Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and while every family has their traditional recipes that they love to cook every year, it can be fun to find one or two new ones to switch in every once in a while. This definitely makes it more exciting for the cook and hopefully more exciting for the guests as well. The key is to make sure the new dish is so delicious that they don't miss their boring old side that they have had a million times. There aren't that many traditional dishes when it comes to my family. We like to try and cook the turkey a different way every year whether it is on the grill, in the deep fryer or in the oven with a new set of herbs and spices. We also like to mix it up on the stuffing. With so many ingredient choices out there why keep it the same every year. We also have to make the stuffing gluten free so whether it is rice, corn bread or a gluten free bread, we like to get creative. The same goes true for our sweet potato or squash dish and our green vegetable. The one dish that we always keep the same is our mashed potatoes because if it isn't broke, don't fix it. Here are a few of the dishes that I have really fallen in love with over the years. Hopefully you will try one or two and feel the same.
Skip the marshmallows this year in your sweet potatoes and instead use coconut. This recipe ensures that you still get all those sweet flavors that you enjoy from the brown sugar and coconut but it takes it in a surprising direction. This recipe is really easy to make and I'm sure your family will forget about their traditional candied sweet potatoes.
Pumpkin Soup You have so many dishes already, why bother to make a soup to start with? A lot of people would skip this course because of all the dishes to come, however if you are trying a more course like structure this Thanksgiving this soup will be a big hit. I only make it when I have fresh pumpkin so I savor every last drop of it in the fall. Sometimes I don't even feel like sharing the one batch I make a year, while other times I feel more generous. Brown Butter Cranberry Brussels Sprouts I know not everyone can get their family to eat Brussels Sprouts, but I bet you would get more of them too with this recipes. Tart, buttery, rich and sweet all at the same time. The Brussels sprouts are crisped up in the oven so that they aren't mushy or flavorless like so many people think they area. The sauce coats them right before being served and creates a dish that may become one of your new traditions.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes This is the reason why my family makes the same mashed potatoes every year. We add so many creamy and flavorful ingredients that is would be hard not to just devour them. If you are trying to have a healthier Thanksgiving, this recipe may not be the way to go. However, you could sub in some pureed parsnip or cauliflower to lighten the dish up and it would still be delicious.