30 Thanksgiving Sides and Appetizers!

Thanksgiving dinner is my favorite meal of the entire year. I am not exaggerating. We had Thanksgiving dinner at my wedding because I love turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes so much. But even I can admit, that sometimes you need to change things up. Maybe try a new stuffing or a different dinner roll. Or add something newin to the old lineup.

Appetizers:
1. Cream Cheese Ragoons


2. Jalapeno Popper Wontons


3. Spinach Balls with Spicy Tomato Dipping Sauce (one of our all time favs)


4. Snowflake Tortilla Chips (really fun for kids)


5. Parsnip Chips (if you're looking for something healthy)


6. Cheese Puffs for Cheese Lovers


7. Cheesy Twists


8. Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip


9. Sugared Nuts


10. Chocolate Covered Cranberries (I wish I could eat these all year long)


11. Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip (This has become my go-to for holiday potlucks. It's always a hit!)


12. Apple Pie Salsa



Breads:
13. Pull Apart Spinach and Cheese Bread


14. Soft and Chewy French Bread


15. Sour Cream Dinner Rolls


16. Homemade Breadsticks


17. French Fried Onion Rolls (my husband and FIL's fav)



Side Dishes:
18. Butternut Squash Soup


19. Pumpkin Soup with Sage Croutons and Bacon


20. Roasted Potatoes, Sausage, and Peppers


21. Savory Baked Apples stuffed with Sausage and Sage


22. Alfredo Green Bean Casserole


23. Bacon Barbecue Green Bean Casserole


24. Simply the Best Mac and Cheese (from scratch)


25. How to Make Boxed Mac and Cheese Taste Homemade (if you're looking for something really simple and yummy)


26. Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes


27. Ranch, Cheddar, and Bacon Potatoes


28. Salt and Vinegar Roasted Potatoes


29. Cranberry Sauce Three Ways


30. Sourdough Cornbread Stuffing with Bacon


Enjoy!

Pumpkin Mug Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The great thing about mug cakes is that are a generous single serving which means two things: you can't over indulge and you don't have to share. And this pumpkin mug cake is the most moist mug cake I have ever made. It really hits the spot on a chilly autumn day.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Cake
4 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Frosting

1 ounce cream cheese, softened

1/2 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions:
Cake
Spray the inside of a mug with cooking spray. Add all the ingredients in the mug and mix until well combined. Microwave for 50 to 60 seconds or until the cake is set in the middle. Each microwave works a little different so start at 50 seconds and slowly increase from there.

While cake cools, make the frosting.

Frosting
In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and powder sugar. Place on top of pumpkin mug cake.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Mug Recipes:
3-Ingredient Gluten-Free Mug Cake
Brownie in a Mug
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread in a Mug
Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Mug Cake
Chocolate-Hazelnut Mug Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake
Fluffernutter Mug Cake
French Toast in a Mug
Quiche in a Mug

Pumpkin Brie Quesadilla

Pumpkin. Brie. Pumpkin. Brie. Okay, I was going to try out this recipe. I knew there was a chance that it might end up in the trash. I also knew it could turn out amazing. Fortunately, it was so delicious! I might need to pick up some more brie.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
5 ounces brie, sliced thinly
8 6-inch tortillas

Directions:
In a bowl, mix together pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Place 1 tortilla in the pan, spread 1/4 of pumpkin mixture over it then top with 1/4 of the brie. Lay a second tortilla on top. Cook each side until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Cut quesadillas into quarters. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Savory Pumpkin Recipes:
Cheese Tortellini in a Pumpkin Sauce
Pumpkin-Black Bean Stew with Spicy Sausage
Pumpkin Gnocchi with a Parmesan Sauce 
Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls
Pumpkin Soup with Sage Croutons and Bacon  

Pumpkin Gnocchi in a Parmesan Sauce

I know pumpkin is a little out of season right now, but Eric wanted pumpkin dip for his birthday and I didn't want to throw away the leftover pumpkin puree. So I googled "ideas for leftover pumpkin puree." There are a lot of lists out there. I knew I didn't want to do a dessert or a breakfast meal. I actually love pumpkin in savory dishes and the pumpkin gnocchi caught my eye. I immediately knew I wanted to use my Parmesan sauce for it because I love the way pumpkin and Parmesan go together. When I took my first bite, I was immediately transported to fall with its crisp air, colored leaves, and fat pumpkins. It's March and I'm already planning an autumn dinner party starring these pumpkin gnocchi.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
Pumpkin Gnocchi
1/2 pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
12 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Parmesan Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used low sodium)
1/2 cup milk (I used whole milk)
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Directions:
Pumpkin Gnocchi
In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin puree and the egg yolk. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in 9 tablespoons of the flour and combine with the pumpkin puree. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until the mixture forms into dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, knead a couple of times, but make sure not to overwork the dough (this will make the gnocchi tough). Divide the dough into four sections; roll each section into a ball.

