We just finished Thanksgiving weekend and most of our leftovers are gone. It was a deliciously wonderful time with family and friends! I decided to share some of the recipes we used this holiday and hope that you will try them and enjoy them, too!
I believe that Sweet Potato Casserole is the epitome of North Carolina cuisine. Since North Carolina is one of the top producers of sweet potatoes in the country, it makes sense that we would include this versatile vegetable in our feasts. Although there are many ways to make Sweet Potato Casserole, my personal favorite is the one with the pecan, oatmeal, butter, and sugar topping. Just add some uncooked regular oatmeal to the topping mix and you have it! https://lovetobeinthekitchen.com/2017/11/02/sweet-potato-casserole-oat-streusel/
Speaking of sweet potatoes, Our State magazine shared this recipe for a sonker (similar to a cobbler) featuring sweet potatoes. I made it this year for the first time and found it to be a unique dish that was quite fun to make. https://www.ourstate.com/sweet-potato-sonker/
There is a small, but proud contingency of us in my family that enjoy brussels sprouts. I made this simple dish (by Ina Garten!) for Thanksgiving and those who like brussels sprouts gave it hearty approval! https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-brussels-sprouts-recipe2-1941953
I having been making these pecan pie bars for the past few years. I have made them using almond flour as well as regular flour. Regardless of which flour you use, these are fantastic. Less messy than traditional pumpkin pie, and more portable - great for a post-Thanksgiving walk around the neighborhood (or to the couch to watch football!) https://www.landolakes.com/recipe/17205/classic-pecan-pie-bars/
For my husband's family gathering, I made these pecan pie brownies. They were gooey, sticky, fudgy and absolutely perfect for a Thanksgiving dessert. I modified these to use my brownie recipe (found here.) https://www.homemadeinterest.com/pecan-pie-brownies/
I also took some potatoes au gratin. I modified a few recipes to make these (mostly to cut down the cooking time) and loved the touch of garlic with the cheese and potato. My recipe is a collection of several different ones. Since I can't find any just like it, stay tuned for a post!
Lastly, Peter and I made ginger cookies to give to his teachers at school. We froze them and used our fall cookie cutters to make fun shapes. They turned out great and we had a lot of fun making them! https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/big-soft-ginger-cookies/
Let me know if you try some of these - or have some of your own to share!