Vegetable Soup:

Make some autumn vegetable soup using pumpkin or squash, carrots, parsnips, celery and potatoes and other harvested vegetables from your local farmer's market. Cook them in vegetable or chicken broth, add your favourite spices and puree for a warm and easy soup.

Or try our Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe from the Halloween Theme Day!

Quick Homemade Stove Top Stuffing

Step 1: Toast two slices of bread until golden and cut into cubes.
Step 2: Dice 1 small stick of celery and about 1 tbsp of white onion and 1 clove of garlic.
Step 3: Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a sauce pan. Add the celery, onion and garlic. Add salt and pepper, a dash of dried oregano or marjoram and a dash of dried or fresh parsley. Cook until softened.
step 4: Add about ¼ cup of chicken stock or broth.
step 5: When the broth boils Add bread to the pot, mix and remove from heat. Cover with a lid, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then fluff with a fork..

Pie Dough Shapes

If you have any leftover scraps of pie dough from making your pie, roll them out and use cookie cutter shapes like leaves or pumpkins to create tasty pastry treats. Simply brush with egg whites and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Then bake along with your pie, checking for browning to indicate they are ready! Serve with hot chocolate!

Pecan Pie:

We also love Pecan Pie at Thanksgiving. Although my pie looks great in the photo above, it didn't set well and was very runny. I'm still hunting for the perfect Pecan Pie recipe. If you've got one you'd like to share you can contact me via Facebook, Twitter or email!

LUNCH:

SNACKs:

Thanksgiving Turkey Burgers:

If you don't have time for a full Turkey Dinner and want something simpler, make some turkey burgers.

1 pkg Ground turkey
1 egg
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped onion
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
¼ tsp salt
Black pepper
Stove top stuffing (see recipe below)
Cranberry sauce
Burger buns

Step 1: Mix ground turkey with egg, bread crumbs, and spices in a large bowl. Divide into 4 burgers.
Step 2: Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat with oil or cooking spray. Add burger patties and cook for about 6 minutes each side, until cooked through.
Step 3: Place burger on one side of sliced bun. Top with stuffing and cranberry sauce. Optional, add a slice of your favourite cheese (I NEED cheese on my burgers).

Baked Oatmeal

I've adapted this recipe slightly and have included harvest fruits. You can find the original here: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2014/09/25/baked-oatmeal-recipe/

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 2/3 cups applesauce

1 1/4 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground all spice

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 cup of diced harvest fruit like pears or apples

Step 1: Preheat oven to 380F.

step 2: Butter or pray a 9 x 13 rectangular baking dish.

step 3: Mix oats and salt in a large bowl and then add the rest of the ingredients. Continue to mix to distribute the flavours.

Step 4: Trannsfer to your prepared pan and smooth and press down with a spatula.

Step 5: Bake for 28 minutes, broiling the final minute if desired.

Step 6: Leave the oven door closed and turn off the heat. Leave the pan in the closed oven for 25 more minutes.

Step 7: Cut into squares and serve with syrup or in a bowl with milk or cream on top. You can sprinkle nuts on top, too, if desired.

Here's a Printable version of the Thanksgiving Burger Recipe!

Cranberry Cheese Bites

Ingredients:

1 tub of Cream cheese
3 tbsp chopped dried cranberries
1 tbsp chopped green onion
Refrigerated crescent dough

Step 1: Heat oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix the softened cream cheese with cranberries and green onion.
Step 3: Roll out refrigerated crescent roll dough (seal perforations by firmly pressing to make one large sheet of dough). Cut into 24 squares (6 x 4 rows).
Step 4: Place 1 tsp of cream cheese mixture onto each square, keeping in the center and away from edges.
Step 5: Bring the four corners of each square up and over the cream cheese to create a little package. Twist the four ends to seal together, but note there should be gaps showing the cheese.
Step 6: Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, until golden brown.

Fruit:

Enjoy any harvest fruits like pears or apples for a snack on this theme day.

Take out your favourite recipe (or search in your cookbooks or online) for pumpkin muffins or pumpkin cookies. I'm still searching for my favourite Pumpkin Muffin recipe. I will let you know if I find it!

Turkey Sandwich:

Make a turkey-looking sandwich for lunch with or without the turkey. Vegetarian families can fill the sandwich with cream cheese and other veggies. The original link where I found this idea no longer works. Basically we made a basic turnkey sandwich (no crusts..saved to make breadcrumbs) and then used a round cookie cutter to make the head form another slice of bread. We stuck the head on with cream cheese and decorated with carrot and cucumber feathers, pea eyes, a cheese beak and some pepperoni (or red pepper) for the wattle.

Photo coming soon!

Here are some recipe ideas for thanksgiving day or weekend, but also just ones that focus on harvest time here in North America!

Pumpkin Spiced Steamed Milk

1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp allspice
1 to 2 tsp of sugar, to taste

Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan or pot. Mix with a whisk to incorporate. Heat the milk on low (if you are using regular milk watch carefully so that it doesn’t boil and ruin your pot). When it is nice and steamy pour into a mug and sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

BREAKFAST:

If you are attending a big Thanksgiving dinner, together, with your children, make your favourite appetizer ahead of time to share with everyone.

DINNER:

DESSERT:

Pumpkin Pie:

For me, nothing says Thanksgiving more than a pumpkin pie. Every family has it's own favourite recipe, use that or try this one: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/duff-goldman/decorated-pumpkin-pie-3528403

Thanksgiving

Turkey Dinner:

Of course a full turkey dinner would work for this Theme Day as that is what a lot of North American families make for their Thanksgiving Celebrations! We usually have turkey, mashed potatoes, salads, veggies, buns, and stuffing!

Thanksgiving Punch

1 container of apple juice
1 container of pear nectar
1 bottle of ginger ale
1 apple, peeled and chopped into little pieces.

Mix all the ingredients in a punch bowl!

Variation: Add ½ cup apple juice and ½ cup pear nectar to a glass. Toss in a few chopped pieces of peeled apple and then top with some ginger ale!

Food