I've been making THIS BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPE for the last two years and it's been a big hit even with those who don't like Brussels sprouts. I saw THIS SALAD RECIPE this week and I think I'll give it a try this year.

It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving dinner without:

Grandma's Broccoli Salad

1 large head of Broccoli buds (no stems)
1 small Red Onion (diced)
3/4 C. White Raisins
3/4 C. Walnuts (chopped)
1 C. Mayonnaise (do NOT substitute Miracle Whip)
1/2 C. Sugar
2 Tbsp. White Vinegar

Wash Broccoli buds and drain thoroughly. Pat dry to remove any excess water. Mix Mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until sugar is totally dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate several hours before serving. Can even be prepared day before. It's best to not substitute anything in this recipe as you will drastically change the taste and appearance.

I am ordering a cajun deep fried turkey and cajun spiced mashed potatoes. I ordered this from Copeland ' s last year and it was delicious and perfectly spiced. I will make cornbread stuffing, salad and apple pie. Half of our family is vegetarian, so everything but the turkey will be vegetarian.

This is a salad I (and my whole family) dearly love! Similar to TulsaRose's salad above, but different.

JK's Salad

1 head of cauliflower
2 heads of broccoli
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup of celery
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans, rough chopped.

Dressing

1 cup mayo
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup sugar

Directions: Chop cauliflower and broccoli into bite size pieces. Dice onions and celery finely. Mix it all together.

Do not add raisins, pecans, or dressing until ready to serve. (This statement is in the original recipe, but I've found it is still very good if mixed ahead of time. Leftovers (if there are any) are even good the next day!)

Rusty

Roasted root veggies.

I think similar posts come up every year and my answer will always remain the same. I don't want anything new on the table. I like the traditional stuffed turkey with hand mashed (never whipped) potatoes,a simple vegetable like green beans,broccoli, carrots or peas,cranberry sauce, rolls and butter. The appetizers may vary but never the main course.We have 364 other days to try new dishes. Don't mess with my Thanksgiving. My favorite side dish is the stuffing, but only if it's mine. If we go out to eat I don't order the turkey. I'll break tradition entirely in that case. It's all or nothing with me.

My favorite and so simple...mashed rutabaga. Just chunk, boil until tender, drain, mash, add butter and freshly ground nutmeg. So delish. There are ways of making it into a casserole and adding stuff to it, but I prefer it just as it is.

Here's another Brussel Sprout recipe that's really good. Some of my family members claimed they didn't like Brussel Sprouts, but they happily gobble them up when I make this:

Pioneer Woman's Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Cranberries

Ingredients

3 pounds Brussels Sprouts*

1/2 cup Olive Oil

Salt And Pepper

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup Sugar

1 cup Dried Cranberries

* I've only used fresh, so I don't know how well frozen would work in this recipe.

Preparation Instructions

Trim/clean Brussels sprouts, then cut them in half if desired (or you can leave them whole). Arrange on two baking sheets and toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with plenty of salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until brown.

Combine balsamic vinegar and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and reduce until very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the roasted sprouts, then sprinkle on dried cranberries. Toss and serve immediately.

Rusty, whenever I roast Brussels sprouts, I always do it this way. We love Brussels sprouts!

Mmmm... I might make some roasted Brussel Sprouts after seeing this!

Family & friends always request this recipe. Have been making it for decades. Since I'm getting up there in years they all make it themselves. They printed out this recipe from my files. It prints on normal copy paper.

We started our own tradition years ago. No more mashed potatoes and gravy, not even stuffing/dressing. We eat Brussels sprouts on a regular basis, same with green beans (but not that casserole).

If you like sides with a little kick these all fit the bill.

--Cranberry Jezebel

--Chipotle Sweet Potato Gratin

--Spinach Madeleine

It would not be a holiday if we did not have most of our usual foods! Several of your recipes are similar to some we use, but not all. Always have to have candied sweet potatoes with lots of syrup , mashed potatoes, gravy, turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, and corn and or green beans, sometimes broccoli, plus pumpkin pie and all kinds of goodies. We all pitch in and fix food and bring, so we always have a lot, but we have to go boxes and they get filled and taken home if they like and boxes are filled and delivered to those that will welcome them. I am already making out my menu!

Sue

It all sounds so yummy and having recently celebrated a low-key Canadian Thanksgiving, I'm jealous! lol!

You shouldn't try to use frozen Brussel sprouts for any roasted recipe. The results will be very disappointing.

I love them roasted, but that seems like a lot of sugar, Rusty!

I know that I'll roast some sprouts in one form or another. But another favorite has become a rutabaga puff....we love it.

