The celebrations started with a trip to James’ hometown on Thanksgiving morning. We spent the day with his parents and family friends eating a delicious spread of food and catching up. I cooked the least I’ve ever cooked for Thanksgiving this year, which was a nice change of pace! I made a double chocolate pumpkin cake for dessert, which is one of my favorite indulgences. I also made a homemade sugar cream pie to drop off at the hospital where my mother-in-law works. It’s never fun working a holiday, so I hoped it would help brighten the staff’s day.

I failed at taking pictures of our spread this year, but everything was delicious! I’m always more into the sides than the actual turkey on Thanksgiving. This year my favorites were the corn casserole and green beans — I went back for seconds of both. After an afternoon of visiting and eating, we headed back to James’ parents’ house. I spent the evening finally finishing the book I’ve been reading for more than a month. It was the perfect, relaxing end to Thanksgiving.

We got up early Friday to hit the road to my parents’ house in Illinois. We arrived to a house full of energy! My cousins were visiting with their two kids from Ohio, so my sister brought our niece and nephew over to play for the afternoon. We gave the parents the night off from cooking. I made a big batch of lemon chicken, roasted potatoes and prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. It was fun to catch up with the adults over dinner and play with the kids afterwards.

My parents arrived home from a trip to Portland Saturday, which gave us the perfect opportunity to celebrate my dad’s birthday. He and his older brother are three years apart, but were born on the same day. They decided to celebrate together in Oregon this year, and their birthdays happened to fall on Thanksgiving! We had a laid-back, belated celebration in Illinois that involved us serenading my dad before digging into some cake. James and I also brought some special beers to enjoy with my dad once the kids went to bed. Our favorite was Mail Order Bride from Bare Hands Brewery in Granger, Indiana. It was one of our go-to places for beers when we lived in the South Bend area, so we’re thrilled to see Bare Hands distributing further south in the state!

Before we knew it, it was time to hit the road and make the trip home to Bloomington Sunday. We’d been talking all weekend about getting our first real Christmas tree together and made a spur-of-the-moment decision to pick one up as soon as we got into town. My family always had a real Christmas tree when I was growing up, but James hasn’t ever had one. He agreed to give the real thing a try this year, so we went to Twin H Tree Farm and picked out a Frasier Fir.

The tree farm was adorable! It has a little shop with free hot chocolate, cider and popcorn you can enjoy while searching for the perfect tree. We were in and out within 45 minutes. Now we just have to let the branches settle for a day or two before we deck it out! I’m always in full-on Christmas mode as soon as Thanksgiving is over, so it’s taking all of my willpower not to just start putting the lights and ornaments on tonight.

It sounds cheesy, but I get so excited for this time of year because of the spirit it brings. The season is centered around spending time with the ones you love and giving back, which are two things that are very close to my heart. There’s so much to look forward to over the next few weeks!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Tell me in the comments below!

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Today I’m sharing some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes in case you haven’t finalized your menu or are still trying to come up with a side dish to take to your family or friend’s house. For me, Thanksgiving has always been more about the side dishes and less about the turkey. And, of course, there are plenty of delicious dessert options!

Appetizers

Southwest Cheesecake

This baked cream cheese spread includes green chiles, taco seasoning and salsa. It’s always a hit at parties!

Ranch House Cheese Spread

This creamy cheese has a touch of horseradish, which gives it an addicting kick.

Curried Cashews

These can easily be made a couple of days in advance and also make great hostess gifts when put inside a pretty package for the holidays.

Parmesan Truffle Popcorn

We usually double this recipe when making it because it always disappears so quickly!

Creamy Pimento Cheese Spread

This is a thicker version of a traditional pimento cheese spread, which tastes amazing on pretty much everything.

Creamy Curry Chip Dip

This may be one of the most simple, yet most popular appetizers I make. There’s something about the combination of curry powder and cream cheese that is absolutely delicious!

Side Dishes

Lightened-up Corn Casserole

Traditional corn casserole gets lightened up with the help of egg whites and Greek yogurt. The result is a delicious, rich side dish that tastes just as good as the original.

