Today’s the day I”ll start running around the house like a crazy woman, in a whirl of cleaning and prepping for Thanksgiving on Thursday! But before I totally disappear on you all, I thought I’d share what’s on our Thanksgiving menu!
Being Italian, I was hoping to add a few of my favorite traditional flavors and ingredients to this very American holiday… I think I succeeded in at least making it feel a bit more European?
- Warm Olives with Rosemary, Garlic & Almonds :: I love warm olives in a variety of manners. My favorite are fried and stuffed with sausage, but considering how filling Thanksgiving is in general, I figured I’d lighten things up a little with this version. A perfect appetizer to start with! Of course, we’ll also have a cheese board. Because, cheese.
- Garlic Knots :: While I typically pick up a big rustic loaf of bread for dinner, there’s something about Thanksgiving that’s making me crave rolls! I guess that’s the unexpected traditionalist in me. So while we’re going for it, we might as well douse our pop-up bread in garlic and butter, right?
- Sage Roasted Turkey :: Cooking the turkey has been the biggest debate in our household. As of right now, we’re planning on doing a 24-hour wet brine (maybe longer?), but what I didn’t realize is when you roast it, people often suggest still adding more flavor to the bird while it’s in the oven. What! I didn’t really plan for that, but I like the idea of a sage butter to bring in a new herb to the mix.
- Green Beans Amandine :: What can I say – this is one of those dishes that I’m quite certain we’ve had at every Thanksgiving for my entire life. It would be weird not to have this simple, but delicious, recipe on our table.
- Glazed Shallots :: I can honestly say I’ve never eaten these before, but if you’re going to get adventurous with a recipe at Thanksgiving, it better be a side dish that nobody cares about, right? But the testimonial that went along with this recipe just had me too curious to try it! Maybe it will become a tradition for us, too.
- Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes :: I’m stoked to try this recipe from my friend Gaby this year! Mashed potatoes are one of those Thanksgiving sides that you don’t want to mess with. But switching it up a tiny bit? Totally acceptable. I’m feeling pretty confident that nobody will mind the addition of mascarpone.
- Balsamic Glazed Radicchio & Walnuts :: In an effort to go along with our somewhat Italian theme, I thought I’d swap out our usual kale or brussel sprouts for radicchio. While I know not everyone appreciates the bitter taste, the balsamic glaze tones it down. And hey – they’ve got green beans and mashed potatoes still!
- Pumpkin Souffle :: Don’t hate me, but – you guys – I think I might be over pumpkin pie. But I still love pumpkin itself! I debated a pumpkin tiramisu, but then I stumbled upon this pumpkin soufflée recipe and it was love at first sight. I might just opt for a simple homemade dollop of spiced whip cream on top rather than the addition of the Bourbon Molasses sauce as well, but we’ll see. My sister also basically threatened to kill me if we don’t have pie… so this recipe may have to wait for another time!
Do you have a recipe that you use year after year for Thanksgiving? Or are you trying something new this year? I’d love to hear!
