Indulge In {White Cheddar Garlic Mashed Potatoes}

We are one Thursday closer to Thanksgiving and one side closer to cooking up the perfect bird. No Thanksgiving meal is complete without a heaping side of mashed potatoes. But, instead of going with the traditional butter milk mashed, I kicked it up a notch with a bit of roasted garlic and white cheddar cheese. They had just the right amount of flavor to add a bang but still nicely compliment each of your other side dishes. I plan on serving them up with the roasted brussel sprouts I showed you last week and some homemade stuffing. While the turkey is the main item of interest at every Thanksgiving meal, the sides always make it better in my book. Here's the recipe...

:: Ingredients ::
3 lbs. Petite Red Potatoes
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Cup Milk
1 8oz Block White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/4 Cup Butter
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Olive Oil

:: Direction ::
1. In a large pot, bring water and potatoes to a boil. Cook until tender.
2. In a small pan, heat olive oil. Once hot, add garlic and saute.
3. Drain the potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper and beat on high until light and fluffy. Add garlic and cheese and mix until well combined.

Indulge In {Roasted Brussel Sprouts}

Another Thursday, another week closer to Thanksgiving, and another yummy side to compliment your turkey. I have to say that today's side is one of my favorites. While brussel sprouts may be every kid's worst nightmare (next to spinach), it sure is delicious when roasted with a bit of olive oil, balsamic, and my favorite part, crispy pancetta. I like to believe that even though it's mixed with bits of pancetta it's still healthy! Healthy or not, it's still an amazing compliment to your turkey. Here's the recipe...

:: Ingredients ::
1 lb. Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1/4 lb. Pancetta, diced
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

:: Directions ::
1. Toss brussel sprouts with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet.
2. Top brussels with diced pancetta and bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Indulge In {Mini Pumpkin Pies}

Halloween is over and it's the first of November. Holiday season is officially upon us! It's time to start preparing the house for holiday guests and prepping for your big Thanksgiving meal. Over the next couple weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I'm going to be sharing some of my favorite sides to accompany your turkey. I wanted to start today with a throw back post of my favorite holiday treat, pumpkin pie. I made these last year and they were a huge hit. Instead of making one big pie, I love making individual size portions in cupcake tins. Each guest then has the option to top as they please with whipped cream, caramel, or both! Here's the recipe...

:: Ingredients ::

1 (15 ounce) can Pumpkin Puree
11 Ounces Soymilk
2 Large Eggs
1 Large Egg White
1 Teaspoon Cornstarch
3/4 Cups White Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
3/4 Teaspoon Ginger
3/4 Teaspoon Clove
1 Teaspoon Allspice
3/4 Teaspoon Ginger
2 Unbaked 9 inch Pie Crust

:: Directions ::

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl then add to wet ingredients. Blend until smooth.
3. Using a round cookie cutter, cut pie crust into rounds. Spray cupcake tin with non stick spray and place 1 pie round in a tin. Fill with filling.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes
5. Turn heat down to 350 degrees and bake 40-50 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
6. Cool and serve