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My Family’s Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

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Today’s shares are four of my family’s four must-have recipes for Thanksgiving!
Original post date, November 21, 2012

 

This is a 4 photo collage showing pictures of our Thanksgiving day table.

For this week’s Tried & True Tuesday, I want to share a few of my family’s must-haves for Thanksgiving. I love the idea of having our family favorites in one location. If my husband, girls, family or friends need one the these recipes, all they have to do is click and print.

The first recipe below is my husband’s favorite, Kelly Thanksgiving Dressing. This recipe has been around longer than me. Just like my grandpa’s Horseradish Cheese Spread, Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving if this isn’t on the table. This dressing is pretty simple and includes the Thanksgiving turkey’s giblets. Did I just lose a few of you with the giblets? My husband didn’t grow up with this type of dressing, but when he had it for the first time over 18 years ago…it was an instant favorite.The next recipe is my little one’s favorite – Mac & Cheese. This is a new addition to our Thanksgiving table the last few years. My sister found a great recipe in Family Circle Magazine that claimed to be the best Mac & Cheese ever! This killer mac & cheese is made with sharp cheddar, gruyere and asiago. My girls and husband agree – it’s the best ever.

Another recipe I’m sharing is one of my all time favorites, Hot Clam Dip. This recipe was introduced to the family by my Aunt almost 40 years ago. When this comes out of the oven, people fight to get at it…it’s that good. The best part, it only has 4 ingredients. It always amazes me how some of the best recipes have so few ingredients.

The last recipe is all my girlfriends’ favorite. This is a copycat recipe from one of my favorite cheese spreads of all time…Apricot Gorgonzola Cheese Spread from The Laundry in Fenton, Michigan. No words can describe how yummy this stuff is. Whenever I’m in Michigan, this a must have. I’ve even get requests from friends to load up a cooler and bring it to Ohio.  My attempt at recreating this spread is pretty good.  I still have to stop and buy the real deal whenever I’m in Michigan. This cheese spread has been on our Thanksgiving appetizer menu for years…it’s the one and only thing my oldest requests each year.

Here are the four recipes:
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Kelly Thanksgiving Dressing
(Traditional Giblet Dressing)

Ingredients
  • 14 Slices of White Bread – Wonder Bread type, dried and cubed
  • Giblets from Turkey – trim and grind
  • 1/4 – 1/2 Cup Butter
  • 4-5 small Onions or 3 medium size onions – chopped
  • 1 3/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning
  • 2 servings Instant Potatoes – prepared according to package
  • 1 1/2 -2 Cups Chicken Broth
Directions
Dry and cube bread. You can do this the night before. I dry my bread out in the oven at @ 225 degrees F. Flipping them once.  The bread is ready when they are hard, with no soft spots.

 

Break by hand to bite size pieces and place in large mixing bowl.

 

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

 

Butter/grease a casserole dish large enough to hold all the dressing.

 

In a large saucepan, melt butter then add giblets and onions. On medium to medium-high heat, cook until onions are done, approx 30 mins. Next, add poultry seasoning and stir well. Pour onion mixture over bread. Mix well. Next add potatoes – mix well. Pour in casserole dish – then pour chicken broth over top. Cover tightly. Bake on middle tack at 350 for approximately about 40 mins or until heated completely through.

 

This is a photo of an old fashioned meat grinder.
This is the grinder my grandpa used every Thanksgiving to grind the giblets for the dressing.

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Mac & Cheese – Awesome Tried & True Recipe!!

My Sister made this Mac & Cheese and it’s to die for. It’s THE side dish my family looks forward to every holiday season.

Family Circle  Mac & Cheese Recipe

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This is a photo of clam dip baked in an oval yellow and cream colored baking dish.

 

Hot Clam Dip Recipe

 

Ingredients
  • 2 (8 ounces) blocks of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 2 (6.5 ounces) cans of minced clams, drained well
  • 1/2 cup sweet yellow onion (or more to taste), chopped small to medium
  • juice from 1/2 of a fresh lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl, squeeze lemon juice over top and mix until well blended.

 

Spoon into oven safe dish, bake on middle rack of oven for 20-25 minutes, until dip starts to turn light golden brown. Remove.

 

Serve warm with favorite crackers and/or banquette.
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Apricot Gorgonzola Cheese Spread

(Inspired by The Laundry’s Apricot Gorgonzola Cheese Spread)
Print Recipe

 

Ingredients

  • 2 (8 oz Blocks) Cream Cheese (softened at room temperature)
  • 5 oz Gorgonzola Cheese (crumbled)
  • 3 oz Bag of Real Bacon – (Better to make your own, but I always cheat)
  • 1/4  Cup or less of Green Onion (green section, chopped)
  • 6-8 oz Apricot Preserves (use more for a sweeter taste)
Directions

In a medium size bowl, mix everything together. Pour in serving dish and allow to chill for 1 hour. Serve chilled with a fresh baguette or favorite crackers.


Tips:

  • Use less cream cheese for stronger Gorgonzola taste. 
  • Use more Apricot Preserves for sweeter taste. Taste test to see what you like best. 
  • Add a dash of cayenne for a little  kick. 

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Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Danni Baird @ Silo Hill Farm

    I'm with Melon this one…I'm already making the horseradish cheese dip….now i want to try the apricot one! Yummm!

    Reply

  2. Mel@Mellywood's Mansion

    The clam dip sounds amazing but I'm not sure where I would get clams, you totally won me with the apricot & cheese, I love cheese and fruit together. I haven't made jams yet this year but I live 10 minutes from the stone fruit orchids, next few weeks I'll be trying this xo

    Reply

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