My husband says I’m a Thanksgiving snob…and he might have a point. It’s not that I’m stuck up about Thanksgiving food, but I have a couple of Thanksgiving side dishes that I’ve adapted the recipes for over the years to the point that I like them the way I make them, and sometimes others don’t quite measure up 😉
I absolutely love pretty much everything that gets served for Thanksgiving dinners, but my favorite meal is the one I make at my house the weekend after Thanksgiving for my husband’s extended family. That’s the one where I make these three recipes, just the way I like them. Once all the kitchen work’s done, I just grab my plate and go to my Thanksgiving happy place…yum!
If you’ve never tried to make your own noodles, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s not terribly hard, and it’s kind of a cool thing to know how to make from scratch. I made mine today and took come pics to show you each step.
The other two recipes I haven’t made yet, but they’re ones that can be prepared in advance the day before, popped in the fridge overnight, then baked the day of your big feast. If you’re looking for a little twist on sweet potatoes or stuffing, give them a shot!
Hope you all have a blessed Thanksgiving—I’m thankful for all of you!
Homemade Egg Noodles
- 2 cups flour
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup cold water
Put flour in a bowl, and make a well in the center of it. Place egg yolks, whole egg, and salt into the well.
Use a fork to beat the eggs, pulling more flour from the sides of the well in as you mix.
Keep mixing until all the flour is mixed in–it will be clumpy like this.
Mix in the water a tablespoon at a time to form a thick dough. You’ll need to use your hands to knead it a few times to mix in the last bits of flour.
Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll each piece into a paper-thin rectangle on a floured surface. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut into strips. (I like to use my plastic pizza cutter so I don’t scratch up my countertop!)
Arrange noodles in a single layer on a towel and allow to dry, about 2-3 hours depending on thickness. Store in an air-tight bag or container until ready to use. To cook: Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, and cook to al dente, about 5-7 minutes. For Thanksgiving, I put some bouillon cubes in the cooking water, then keep the noodles warm in a crock pot with a little chicken broth and parsley until dinnertime. Yummy! These homemade noodles are also awesome in soup.
Creamy mashed sweet potatoes with a sweet crumbly topping–I usually double this sweet potato casserole recipe and bake it in a 9 x 13 pan for a big crowd. You can do everything but baking the day before, and have it in the fridge ready to go in the oven.
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 3-4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (boil in a pot, peel, then mash in your mixer)
- 1 c. sugar (the original recipe calls for this much, I usually use about half!)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup margarine or butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all the above ingredients together and spread in the bottom of a pie pan or 8×8 square pan.
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup ground nuts (walnuts or pecans–coconut can also be used)
- 1/3 cup stick margarine or butter
Mix above ingredients together until crumbly. Spread over sweet potato mixture. Bake in a 350° oven for 35 minutes.
This stuffing recipe came out of a combination of a couple different recipes. Using both cornbread and Italian bread gives it a great texture and taste. (of course, two sticks of butter don’t hurt either 😉 That’s why we only make this once a year!)
Awesome Thanksgiving Stuffing
- 1 pan cornbread (2 boxes of Jiffy mix prepared, or your favorite recipe)
- 1 loaf bakery Italian bread
- 2 sticks butter, melted
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 4 eggs
- 3-4 cups of chicken broth and/or turkey drippings (a combination works well)
- salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and sage to taste (about a tsp. of each)
Cut or tear both kinds of bread into bite-size pieces, and put in a large bowl (seriously, find the biggest bowl you have!). Use all the cornbread and about 2/3 of the loaf of Italian bread for a 9×13 pan, or use the whole loaf if you want to make an extra (smaller) pan along with it for a bigger crowd. Saute the celery and onions in butter until they’re soft and translucent. Beat eggs in a separate bowl, then add all the ingredients to the bread. Toss and add more chicken broth or turkey drippings until the mixture is soaked. Place in a buttered 9×13 pan and cover with foil. Bake for about 90 minutes at 350°, removing the foil the last 10-15 minutes to brown the top.
Some other recipe links that might be helpful for Thanksgiving:
