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How To Host Thanksgiving Like a Pro

Hosting on Thanksgiving Day is no easy feat. Sure, your mom and grandmother made it look easy, however, it’s those years of trial and error that allowed them to pull it off like an expert. Remember that old saying “practice makes perfect”. From planning a guest list to storing the fine china for the next holiday and everything in between these wise and experienced folks will guide us through how they make their Thanksgiving Day celebration a success. 

Plan Your Events Ahead Of Time

There is no such thing as an impromptu Thanksgiving meal. If you plan to host a Thanksgiving gathering you should be thinking about things such as your guest list, budget, menu, and space at least a month ahead of time. If you are reading this article and it is a week before Thanksgiving don’t worry there will still be some tips provided throughout the article that will allow you to pull off a gathering in the short term. Just be aware you will have to work a bit harder, spend more than you should have to, and you will likely have to sacrifice formality and elegance.

Think about who will be at your gathering, it is okay to have an eclectic crowd, it often makes for the most memorable Thanksgivings and sets this gathering apart from others in our memories. Think about what you learned sitting around the table as a child. Likely there were lessons about family dynamics, patience, and civility. Perhaps you heard differing views on current topics or stories about your parents when they were growing up. Just keep in mind where you seat people, placing two people next to each other who do not agree on most issues and do not get along is a bit risky. When planning your guest list you also must think about how many people you can comfortably entertain in your space.

Consider Your Entertaining Space

What we did after we moved all the couches to one wall and move the coffee table out of the room is set up two folding tables to make a long and wide table. The idea was to have lots of room for the tablescape in the center and comfortably seat my 10 guests.

Whether you have a small apartment or a large home, space is a crucial element in making your guests feel comfortable. Make sure there is enough room for people to mix and mingle before being seated. For example, if you live in a small apartment with a balcony why not serve appetizers and a welcome cocktail or mocktail on the balcony? Have a rain plan ready like a small tent if the patio is not covered.

If you live in a very large space it would be best to create cozy areas for people to gather in just 1 or two rooms. You can even block off areas of the homes by making them less inviting. Try simply turning off a light in that room or by placing couches or other pieces of furniture at the opening of the room facing backward. This sends an underlying message that the room is off-limits. Plan for a place for your guests to put their purses, shoes, and coats, this will help contain clutter.

Set Up The Seating

Plan your table seating, always take into consideration the extra people who may get added to the list at the last minute. Make sure you have enough chairs and room for these folks. I think in my parent’s house this is how the children’s table evolved. You can get creative by adding in a table in the kitchen and calling it the chef’s table. One friend who had a small dining room and a small living room used to place a table in each room, however, she made sure that she sat at one table with her guests and her husband sat at the other to ensure everyone felt special and cared for. 

Have A Plan For The Food

We all live with a budget, whether it is a strict rule or more of a flexible set of limitations. Restaurants must watch food costs closely in order to be profitable so why not take a cue from the pros. When hosting a Thanksgiving meal in your home, food costs can run amuck if you do not plan. This is because we strive to fulfill memories of our favorite flavors, treat ourselves to food we do not always have on hand, and have to accommodate the various dietary needs of our guests. 

The very first step in your menu planning is to create a spreadsheet of your guestlist and placing any food allergies, sensitivities, or preferences next to their names.  

Plan for foods that can be made in advance, somethings like homemade cranberry sauce or cranberry relish can be made two days ahead and still taste like you just whipped it up. You will be surprised at how much can and should be made ahead of time. This will save you time on Thanksgiving day so you can spend time with your guests and it will save you money. For example, biscuits and rolls cost cents to make as do pies and other baked goods. Making items on your menu in advance will allow you to serve more scratch-made foods.  Food that is not mass produced always tastes better and homemade dishes are what make your Thanksgiving meals more intimate. 

A good tip is to try your recipes in advance, Thanksgiving is not the time for a trial run. I try out new dishes at potluck events or just invite a few neighbors over to try it to see if it goes over well. If it passes the taste-test, the dish makes its’ way onto my Thanksgiving menu. This year a new Sweet Potato Casserole with Bourbon, Bacon, and Pecans was tested three times and perfected prior to Thanksgiving. I also made a Kale and Spinach Au Gratin dish twice before Thanksgiving. These were both made a day ahead in their respective casserole dishes and stacked in the fridge just fine. 

