Thanksgiving Sides

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! It has been my favorite holiday since I was a child. I refuse to even name the presumptuous holiday that continually tries to creep its way into Thanksgiving territory, but I am not giving it any quarter until after we have fully celebrated Thanksgiving!

I cannot tell you how excited I am about Thanksgiving this year because we get to host it and we have a number of family members coming for the day! It is going to be WONDERFUL, I just know it!

I'm already working on a menu. I don't feel quite so intimidated this year, because it will be the second time I get to host it. Actually, maybe the third... my brain is failing me at the moment. Here are some recipes for sides that I have planned:

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Crock Pot Dressing
(Makes 18 servings)
1 lg. loaf dried bread, cubed (or about 16 c. bread crumbs - may combine bread/cornbread)
2 c. chopped meat - turkey, sausage, salami (opt.)
1 lg. onion, chopped
3 ribs celery with leaves, chopped
1/2 c. butter, melted
4 c. broth
1 1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves
2 dashes of marjoram and cloves
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix this all up, put in crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour, reduce to low for 6-8 hours.

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Orange Cranberry Relish - this was my invention! I'm rather proud of it!
1 orange
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. fresh grated ginger (or 1 tsp. ground)
3 c. fresh cranberries
In a medium pot, combine the juice and zest of the orange as well as any loose fleshy bits. Mix in the sugar and the ginger. Turn the heat to medium and stir in the cranberries. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, crushing the cranberries as you stir. (For a thinner sauce, cook for closer to 10 min. For a consistency more like jelly, cook for 15 min. I prefer it somewhere in the middle - about 12 minutes.)

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Corn Pudding

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Green Bean Casserole - I just use the recipe on the side of the french fried onion can - only I use home grown/canned green beans! YUM!

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Turkey Gravy
Pour out the pan juices from your turkey and let them sit for 10 minutes separating. Meanwhile, pour ¾ c. water or stock in the roasting pan and deglaze. (Scrape up the yummy little bits.) Whisk in 4 tbs. flour one tbs. at a time. Transfer this to a saucepan. Pour the fat off of the pan juices, then slowly add 2 c. of the good juices to the saucepan, whisking it all in. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook it down until it reaches the proper thickness. (If you wish, add 1 pkt. of gravy mix to season and to thicken.)

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And then of course sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and dinner rolls. After going into a state of shock looking at the price of frozen dinner rolls last time, I ended up making my own. They turned out quite good, but I'm not in love. They are not the way I remember my grandma making them - fluffy inside, lightly crispy browned outside... I used to buy the Rhodes frozen dinner rolls and they were quite close to what my grandmother made if that gives anyone an idea of what I'm looking for. They don't sell them in my area, and I will not pay almost $1 per roll for Sister Schuberts! Seriously? They are mostly flour, water and yeast! That is highway robbery!

I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving traditions, menus, and dinner rolls!

Editing this post to link up to The Four Moms Plan for Thanksgiving.