What's new on your Holiday Menu this year?

[The empressof all]

We are normally very traditional (aka--a little boring) with our Thanksgiving menu. Everyone expects the Turkey, the mashed potatoes and gravy, the Sausage Dressing..... But every year I try to shake it up a bit with adding a new twist. I usually serve the cranberry/orange sauce from Trader Joes and of course the Canned sauce for the diehards. This year I'm doing the cranberry three ways and made a raw cranberry relish that may not make it till Thursday...It's that good. I chopped the bag of fresh cranberries with a whole navel orange in the food processor. Added a few good squeezes of honey and a diced apple. It's sweet tart and very fresh tasting. I may add some chopped pecans to it tomorrow.

What are you doing different this year?

[Lunabell]

1. Nothing too special.

I have a new recipe for a sweet potato casserole with a pecan crumble on top. And instead of rolls or cornbread, we have Brotchen that we ordered from a German baker. If you have never had Brotchen, mmmmm you need to try it! Happy Thanksgiving.

[Phentex]

2. I am adding bacon to the corn pudding...

just for a new twist.

For the cranberry side, I make a dish with whole cranberry sauce, a can of pumpkin, cinnamon apples, a dash of apricot marmalade, cardamon, & cinnamon warmed all the way through until the apples are softened. Add craisins and chopped walnuts and it's almost dessert like! Mmmm...

[Snobblevitch]

7. Corn pudding!

I loved my mother's corn pudding. She's been gone a while now and for some reason we haven't had corn pudding for many years. Thanksgiving probably doesn't need another carb, (stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, pie) but I think we'll do corn pudding at Christmas this year.

Your other side dish sounds interesting as well.

[PennyK]

3. Key Lime Pie!

The usual desserts bore me. And we rarely make sugary treats...but I sat down and thought 'what yummy dessert would I love to try that is probably best when home-made?' And Key Lime Pie it will be. Might be kinda refreshing after the heavy meal.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

4. A couple things that we do are a bit unusual, depending on where you're from

Artichoke - parmesan dressing is from Sunset Magazine. A fairly wide spread magazine through the Western U.S., a lifestyle type publication.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/artichoke-parmesan-sourdough-dressing

My wife is from the Northeast, and she brought this along:

Sauteed sweet potatoes.

Boil 3 - 4 large unpeeled whole sweet potatoes until a sharp knife will slide through without too much resistance. Set aside to cool until they can be handled. When cool enough, pull the skin off and slice potatoes 1/2 inch thick either lengthwise or crosswise, depending on your choice. Then saute in butter over medium high heat until a slight crust forms. Serve hot.

Simple, yet tasty. And NO MARSHMALLOWS INVOLVED.

[Snobblevitch]

8. Until reading your post,

I had not realized that there were no sweet potatoes at our large, extended family Thanksgiving.

[spinbaby]

5. A birthday cake!

A new addition to our family has a birthday tomorrow, so I added a chocolate cake to our Thanksgiving feast.

[Rebkeh]

6. New methods for usual items

Nothing new on the plate but I'm using the slow cookers today to make the stuffing and cranberry sauce. I hope they turn out okay, I don't have a back up plan if they flop.

Living dangerously, I am.

[eridani]

9. SIL's friend brought acorn squash stuffed with apples, cranberries, walnuts and diced celery

Really yummy. Squash sliced in half and roasted first, for a very attractive presentation.

SIL soaked the turkey overnight in whiskey and maple syrup, resulting in very moist white meat.