Ah, Thanksgiving! The holiday, devoted entirely to gorging, is filled with piping-hot sweet potatoes, lip-smacking cranberry sauce, scrumptious pumpkin pie and tasty turkey galore. We all look forward to the traditional home-cooked meal with the family. But before you get to your heaps of mashed potatoes and gravy, how about creating a Thanksgiving meal with a twist to share with friends? Here are some yummy ideas for making a holiday feast that even your mommy will love.
Break for turkey
According to the 2002 U.S. Census, Americans consume 45 million turkeys on Thanksgiving Day. Break the mold and try a less common main dish such as pork loin with wild rice and apple stuffing. This mouth-watering platter will look just as pretty as a glistening turkey in the center of your table. It's not hard to bake, and you can use the recipe in a few months when you're trying to impress that special someone with your baking know-how. Plus, you're sure to have leftovers that will be easily swappable for drumsticks from your turkey-bored friends.
Spin on spuds
Put a spin on mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes and make mashed sweet potatoes.
Dessert pie for crumble
This is sure to be a hit with your dinner guests if they are biased toward a traditional Thanksgiving feast. And just in case you feel like you may be in over your head with dinner-preparation stress, this dish is microwavable and only takes about 20 minutes to make.
For a final treat, here's an easy idea that will look like it took hours to prepare. It's called the caramelized pumpkin and pear crumble. Sounds pretty complicated, right? Not so. It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare and looks great in little, round bowls topped with whipped cream and cinnamon.
Party fowl
No matter how much your guests love your unique concoctions, Thanksgiving dinner is never truly complete without a turkey. To incorporate everyone's favorite fowl into the mix, stir up a Turkey Trot. This festive drink is made with cranberry juice, 7UP, and Wild Turkey bourbon whiskey. It can also be served as a shot or mixed in a large bowl and served as a punch. Salut!
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Jayplay 11.18.04