People of Earth, I want to make an announcement. In case you’re not hip to the holidays, Thanksgiving is very, very rapidly approaching. If you haven’t already made your plans and finalized your menus, this is your warning. Do it now. Shop when you can. Avoid the crowds. Conserve your energy for the big Black Friday shopping/decorating bonanza.

Part of being prepared for the biggest food holiday of the year is deciding where you will go and who will be there. If you are heading to your mom’s, bring a pie. If you are hosting, bust out your big kid pants and buckle down because you are in for a lot of work. Don’t stress, please. Cooking for holidays is fun! I promise. You just need to maintain some serious organization. Start with your menu.

Menu planning is probably the best tool in any arsenal. Once we started deciding in advance what to eat for dinner during the week, our lives got a lot less hectic and harried. It is essential for any holiday feast. Try to balance out your menu with yummy but light appetizers, delicious sides that can also make great leftover meals and tasty but not overly sweet desserts. We are sharing our Turkey Day menu here, feel free to share yours too! We can inspire each other!

Appetizers

– Fancy deviled eggs with crumbled bacon and herb and garlic goat cheese truffles.

Main Course

– Sweet Tea brined turkey breast

Sides

– Maple whipped sweet potatoes, buttermilk mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, creamy corn, stove top mac and cheese, rosemary and black pepper biscuits

Dessert

– Carrot cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting