We bought ground kangaroo and some alligator fillets. Had the alligator for Christmas Eve.

 

[raebates]

Here's my recipe:Rae’s Mac N Cheese11 oz (¾ of a 14.5 oz box) elbow pasta
6 T butter
½ c flour
4 c milk
2 t salt
1 ¼ pounds sharp cheddar cheese, cut into chunks
½ t freshly ground nutmeg (Leave this out if all you have is powdered. It doesn’t taste the same)Preheat oven to 450ºF. Cook pasta according to package directions. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour, stirring well. Slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Add salt. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes, until mixture begins to thicken just a bit. Add cheese. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese is completely melted. Stir in nutmeg. Fold in cooked, drained pasta. Pour mixture into 9 x 13 pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, until browned spots appear and edge is crispy. Wait 5 minutes before serving.Technically, we call it Marconi Cheese. Of course, we call burgers & fries "boogers & flies."

 

[cookingwithhart]

I've recently discovered Rosemary Mashed Potatoes and I'll be making them for Thanksgiving this year. I got this recipe off of Food Network.

Johnny Garlic's Famous Garlic and Rosemary Mashed potatoes Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri, 2007

Show: Food Network Specials Episode: Dear Food Network: Thanksgiving

5 pounds potatoes, Yukon gold, washed and cut in 2 to 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 teaspoons freshly minced rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons white pepper
1/2 C milk
Directions
Add cut potatoes into a large pot and cover by about 1-inch with cold water. Place over medium heat and simmer (do not boil) potatoes for 15 minutes or until fork tender.

Strain potatoes from pot, and set aside. In same pot add oil, garlic and rosemary. Lightly saute over medium heat. When slightly brown add potatoes back to the pot, and mix with garlic and rosemary.

Remove from heat, add milk, salt and pepper, and mash with potato masher.

As far a another dessert, how about a trifle? There are so many to choose from and everyone loves them!

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

[peachey]

I'd love to see your recipe for Spinach Artichoke Casserole, Cornbread Dressing (not sure what the difference between stuffing and dressing is) and your Potatoes Au Gratin. Isn't Potatoes Au Gratin just like scalloped potatoes but with cheese? Man I'm stupid

Jodi, we are on vacation, but luckily there is internet in the hotel! We left Nashville last night and are now in MD, on our way to PA to visit DH's family. I called my mom to get the Spinach Artichoke recipe. It is from a book, "Being Dead is No Excuse" pg 221, for anyone that has it. It is called Visiting Dignitary Spinach Souffle/ Casserole. SUPER EASY and tasty! The recipe below for Cornbread Dressing doesn't have a lot of measurements to it. I have been making my Granby's recipe for a while and just throw some stuff together. The Potatoes Au Gratin recipe is from Paula Deen. My husband loves Au Gratin and is expecially happy when I use the Ultimate Mandolin on the potatoes because they are all cooked evenly! He got a look for that comment, but I am glad he likes it! I can't tell you the difference in Scalloped Potatoes and Au Gratin, but the recipe called for Butterkaise & Fontina. They have changed the recipe search for Food Network, and I can't find the recipe. I say go with a recipe you like and add Butterkaise and Fontina!! Yummy.

Visiting Dignitary Spinach
2 10oz packages Frozen Chopped Spinach
8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup melted Butter
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
14 oz Artichokes, drained
1 Sleeve Ritz Crackers- Mother has Celiacs and we have used tortilla chips
additional butter to dot on top

Preheat oven to 350. Cook spinach according to package and drain well. Add cream cheese, butter, and lemon juice, and mix well.

Grease a 9x13 casserole and placed spinach mixture in the bottom. Quarter the artichokes and place on top. Crumble ritz crackers and sprinkle over the top of casserole. Dot with additional butter and bake until hot throughout.

Cornbread Dressing
Skillet of prepared cornbread that has cooled, day old biscuits can be added too
~1 cup onions, chopped
~1 cup celery, chopped
~3 cups Chicken Broth- hot
Poultry Seasoning
Sage
1-2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Crumble cornbread and biscuits if using them. Saute onions and celery in butter until soft. Mix together bread and vegetable. Slowly add in broth until the mixture is wet. Add in Poultry Seasoning and Sage to taste. Then, add in egg(s). Pour in a casserol, or the rectagle baker. Cook until firm. This is a loose definition of a recipe. But, it is not Thanksgiving for us without it.

 

[AmaraJ]

What is the Pig Pickin Cake???? Anybody????

 

[kcjodih]

You have got to explain what these are!!! I am clueless!

What is the Pig Pickin Cake???? Anybody????

Okay I googled it and it's a cake with yellow cake mix, mandarin oranges, pineapple and whipped topping. Pig Pickin' Cake - Allrecipes

 

[GourmetGirl]

Okay I googled it and it's a cake with yellow cake mix, mandarin oranges, pineapple and whipped topping. Pig Pickin' Cake - Allrecipes

I LOVE that cake! So light and yummy! I just have never heard it called Pig Pickin' Cake before though

 

[jbdowd0798]

So I made the Corn Casserole- YUMMO! I used the deep dish baker and put everything right into it and mixed it. Even my two kids helped without a mess! When my son saw and hubby heard there was sour cream in it they both turned up their noses and voiced complaints but I promised them they wouldn't even taste it. They both liked it!! THANK YOU THANK YOU for such an easy easy recipe!

 

[chefann]

You're welcome - I love that recipe, too. It's really good "doctored" with other stuff, too: leftover ham, cheese, green onions, bacon, etc. And now that I reminded myself of it, I might make it for Thanksgiving this year.

 

[raebates]

The Furry Guy reminded me that someone always brings Green Bean Casserole. Since I really don't like it, I had blocked it from my memory.

 

[gailz2]

Can't wait to try the easy mac and cheese!! Thanks for sharing!