Cheesy Garlic Kale

This cheesy garlic kale is sautéed on the stovetop, leaving precious oven space open for other holiday dishes. It takes only ten minutes to throw together!

Grandma’s Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

This is my absolute favorite holiday dish. My grandmother’s recipe is a spin on classic green bean casserole, with the addition of cheese and homemade croutons. For me, it tastes like home.

Honey Oat Bread

My dad made this bread frequently when I was growing up and I love the chewy texture the oats give it, along with the slight sweetness from the honey. While rolls or biscuits are common on many Thanksgiving tables, your family or friends will gobble this loaf up!

Everyday Salad With Homemade Croutons

I always like to have some veggies that aren’t drenched in butter or cheese for our holiday meals. It’s all about balance, right? This salad is so easy to throw together but delicious.

Desserts

Maple-Walnut Cranberry Pie with Whiskey Whipped Cream

This is my all-time favorite pie! It’s like a grown-up version of pecan pie that uses walnuts instead. The cranberries and whiskey whipped cream provide the perfect, tart balance to the maple syrup, making for a delicious dessert that isn’t overly sweet.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Bars

These pumpkin bars have a yellow cake crust and a creamy, pumpkin filling. They’re the perfect cross between cake and pie — who says you have to have one or the other?!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are super soft and full of the best fall flavors. Hints of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon make them a delicious seasonal treat.

Pumpkin Ale Ice Cream

If you have some pumpkin beer hiding in the back of your fridge, this is the best way to use it. This ice cream needs to be made at least one day in advance, but it’s so worth the extra effort!

White Texas Sheet Cake

If you’re pressed for time but trying to feed a crowd, this is the perfect dessert. The cake is frosted while warm, which means you can have this out of the oven and at your Thanksgiving feast in under an hour.

Coconut-citrus Upside Down Cake

If you really want to impress people with the beauty and taste of a dessert, this upside down cake won’t disappoint. While it doesn’t include traditional Thanksgiving flavors, it’s a welcome, light dessert compared to some of the heavier, traditional holiday foods.

The post Thanksgiving Recipes appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

As I was flipping through my planner at work today, I realized something crazy: Thanksgiving is next week! It feels like November just started, so it’s hard to believe we’re already on the verge of the holidays.

I love this time of year because, while it’s hectic, there’s always some type of get together to look forward to. Many of our family gatherings over the next month are centered around a delicious spread of food. I lalways make a couple of old standbys (like grandma’s green bean casserole), along with a new recipe or two.

Because I know oven space is especially precious on Thanksgiving, I’m always on the hunt for dishes that can be made ahead of time or cooked quickly on the stove. I love this cheesy garlic kale because it has delicious flavor but isn’t as heavy as some of the more traditional holiday vegetable side dishes.

There are a few people in my family who turn their noses up at kale, but this recipe is husband approved. James isn’t a huge vegetable fan, but he actually went back for seconds when I served this with dinner last night! This is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket even after the holidays are over because of how quickly it comes together. I recently paired it with chicken sausage and polenta and loved how it complemented the rest of the meal. 

Cheesy Garlic Kale

serves 4-6

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once butter is melted, add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add kale to skillet and carefully pour water over top. Cook kale until bright green and soft and all the water is evaporated.
3. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. cheese, salt and pepper to skillet and toss kale until evenly coated. Remove from heat and top with remaining parmesan.

[/directions]

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It’s been years since there’s been a baby in the family, so we all had a blast playing with Sarah Anne. She is an absolute angel and didn’t mind being picked up by complete strangers. We spent some time babysitting so my cousins could enjoy some rare time out on the town just the two of them.

It was also great to spend time playing with our niece and nephew, although they were more interested in spending time with their cousins than hanging out with James and me. The older we get, the less cool we become!

