The New Thanksgiving

After much debate, I decided that this week I will step away from all the desserts and talk about what is on everyone's mind: What the heck am I making next week?! In recent years my family has stepped away from the typical turkey in the oven and have decided to put a twist on the traditions. Since my dad has been quite vocal about his dislike of turkey and can't eat the honey ham due to diabetes, we decided last year to do a smaller turkey and a prime rib. I can't even convey the hit it was! On top of the prime rib, we invested in a turkey fryer and deep fried our turkey. What a quick and easy way to get things done. We had a 15 pound turkey that took about 45 minutes or an hour to cook which really saved us so much oven space. Deep fried turkey is one of my favorite ways to cook a turkey because you dont have to worry about it drying out. This year we have bought a smoker and have been smoking everything we can get our hands on in order to get everything figured out(above is a chicken I smoked on Monday). It is projected to take about 9-10 hours to cook which will be a little bit longer than the 45 minutes in a deep fryer, but the flavor is well worth it. Well... at least I hope...

What I love about cooking the big dinner is the freedom to choose what goes on the table. I feel like for a lot of people, Thanksgiving dinner is a make or break situation. Pleasing the in laws...topping your cousins casserole... Its all about your ability to think outside the box and accomplish your mission. I love finding new recipes or twists on traditional dishes. I do have to say the key to success is what our parents always told us growing up: practice! practice! practice! If you find a recipe you think you and your family will love, try it! But dont wait til game day to make it. That's a good way to shoot yourself in the foot and add unneeded stress to the holiday. Along with practicing the recipe, feel free to make changes and adjustments but like I said, don't make a change the day of! If it ain't broke, dont fix it!

The Twist

What kind of twists can we add to the norm? A good move is switching things out that have similar textures or flavors. So instead of doing a pumpkin pie, you could easliy do a Butternut Squash Pie by subing out the pureed pumpkin with pureed squash. Another favorite of mine is taking the rasins out of a carrot cake and replacing them with crushed pineapple. It adds a sweet and tropical twist on an old time favorite. As far as sides go, dress up that dressing! You can add anything to stuffing. Really. Anything. Aduille sausage for spice, pears for some sweetness, pecans for some crunch, bacon for some southern goodness. You name it! And instead of just steamed vegetables, throw some fresh chopped herbs on them and roast them in the oven. Baked vegetables have a lot more depth and flavor than boiled or steamed. Bacon bits brighten up a lot of vegetables too. Ask your friends and co-workers what they make at their table to get some more ideas. Just because it isn't green beans and mashed potatoes doesn't mean you can't make it.

Technically... its a Fruit Cake...

A good hit for this holiday seaosn that you can try is upside down cake. While usually it has pineapple and maraschino cherries on it, the door is wide open for change. Pictured above is a Apple Cranberry upside down cake. I have also made a Peach and Blueberry one that is to die for. If you get a basic recipe, feel free to switch out the fruit and spices. Add orange zest or nutmeg to give it something extra. Or you can make assorted mini cakes in a cupcake pan and switch out the fruit and spices in the batter. That way your guests can pick what they want!

The ball is in your court! What are you going to change this year to get out of that rut? Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Keeping it Sweet,

 

Amber