Let's Give Thanks

And so the countdown begins. Four days until we cook like maniacs for hours and hours (and even days) and then eat in mere minutes. Thanksgiving is my all-time numero uno holiday. A time when everyone comes together to celebrate the bountiful fall harvest and give thanks for one another and the many blessings in our lives.

There's no exchanging gifts, no Santa, no shopping, no hassle, no attitude, no pressure, just sheer and unadulterated cooking madness. Just the way I like it.

Maybe your Thanksgiving menu is already planned since this holiday is about traditions, or perhaps you are looking to spice up this culinary day with a few new twists that may become your new traditions. I have culled my archives and put together a menu of some of my favorite dishes that are perfect for the Thanksgiving Day celebration. I have also included a few dishes that are on my hit list in the hopes that you, too, may be willing to try something new. Just as a bride collects something old, new, borrowed and blue, I, too, try to incorporate this into my holiday feasts. (For obvious reasons, I have omitted including turkey in the menu.)

No matter what lands on your Thanksgiving plate this year, I wish you and your family and friends a joyful day filled with love, laughter, great food, stories and other memories from the past, (well priced) adult beverages as well as an entire day to be grateful for all that we have.

A Holiday Menu To Be Thankful For

Squash, Pear, Apple and Fennel Soup

Kale Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts, Currants and Lemon-Parmesan Dressing

Roasted Sweet Potato and Banana Mash

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Balsamic Syrup

Raw Cranberry Relish

Parker House Rolls

Oma's Flaky Pie Crust

Pecan pie

Pumpkin Custard

Buen provecho!