Thanksgiving Hacks - Part FIVE - Pies and Sides
Pies & sides
Forget tradition - What does your family like?
PIES
Let’s just get this out of the way right now: There’s nothing wrong with buying premade or frozen pie crusts - or premade or frozen pies.
Heck, if you like the convenience of frozen or bakery pies, by all means serve them to your guests.
My mom loved to bake, and she made wonderful pies from scratch. But, when they were on sale, she’d stock up on Marie Callender pies. She’d call to tell me she was “making” a pie, and I’d say, “No, Mom, you’re baking a pie.” Either way, there was nothing tastier than a freshly-baked Razzleberry pie from Marie (and Mom).
If you’re a purist who makes crust from scratch, you can make your crust and freeze it in the pie plates up to a month before you plan to use them. Be sure to wrap each pie plate individually before stacking, so they don’t stick together. Defrost in the fridge the day you plan to use them, and keep refrigerated until you fill them for the oven. I usually bake my pumpkin pies the night before Thanksgiving.
BTW… Pumpkin pie is a traditional dessert, but that doesn’t mean you need to serve it. Last year I baked my mom’s pumpkin pie recipe, and our guests brought cherry pie & tiramisu. Everyone had something they loved. Serve what will make you and your guests happy. Create your own traditions.
LET’S DISCUSS SIDE DISHES
If you saw our earlier installments, you know what to do to prep your potatoes, sweet potatoes & stuffing ahead of time. If you missed it, check out “Thanksgiving Hacks” Part Two and Part Three.
If you’re debating what to fix, ask yourself this:
What kinds of side dishes does your family like? Noodles? Macaroni & Cheese? Cheesy Potatoes?
What do YOU like?
Make that, whatever it is.
One of my favorite Thanksgiving memories is my young daughter eating black olives off her fingertips at my mom & dad’s house. It really doesn’t matter what you serve, as long as you and your guests will enjoy it.
Open a can of corn if that’s what your family will eat. Heck, open a can of baked beans if that’s what they like. I guarantee the pilgrims didn’t have green bean casserole with mushroom soup & canned onion rings at the first Thanksgiving. (Side note - Did you know that your green bean casserole was a brilliant marketing ploy by Campbell’s in 1955 to sell more mushroom soup?)
Some folks love that green bean casserole, and Thanksgiving is not complete without it. Personally, I’d rather have soup-free green beans with some onions, ham or bacon, and maybe a little bit of balsamic, a sprinkle of brown sugar, a dab of butter, salt & pepper. You could still put those fried onions on top, if you wish. And let’s be honest here. Would you eat those soupy beans without the onions? I didn’t think so.
It comes down to this: Make your own tradition with your own food choices.
BONUS RECIPES
CRANBERRIES, ANYONE? I never understood why anyone would like cranberries until I tried a spoonful of Mom’s leftover cranberry salad on a turkey sandwich. Sweet apples, tart cranberries, crunchy pecans & juicy oranges, all bound together with cherry Jello. It was life-changing.
Here’s the recipe, if you want to give it a try: https://www.brickhouseonmain.com/blogs-recipes/2017/3/16/moms-cranberry-salad
CRANBERRY TEA, TOO. A friend shared this recipe with me nearly 40 years ago, and it’s still my guest-favorite for a hot or cold punch.
Here’s the recipe: https://www.brickhouseonmain.com/blogs-recipes/cranberry-punch
Tomorrow - Part SIX - Relax! You’ve got this!