Holiday Meal Suggestions

Choosing the right recipe for a big gathering can be really overwhelming! Here I’ve shared a few of my favorites for the season:

Potatoes

• Smitten Kitchen’s Melting Potatoes

• Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin from NYT Cooks

• Creamy Mashed Potatoes from A Cozy Kitchen

• Smitten Kitchen Root Vegetable Gratin

• My super lazy way: boil baby potatoes with thin peels until cooked through/soft to the tines of a fork, then mash (skin on) with warm cream, soft butter, and a big handful of chives or scallions, and plenty of salt and pepper. Bonus: throw garlic cloves in the with boiling potatoes and mash into potatoes when done.

Sweet potatoes

• Smitten Kitchen Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• Smitten Kitchen Crispy Sweet Potato Roast

• Serious Eats Grown Up Sweet Potato Casserole

• Sweet Potato Casserole from NYT Cooks

• My super lazy way: pre-heat the oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice sweet potatoes into half inch medallions and toss with olive oil, a drizzle of maple syrup, and plenty of salt and pepper. Add in herbs if you like. Place coated medallions on a baking sheet and roast for 20 mins. Flip the baked sweet potato medallions over and roast again for another 15 to 20 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Season more if needed!

Squash

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Djion Vinagrette from A Beautiful Plate

• Winter Squash Agrodulce from Epicruious

• Winter Squash Casserole with Rosemary from NYT Cooks

• Miso and Harissa Delicata Squash and Brussels Sprouts from Epicurious

Green Beans

• Alexis Guarnaschelli’s Green Bean Casserole

• Ina Garten’s Green Bean Gremolata

Salads

• Kale and Quinoa Salad with Ricotta Salata, Almonds, and Dried Cranberries from Smitten Kitchen

• Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette from Epicurious - great on spinach with a tart cheese, apples, and walnuts

• Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad from Bon Appetit

• Radicchio Salad with Caramelized Carrots and Onions from Epicurious

• 55 Fantastic Fall Salads from Epicurious

Stuffings

• My family’s Cornbread Stuffing

• 6 Rules for Perfect Stuffing from Bon Appetit

• 24 Stuffings for all tastes from Bon Appetit (yes, including oyster stuffing)

• My feeling here is you probably already have a favorite, but the round up above is full of great tips and recipes ranging from traditional to the adventurous.

Cranberry Sauce

• No Cook Cranberry sauce with Orange and Walnuts from NYT Cooks

Biscuits/Bread

• Golden Pull Apart Butter Buns from King Arthur Flour

• Pretzel Buns Recipe from King Arthur Flour

• Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits from A Cozy Kitchen

• Gruyere and Caramelized Onion Biscuits from Smitten Kitchen

Additional Sides

• Squash and Kale Pasta Bake - coming soon!

• Autumn Panzanella from NYT Cooks

• Roasted Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter, and Lime from Smitten Kitchen

Dessert

• 8 Show Stopping Pies from NYT Cooks

• Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie from Smitten Kitchen

• Classic Pumpkin Pie with Pecan Praline sauce from Smitten Kitchen

• David Leibovitz’s Chocolate Pecan Pie

• My Family’s Apple Crisp - easy, satisfying, a good one to make with kids, and quick!

Libations

• Cranberry Shrub recipe and cocktail from David Lebovitz

• Manhattan Cocktail for a crowd from Serious Eats

• 3 Variations on Old Fashioneds for a crowd at Eater

• More on Wine Pairings for Thanksgiving Dinner at Winefolly.com