My dad’s birthday was the day before Thanksgiving, so we kicked off our visit celebrating his 66th year. Most of the gifts were, of course, Cubs themed. James and I also brought home a few special birthday beers for my dad, including Alpha Klaus. It’s one of our favorite seasonal brews! We also got to try his latest home brew creation, a Tank 7 clone. It was so good and my dad was nice enough to send us home with a few bottles.

We prepped as much of our Thanksgiving feast as we could the day before in order to make life easier on the actual holiday. I was in charge of the sweet potato rolls, corn casserole and maple-walnut cranberry pie. My sister brought an amazing cheese plate and salad, and my mom somehow made the rest of the meal: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pies and — my favorite — green bean casserole. My niece and nephew made all of us adorable place cards for the second year in a row.

After we had seconds (ok, maybe it was thirds …), my parents broke out my grandparents’ old slides and projector. I spent many weekends at my grandparents’ house in LaSalle growing up and I loved when they would get out their slides. It was so fun to hear them talk about my dad’s childhood and all of the amazing experiences their family had. This time my dad was the narrator and he had us laughing nonstop with his commentary. It was really neat to see pictures of him as a kid, as well as some pictures of my sister and cousin Peter at my grandparents’ house in the ’80s.

After spending time with my family, we headed back to Indiana and up north for a Thanksgiving celebration with James’ family over the weekend. It was such a quick and fun trip that I didn’t take a single picture. We had a blast catching up with James’ cousins, aunts, uncle and parents. I have to get my mother-in-law’s recipe for chicken and noodles — they were my favorite part of the meal!

Now we’re trying to recuperate from the busy week and get back into our normal routine. It will be hard because December is always a ridiculously busy month. I’m hoping to score some cheap airline tickets as part of Cyber Monday. Are you taking advantage of any online sales? Chime in by posting a comment below!

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Whether you’re celebrating the holiday or just enjoying a routine Thursday, I hope your day is full of love, laughter and plenty of good eats.

The post Thanks appeared first on The Broadcasting Baker.

My parents’ house already smells so good.  We are prepping most of our Thanksgiving side dishes today to maximize oven space tomorrow. I’ve already thrown together a pie and some sweet potato rolls. It makes Thanksgiving day so much easier! We can focus all of our energy on the turkey tomorrow and just heat a few things up before we’re ready to feast.

Every Thanksgiving we have a mix of traditional dishes (like grandma’s green bean casserole) and a few new recipes. This corn casserole is a new dish on our family’s table this Thanksgiving. I decided to make it for the first time after James and I had it during a Friendsgiving celebration last weekend. The version we had was covered in cheese and our favorite dish of the entire meal. I knew I had to recreate it for our family’s holiday celebration.

This version is a little bit lighter, thanks to the use of egg whites and majorly scaling back the amount of cheese. But, it’s still just as good as the original. And, the best part, it couldn’t be easier to throw together.

Lightened-up Corn Casserole

from Cooking Light

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 8.75 oz. can no-salt-added corn, drained
• 1 8.75 oz. can cream-style corn
• 1 8.5 oz. package corn muffin mix
• 1 8 oz. container non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except cheese. Mix until smooth and pour into casserole dish. Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
3. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until set.

[/directions]

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There are few holiday dishes as divisive as green bean casserole. People fall into one of two camps: you love it or you loathe it.

I was never a big fan of traditional green bean casserole growing up. I usually just picked the french fried onions off the top. It wasn’t a dish our family made often for the holidays because my mom had a much better recipe in her arsenal: her mother’s green bean casserole. It’s proof that everything’s better with cheese.

I remember a couple of years ago we were planning our Thanksgiving meal and figuring out who would provide each dish. No one volunteered to make the green bean casserole because we figured mom would, like she did every year. But then we arrived to my parent’s house and one dish was noticeably absent. We were shocked. Thanksgiving without green bean casserole?! It just wasn’t right.

I don’t think we’ve neglected to have green bean casserole at Thanksgiving since then. We always try a few new side dishes every year, but it’s one of those recipes you just don’t mess with. Yes, it has cream of mushroom soup. Yes, it includes questionable “cheese product.” But it’s something we eat once or twice a year, so you better believe I’m going to enjoy it. To me it tastes like home.

