On a Thursday in November...

Every Thanksgiving I tell myself (and my family) I’m not going to do as much as last year. That I’m not going to go all out; I’m not going to make too much. And every year I end up going against what I say.

At this point I should just anticipate I’m going to want to make a lot. I always start off with a modest menu but end up caving mid-November and adding more dishes to the list. I can’t help it.

This year, I made several new dishes and a few classics.

Every year I make appetizers and solve the question of “it’s 11 a.m. and the turkey will be ready at 5 p.m., what the hell do you eat for lunch on Thanksgiving?” The answer is always a charcuterie board, and this year I made a few extras to go along with it.

I also made stuffing which was a late but welcome addition, and an apple cake. I usually make an apple pie or galette, but this year I frankly did not feel like rolling out pie crust the morning of Thanksgiving. A simple tea cake was perfect for me.

Brunch on Thanksgiving™️
A classic spread of cheeses, meats, fruits, jams, crackers, and marinated things. I made my favorite marinated mushrooms the weekend before the big day, so all that was left was slicing cheeses and opening cans of artichokes and olives. Very easy but very rewarding in both the look and taste.

Hot Spinach Dip & Bacon Gruyere Twists
To go along with the charcuterie board I made a cheesy baked spinach dip, and bacon puff pastry twists. The spinach dip recipe was loosely based on a ratio I’d seen from many recipes online and then adjusted for my own taste. For the bacon twists, I followed this recipe from Laura Vitale exactly and they were incredible.

For the dip, I mixed together one 8oz tub of whipped cream cheese with a full 16oz bag of frozen spinach (after thawing and squeezing out all the water). Then I added 1/4 cup sour cream, and 8oz of mozzarella. I mixed the whole thing in the dish it would bake in, then sprinkled with 4oz of mozzarella, and left it covered in the fridge overnight. I baked it at 375° F for 25 minutes the next day, and broiled for a couple minutes at the end. Serve with breadsticks or charred bread slices.

Apple Cake
Exactly what you want after a big Thanksgiving meal – a light buttermilk cake with soft apples. I followed this recipe by Alison Roman, as I have several times before, and it always comes out perfect. Although, I do choose to peel my apples which may be controversial, but I hate the skins in my baked goods.