If you buy a frozen turkey like most people do you must take it out of the freezer 3-5 days ahead depending on the size. Defrost in the refrigerator and remember to put something under it in case the packaging leaks and to catch any condensation. 24 hours before you plan to cook it remove all the innards. There is usually a neck bone and some giblets inside on either end. Don’t throw these away as they can be added to the stock for your homemade gravy. We smoke our turkey every year, but whether you decide to bake, smoke, or deep fry your bird, always plan to make gravy. Our turkey for 2020 was herb-encrusted, we have made it with pecan wood which gives it a deeper darker skin (shown below)

Setting The Table 

Plan your tablescape, decide on your color and theme. Do you want it to be rustic, elegant, perhaps a mix of both? Not enough matching plates, don’t worry. Buy plain white plates they will work with anything and you can alternate printed china plates with plain white plates. The same goes for stemware and napkins, it does not all have to match perfectly.

Who will be seated where? If you are having all family it could be fun to place small picture frames with old family photos into the mix. If you plan to have flowers on the table make sure you take into consideration, allergies that your guests may have. Never, ever use scented candles as this interferes with the smells of food. Always have a tablecloth regardless of how formal or informal your Thanksgiving table will be.

If you are hosting a less formal Thanksgiving gathering such as a potluck you may plan to have guests eat their turkey from some type of paper plate. A quick search on Google netted me some ideas for the table settings using paper plates. If you go this route please spring for the more expensive sturdy plates. You do not want gravy seeping through, messy spills, and the risk of an embarrassed guest. If you are planning to be less formal, I still suggest using quality utensils. The Dollar Store has the silver color or you can opt to use heavy-duty clear utensils they are always appropriate.

I prefer to let people sit where they are the most comfortable, but you may want to assign seats, If you do, there are so many wonderful options for place card holders that you can DIY for pennies.

I rarely serve wine from anything other than glass or crystal. Avoid the plastic fake stemware as it is never stable when half full and is tacky.  If you have a very large crowd it is acceptable to use the plastic short cocktail glasses for soda and drinks. 

Remember to plan for all your serving dishes and utensils, there is nothing worse than rifling through cabinets and drawers in front of your guests looking for a suitably sized bowl or your late grandfather’s antique carving set. 

Cleaning Before The Day

Refrigerator space is one thing many people do not plan for. One week before Thanksgiving I run through all the condiments and containers. I use up anything I can and discard anything that has sat too long. This gives me a chance to wipe down the shelves with a soapy cloth and rinse vegetable and fruit drawers. My fridge will not only have more space, be clean for food storage, but will be presentable for my guests. 

Don’t forget the outside and top of the refrigerator. Clean things you may miss on a weekly basis, the ceiling fan, that picture of your great grandmother on the wall, dust and vacuum the day before, don’t bother washing the floors unless absolutely necessary, this is best left for the day after to clean up any spills.

The day of your gathering clean the bathrooms, run and empty the dishwasher, empty the trash. Before your guests arrive, wipe down the counters and clean the sink. 

Have a plan worked out with a co-host or close friend to help you with removing trash, clearing dishes, or opening the wine bottles You would be surprised at how much these little things get in the way of actually entertaining and enjoying your guests. 

Being A Gracious Host

As your guests arrive take their coats and purses to the designated spot and hand them a flute of something bubbly, perhaps champagne, prosecco, sparkling juice, or seltzer water. Placing a cranberry or two in the flute along with some rosemary and/or an orange slice is quite festive. Raise a toast to each one and tell them how special they are to you and how grateful you are to know them.

photo courtesy of Parsnip and Pastries

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Love of Food Magazine!

Easy Cranberry Relish opt

Easy Thanksgiving Cranberry Relish

Easy Cranberry Relish

Ditch those old fashioned cans of cranberry sauce this year and serve this fresh-tasting relish instead. This Thanksgiving condiment is so simple, it has only 4 ingredients and you do not even cook it! People love this because it is fresh tasting and can be less sweet than a cranberry sauce. It can be made 2 days ahead of time or 10 minutes before you serve the meal.

