What We’re Eating This Thanksgiving

Happy Wednesday, friends! I hope this post finds you wearing a comfy jumper with your hair piled up in a messy bun, and a coffee cup in hand. But maybe that’s just me. I’m popping in quickly to share: What We’re Eating This Thanksgiving. Boyfriend & I fell down the Thanksgiving rabbit hole last year, and I’ll be unwilling to not celebrate ever again now that I know how delicious it is! Last year, we had two other non-American foodies over and the four of us ate enough food to feed a small army. We were literally eating leftovers for days after. Due to the obvious elephant in the corner, this Thanksgiving will be different than the last, but just as wonderful.

why even bother?

This year, with Covid-19 etc., we can’t exactly have anyone over to celebrate with us. And seeing as we aren’t even from the US, why should we bother celebrating at all – right? Wrong! Isn’t the whole point of Thanksgiving to celebrate and give thanks for what you have? Over the course of 2020, I’ve realized I have a heck of a lot to be grateful for, and I don’t think I need to be American to celebrate that. Besides, I love a great excuse to cook up a ridiculously indulgent meal and sit down with loved ones.

what we’re eating this thanksgiving

This year, we have to scale back on quantities. However, that doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice on flavour! Last year, we went the traditional Thanksgiving route: whole roasted turkey, sprouts, roasted sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, white wine gravy, parker house rolls, creamed green beans, and two different pies for dessert. This year, we’ve decided to do things a little differently. What we’re eating this Thanksgiving will be traditional, with a twist.

Cocktails

Classic Old Fashioned // we love a classic cocktail, and Boyfriend has untapped barman skills. In Spring he made them with the juice of a blood orange, but this time around we’ll be sticking to store-bought bitters. No better way to kick off a dinner party than with a cocktail!

Nibbles

Puff Pastry Twists // I am obsessed with making puff pastry from scratch. This year, before the main meal, we’ll be nibbling away on homemade puff pastry straws, similar to these. I’ll be filling ours with basil pesto and grated mature cheddar, a tried and tested recipe. So so good!

Main

Caveman Pops // I haven’t tried this recipe, but I trust in the Pioneer Woman’s reputation enough to assume it’ll be delicious. Instead of getting a whole turkey for just the two of us, I bought two ginormous turkey drumsticks. As per Ree’s instructions, I’m going to lather them in all the spices and seasoning mixes, and roast them until they’re crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I’m excited!

Sides & Sauces

Kale & Caramelized Onion Stuffing // this stuffing is the literal bomb dot com. I made it last year, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it ever since. I think I had, like, three servings more than everyone else.

Deep Fried Mac & Cheese // I pray this will be every bit as indulgent as it sounds. The plan is to make Molly Yeh’s Smoky Bacon Mac & Cheese – the best we’ve ever had – spread it out on a tray, and pop into the fridge for a few hours. When it’s solidified somewhat, we’re going to cut it up, dip in egg, coat in breadcrumbs, and fry until deeply golden. I’d like to thank the Byron Cookbook for the idea.

Buttermilk Biscuits // seeing as we’re doing things a bit differently this year, Boyfriend thought it’d be fun to swap out the traditional bread rolls for flaky buttermilk biscuits! Kate’s is my all time favourite recipe and it pretty much guarantees layer upon layer of buttery flakes every time.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon // if you have to have an extra vegetable on the table, make sure there’s bacon in it. We served these sprouts last year and they were a bacon-fueled success!

Cranberry Sauce // although I’m not sure we’ll need it this year, I’m never not making this sauce for the holidays ever again. Last year, I made an extra large batch and divided it up into little jars to gift loved ones – it was such a hit! Super simple recipe, too.

Dessert

Salted Maple Pie // I’m not that big on pumpkin pie, and we had pecan pie last year – so Salted Maple Pie it is! The recipe comes from the Sister Pie cookbook and is honestly such a gem. Of course, this time around I’ll be making it with my Perfect All-Butter Pie Dough, so it’ll be extra delicious!

There we have it: What We’re Eating This Thanksgiving! I hope you found a new recipe to take away with you, and I hope it’s extra indulgent and luxurious – we all need some of that right now! If you’re celebrating: I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! If not: Thanksgiving is two weeks away, there’s still time to change your mind 😉 Chat next week!

My love to you,

Vicki xo

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