We like a more bland corn pudding. I prefer a sherry/cherry mold to cranberries.

marilyn_sue, sounds like our dinner....turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry (canned and fresh) candied sweet potatoes, string bean casserole, corn. We start with italian wedding soup!! Old recipe and simply the BEST!!! pies and whatever else for dessert!! Enjoy everyone!!!!!

The STUFFING... cooked IN the bird!

I love cranberry , jello,pineapple type salads...but I'm the only one in our family that likes it. I make it anyway.

Another one here with the traditional foods. I try to make an unusual side dish or two which never go over as well as the classics!

I do always have some type of cranberry salad in memory of my grandma who loved them... and nobody but me eats it. This year I just bought a small can of cranberry sauce instead of fresh cranberries. The thought still counts I think!

It's delicious!! Always on family holiday table!

Baked Pineapple Casserole
****I always double

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese **do NOT use pre shredded
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 stack Ritz crackers, crushed
Drain pineapple, save 3 tablespoon of juice.
Combine sugar and flour; add cheese, pineapple and pineapple juice. Mix well. Put in greased 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
Mix crushed crackers and melted butter together; sprinkle over pineapple mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes at 350*F or until browned, and bubbly.

Tulsarose, I make that broccoli salad all the time. I only use Miracle Whip because I can't stand mayonnaise. The salad tastes delicious, not sure why the double warning not to substitute.

I agree with Watchmelol. I like the traditional food that I eat every year. My favorite is the cornbread dressing but like Watchme....especially if I make it. I confess, I am not crazy about other people's cooking usually and I am often disappointed when eating out if it is something that I can cook myself.

Iusually make that pineapple casserole every year also..My favorite is the sweet potato casserole. Most of these are posted on the holiday page.

Holidays

This was my Mother's Recipe I make this often and take to our church meals during the fall and winter.

Martha Newton's Sweet Potato Casserole

You can use canned or fresh cooked and pureed sweet potatoes. I use my food processor to mix it all.

This makes a big deep 9 x 13 dish or pan of it. Bake at 350 degrees for near an hour, till it looks done.



4 1/2 cups pureed sweet potatoes, canned or fresh
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
3/4 cup evaporated milk or Milnot
3/4 cup butter
Mix all together well. Spread evenly into a greased baking dish or
pan. This can be made the day before and then heated with foil on the
top the next day until very hot.

Topping

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts

Mix together and sprinkle on top of sweet potato casserole. Bake until done.

Sue

Hash brown casserole, gold rush potatoes, funeral potatoes--whatever they are called--that cheesy, totally fattening casserole that my BIL makes, has become my favorite any-holiday dish. The turkey can be tough and dry, the pie crust raw and soggy--that's OK because I can eat those potatoes, especially the crusty edges. :)

We also like the cranberry salad that includes red gelatin--artificially flavored and colored 'though it is. I make a couple of gallons and freeze some in quart bags for later.

OH MARILYN_C would you share your cornbread dressing recipe?? #1 son decided he does not care for sage--so now I am STUMPED as to what to make for the stuffing lovers. I agree IN THE BIRD is the only way---but we prefer our bird smoked on the grill so the compromise is "dressing" instead of "stuffing". Maybe cornbread dressing doesn't NEED it stuffed?

sprtphntc7a, would you mind sharing your recipe for your Italian Wedding Soup, please.

caseynfld Re: Broccoli Salad recipe. Casey, I never questioned my grandma about any of her recipes. ☺ I personally would prefer Miracle Whip but I never use it for this recipe. Don't want Granny to start haunting me. lol!

Sweet potato anything!

I found this one on pinterest and want to make it tomorrow, I won't use it for Thanksgiving since I am having sweet potatoes. It sure looks good though

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Sugar Butternut Squash

Cook time 3 hours

Total time 3 hours 20 mins

• 3-4 pound butternut squash
• ½ cup butter (1 stick)
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 dash salt

Instructions

1. Peel the squash, cut into squares and discard seeds.
2. Place
   the squash into the slow cooker. Cut the butter in to slices. Place the
   butter pats all over the cut squash. In a small bowl mix together the
   brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt. Sprinkle this mixture
   over the squash and butter.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
4. Serve and enjoy.

6-quart Crock-Pot for this recipe. Though anything larger than a 5-quart would work fine.

Here is one that we have been making for the past few years.....

Broccoli-Cauliflower casserole

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

2 eggs

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup light mayonnaise

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 box chicken flavored stuffing mix

4 Tbsp. melted butter

Heat oven to 350º. In a large pot, steam cauliflower for 7 to 8 minutes and broccoli for 5 minutes, or until fork-tender. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, mix together eggs, onion, soup and mayonnaise until smooth.

