With A Twist! Update Your Thanksgiving Sides

Cooking and eating should be fun. Shake up what’s expected to give your holiday guests something deliciously surprising. Just take what I’ve learned from my experiments in seasoning and mix-ins below and apply to your own classic holiday fare. We’re talking a little sage to the plain potato, some sweet raisins in the stuffing, and mushrooms in the brussels sprouts. Skip the same-old same-old this Thanksgiving with these 3 new ideas for standard sides.

The Potato

Out: Mashed Potatoes With Butter, Salt & Pepper
In: Savory Sage and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

The Brussels Sprout

Out: Frozen Brussel Sprouts In Butter Sauce
In: Brussels Sprouts with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Herbs

The Stuffing

Out: From-The-Box Stuffing Mix
In: Caramelized Wild Mushroom, Golden Raisin & Pecan Stuffing

> Get the recipe!

More Thanksgiving Menu Ideas!

> Try This New Thanksgiving Side: Orange Braised Fennel Recipe
>  5 Classic Pie Recipes to Bake (Or Order!)

5 Classic Pie Recipes To Save, Bake And Serve

Practice a little zen and the art of baking with an easy-to-make pie recipe that will score major points at your holiday table. Click and print the links below to make one of my top five holiday pies.

And if you’re feeling a little less ambitious, but still want to serve homemade classics like Pumpkin Silk Pie or Double-Crust Apple Pie, order in! I’ve got you covered with my selection of homemade pies for the holiday. See the full menu here and email anthony@anthonyleberto.com to place your order.

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

> Get the recipe

Apple Cranberry Crumble

> Get the recipe

Double-Crust Apple Pie

> Get the recipe

Pumpkin Silk Pie

> Get the recipe

Chocolate Pecan Pie

> Get the recipe

Order These 5 Delicious Thanksgiving Pies

Thanksgiving dinner isn’t over til you force yourself and your guests to eat an entire plate of dessert, right? Treat your family and friends to a homemade pie– we’ll never tell them I made it!

The five flavors on the menu this year are: pumpkin, pecan, chocolate pecan, apple and apple cranberry crumble.

It’s just $25 for each 8-inch pie. Contact anthony@anthonyleberto.com to order.

Bake This Classic Pumpkin Bread Recipe

The ideal transition treat from a candy-filled Halloween to a pie-heavy Thanksgiving is a pumpkin bread. Pumpkin bread bridges the gaps between breakfast food, snack and dessert, so you can partake in its autumnal flavor any time of the day! Here’s my quick recipe for a pumpkin bread that could play nice with a bit of butter in the morning or perhaps a few chocolate chips at night.

Classic Pumpkin Bread
Yield 2 loaves

Ingredients
1 cup vegetable oil
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups (or one 15-ounce can) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two 8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, eggs, pumpkin and water
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and vanilla, stirring to combine.
4. Spoon batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired.
5. Bake bread for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean; and that same tester inserted about 1/2″ into the top of the loaf doesn’t encounter any totally unbaked batter.
6. Remove bread from the oven and cool on rack. When it’s completely cool, wrap well in plastic wrap and store it overnight before serving.

More treats to make:
> Stuck with overripe bananas? Quick! Bake this simple banana bread.