I came across an article recently that had me rolling my eyes. It was titled “5 Thanksgiving Dishes That Are Better Store Bought” and I can tell you: it is ALL lies. You can make them better at home. Far better.
The one that truly got me was cranberry sauce. The glop in cans is simply awful tasting. Tinny. Super sweet. It’s no wonder when Ocean Spray makes it with Cranberries, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, and Water. Absolute trash ingredients. And the corn is GMO/Bioengineered as well. Cranberry sauce takes minimal time to create and can be made in advance. There are so many ways to make it, fresh-squeezed orange juice instead of water? Cinnamon? Honey instead of sugar? It is there to play with.
Food we make – we control what is in it, and have it be fresh, not sitting on the shelves of a store for a week or more, as people do with “fresh” rolls they buy in the bread department. Making rolls is mostly hands-off. A little kneading, then ignore while they rise. The taste of a fresh roll is well worth the work.
I had a hard time not smacking my computer monitor at “experts” who recommended instant potatoes over homemade mashers. It’s genuinely one of the easiest things to make: boil taters, drain, mash with copious amounts of butter and milk, and a pinch of salt. Done.
Thanksgiving as a meal doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming. Find a few recipes you can master, and make what you can the day before (pies, cranberry sauce, mushroom soup), and the morning of (rolls), and the rest comes together quickly. I usually serve smoked turkey, so the most challenging part is reheating it.
These are the recipes I use every year – some I have been using for 15 or more years.
My Go-To Recipes For Thanksgiving?
Handcrafted Green Bean Casserole
Cream Of Mushroom Condensed Soup
Cranberry Bliss Bars – be ready for Christmas!
~Sarah