Ugh. People.
The holidays are overwhelming. Even when I’m not hosting a big turkey dinner, the season manages to feel chaotic. If you’re anything like me, you may have nothing planned — or, if you’re the organized type, everything already scheduled. When I try to plan too far in advance, I just keep adding items to my list, much like early holiday shopping: add, add, add. I only need to decide between chocolate or pumpkin, lasagna or casserole, tequila or rum, and then an email shows up asking whether I’m a boy or a girl. Yep — real life. It’s enough to make me question the entire universe.
And because you clearly don’t have enough recipes already, here’s a fresh list culled from my starred items in Google Reader over the last month or two — all new from 2011. I love shiny, new recipes, so these are some favorites I’ve bookmarked. If you have others to add, drop them in the comments. I promise I don’t bite. Well, except when I’m hungry.
P.S. There are more vegetable dishes than desserts here. Not sure who I am anymore.
P.P.S. Some recipes below are gluten-free (and even vegan). A full list of gluten-free Thanksgiving ideas exists, but I haven’t included external links here.
P.P.P.S. I’m really hungry now.
Appetizers & Starters
The Perfect Cheese Plate
Tapas Stuffed Mushrooms
Cranberry Pear Salsa
Spicy Butternut Squash Soup
Cheesy Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms
Creamy Pumpkin Soup Shooters
Gorgonzola-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Prosciutto
Roasted Autumn Panzanella Salad
Pumpkin Dip
Acorn Squash Soup with Cheesy Croutons
Holiday Salad with Cranberry-Apple-Orange Vinaigrette
Cranberry Mustard
Pumpkin Fondue
Pecan, Brown Sugar & Kahlua Baked Brie
Prosciutto Bruschetta with Browned Sage Butter
Squash Hummus with Homemade Flatbread
Goat Cheese & Pistachio Stuffed Dates
Turkey
Roasted Turkey with Herb Butter and Shallots
Roasted Turkey Legs
Roasted Game Hens
Mayonnaise-Roasted Turkey
The Ultimate Thanksgiving Turkey
Apple-Sage Brined Turkey Breast
Gravy
Make-Ahead Homemade Gravy
Classic Turkey Gravy
Giblet Gravy
Stuffing
Skillet Stuffing
Baked Apples with Savory Stuffing
Quinoa, Sweet Potato & Dried Cranberry Stuffing
Pancetta & Sage Stuffing Muffins
Herb Baked Stuffing
Double Bread Stuffing with Brown Butter, Bacon & Sage
Sourdough Stuffing with Mushrooms, Apples & Sage
Tamale Cornbread Dressing
Potatoes
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Streusel
Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Lightened-Up Sweet Potato Casserole
Creamy Mashed Red Potatoes
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Traditional Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Gratin with Gruyère
Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chili Beans
Brown Butter Coconut Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Vegetable Dishes
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash & Cranberries
Broccoli Basil Mac and Cheese
Brussels Sprouts Braised with Cream & Sweet Dates
Cheesy Skillet Scalloped Corn
Roasted Butternut & Sweet Potato Whole Wheat Lasagna
Peas with Orange & Mint
Creamy Leek Gratin with Bacon & Breadcrumbs
Butternut Mushroom Bread Pudding
Maple-Roasted Endive
Roasted Cauliflower with Olives & Herbs
Red Wine-Glazed Mushrooms
Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pecans & Brown Butter
Pumpkin-Stuffed Lasagna Rolls
Truffled Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts
Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Shallots
Pumpkin-Sage Risotto
Roasted Green Beans with Red Bell Pepper
Crispy Acorn Squash Rounds
Brussels Sprouts with Gin, Pancetta, Caraway & Sherry
Fruit Dishes
Crockpot Applesauce
Cinnamon-Poached Pears with Sorbet
Crockpot Apple Cranberry Sauce
Spiced Cranberry Chutney with Apricots & Pecans
Sweet Potato–Stuffed Baked Apples with Toasted Marshmallows
Cranberry Sauce with Brown Sugar & Pecans
Breads
Hasselback Garlic Cheesy Bread
Sweet Potato & Honey Dinner Rolls
Cheddar Sage Biscuits
Flaky Crescent Rolls
Pumpkin Biscuits with Candied Ginger
Buttery Cloverleaf Rolls
No-Knead Rosemary Crescent Rolls
Cinnamon Sweet Potato Biscuits
Desserts
Pumpkin S’mores
Caramel Apple Trifles
Autumn Delight Cake
Two-Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies
Velvet Spice Cake with Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Maple Crème Brûlée
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Perfect Pumpkin Roll
Sweet Potato Pie
Pecan Pie (without the pecans)
Pumpkin Tiramisu
Cinnamon-Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake
Salted Caramel Cheesecake Pie
Nutmeg Pot de Crème
Pumpkin Crunch Cake
Cranberry-Orange Caramel Corn
Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
Cocktails
Hot Vanilla Cider
Caramel Appletini
Apple Cider Margaritas
Spiced Apple Cider Sangria
Cranberry-Pomegranate Margarita
Apple-Ginger Calvados Cocktail
Spiced Cranberry Prosecco Punch
Now give it up — what are you making?