Happy early Thanksgiving, everyone! If you’re in the US, you’re probably already prepping for the big meal tomorrow. (I know I am!) My whole family is coming into town first thing tomorrow, and my husband and I are doing the whole spread- turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pie, the works. (I’m actually roasting some pumpkin for the pie and making some candied pecans right now… my house smells very good this morning.)
I’m actually vegetarian, so I don’t really care about the turkey (that’s my husband’s thing, but I’ve been told he makes a mean turkey). For me, the whole point of Thanksgiving dinner is the sides. So, let’s talk about my favorite sides (with some knitting, because that’s what I do).
Stuffing might be my favorite savory side. I use the same recipe that my dad used when I was a kid, it’s full of sage and thyme, apple bits and big, juicy raisins. So good! The first time I made it, I was shocked because it starts by melting a whole cup of butter, then sauteing a bunch of celery and onion, basically making butter soup. No wonder everyone likes it!
Stuffed Mittens by TECHknitter
Mashed potatoes are a staple in our house- I probably make a batch of them every couple weeks (I’m from the Midwest, after all). My usual mashed potatoes are pretty chill- un-peeled potatoes, a little butter, a little of whatever milk I have in the fridge, and salt and pepper. For Thanksgiving, I pull out all the stops- I put in the effort to peel all the potatoes, and step up my game with sour cream and whole milk, the whole nine yards. So creamy and tasty!
Mash Potato Socks by Verena Cohrs
One side that most people keep strictly to Thanksgiving is cranberry sauce. I am not most people. I’m a cranberry fiend. The moment fresh cranberries come into season, I stock up. I make cranberry muffins, cranberry pancakes, and generally have a bowl of home-made cranberry sauce in my fridge. I love it on cheese sandwiches (I realize this is weird), with mashed potatoes, or just plain, eaten with a spoon. My favorite!
Cranberry Sauce by Brittany Tyler Simmonds
But the best part of Thanksgiving might be dessert. Specifically pumpkin pie. I gotta say, I make a mean pumpkin pie. I go fully from scratch- make my own crust, roast my own pumpkins (though this year I’m using Blue Hubbard Squash, because my grocery store was out of sugar pie pumpkins! The horror!) and garnish with homemade candied pecans and bourbon whipped cream. I mean what’s not to love?
Pumpkin-Pie by jo columbine
Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? What are your favorite Thanksgiving foods?
On the Needles 