What’s the one dish your family has every year at Thanksgiving? Tell me in the comments!

Grandma’s Cheesy Green Bean Casserole

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup American cheese (Velveeta works best), shredded
• 4 cups canned green beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
• 1/2 cup sourdough bread, cubed
  [/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a large casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until smooth and slightly brown, about one minute. Slowly pour in milk, whisking constantly until thick.
3. Add cream of mushroom soup and cheese to pan and stir until combined. Stir in green beans and pour mixture into casserole dish.
4. Melt remaining Tbsp. of butter in the microwave, heating in 15-second increments until melted. Stir in garlic salt, then toss cubes of bread in the butter. Spread evenly on top of green beans.
5. Place casserole in the oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until bread is browned and casserole is bubbling.

[/directions]

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Happy Monday, all! Are you in full on Thanksgiving prep mode? We attended our first feast over the weekend, hosted by two of our lovely friends. And we still have two more Thanksgivings to go over the next week! We’ll get to spend time with both of our families, which is always a highlight.

In preparation for the holiday, I’m going to share a few of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes over the next few days. If you’re like me, you’re waiting until the last minute to finalize your menu!

Every Thanksgiving meal we’re attending is potluck style. The hosts provide the turkey and main fixings and everyone else is responsible for bringing a side dish or dessert. This Maple-Walnut Cranberry pie is my contribution for all three meals. It’s just that good.

For years pecan pie and pumpkin bars were tied for my favorite Thanksgiving dessert. You can’t beat classics, right? But then I stumbled across this recipe in Cooking Light one year and decided it’d be worth trying something different. I’ve been making it every year since.

Pies intimidate me a bit because I don’t make them as often as I do cakes. I’ve had crusts crumble in my hands too many times to count! What I love about this pie is it’s so easy. And everyone always comments on how beautiful it looks when it’s done. Have you ever cut a cranberry open before? It’s proof that food is art — absolutely gorgeous!

When it comes to the crust, choose your battles. I prefer to make my own (mainly so I can get more practice), but a high-quality store-bought crust is just fine.

And, let’s talk about this whipped cream. I could eat regular whipped cream off of a spoon, but whiskey whipped cream is even better. It’s got the perfect amount of bite to round out this dessert. Just keep it away from the kids’ table!

Now tell me what you’re making for the holiday. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dessert? Let me know in the comments!

Maple-Walnut Cranberry Pie with Whiskey Whipped Cream

from Cooking Light

Pie:

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 homemade (I like this recipe) or store-bought (such as Pillsbury) pie crust
• Butter for greasing pan
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, halved
• 3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

[/ingredients]

Whipped Cream:

[ingredients title=”Ingredients”]

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, very cold
• 3 Tbsp. whiskey
• 3 Tbsp. sugar

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie pan with butter. Set aside.
2. Place pie crust on a lightly-floured surface and sprinkle the top with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the crust out to about 11 inches in diameter. Carefully place crust in pie tin. Trim off any extra dough and flute or crimp the edges of the pie.
3. Line the bottom of the dough with aluminum foil and top with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for five minutes, then remove foil and pie weights and bake for an additional minute. Remove pie from oven and place on a cooling rack. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
4. While oven cools, make pie filling. Combine maple and corn syrups, butter, cornstarch, vanilla, salt and eggs in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Stir in cranberries and walnuts. Carefully pour filling into pie crust.
5. Bake pie for 30 minutes then cover crust with aluminum foil or pie shields to prevent edges from overcooking. Bake an additional 15 minutes, or until filling is just set.
6. To make whipped cream, combine cream, whiskey and sugar in a large metal bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about three minutes. Serve pie topped with whipped cream.
   [/directions]

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The past couple of days have been absolutely perfect. For the first time since graduating college I am back at my parents’ house in Illinois for Thanksgiving and it feels amazing to be here for more than just a couple of nights.

