Thanksgiving Inspiration

It is incredibly hard to be away from my family on Thanksgiving day.  There are so many memories tied to the food, places we stayed, the extended family we had gathered with us, while being all bundled up and sipping cider...the best memories.  This will be the third year in a row we haven't made it back to Oregon this time of year, but we have started a great tradition with my cousin who luckily lives nearby.

Instead of a weekly menu, I wanted to share some recipes that I have either tried personally, or have been on my list of things I want to try soon.  I'm embarrassed to admit I have never cooked (and might not ever cook) a turkey myself, so I have no recommendations in that department.  And if you are looking for a killer pumpkin pie recipe this isn't for you either (makes me gag), but if you are looking for some good sides, yummy rolls, or a delicious dessert for your Thanksgiving meal - you are in the right place!

Sides:

Sautéed Carrots - simple, but so tasty

Sweet Potato Casserole - I make this every year. Not too heavy, and a hint of citrus.

Green Bean Casserole - A variation that includes delicious mushrooms, if you are into that kind of thing ;)

Apple Cranberry Pecan Spinach Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette - whoa. The perfect Thanksgiving salad.

Crispy Fan Potatoes - Ryan's grandma introduced these to us a few years ago, and we can't go back!

Breads:

Rosemary Dinner Rolls - Simple, but flavorful.

Parmesan Garlic Rosemary Knots - I know for a fact these are to die for.

Sea Salt Herb Skillet Rolls - I want to give these a try this year

Parker House Rolls - Just can't go wrong with the classics!

Desserts:

Perfect Pumpkin Roll - A classic. Don't be scared, just because it looks pretty doesn't mean it is hard to make!

Pumpkin Crunch Dump Cake - I have never made this, but it sounds so simple, and so good!

Pecan Pie Bars - There's something about a piece of pecan pie after a hearty Thanksgiving meal...always hits the spot. And this is a fun variation.

Apple Crisp Mini Cheesecakes - Although I am not a cheesecake fan, I have heard these are incredible!

Cinnamon Sugared Pecans - I threw these in there because they would make such a great "thank you for being a friend" treat. I would love to make these this week!

Weekly Menu - November 13th

How is it nearing the end of November? Usually by this time I have ideas of what to get friends and family for Christmas, and have a pretty lengthy list myself ;) But I have been distracted by so many good things, including finding yummy food for the weekly menu.  I have some exciting additions coming to the menu starting next week, but for this week I am sure you will enjoy at least on of these! Easy, healthy, and incredibly delicious.

Thai Baked Sweet Potatoes - I already have an obsession with sweet potatoes, but this meal has a fun twist! It is incredibly easy too so that is a big bonus.

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup - Fall to me means soup - and this website is incredible. Some savvy friends showed me "Budget Bites" and how to cheaply prepare delicious meals. Highly recommend.

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef Tacos (Chipotle Copycat) - Need I say more? 

Garlic Lovers Salmon - A classic, delicious, easy salmon recipe that is great on a grill or in the oven.

Zucchini Herbed Ricotta Flatbread - This has an easy pizza dough recipe that you can make ahead of time - life saver!

If you try one, tag your picture using #laurensweeklymenu - we'd love to see your final product! 

Weekly Menu - November 6th

This fall is flying by too quickly! I can't wait for Christmas to come, but I also want to savor all the feelings that fall brings. Cold(er) weather, pumpkin everything, the anticipation of Thanksgiving and Christmas...

This week's menu might be the favorite so far. All are easy, all are healthy, and all sound SO good to me:

Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos - You can eat this as a chip dip, a lettuce wrap, or wrapped in a warm tortilla. We change it up every time!

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken - SO easy. Eat as is, with rice, in a taco, it is really versatile. And did I mention easy??

Veggie Pad Thai with Peanuts and Basil - This is a great at-home thai food recipe. Who doesn't love a good pad thai? And it's really easy to add a meat of your choice if you would rather not have it be just veggies.

Pea Pesto Pasta with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Arugula - I almost always have the pesto from costco on hand, so this makes for a quick meal!