In a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, spread cauliflower in an even layer. Sprinkle with half the cheese and top with half the soup mixture. Repeat layering with broccoli and remaining cheese and soup mixture.

Prepare stuffing mix following package directions. Spoon stuffing over the top of casserole and bake at 350º for 45 minutes.

why so many of the bussell sprouts, cauliflower & Broccoli this year?

can't find the recipe tonight, but about 30 years ago a woman where I worked brought the best potato salad to a holiday spread!

It involves diced potatoes, dill, mayo (I still remember her cautioning us, "No Miracle Whip; it gives it a whang!"), & vinegar, & you mix in some mashed hardboiled eggs & top it with a few sliced ones.

My Aunt Bea used to make something she called Heavenly Rice, the recipe for which nobody thought to ask for, & now she's gone.

It involved cooked, chilled rice, shredded coconut, & chunk or shredded canned pineapple.

I'd really love to have that again.

just remembered:

Years ago, I had to go "home" for Thanksgiving.

My father was ill, & I didn't dare not show up, although trips to the old homestead always gave me what I now know to be migraines & I have deteriorated bone & teeth from the grinding that I did in my sleep after a visit.

so I went.

with trepidation.

My mother always insisted on cooking the turkey & dressing, & there was no telling how it would come out.

One year it was like eating ground sage straight out of the can, one year she forgot to add something to the brownies, can't remember if it was sugar or cocoa...

This year the turkey looked stringy & "wet", & just as I decided to try the world's smallest bite of it, my brother's wife said, "This is really different, Mama, what kind is it?", & my mother replied, "wild. Daddy shot it the other day."

I know many people have no problem with this kind of thing, but I couldn't eat it, felt like I knew its personal life story or something.

For a few years after that, my traditional Thanksgiving Day included tacos from the Jack in the Box that I passed before I got "home"!

Sylvia, I'd love to try wild turkey.

Phyllis, that cauliflower and broccoli recipe sounds great, I very much appreciate no added sugar or sweetener.

(Can't stand candied sweet potatoes - that veggie comes naturally sweetened!)

I really miss mom's home made stuffing/dressing. She used the giblets, broth, breadcrumbs, celery, Jimmy Dean sausage. Her gravy was a nice rich dark brown, based on juices from the bird. Unfortunately, too many people I currently would have thanksgiving with these days get all squicky about giblets.

Even though some of the women in our family including me will eat Brussel Sprouts and cauliflower, the men would not. So I shall not fix them for the holiday meal.

Sue

Mashed Swede is one of our favorites (rutabaga). We like to add one big carrot to the mash. Hope everyone enjoys a tasty and Happy Thaksgiving!

Wild game is probably better, & better for you, than supermarket varieties.

My aversion was due to the queasy-making (squicky is a good word) "wet" consistency, the smell, & the fact that its origin was described at the table.

One Thanksgiving, or Christmas, can't remember now as it's been about a hunnert years ago, my then-boyfriend & I drove several states north to his mother's house in the country for the holiday...& arrived to find that she had gone to Mexico to go deep-sea fishing with her boyfriend!

& she'd cleaned out the freezer before she left.

Boyfriend called his sister, who brought a carload of groceries, & we had a traditional holiday dinner of scrumptious...lasagna!

Son always smokes whole turkey for the holidays. Family tradition I started many years ago. He uses my recipe.

Last Thanksgiving, as he and his son, both are hunters, he smoke a wild turkey, and it was absolutely delicious! My grandson was so proud, as it was his last Thanksgiving, before his time in the military, and it was a turkey he bagged while hunting with his dad in Kansas.

I made the Slow Cooker Cinnamon Sugar Butternut Squash tonight , it was very good! Easy too.

My 2 favorite side dishes were simple and basic. Well make that simple fare, since making them is a lot of work. I would SO look forward to holidays when my mother, or one of two aunts would make dinner rolls. So good! So much work for them, I don't think anyone, including myself at the time, appreciated them as we should have. But they were just so good. My other simple basic side dish that is seldom seen since my mother would make a meal was... radishes. Plain old radishes! Apparently I'm one of few who like them but my mother liked them too and they were a staple on the crudité platter and virtually everyone ate them.

We don't do much for holidays anymore, they're just another day for the most part. But I occasionally try to test a new recipe and have a "special meal" on occasion.

Rusty, that JK's Salad sounds like something I'd really like. I do something similar but I like variations. The older I get the more I like broccoli and cauliflower.