We are so great at planning other’s events, not to mention their travel plans to and from those planned events. As a result, our own life plans tend to be put on hold at times. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and in case you forgot, Aunt Mildred asked you to provide a side or a salad or some other goody to the meal – and now you are wondering how you will be able to make this happen.
No problem. Though you will need to deal with a rather crowded and crazed grocery store, the good news is that you will only need a few items; so you can easily grab the goods and check out via the 20 items or less or self-checkout line. These are super easy to make, yet at the same time impressive.
Beer Cheese Dip
In a medium saucepan, place a 12 oz. bottle of beer, 8 oz. of cubed cream cheese and 1 lb. of shredded pepper jack cheese. Over medium heat, whisk until smooth. It may look thin, but will thicken as it cools. Serve with tortilla chips or pretzels.
Bleu Cheese Bake
Melt 1 stick of butter in a 9-inch pie plate. You will need 1 12-oz can of biscuits, each cut into quarters. Toss them in the buttered pan and coat the biscuits with the butter. Sprinkle the top with 4 oz of crumbled bleu cheese and sprinkle the top with 1 Tbs chopped parsley. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.
Holiday Salad
In a bowl add 1 package of spring mix salad greens. Top with 1 sliced red pepper and 4 oz of crumbled feta cheese. Serve tossed in balsamic vinaigrette.
Broccoli Slaw Salad
In a bowl toss 1 package of broccoli slaw, with ¼ cup of shelled sunflower seeds and sesame ginger dressing.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
In a medium saucepan, combine ¼ cup fresh orange juice, zest of 1 orange, ½ cup sugar and ¾ cup water over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in 1 12 oz bag fresh cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until sauce is thickened. Cool and serve.
Sweet Potato Puffs
Stab a medium sweet potato with a fork and microwave on high for 6 minutes until cooked. Scoop flesh into a small bowl, and add in ½ oz goat cheese, mix until combined. Roll into small bite-sized balls and roll in finely chopped macadamia nuts (1/4 cup). Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, serve warm.
Rosemary Coconut Brussels Sprouts
Cut 1 lb Brussels sprouts into quarters and toss with 2 Tbs of melted coconut oil and fresh rosemary to taste. Sprinkle with sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 40 minutes, until Brussels sprouts are tender.
Nutella Brownies
Lightly coat a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a bowl combine 1 ¼ cup of Nutella (13 oz), 2 large eggs and ½ cup flour, stir until smooth then transfer to baking dish. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes. Cool before serving – go extra fancy by topping each brownie with ice cream, chocolate sauce and chopped nuts.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Cake
Place 2 15-oz cans of pumpkin puree, then 1 package of spice cake mix, then 1 cup of cubed butter in a slow cooker, making sure each layer is level. Cook on high for 2 hours, and then thoroughly mix the ingredients. Cook on high for another hour and serve in bowls topped with ice cream.
I am thankful for all of you! Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