Roll each ball into a rope with a diameter of approximately 1 inch. With a butter knife, cut the rope into 2-inch sections. Light press a fork into each pieces to creates ridges (this helps the sauce adhere to the gnocchi).

Over medium-high heat, boil a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. In batches, add the gnocchi to the boiling water. Cook them until they float to the surface, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slated spoon. 

Parmesan Sauce
Melt butter in the bottom of a saucepan and saute the garlic until it turns a golden brown. Add flour and cook for about 1 minute while continually stirring. Pour in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, continually stirring so the sauce thickens. Reduce heat. Add Parmesan and stir until cheese is melted.

Serve sauce over the pumpkin gnocchi.

Pumpkin gnocchi and parmesan sauce with roasted peas.

Eric doesn't usually do the savory pumpkin dishes, but he actually liked this one--except the pairing of it with the cheese sauce. I think he would have preferred a brown butter sauce (I loved it with the cheese sauce).

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Pumpkin Recipes:
Cheese Tortellini in a Pumpkin Sauce
Pumpkin-Black Bean Stew with Spicy Sausage
Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Caramels!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Pumpkin Fudge

Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispie Treats

I have been looking for a good pumpkin rice krispie recipe for a couple of years now. I've seen them made with pumpkin spice marshmallows, but I don't care for the flavor of pumpkin spice marshmallows--their flavor is more spice than pumpkin (but they are great for decorating a haunted gingerbread house!). I've even seen them made with pumpkin spice Hershey kisses. Again, not really a fan of pumpkin spice kisses. I wanted a recipe that used actually pumpkin. And then I came across this one on Pinterest and it was exactly what I was looking for!

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
1/8 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 cups Rice Krispie cereal

Directions:
Grease a 9x13-inch pan with butter or cooking spray. 

In a large pan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in marshmallows. Once they are melted, remove from heat and add pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Stir until well combined.

Important: Unlike other rice krispie treats, you need to let the marshmallow mixture cool for 15 to 20 minutes. If you get impatient (like I did the first time) and don't let it cool and thicken, your treats will turn out too moist. They'll still taste yummy, but they don't have that nice crunch.

Pour in the cereal and coat well. Transfer to grease pan and press the treats into the pan with greased hands or spatula.

Allow to cool completely and cut into bars.

Because I was making two kinds of rice krispies--pumpkin and brown butter, I halved the recipe.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Pumpkin Recipes
Cheese Tortellini in a Pumpkin Sauce
Cinnamon-Sugar Pastry with Pumpkin Dip
Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes
Pumpkin-Black Bean Stew with Spicy Sausage 
Pumpkin Bread!
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Caramels!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Hot Cocoa 
Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries
Pumpkin Penne Casserole
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Roasted Pumpkin Chickpeas
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with White Chocolate Chips and Dried Cranberries

So I've been trying to not go too crazy with pumpkin recipes this year. Eric loves pumpkin, but I wear him out on it every fall. So this year I'm trying to be good. How good, we'll see. But I have been wanting to make pumpkin oatmeal cookies for some time now. Threw in some white chocolate chips and dried cranberries (I love dried cranberries) for good measure and came up with a pumpkin cookie that even Eric couldn't say no to (he also did not want to share them).

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 15-ounce canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups flour
2 cups quick oats
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until creamy. Add in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla. Combine well and set aside.

In another large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.

Drop a rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to turn a light brown.

Meet Arya, my little helper and crumb catcher and new member of our family.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Pumpkin Recipes
Cheese Tortellini in a Pumpkin Sauce
Cinnamon-Sugar Pastry with Pumpkin Dip
Mini Pumpkin Cupcakes
Pumpkin-Black Bean Stew with Spicy Sausage 
Pumpkin Bread!
Pumpkin Butter
Pumpkin Caramels!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Pumpkin Fudge
Pumpkin Hot Cocoa 
Pumpkin Lasagna Rolls
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Pumpkin Penne Casserole
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Roasted Pumpkin Chickpeas
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds