I LOVE Thanksgiving food. The combo of sweet and savory. It is a meal when I enjoy the canned cranberry sauce, grocery store sweet rolls, and decadent dessert. Because I rarely eat such indulgent food, I am able to enjoy the splurge l for Thanksgiving and other main holidays without guilt. Plus, the years of training my body to really want the healthy, I tend not to overdo it on these occasions. I find I am fully satisfied with my small tastes.
This menu is what I traditionally make for Thanksgiving. So check out it for any ideas you might want to use for your own feast. I provide you with all the details below.
Jen’s Thanksgiving Dinner Menu:
- Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
- Creamy Mashed potatoes
- Easy Stuffing
- Fresh Green Beans
- Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts with Pecans
- Cranberry Sauce
- Dinner Rolls
- Dessert - S’mores Pumpkin Pie
Let me know if you try any of these dishes. I would also love to hear what you like to make for Thanksgiving dinner.
To a great Thanksgiving,
Jen
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast
- A simple recipe from Food Network with fresh herbs and white wine.
- Note: The recipe calls for pouring 1 cup of white wine in the bottom of the pan. 1 cup isn’t enough. For the total baking time needed, I recommended a whole bottle.
Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- A Thanksgiving requirement
- Ingredient amounts are really based on how many people you need to feed and taste preferences.
- Key to making creamy mashed potatoes is using an immersion blender.
Ingredients:
- Russet potatoes, cubed, removing skin optional
- Real butter, amount to preference
- Whole milk or heavy cream, amount to preference
- Salt, amount to preference
- Pepper, amount to preference
Directions:
- Place cubed potatoes in a large pot.
- Cover with water about 1 inch over the potatoes.
- Boil until cooked through. Drain.
- Return potatoes to the pot or other bowl.
- Break up cubes with a potato masher.
- Add butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste.
- Mash more. Then use a hand mixer or for even more creaminess, an immersion blender to whip potatoes.
- Taste and add extra butter, milk, salt, and pepper for desired taste.
Easy Stuffing
- Yep! Stuffing from a bag, made a little fancier with some fresh veggies.
- If not making your own stuffing from scratch, choose good quality stuffing.
Ingredients:
- Quality stuffing mix, I used Whole Foods brand
- Chicken or veggie broth, package may call for water, I like to use broth for extra flavor
- Onion, chopped, amount to preference
- Celery, thin sliced, amount to preference
- Butter, to sauté the vegetables and extra may be needed for package dressing
Directions:
- In a large pot, sauté onion and celery in butter over medium heat until tender.
- Add to broth and butter, if noted on stuffing package, and bring to a boil.
- Remove from heat and add stuffing mix, stirring until combined.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Fresh Green Beans
- Must have greens!
Ingredients:
- Fresh green beans, ends trimmed
- Butter, amount to preference
- Salt and pepper, amount to preference
Directions:
- Steam green beans in a steamer basket until tender
- In a bowl, toss green beans in butter, salt, and pepper to taste.
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Pecans
- Always more veggies. 2 veggies in one dish.
- A little crunch with the pecans.
- A little sweet with the savory.
Click here for the full recipe with an option to print.
Cranberry Sauce
- Totally from the can. I am not making my own.
- I am the only one who eats it in my family.
- Get good quality.
Dinner Rolls
- From the store. Easy peasy
- Again, get good quality.
- Enjoy butter with it if you want.
- Wrap in foil and warm in the turned-off oven after everything is baked and you are setting the table.
Dessert - S’mores Pumpkin Pie
I have such a sweet tooth. So, in some ways, I eat dinner so I can have dessert. Last year I discovered a recipe I had not heard of before - S’mores Pumpkin Pie. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!
For the pie base:
- I used the pumpkin pie and chocolate base from Love and Olive Oil’s S’more Pumpkin Pie recipe.
- Their topping requires making your own marshmallow topping and that fits in the category of “more complicated than I wanted,” since I was already making the main part of the pie from scratch.
For the marshmallow topping:
- After the pie had cooled, I topped the pie with a generous layer of mini marshmallows and then placed dark chocolate chips randomly on top of the marshmallows.
- Broiled the pie on high until the marshmallows were a nice toasted color.
- Allow the pie to cool some before cutting.