We’ve spent most of our time relaxing on the couch — with a few shopping trips peppered in here and there. It’s exactly what James and I needed after a hectic month of work.

I worked in commercial television news for the first three years of my career, which meant many holidays were spent at work. I know there are many others don’t have the luxury of getting the day off to spend with their loved ones; I’m so grateful we were able to do so. The best part of the holidays is coming together with family and friends to celebrate.

My older sister and I were responsible for most of our Thanksgiving meal, which was a blast. My parents cooked two turkey breasts and Brooke and I took care of the rest. We spent Wednesday night preparing what we could and it all came together beautifully Thursday.

Brooke and I both love experimenting in the kitchen, so we decided to make a combination of traditional and new-to-us dishes. Here’s what we had on the menu:

• Apricot Brie Bites with Crispy Sage
• Two-Ingredient Creamy Salsa Dip
• Caramelized Orange and Fig Salad
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Cinnamon Butternut Squash, Pecans and Cranberries
• Grandma Cattaneo’s Green Bean Casserole
• Sweet Potato and Honey Rolls
  
• Sausage, Cornbread and Cranberry Stuffing
• Mashed Potatoes
• Gravy
• Turkey
• Maple-Walnut Cranberry Pie
• Low-carb Praline Pumpkin Pie

Of all the dishes, my grandma’s green bean casserole remained my favorite. While it includes many of the components of the standard recipe, the addition of cheese makes it so much better. It isn’t healthy at all, but holidays call for a little indulging. I’ll share the recipe with you soon!

I also really liked the brie bites, salad and stuffing. I plan on making all of those dishes again sometime during the holidays.

It’s hard to believe we are already moving on to the Christmas season. It’s my favorite time of the year because of all the fun traditions. We host a cookie and craft beer exchange every Christmas, so I’m starting to brainstorm everything I want to bake for that party over the next couple of weeks. This list from Jessica of How Sweet It Is is blowing my mind.

I also can’t wait to put up all our decorations when we get back to Indiana tomorrow. My mom and I are crazy and made a quick run to Target last night. OH MY GOSH. Why is it impossible to walk out of that place only with what you intended on buying? I snagged this candle, which they burn at my workout studio and instantly puts me in a better mood. I also couldn’t resist this adorable holiday tray and it took all of my willpower not to also purchase the matching plates.

I want to know what your favorite holiday traditions are. What are you baking? What are you wearing? Where are you going?

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It’s way too early to be up. I’m heading to Washington, D.C. for the first half of this week to cover a former Indiana Congressman being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I’m so excited for the opportunity and I’m hoping to squeeze in a couple quick visits with friends in between shoots.

I’ll arrive back on Wednesday, head into work to put together a couple stories and then hit the road so I can be home to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. Something tells me I’ll have to squeeze a few naps in!

It’s been years since I’ve made it to my folks’ for Thanksgiving and I’m so excited to spend time with family and enjoy some of our favorite foods. My sister and I will be preparing everything but the turkey because my parents and husband are spending the day before Thanksgiving driving to Michigan and back to pick up beer advent calendars from our favorite brewery. Yes, it’s just as crazy as it sounds.

One of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts is these delicious pumpkin bars my mom’s been making for years. The filling tastes like a slightly creamier pumpkin pie, nestled on top of a yellow cake crust. YUM!

If pies intimidate you, bake these for your holiday get together with family and friends. And have a very happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Bars

[ingredients title=”Cake Ingredients”]

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 Tbsp. butter melted

[/ingredients]

[ingredients title=”Filling Ingredients”]

• 1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 8 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg

[/ingredients]

[directions title=”Directions”]

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all of the cake ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with an electric beater. Pat mixture into the bottom of a lightly-greased 13 x 9 baking pan. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.
4. Add the eggs, vanilla and butter and beat together until combined. Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and mix until smooth.
5. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake 40 to 50 minutes. Do not over-bake — the center should be slightly gooey.
6. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

[/directions]

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