Black Bean and Pumpkin Chili - Because it is November, everyone should have this at least once this fall :)

This has made my life so much easier! I know meal planning can be a pain, but once you get into the habit it makes grocery runs so much easier - not to mention it usually helps lower the grocery bill.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Orange Glaze

Who knew orange and pumpkin would be such a winning pair! If you want to know what fall truly tastes like, you should make these cookies ;) 

Ingredients:

1⁄2 Cup Granulated Sugar

1⁄2 Cup Brown Sugar

1⁄2 Cup Shortening (or butter)

1 Cup Canned Pumpkin

2 Tablespoons Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, undiluted

2 Cups White Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1⁄4 Teaspoon Salt

1⁄4 Teaspoon Nutmeg

1⁄4 Teaspoon Ginger

1 Cup Chocolate Chips

Frosting:

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

1/3 Cup Butter

1 1⁄2 Teaspoon Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate, undiluted

1 Tablespoon Grated Orange Peel (optional)

3 Tablespoons Milk

1 Dash Salt

Cream together sugars and butter/shortening. Add in the pumpkin and orange juice concentrate. Mix well. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix well. Add chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookies sheet, do not grease. Bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with orange butter frosting when slightly warm for glaze or cool and frost. 

(Double recipe to use a whole can of 15 oz. pumpkin and a whole bag of 12oz. chocolate chips. Frosting will almost frost a double recipe of cookies.)

*Notes*

I added a little extra flour to make the cookies less flat. About 1/2-1 cup more. 

Also, I am not sure if it was my oven, but when I baked at 350 degrees for 10 minutes they were still very gooey. So I turned up the oven to 375 and baked them for 12-3 minutes. Give the first batch a try and see if you need to tweak anything!

Thank you Nistler family for the best cookie recipe in the world!!

Weekly Menu - October 30th

On my fridge, I have a list of about 15 meals that are my all time favorites. And for months, we would rotate through the same ol' thang. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE every one of those meals, but I didn't really have a reason to start searching for new recipes. This weekly menu blog has been the push I needed to get out of my comfort zone and try new things! I hope in some small way, it has been helpful to you as well.

There are a couple recipes this week that I can't wait to try, and some that are staples around here (creamy salsa chicken...it is to die for). I challenge you to choose one this week, plan ahead, and try something new!

Balsamic Chicken and Veggies - a one pan meal. Easy as pie.

Roasted Buddha Bowl - I am dying to try this one. Roasted veggies, grains and a yummy dressing? Perfection!

Coconut Curry Tacos - Another that I am excited for. Curry soups are my jam, but curry tacos caught my attention...

Slow Cooker Creamy Salsa Chicken - My friend Seri gave me this recipe about a year ago. I have made it a zillion times since, and it is delicious every time. We tried it with pork today and let me tell you, it was heaven. With some rice and a warm tortilla??? mmmm)

Flatbread Pizza with Spinach, Onions, and Feta - Another favorite. Except fun fact, I hate feta cheese. So I always substitute with gouda or mozzarella.

Pumpkin Bars & Cookies

I have made two different pumpkin goodies this past week, and both are DELICIOUS.  Several people have asked for both recipes, so I thought I would put them in a post together!  I will have more pumpkin items coming, but for now make sure to check out the pumpkin bars recipe here and the pumpkin cookies recipe here.

Enjoy!

Cashew n' Oat Granola

This really is the easiest granola recipe - I know it by heart.  I timed it today to make sure I wasn't exaggerating, and it literally takes five minutes to put together.  If you love coconut, and if you love cashews, then you will LOVE this.

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup cashews
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In large bowl, mix together oats, cashews, almonds, coconut and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine the syrup, oil and salt. Top the dry ingredients with the syrup mixture and stir until evenly coated.

Pour onto 1 large, or 2 medium sheet pans, and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes (stirring halfway through).

When finished, immediately pull out pans and take a spatula to stir around the granola so it won't stick to the pan as it cools - let cool for 5-10 minutes.  Break up into chunks and keep in an air-tight container or zip-locked back.

Adapted from this recipe.