Recipe Wednesday: Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes from our Family

Thanksgiving is almost here and instead of just one recipe this week, I thought I’d share some of my favorite recipes we have in our family. I have a big family when you include aunts,uncles and cousins so we always have a ton of good food each year, it’s hard for me to pick just one favorite recipe! Here are a few I wanted to share:

Party Cheeseball – (This is one of the few white foods I eat and actually really like!)
2 -8oz pkg cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheese (1 pkg of cheese is usually 2 c – I usually use sharp cheddar)
1 tsp chopped onion (or to taste if you like more)
1 tsp chopped green pepper (or to taste if you like more)
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small pkg crushed pecans or almonds

Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so it’s easier to mix. All all ingredients except nuts to a mixing bowl and begin mixing everything together to form into a ball. It’s usually easier just to do this with your hands. Once the ball is formed, set it on the serving plate and take a handful of the nuts and start to push them into the ball to create a coating of nuts over the cheese ball. Repeat until the whole cheeseball is covered. Serve with crackers like Ritz, Wheat Thins or Triscuits.

Baked Potato Salad
8 Large boiled potatoes cut into chunks
1 c mayo (I omit this and it’s fine!)
1 lb Velvetta Cheese, diced
1/2 onion, chopped
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 c sliced stuffed olives

Mix all ingredients except bacon and olives in a bowl. Add salt and pepper. Fold into a greased 9×12 baking dish and top with bacon and olives. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. This can be made ahead and frozen or refrigerated.

Crockpot Meatballs
 3 lbs Hamburger
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 large onion minced fine
Salt & pepper to taste
12 oz. jar grape jelly
1 jar chili sauce

Mix all ingredients together except jelly and chili sauce. Form into small meatballs & fry the meatballs in the skillet on the stove until no longer pink. Add the meatballs to the crockpot and cover with grape jelly and chili sauce. Cook 4-6 hours until jelly & chili sauce are well blended making sure the sauce does not burn in the crockpot.




Cranberry Relish
1 pkg Ocean Spray Cranberries
1 apple
1 orange
1 cup sugar
1 pkg raspberry jello
1 small can crushed pineapple (drained)
1 small pkg nuts (optional)

Cut apple and orange into small pieces. Add cut apple, orange and cranberries to good processor to finely chop.  Transfer to bowl and add the sugar and let it dissolve. Add the jello and 1 cup hot water to the mixture. Stir & let it cool before adding the nuts or crushed pineapple. The pineapple should be drained otherwise there will be too much liquid and the jello will not set up.

Rot Your Teeth Party Punch (This is so sweet but so good! A little goes a long way)
2 pkg Kool-Aide (1 cherry & 1 raspberry)
2 c sugar
2 qts water
1 46 oz can pineapple juice (unsweet)
1 qt 7 up

Mix Kool-Aide, sugar, water and add pineapple juice. Chill & pour over ice and add 7-up.

So there you have it! These are some of my favorite recipes we have in our family. What about you? What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish? I’d love it if you would leave the recipe in the comments, I always like to try new things (as long as it’s not white!).