I’m a planner and I start planning holiday meals weeks in advance. Here are four recipes that are among my favorites! All four of these recipes can be found on Not Just Sunday Dinner, just follow the links to the recipes. In my opinion, side dishes and desserts are the dishes that make a holiday dinner. They are hands down better than any turkey you could ever put in front of me.
First I have Greg’s grandmother’s dressing, sort of. To my own surprise, her dressing recipe is now my favorite (with a few minor changes). She always made her dressing wetter than my family makes it, therefore I was reluctant at first. My family makes a drier dressing, that I loved growing up. Because Greg liked his grandmother’s dressing I started following her recipe when we married. You know, we were newlyweds and I wanted to please him. Over the years I have made a few changes to come up with my favorite combination, which includes Mexican Cornbread.
Second, I have my favorite cranberry salad. It is my late Aunt Ruby’s recipe and one of my all time favorites. This recipe always makes me smile. I actually got the recipe from my mother years ago. I had to make all kinds of promises to get it though. I had to promise to NEVER give this recipe to anybody else. She had promised my Aunt Ruby that she would keep it a secret. Well, I don’t think Aunt Ruby would be upset that mama gave me the recipe however, she might be upset with me for putting it on NJSD though!
Another favorite of mine is mustard or turnip greens. I think greens are an acquired taste. They have been on dinner tables as long as I can remember. I didn’t like them as a child but learned to love them as an adult. In fact, this was the food that I craved when I was pregnant. Before I even knew I was pregnant, I was craving greens. They take a little time to prepare and if you get your hands on fresh greens make sure you cook plenty so you will have some for the freezer.
Last, but not least, is this delicious gravy recipe. At my dinner table gravy goes on potatoes, dressing and turkey so it’s a must in our household. I learned early on that holiday dinners are easier when you prepare ahead of time. This gravy is made ahead with turkey wings and vegetables, so you get the same rich and savory flavor that you would from the drippings of your Thanksgiving turkey.