Ingredients
  

  • 12 Ounces of Fresh Cranberries washed
  • 2 Small Mandarins or Tangelos peeled
  • 1 Red Apple peeled and cut into quarters
  • 1 Cup of White Sugar

Instructions
 

  • Place the cranberries in a food processor, pulse till reduced by half
  • Add the apple and do the same
  • Add the orange and the white sugar
  • Process till you reach the desired consistency of relish

Video

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Ditch those old fashioned cans of cranberry sauce this year and serve this fresh-tasting relish instead. This Thanksgiving condiment is so simple, it has only 4 ingredients and you do not even cook it! People love this because it is fresh tasting and can be less sweet than a cranberry sauce. It can be made 2 days ahead of time or 10 minutes before you serve the meal.

Ingredients

  • 12 Ounces of Fresh Cranberries (washed)
  • 2 Small Mandarins or Tangelos (peeled)
  • 1 Red Apple (peeled and cut into quarters)
  • 1 Cup of White Sugar

Instructions

  1. Place the cranberries in a food processor, pulse till reduced by half
  2. Add the apple and do the same
  3. Add the orange and the white sugar
  4. Process till you reach the desired consistency of relish

Watch How To Make It

3 ingredient cranberry sauce opt

3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

3 Ingredient Cranberry Sauce

Throw away those cans of processed cranberry jelly and make your own simple, delicious, cranberry sauce this year for Thanksgiving. This sauce has only three ingredients so anyone can make it! This is the perfect recipe for a beginner cook who has to bring a side dish to a family gathering or for the host or hostess with the "most-ess" who wants to provide more scratch dishes at their Thanksgiving table! Your family and friends will be impressed with your amazing cranberry sauce and only you will know how easy it is to make.

Ingredients
  

  • 12 Ounce Package of Cranberries
  • 1 Cup of Orange Juice
  • 1 Cup of Sugar

Instructions
 

  • Wash the berries and set aside
  • Add the orange juice and sugar together in a medium pot
  • Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved then add the cranberries
  • Place a cover on the pot but keep an eye that it does not boil over
  • Cranberries will start to pop
  • Stir occasionally over the next 10 minutes
  • Remove the pot from the stove uncover and let it sit for 1 hour or until cool
  • Ladle the sauce into a container and place in the refrigerator

Video

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Throw away those cans of processed cranberry jelly and make your own simple, delicious, cranberry sauce this year for Thanksgiving. This sauce has only three ingredients so anyone can make it! This is the perfect recipe for a beginner cook who has to bring a side dish to a family gathering or for the host or hostess with the most-ess who wants to provide more scratch dishes at their Thanksgiving table! Your family and friends will be impressed with your amazing cranberry sauce and only you will know how easy it is to make.

Ingredients

  • A 12 Ounce Package of Cranberries
  • 1 Cup of Orange Juice
  • 1 Cup of Sugar

Instructions

  1. Wash the berries and set aside
  2. Add the orange juice and sugar together in a medium pot
  3. Cook for 2 minutes over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved then add the cranberries
  4. Place a cover on the pot but keep an eye that it does not boil over
  5. Cranberries will start to pop
  6. Stir occasionally over the next 10 minutes
  7. Remove the pot from the stove uncover and let it sit for 1 hour or until cool
  8. Ladle the sauce into a container and place in the refrigerator

Enjoy!

Watch How To Make It

new Bacon infused burbon jello shots opt

Apple Cider Bourbon Bacon Jello Shots

Apple Cider Bourbon Bacon Jello Shots

You had me at bacon, however, add in fall apple cider and bourbon and I want to scream, Yes, Please!
I made these for our adult Halloween Trick or Treat event in our neighborhood and it went over really well. Rumor had it that my jello shots were the hit of the hood. Try it for your next Autumn event this is perfect for Friendsgiving!

Ingredients
  

  • 10-12 Ounces of Good Bourbon I used Makers Mark
  • 1 Package of Unflavored Gelatin
  • 1 Cup Apple Cider
  • 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Cold Water
  • 1/2 Cup Boiling Water
  • 4 Slices Bacon for infusing the Bourbon
  • 3/4 Pound Bacon Thick-Sliced Quality bacon for candying see our recipe for Candied Bacon, this will be used for the tasty garnish on the top of the jello shot.

