We’re just two weeks away from one of America’s most widely celebrated holidays. Many families are planning their traditional trips, feasts and related activities: Thursday morning watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade from the couch, afternoon naps and of course, football, in the yard to work off some of those calories and settling into the recliners to watch the action on TV — all among the chart-topping fun ways to spend the day.
Another activity that has gained popularity, especially in our High Country, whether on Thanksgiving Day or certainly during the long weekend, is the family fun-time spent in our local choose-n-cut Christmas Tree farms. I love that this opportunity has become part of the weekend festivities and that families return, year after year, to their favorite tree farms.
As we begin to prepare for this special holiday weekend, we all need to take time out amid the hustle-bustle to consider all that we have for which to be thankful. All it takes to put things in perspective is switching on a news channel or picking up a newspaper to realize just how good we’ve got it. Everything could change in an instant, so let’s make every moment count.
And in the meantime, here are a few sides and desserts that will look good, and taste even better, on your Thanksgiving table!
Baked Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
6 medium sweet potatoes
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. milk
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained and reserve liquid
Marshmallows
Bake sweet potatoes until soft. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise and scoop out potato, leaving shell intact. Mash sweet potatoes with butter, salt and milk, along with ½ cup crushed pineapple. Add a little more milk or butter if necessary.
Fill sweet potato shells. Slice marshmallows in half and top each sweet potato with two halves. Top with a spoonful of crushed pineapple.
Put reserved pineapple syrup or juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Drizzle each sweet potato with a little of the juice. Place sweet potatoes under broiler and broil until browned.
Easy Pumpkin Dump Cake
1 small box vanilla instant pudding/pie filling mix
1 ½ cups milk
1 (moist) yellow cake mix
½ cup canned pumpkin
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup prepared cream cheese frosting, warmed/thinned slightly in microwave
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13×9-inch pan with cooking spray.
In large bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk about 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cake mix, pumpkin and spice until well mixed. Spread batter in pan (will be thick).
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out almost clean. Cool at least 15 minutes before drizzling with frosting. Best served warm with whipped topping or ice cream.
Cranberry Apple Casserole
1 cup whole cranberries
1 ½ cups chopped apples, unpeeled
¾ cup sugar
½ cup chopped nuts
½ cup brown sugar
1 stick butter
½ cup oatmeal
2/3 cup flour
Combine cranberries, apples and sugar in a baking dish. Mix nuts, sugar, butter and oatmeal with flour and pat into dish; mixture will be like a moist paste. Add just a little water, if needed.
Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or a little long if needed until done.
Cranberry Orange Relish
2 cups cranberries
1 large seedless orange
½ cup sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur or frozen orange concentrate
1-2 drops orange oil
Wash but do not peel orange. Use seedless navel oranges, cut into small 1-inch chunks. Grand Marnier, Orange Curacao or any orange liqueur adds to the flavor, but frozen orange juice concentrate may also be used. If using orange oil, be careful to add only one or two drops!
Combine cranberries and orange pieces in a food processor and chop (do not puree). Add sugar and flavoring (liqueur and oil/orange essence). Pulse until combined.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours; can be made a day ahead.
Cheesy Potato Casserole
32 oz. bag frozen hash browns, thawed
1 stick butter, melted
1 tbsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cheddar cheese
1 med. onion, chopped
Mix all ingredients and add topping.
Topping
2 cups cornflakes, crushed
½ stick butter, melted
Bake for 40 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees, until lightly browned.
Cranberry Orange Relish
2 cups cranberries
1 large seedless orange
½ cup sugar
¼ cup frozen orange concentrate or 1 to 2 drops orange oil, liqueur, if desired, for enhanced flavoring
Cut orange into small 1-inch chunks. Combine cranberries and orange pieces in a food processor and chop (do not puree). Add sugar and flavoring if desired, but be careful not to use more than 2 drops. Pulse until combined.
Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, even a day ahead.