Introducing New Thanksgiving Menu Ideas to Your Family

If you're like me you're always on the lookout for somestuffing. I used to make a very simple sage stuffing, in
new Thanksgiving recipes to try. I enjoy cooking andthe bird. It was good, but I wanted to try something
started cooking the family dinner on Thanksgiving adifferent. Several years ago I made an Apple, Sage
few years ago. I also love experimenting with differentand Sausage stuffing, and cooked it separately in the
flavors and ingredients. Some of my favorite foodsoven. I used my homemade Turkey Stock. That year
are ethnic foods such as Moroccan, Indian and Persian.the family didn't touch the Sage Stuffing from the bird,
However, on Thanksgiving I know I have to stick withbut they finished the Apple, Sage and Sausage
classic Thanksgiving recipes, but I try to prepare themStuffing.
with a twist. I know that for years my family has eatenAnother twist I've made to our Thanksgiving dinner
canned jellied cranberry sauce, but I'm tired ofmenu is the addition of ham. But not just any ham, and
cranberry sauce out of the can. The last few years Inot a spiral ham. After I score the skin of a smoked
tried some new Thanksgiving recipes. I've made bothbone-in ham I stud it with cloves. I then cover it with a
Bourbon Cranberry Sauce and Tangy Appleglaze of pineapple juice, brown sugar, Dijon mustard,
Cranberry Chutney, both were very simple to make,garlic and ginger. I then decorate the ham with
and the family enjoyed them. The best part is that wepineapple rings and maraschino cherries. I glaze the
no longer use canned jellied cranberry sauce.ham every 20 minutes during cooking. Another hit. This
My family used to eat plain vegetables like corn andThanksgiving we'll be cooking a smaller turkey and
peas, carrots and creamed corn. Way too much in myenjoying ham too.
opinion. I stopped cooking the creamed corn and theIt's been easy for me to bring a turn about in my
peas and added a Pear Onion au Gratin and afamily's Thanksgiving menu. I've done it slowly and
Campbell's Green Bean Casserole. Since they allcarefully. At each Thanksgiving I add one or two new
enjoyed the new vegetable side dishes they didn'tthings and note their reactions. The next year I prepare
miss the old ones they used to eat.the new recipes they like, and do away with the old
One of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving is therecipe it replaces.