Instructions
 

  • Start at least 1 day ahead of time by infusing the bourbon. To accomplish this crisp up the 4 slices of bacon and drop into a Mason Jar with the Bourbon.
  • Let it sit on the counter for 2 hours and then drop into the refrigerator until the next day.
  • Remove the jar from the refrigerator and scoop off the bacon fat that has congealed on the top. You now have a bacon-infused Bourbon. (Note that some of the Bourbon may have been absorbed by the bacon, not to worry we took that into account.)
  • Bring a half cup of water to a boil
  • Working quickly, mix the cold water and packet of gelatin together in a bowl
  • Add the boiled water then the brown sugar and lastly the cider, and Bourbon and stir together. (If you want to control the strength of the cocktail for those not quite yet Bourbon fans, you can always pour the bourbon mixture separate and make them a bit lighter.
  • Pour into the Jello Shot cups.
  • Next up is to make the Candied Bacon using our recipe. Cut the bacon into smaller bite-sized pieces before cooking it as this will sit in or on the shot glass. ( I cut my raw bacon in thirds )
  • It is at this stage that you can top the Jello Shot mixture with a piece of bacon. However. for the best flavor, cook the candied bacon 30 minutes before serving and top the cold jello shot with the warm candied bacon. I was unable to do this for the Trick or Treat event, but if I was having an indoor event I would definitely serve them with the bacon warm.
  • Place the filled shot cups in the refrigerator (I like to use shot glasses that have covers so that I can easily stack them in the refrigerator to set the mixture up. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
  • Enjoy!

Video

Notes

These will make 12-18 jello shots depending on the size of your cups and how much you fill them
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sweet pot cass 1023

Sweet Potato Casserole w/Bourbon Bacon and Pecans

Sweet Potato Casserole

This is not your grandmother's sweet potato casserole, there are no little marshmallows and there is not a ton of sugar in this recipe. Instead, we let the sweetness of the potato shine with its friends: bourbon, bacon, and pecans are along for the ride.

Ingredients
  

  • 4 to 5 Previously Baked till soft Sweet Potatoes
  • 4 Tablespoons Butter melted
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar Reserve half of a cup for the pecan bacon topping
  • 1/4 Cup Milk
  • 2 Eggs beaten
  • 2 Tablespoons Bourbon
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • Salt to Taste
  • 1/4 Pound Bacon Cooked and Chopped
  • 1.5 Cup Slightly Chopped Pecans
  • 1/3 Cup Flour
  • 6 Tablespoons Warm Bacon Fat
  • 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Mixed of Fresh Chopped Rosemary and Sage

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • Place the cooled and peeled sweet potatoes in a large bowl
  • Mix in with the potatoes, the eggs, brown sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and bourbon
  • Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp, remove the bacon and set aside
  • In another bowl add the pecans, flour, the reserved half cup of brown sugar, cayenne, the rosemary/sage mix, and the six tablespoons of bacon fat
  • Spoon the potato mixture into a 9X13 baking pan
  • Spread the pecan mixture over the top evenly
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes

Video

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

This is not your grandmother’s sweet potato casserole, there are no little marshmallows and tons of sugar in this recipe. Instead, we let the sweetness of the potato shine with its friends: bourbon, bacon, and pecans are along for the ride.

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 Previously Baked (till soft) Sweet Potatoes
  • 4 Tablespoons of Butter (melted)
  • 1 Cup of Brown Sugar (Reserve half of a cup for the pecan bacon topping)
  • 1/4 Cup of Milk
  • 2 Eggs (beaten)
  • 2 Tablespoons of Bourbon
  • 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • Salt to Taste
  • 1/4 Pound of Bacon Cooked and Chopped
  • 1 and 1/2 Cup of Slightly Chopped Pecans
  • 1/3 Cup of Flour
  • 6 Tablespoons of Warm Bacon Fat
  • 1 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
  • 2-3 Tablespoons Mixed of Fresh Chopped Rosemary and Sage

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Place the cooled and peeled sweet potatoes in a large bowl
  3. Mix in with the potatoes, the eggs, brown sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and bourbon
  4. Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp, remove the bacon and set aside
  5. In another bowl add the pecans, flour, the reserved half cup of brown sugar, cayenne, the rosemary/sage mix, and the six tablespoons of bacon fat
  6. Spoon the potato mixture into a 9X13 baking pan
  7. Spread the pecan mixture over the top evenly
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes

