Happy Thanksgiving week, y’all! We’re excited to celebrate here, especially since
(drumroll please)
We have clean water flowing back in the house! Believe me, this is pretty much the best thing ever. If you’ve never thought about it, clean water running consistently into your home is both an amazing technological innovation and indispensable. I recommend keeping it.
Anyway, with that being said, we’ll be busy this week filling orders and making our own Thanksgiving dinner and treats, so I’m here to give you a roundup for your own holiday meal, in case you’re looking for some last-minute ideas. (And psst – if you wanna get a head start on your post-Thanksgiving treats and gifts, get your holiday orders in with me as soon as you can. Let the madness begin!)
A few quick reminders as we dig in to this holiday season, which are, as always, reiterated in several recipes and posts:
- Buy local when you can. Your farmers (especially your WNC farmers if you’re a local!) want and need your support, and food will taste so much better when it’s harvested close to you, both in time and space.
- Buy humanely-raised meats and meat byproducts. You may think you’re getting a deal with turkeys that are cents a pound, but the store is duping you into buying junk you don’t need to get that price, and that turkey almost certainly didn’t live a good, healthy life. Support farmers who raise animals with dignity and sustainable practices if you choose to eat meat.
- Eat real food. Cook it, buy it, order it to be delivered, whatever – just eat actual food and not a list of food-like lab junk from a box. (Psst again – if you want to share in my rage/amusement at some of these frankenproducts, I have an Instagram for it: @thatisnotfood)
- Be kind, respectful, and patient with your service workers and servers – this is a busy and often rough season with a lot of emotions running high. Treat everyone like the humans they are, and we’ll all be happier for it.
Without further ado, here’s the roundup. Happy cooking, baking, and eating, y’all!
Pies & Tarts
- Basic Pie Crust
- Hand Pies
- Chocolate Frangipane Tart
- Chocolate Pecan Tart with Salted Caramel
- Pumpkin Pie
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Other Desserts
- Amaretto Sour Pound Cake
- Blue Ribbon Pound Cake
- Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
- Cushaw Cake with Ginger Buttercream
- Pumpkin Creme Brulee
- Pumpkin Ice Cream
- Pumpkin Roll Cake
Breads
Appetizers and Sides
- Braised Greens
- Braised Beans
- Brussels Sprouts, Two Ways
- Homemade Crackers
- Kale Salad
- Pimento Cheese
- Tostones (Twice-Fried Plantains) and Saucy Beans
The Crunchy Baker 