I need to get in gear here. The only thing I’ve seen that I might make is a pull apart cranberry-brie bread to offer as an appetizer maybe. Otherwise, we’ll stick to our much expected old-fashioned menu.
I make the same stuff exactly the same each year and everyone likes it. But I do like the idea of a new appetizer!
I don’t host for T-day, so I usually bring a cocktail , an app, a veg, and a dessert. This year I’m trying Geoffrey Zacharian’s Thanksgiving mule (https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/geoffrey-zakarian/thanksgiving-mules-7523655) Haven’t figured out the app, veg, or dessert yet. Everyone loves Brussels sprouts, which is my usual go-to, but I may shake it up this year and bring something else. The host makes a lot of veg, so it’s hard to come up with something “different” than the usual. Good thread idea 
A recipe came across FB today for cinnamon butter carrots. I’m making that! It looks great and sounds delicious.
After so many years (decades by now) of hosting “strays” and/or family after last Thanksgiving H and I discussed the idea of doing a restaurant meal this year since we were figuring just the two of us and we can eat the foods we like anytime. But- his vegetarian mom will be with us. As I’ve done forever, I’ll likely cook my favorites and H’s Indian ones- two combined menues and a lot of leftovers with presumably just the three of us(I don’t do turkey- fowl of my choice).
Pumpkin pie is a must (eggs in desserts no problem for mother in law- she likes it). It takes just as much time and effort to do a standard four person dish than to cut back so there will be no cooking Friday…
Oh- and it gets harder when the crowd is over 60- smaller appetites.
I would love to see the recipe for the cranberry brie pull apart bread!
I’m thinking about making this salad for something different. I think it looks amazing and I’d like a bowl RIGHT NOW! Shredded brussels sprout bacon salad
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/shredded-brussels-sprout-bacon-salad/
I am going to steal @abasket’s salad! 
Due to this thread, I spent some time today going through recipes. I think I’m going to make sauteed green beans with garlic and pine nuts. Have narrowed down a pie to a dark chocolate pear galette, a tipsy apple and dried cranberry pie with Grand Marnier, or a cranberry wild blueberry pie.
I am excited to try Brussels Sprouts in my new air fryer - haven’t decided on a recipe yet. Otherwise, we do the same stuff year after year. We look forward to them, as many of the dishes we don’t make any other time of the year.
I’m thinking about picking up KFC…
Chinese style sticky rice for the turkey stuffing. And for those people who have had Peking Duck before, thin pancakes to wrap the turkey. The
We usually go to a friend’s house and bring about 3 pies for a big crowd. But the friends are still exhausted from last year and they’re not doing it, so I get to cook for the first time in years. It’s a bit worrisome but it will only be about 6 of us.
I’m sure we’ll make at least some of the usual things. This year I want to try a pie that features pears with wine and rosemary. I haven’t baked that one yet.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pear-pie-with-red-wine-and-rosemary
I also made a veg dish a month or so ago that was a big hit. You’ve heard of a Turducken? Well this veg version was a Buttzucchas! Butternut squash stuffed with zucchini stuffed with a spear of asparagus. I put a few Brussels sprouts in the hollow at the lower end of the butternut squash so it was all very picturesque, lol.
I don’t have a recipe because I winged it but you just slice the squash lengthwise, hollow out the seeds (and save them to roast!), slice the zucchini in half lengthwise, trace the zucchini half over the butternut squash with a paring knife and carve out that space. I found an apple corer worked well for that. Repeat for the asparagus inside the zucchini - that one is much easier to do. I brushed it with olive oil and sprinkled it with seasoning and roasted it. Pretty easy.
Check out these Cranberry Brie Bites – they look easy and yummy!
My nephew just was diagnosed with celiac, so we are going gluten free this year. Which includes not using wood cutting boards and spoons that may still have lingering traces of gluten. I’m making a gluten free bread for the stuffing and his mother is bringing pies. I’m actually more worried about the rest of the weekend. Dh usually makes waffles and we are pretty sure we can’t trust the waffle iron, but will probably try for a pancake mix. The only gluten free one I’ve tried before was horrible.
The sticky rice stuffing sounds interesting. Maybe another year we’ll try that. And that brussel sprout bacon salad looks wonderful. I’ve shredded brussels sprouts with the food processor slicer blade in the past.
Red wine and pears! Yum. Sounds like a winner! Thanks!!! I need a new pie recipe to save the Thanksgiving! My wild strawberry groundcover and quince trees were sold with House1 2 years ago. Sigh. The quince tree we just planted is not going to fruit for a couple of years, so no apple-quince pies this Thanksgiving. And no wild strawberry pies either… the ground cover is not yet ready to fruit. I have been using the stuff I froze back in the day, but I finally used it all up.
@greenwitch - told Mr. about red wine and pear pile. ? ? He is excited. ?
I nearly always host , a mixture of the old lad favorites and new things. My go-to guide for new pies and sides will be (like most years) the November issue of Southern Living magazine. Tested, always good. Can’t decide if the new pie will be the Roasted Granny Smith Apple one or the Dulce de Lethe Cheesecake Pecan.
But then you had to post that red wine and pear recipe…@greenwitch.?
We have had buckwheat pancakes and they are delicious. I think they are gluten free.
D’s MIL loves my faro squash casserole. So I am taking that (always just make it up as I go but started with Ina Gartens recipe) and mashed potatoes. I do not like any of the Thanksgiving foods except cranberries. The farro will make me happy.
I make something very similar. You can make it easier on yourself and skip the simple syrup. With the other ingredients, it’ll be pretty sweet anyway.
It’s also very good without the alcohol.