Let’s take a few moments from our normal busy lives and dream a little…because we can (and I think it’s good for our brains).
What if you could plan the most delicious and enjoyable Thanksgiving meal, without cooking any of it, breaking a sweat or having to worry about what anyone else wanted to eat.
If you can’t tell yet, this is a totally hypothetical situation.
What dishes would you have on your dream Thanksgiving table? What cocktails would you sip to start and what desserts would finish it all off?
Here’s my dream Thanksgiving meal:
THE APPS
Pimm’s Cup
I don’t really care that this cocktail isn’t normally drank in the winter because it’s so fresh and tasty. A Pimm’s Cup would be the perfect starter to my feast: citrus-filled, light and refreshing.
Cheese Plate
A cheese plate is one of the best ways to start a party and get everyone chatting and relaxed. My dream cheese plate would have some sharp cheddar, goat cheese, manchego, nuts, apple slices and maybe even some cream cheese and pepper jelly and crackers (Southern style for the win!)
THE MEAL
Italian Barbera
I’m following Bon Appetit’s cue on the best wine to serve with Thanksgiving by having a glass or two of Barbera. It’s nice and round but will go with everything else that’s on the table.
Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad
My sister just made this salad for the first time last weekend, and it was incredible! It’s always nice to have something healthy and fresh on your T-day table, and this salad is that and so much more.
Cornbread Stuffing
Let it be known that my mom makes THE BEST stuffing in the world. It is probably my favorite part of Thanksgiving. It is cornbread-based stuffing with lots of warm herbs, like sage and poultry seasoning, with the ideal moist but not too wet and not too dry consistency. You can keep your turkey because I’ll take stuffing over meat any day!
Mashed Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes
Because it’s Thanksgiving (and what better excuse to eat extra carbs), I would include two kinds of potatoes on my dream Thanksgiving menu. My mom’s creamy mashed potatoes (with all of the glorious sour cream, half and half and a golden pat of butter on top), along with some sort of sweet potatoes. I feel like I could either go with the standard sweet potato casserole topped with mini marshmallows or something new like these garlic herb sweet potato fries.
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Just-made fresh cranberry sauce is a very important component of this meal. In fact, you could say that it’s zest and tang ties everything together and goes well with almost any other side on the table.
Rolls
I don’t really care if they’re homemade or not, but there has got to be some kind of roll with this meal. I rarely ever eat rolls and I love them, so this is a great day to splurge! (Sister Schubert’s are always a good freezer fallback.)
THE ZERTS
A Selection of Pies: Chocolate Pecan Pie & Egg Custard Pie
My mom is also the pie queen (homemade crust and all), so I would love to have her Chocolate Pecan Pie and Egg Custard Pie as the sweet end to my fabulous meal. The Chocolate Pecan Pie would be lukewarm and full of crunch and sweet gooey feeling with sweet whipped cream on top. The custard pie would taste like the creamy custard with a smooth consistency and also topped with whipped cream.
What would be on your dream T-day menu? Would we share any dishes? Comment with your answer!