Thanksgiving Recipes to Soothe Your Soul

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Who likes tradition the most?

This guy.

Who likes tradition second most?

MEEEEEEEE!

The week of Thanksgiving I spend cooking . . .

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And baking . . .
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and making messes . . .

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And although, I’m making a lot that week–A LOT–there are two things that I must must must have . . .

GERMAN COFFEE CAKE

I wish I could say I’m a turkey trotter. The idea is really awesome, and I love 5ks, and I’ve been known to run a 5k of my own on Thanksgiving (when I’m not sporting a larger than life baby bump), but nothing–NOTHING–can get in the way of THE MACY’S DAY PARADE and eatin’ the “sweet rolls” my mama made every single year on Thanksgiving.

Now I make them, too.

It’s an easy dough, with an even easier filling. The only caveat being, the whole process takes about 4 hours, so best to make ahead.

Ingredients

4 cups of flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 egg yolks (slightly beaten)

1 cup of warm milk

1 package of yeast

1 cup of shortening (sorry, you can try butter if you are a Crisco snob).

Start by dissolving a packet of yeast in warm milk.

Generous portions of softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans (optional).

Icing (optional)

1 cup of powered sugar

1 tablespoon of milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Start by warming (not hotting) the milk and dissolving the yeast in it.

While that takes time to bubble and froth, sift (this is important, SIFT it) together flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in the eggs yolks. Then using a pastry blender cut in the shortening until the dough looks like so (sort of crumbly).

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Stir in the milk/yeast mixture slowly. Divide dough into two equal portions, and chill for at least two hours.

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Take the dough out of the fridge, roll it out to about 1/2 inch and into a rectangle. Top generously with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans (or not, if you don’t like nuts, weird0). Roll it up and using a butter knife, cut about 3/4 of the way into the dough every inch or so, and place on a cookie sheet. Let it rise until it doubles in size, and then bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. When slightly cool, top with icing and pecans. Then STUFF YO FACE whilst watching the Macy’s Day Parade. Or forego all of that and go run the Turkey Trot, whatevs.

After I am full on sweet rolls and have had my fill of large creepy balloons and lip syncing pop stars whose names I don’t care to learn, it’s time to make some Broccoli and Cheese Casserole.

BROCCOLI CHEESE CASSEROLE

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Ingredients

1 cup of rice

1 lb of velveeta (I made my OWN last year, and now I’ll never buy it again.)*

1 medium chopped onion

1 can of cream of mushroom soup (also made my own from this green bean casserole recipe. You really can’t go wrong, and it’s so much yummier)*

1 box of frozen broccoli (thawed)

*Make ahead!!!

Preheat your oven to 350.

Melt cheese, onions, and mushroom soup in a pot over medium heat. Mix broccoli and rice together in an oven safe dish. Pour the cheese mixture over the broccoli and rice and stir together (I’ve been known to forget this stirring together part and my sis and best friend remind me yearly, remember that one time???). Cover with foil and cook for about an hour. Remove foil and brown the top. PIG YOUR FACE OFF. It’s Thanksgiving!

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What are your Thanksgiving food MUST HAVES?

4 COMMENTS

  1. Yum…I am obsessed with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. When I was little growing up in Russia, we had a VHS recording of the 1991 parade, and we re-watched it every single year. Of course, now thanks to this magical thing called the internet, my family in Russia can actually watch this year’s parade instead. Wow, how times have changed.

    • Emma, is it on the internet live? We don’t have cable anymore, and I’m sort of in freak-out mode. Deciding whether to get an antenna.

  2. Get an antenna! We don’t have cable, the antenna gives you lots of options. This is the year I take the plunge and make cinnamon rolls. I’m totally cheating and using my bread maker, but I’m doing it. AND, no, seriously, you can make your own Velveeta?! I’m totally trying it! My husband would love me forever if I’d start making queso at home!

    • MONICA! What kind do you have. Inquiring minds, want (NEED) to know. If you find a good cinnamon roll recipe, please send it my way. I’m still searching for the perfect one. And yes, you will freak out about how easy homemade velveeta is. SO easy. SO yummy. NO weird ingredients.

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