This dish can be made one day ahead of time and cooked on the day of serving-Perfect for Thanksgiving!

opt perf pumpkin pie

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients
  

  • Can Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Cup Evaporated Milk
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Stick Butter melted
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 Teaspoons Honey
  • 1 Pre-made Pie Dough or Frozen Pie Shell

Instructions
 

  • In a medium mixing bowl add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and pumpkin mix together.
  • Add in the melted butter, honey, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix thoroughly.
  • Slowly add the evaporated milk into the mixture until incorporated.
  • Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
  • Spray the pie pan with non-stick spray and place pie dough on the bottom, smooth out bottom and edges to take out any air bubbles.
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and place it in the oven on a cookie sheet (just in case there is spillage).
  • Bake for 55 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
  • 1 Can of Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 Cup of Sugar
  • 1 Cup of Evaporated Milk
  • 3 Eggs
  • 1 Stick of Butter (melted)
  • ¼ Teaspoon of Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon of  Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • ½ Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ Teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg
  • 1 Teaspoons of Honey
  • 1 Pre-made Pie Dough or Frozen Pie Shell
  1. In a medium mixing bowl add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, and pumpkin mix together.
  2. Add in the melted butter, honey, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix thoroughly.
  3. Slowly add the evaporated milk into the mixture until incorporated.
  4. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.
  5. Spray the pie pan with non-stick spray and place pie dough on the bottom, smooth out bottom and edges to take out any air bubbles.
  6. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and place it in the oven on a cookie sheet (just in case there is spillage). 
  7. Bake for 55 minutes.
Fixed Pics in LOF 1023 (2)

Herb Smoked and Roasted Whole Turkey

The star of the Thanksgiving meal is the turkey. I used a 14.5 lb. frozen turkey. I removed it from the freezer to the refrigerator on Saturday to be ready on Thursday.  It is important to brine the bird for moisture, so we will start with those ingredients. I made my brine more of a marinade than a traditional brine. (A traditional brine calls for more salt and you have to rinse it down before cooking).  I planned to smoke my turkey using a steam pot in my smoker to hold in even more moisture and infuse additional flavor. I will share that also below. Lastly, I rubbed the turkey. This was by far the best turkey I have ever made! 

Brine

  • 2 Gallons of Water
  • 18 Ounces of Vegetable Stock
  • 1/3 Cup of Sea Salt
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 Apple (sliced)
  • 1 Onion (rough cut)
  • 1 Sprig of Fresh Rosemary 
  • 1 Sprig of Fresh Thyme
  • 1 Sprig of Sage

 Steam Pot
(I used my blue dutch oven to put in the smoker under the bird) I used mostly all the same ingredients as above. 

  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 1 Apple (sliced)
  • 1 Onion (rough cut)
  • 1 Sprig of Fresh Rosemary 
  • 1 Sprig of Fresh Thyme
  • 1 Sprig of Sage
  • 18 Ounces of Vegetable Stock
  • 1-2 Carrots (cut into quarters)
  • 1-2 Celery Stalks (cut into quarters)

For the Turkey Rub 

3/4 of a Stick of Butter

1/4 Cup of Fresh Thyme (removed from stem)

1/2 Cup of Minced Rosemary (no stems)

1/2 Cup to 3/4 Cup of Minced Sage (no stems)

 

For the Brine

  1. Add all brine/marinade ingredients to a large pot or oversized bowl. 
    (remember I made a quasi brine that was more like a marinade so no need to boil and cool or to rinse the next day).
  2. Soak overnight. 
  3. Pull the turkey from the brine after 12 hours and pat completely dry with paper towels. (This is an important step for the skin to cook properly in the smoker).

For the Rub

  1. Mix all the ingredients with a food processor or immersion blender
  2. Apply the rub with your hands all over the dry turkey before smoking it.
  3. Reserve some for basting in a small pot on the stove. 

For the Steam Pot

  1. Add in all the ingredients and once your smoker has been lit and the smoke is the right color, set the steam pot down into the grill, right on the reflector plates and then place your grill racks over it. 

For the Grill

  1. I made a little foil packet of the fresh herbs, sealed it well and poked 3 tiny holes in it and set it down right on the coals (optional) 
  2. I placed a small piece of applewood in the smoker for a mild smoke flavor. 

