Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up
I can’t even begin to TELL you the number of times I’ve searched for a recipe on Pinterest, clicked on the first one I saw, and saved down the recipe with full faith that the dish was going to be a winner.
Because I got it from Pinterest, it has to be good. Right?? Oh, was I wrong.
To be fair, I’m sure I’ve found just as many “winner” recipes as I’ve had “losers”, and it’s possible that a few of the losers were due to chef error.. ehem.. me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a Pinterest lover through and through. But just like anything else on the internet, anyone can upload ANYTHING. With the right pictures and wording, a pin may look like a million bucks but the recipe could end up being a total disaster. (Click on the hashtag #pinterestfail and you’ll know I’m not the only one).
Enter: food bloggers. I honestly can’t tell you what my life was like before Instagram and the internet, but it has surely saved me from many dinner disasters because when I’m using tried and true recipes from my favorite food bloggers, I KNOW I can rely on them. Many of the well-known food bloggers I’ve named below do this for a living, and I guarantee they’ve made any one of their recipes a number of times. I know I can trust that! So let’s get started on the recipe round-up:
Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up: BREAKFAST
Baked Blackberry Ricotta French Toast by Half Baked Harvest
Any time I see a post by Tieghan Gerard (aka Half Baked Harvest) loading on my Instagram feed, I know it’s going to be something good. She creates all of her recipes out of her formerly horse barn now supersized kitchen barn in the mountains of Colorado. Fun fact: She’s an Ohio native! I love that Tieghan isn’t afraid to use cheese in it’s maximum capacity (search “burrata” on her site and you’ll find a plethora of drool-worthy recipes that are both easy to follow and simple to execute). I’m excited to make this french toast bake in a few weeks for our engagement party. There’s nothing better than the combination of carbs and ricotta, in my opinion!
Prep this recipe the night before and let the bread soak overnight to create an easy pop-in-the-oven brunch item for Thanksgiving morning.
Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up: APPETIZERS
Rosemary Olive Savory Bread Pudding by Broma Bakery
Whether you’re a food blogger or just a self-proclaimed foodie, if you don’t follow Sarah Fennel (@bromabakery) on Instagram, I’m telling you to right. now. Not only is she hilarious on her day-to-day Instagram stories, but she posts the prettiest pictures and best tasting recipes. Bonus? She teaches about food photography too! When Sarah posted this bread pudding a few weeks ago I knew it had to make it on my Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up list. Don’t you just want to dive into the middle of that pile of gruyere cheese??
Beer Cheese Soft Pretzel Garlic Bread by How Sweet Eats
Spoiler alert: all of my appetizer recipes in this Thanksgiving round-up are bread. Sorry about it! Thanksgiving is a day for indulgence (and thanks, that too) and I’m all about indulging in carbs and dairy. I’ll deal with the aftermath that wrecks my body while shopping on Black Friday 😉
I like that this recipe is a little more approachable for a crowd. It’s pull-apart, so no cutting required when you’re grabbing a slice. Or two.. or three..
Spinach and Artichoke Pull Apart Pretzel Bread by Half Baked Harvest
More cheese?? And more bread?? Half Baked Harvest killed it once again with this pull apart pretzel bread that’s inspired by the classic spinach and artichoke dip. I’m pretty sure I was scrolling through Instagram, saw this picture, and actually said “WHAT IS THIS” out loud. Sorry, nearby by-standers. But this bread just looks too good to be true. I can’t wait to make it for my family on Thanksgiving! Stretchy pants, it’s time for action.
Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up: ENTREE/SIDES
Low Carb Baked Cauliflower Au Gratin by Food Faith Fitness
If you were looking for something a little less indulgent and easier on the carbs, congrats! You’ve made it through the cheesy canyon (aka my appetizer list) and into cauliflower valley. I’ve made this recipe several times already this year and it’s the perfect entree OR side dish depending on how much you make. This recipe is inherently gluten-free, and Taylor includes several suggestions on how to make the dish vegan as well.
Vegan Cauliflower Gratin by The Almond Eater
I threw this recipe in the entree section as well because it’s meant to be vegan and can easily be adjusted to be gluten free. This gratin incorporates not only cauliflower, but broccoli as well. Whoa! An abundance of veggies on Thanksgiving! Can’t say I’d ever be WILLINGLY eating broccoli on Turkey Day, but here we are. The recipe is a little complex (lots of ingredients) but the vegan “cheese” sauce is homemade and oh, so worth it.
The Best Easy Vegan Lasagna by Hummusapien
Alexis named this the “best easy” vegan lasagna for a reason. It really is the BEST, and it truly is easy to make! I’ve used her recipe for the tofu ricotta in a number of different recipes, and it pairs perfectly with the zuchinni, spinach, and pasta noodles in this lasagna recipe. Here’s a fun Thanksgiving party trick – don’t tell the carnivores in the room that this dish is both meatless and dairy-free until you see them reaching for a second helping. I promise, they’ll be shocked!
Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells by Half Baked Harvest
Can you tell I like HBH recipes yet?? Okay, just checking. My mom used to make mexican stuffed shells all the time for my brother and I when we were little, and it was one of my favorite dinners. I’m super intrigued by these pumpkin and pesto cheese stuffed shells I think I’m going to make them for either Thanksgiving or Christmas this year. Can’t say I’ve ever considered putting pumpkin in my pasta, but I’m willing to try anything once! I will report back with my findings.
Thanksgiving Recipe Round-Up: DESSERT
Apple Cider Cake with Caramel Buttercream by Frosting and Fettucine
A) I’m obsessed with this photo
B) In my mind, anything that’s “apple cider” themed is going to be good, period.
C) Sam (aka Frosting and Fettucine) just won the Saveur Blog Awards Reader’s Choice for “Best Food Instagram”! If you want some more pretty posts to lighten up your feed, give her a follow. Her recipes are great and her photography is even better.
Caramel Cream Cheese Pumpkin Spice Latte Muffins by Sweet & Simple Kitchen
Sure, the name of the dessert makes it sound like there’s a lot going on, but this dish is actually quite easy to make! Although I’m not usually a huge fan of muffins, the caramel cream cheese filling that pops out of the middle when you take your third or fourth bite is the best surprise. For Thankgiving purposes, I would suggest using a regular sized muffin tin and keeping them on the smaller side rather than “jumbo” (who has that much room left in their stomachs after a huge Thanksgiving dinner anyway??)
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Bars by Hummusapien
Ya’ll i am OBSESSED with these bars. Just like any other vegan recipe, I get way too much satisfaction from telling others what it’s actually made of after they admit that it tastes really good. The secret ingredient here? Silken tofu. Admittedly, it took me awhile to find it in the grocery store (what, like they have an aisle just for tofu?) but the thickening agent in the pumpkin bars is sheer Hummusapien genius. I’m not vegan or dairy-free, so I topped these babies with the real stuff. I can’t wait to make another batch!
