Thanksgiving 🍁 Menu

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. The weather in Florida has finally cooled down. We can keep the windows and doors open so the fresh air flows through the house. Once we start cooking, the familiar smells waft through the air. There really is so much to be thankful for.

Aunt Esther’s Potato 🥔 Pancakes

Aunt Esther and Uncle Joe lived in this cozy two family house in Brooklyn. Before we even got to the door we would smell the potato pancakes cooking. I love taking a traditional family recipe and giving it a modern twist. These gluten free potato pancakes did not disappoint!

Summer Salad

Our watermelon is perfect right about now! This is a summer salad that my sister Ali makes. It tastes light and refreshing just like summer…

Stuffed Mushrooms

This is the item that will never be removed from our Thanksgiving menu. This has been on the Thanksgiving menu in our family for generations. They are amazing. We devour them that day and they are even better leftover. I have to make 50-60 mushrooms for about 8 people! These are also great to serve on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. They look fancy and everyone will love them!

Italian Salad(Pasta or no Pasta)

When I think of pasta salad I think of summer. But this Italian Pasta Salad can be served all year long hot as a main dish, cold as a side dish, and packed in the lunchbox the next day for a yummy lunch your kids will love! Don’t want the pasta? Put it over Romaine lettuce instead! I love making an Italian Salad for a crowd because sometimes I don’t want to make an antipasto and a salad. So, I combine them and there you have it! Like everything else this recipe can be adjusted depending on what you have in the house.

Mashed Potatoes

This is the first year ever I have pulled the sweet potatoes from our Thanksgiving menu and added mashed potatoes instead! And I am really excited. I was kind of feeling bored of the sweet potatoes. I want mashed potatoes smothered in gravy.  Right?!

Grandma’s Stuffing

Thanksgiving stuffing is special to most people because it is what they grew up on. It is what makes them think of Thanksgiving. Some people serve it on the side and call it dressing. Others stuff it in the cavity of the turkey and call it stuffing. We call it stuffing but serve it on the side of the turkey. Oh, and it doesn’t have any bread in it! So, we are all confused!

Fill em Up!

Believe it or not, when I make salmon everyone eats it! I never have any left over. It seems like when I make it, nobody gets filled. So I usually make this orzo side dish along with it to fill them up and it is amazing! I love pasta and I love vegetables, so for me this is perfect. I eat it leftover for lunch and it could be cold right out of the container…

Shoepeg Corn Salad

You can serve this as a dip along with Tostitos, but it is also a great side dish for a summer gathering. 

Uncle Joe’s Simple Salad

Joe prepared this the other day with my nephew Joseph and this is a perfect example of my summers in Long Island. Uncle Joe’s Simple Salad takes a few minutes to prepare and will get you dreaming about simple summers…