For the Turkey

  1. Place the turkey on the racks in the grill for 2 hours at 350 degrees F.  
  2. At 1 hour and 40 minutes, preheat your indoor oven to 350 degrees F.
  3. Remove the turkey and place it in a roasting pan. Baste it with the extra mixture of butter and herbs.
  4. Transfer it to your oven. Baste one more time over the next hour.
  5. Tent it with a piece of aluminum foil if the skin appears to be getting too dark before the temperature reaches 160 degrees F. 
  6. When the temp is 160 degrees F pull the turkey from the oven and wrap it in aluminum foil completely and let it sit for 45 mins to an hour before carving.

Happy Thanksgiving

We have so much to be thankful for. Nicole and I embarked on this blog project a few short months ago and since then we have been able to spend more focused time together collaborating on a common theme: our love of food.

We have so much to be thankful for.

It’s no wonder that Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays and it’s not just because of the food itself, it is how people come together around food. Everyone we spoke with wanted to share stories about their family’s traditional dishes and tell us how they prepared their turkey this year.  We realize there are deep roots that become established around that dinner table on Thanksgiving day. We also understand that there is a lot of pride in those traditions.  Some of those traditions are old perhaps they have been passed down for generations. Some of those traditions may be related to the food being served, the people whom you are spending the day with, the places you are visiting, the games you are playing or the outings you are taking. It makes no difference if the tradition is an established one or one that just started this Thanksgiving but if it was enjoyable, you can count on it to be there for decades to come.

We realize there are deep roots that become established around that dinner table on Thanksgiving day.

We also recognize that Thanksgiving can be a challenging and emotional time for folks. Mixing it up with family, entertaining and travel can be stressful and it all happens right in the middle of a work week to boot! The good news about that is, Thanksgiving is the one holiday that is almost guaranteed to allow most of us to have four days off from work in a row. For those who do have to work defending our country, keeping us safe in our communities, watching out for the sick and those retail employees who had to prepare for Black Friday we are thankful for you all!

Over the Thanksgiving holiday season, we saw posts on social media and on the national news showing the spirit of giving and sharing and we are especially grateful for all who bestowed acts of kindness to those who are not as fortunate as us to have a glorious meal on the table or who do not have a family to share it with.

We hope that in sharing our own love for food, we will add a little something to make your holiday season a little more joyful!

Okay, we know you likely only clicked through to learn about the turkey recipe.

I have to admit to you without a single bragging bone in my body, it was the best turkey I have ever made. You have got to try it!

Herb Smoked Turkey
Small apple pies

Mini Apple Pies 

Small apple pies

Mini Apple Pies

What is better than apple pie? Well, your own personal mini apple pie. More crust equals more crunch. These little pies pack nicely into a lunch box. They look amazing on your party dessert table. Thanksgiving will never be the same once you serve these as a dessert option
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Pie Dough store-bought
  • 3 Green Granny Smith Apples
  • 2 Macintosh Apples
  • 1/2 Lemon
  • 2 Tablespoons Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated White Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • ½ Stick of Butter sliced
  • ¼ Teaspoon Table Salt
  • 1 Egg Beaten
  • Non-stick Cooking Spray
  • 12 Cup Muffin Pan

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Peel, core, and slice the apples put them in a large bowl.
  • Squeeze lemon juice on apples so they do not brown.
  • Add flour, salt, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg together mix and put aside.
  • Roll out the pie dough on a flat surface.
  • It’s time to make our round disc/circles. You can do this by taking a cup from your cabinet and pressing into the dough to form the shape and trim out with a paring knife or use a round biscuit cutter.
  • Spray the muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray all over.
  • Add 1 round disc into each muffin pan and press down around sides.
  • Take 3 tablespoons of the apple mixture and add into each muffin pan so the apple mixture is right over the top of the pan.
  • Take ½ of a tab of butter, break it up add to each muffin pan.
  • Add a top disc of pie dough and pinch together at the seam with bottom dough.
  • Brush the egg wash over the top of your mini pie and make 3 slits in the top of dough.
  • Sprinkle with sugar and put in the oven for 35 min until filling bubbles and top of dough is golden brown.
  • Let cool for 30 min before you attempt to take out of the muffin pan or it will break. Use a small kitchen spoon to scoop out mini pie, sprinkle with confectioners sugar (optional).
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!