Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and like every other holiday we’ve celebrated this year, 2020 Thanksgiving will be very different from what we are accustomed.
This is the first year I will be home in Israel since making aliyah four years ago. In the past, I traveled back to America to be “on the ground” for my busiest week of the blog year — Black Friday (which we all know is really Black Fri-week) and Cyber Monday.
I was on the fence about whether or not to go to back for months, but this week, I made my final decision to stay put. I just couldn’t justify the risk to myself — or my family in America — even if that means business may take a small hit (I am working on a plan to make sure you guys don’t miss a deal from KOAB despite the pesky time difference).
The good side of this not-going-to-America coin is that I get to be home with my brood — so at their request, I’ll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the first time in 4 years! I’m putting all our favorites on the menu, including these addictive Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Another must-have for my family is this Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crunch Topping. I haven’t made this for years, so a test run was definitely in order. Rest assured: It’s just as decadent as I remember!
While there is nothing fancy or sophisticated about this casserole, the straight-up comfort food’ness of this dish is perfection. I hope you will think so, too!
If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving recipes, check out the comments below, where KOAB readers from the early days of the blog shared some of their favorites!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crunch Topping 
Casserole Ingredients
- 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks and boiled until tender (15-20 minutes)
- 2 T brown sugar
- 1/2 stick (55 g) of margarine
- 1 t vanilla
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/3 cup of almond, rice or soy milk (pareve)
- 1/4 t salt
Crunch Topping Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 stick (55 g) margarine, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
Whisk together first all ingredients and pour into baking dish.
To make topping, melt margarine in a glass bowl in the microwave, then mix together with remaining crumb topping ingredients. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the casserole is mostly set and the topping is golden.
B’tayavon.
What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes? What new traditions will you be embracing for Thanksgiving 2020? I’d love to hear — please share in the comments section!
Hmm, I haven’t cooked for Thanksgiving in a while, and my family is not super traditional with the foods. Although, the one year we went to Chinese for Thanksgiving with my husband’s side felt too wrong..
I do love pecan pie…but just use the recipe in whatever cookbook i have around, they all seem to work well, sometimes i add some chocolate in.
For mashed potatoes I use margarine, and tons of sauteed onions mixed in.
Here’s something I often do for Succos, but I think would work well for Thanksgiving, as an appetizer or side-
Stuffed acorn squash:
Acorn squash (small ones are best, then you can do one for every two people)
Packaged wild rice mix (I know, not frugal but they are not so very expensive either)
Cut the squash in half, clean out the seeds, and roast on a baking pan at 350till soft, but still holding their shape.
Cook the wild rice mix according to package directions.
When the squash has cooled a little, smush the flesh that is left in the halves down to the bottom, and fill with wild rice.
Serve each person a half.
I also love Thanksgiving. We do sweet potatoes and Mashed potatoes.
For Sweet, I make also a very sweet casserole. I boil about 4 sweet potatos (with skin on) with 4 apples (with skin on, but cored). When everything is soft I take off the peels, and put them in a greased pan (10×10) in layers (sweet potatoes, apples, sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, repeat, then on top dice up about a 1/2 cube of margarine and spread around, a little more brown sugar then top with either marshmallows or marshmallow creme. Bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then uncover for 10 minutes or until marshmallows are soft.
Potatoes: Boil in salted water, when they are soft, drain most of the water, mash with some margarine until mostly smooth, then use either a wisk or your kitchenaid wisks to whip up the potatoes. Add soy milk as needed to get the consistency you like and add salt and pepper while the potatoes are still warm.
Wow, you were not kidding about sweet!
Here is my favorite Thanksgiving recipe. I love it because it is spicy, sweet and completely addictive. (To give proper credit, this was published in The Washington Post, Wednesday, November 15, 2006, Page F8.)
Sweet-and-Sour Pumpkin
(6 servings)
This can be made 1 day ahead minus the mint, which should be added after the pumpkin has been reheated.
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes (may substitute acorn squash)
4 to 6 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is smoking. Add the pumpkin and garlic and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until the pumpkin is light golden brown. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, vinegar and honey, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze and the pumpkin is tender. Transfer to a serving dish, add the mint and stir to combine. Serve warm.
I am embarassed to admit it, but I LOVE instant potatoes. Potato flakes, water, margarine, salt and pepper. Then sneak into the kitchen and throw my serving in the microwave so that it gets really, really hot. Ah, true pleasure!
I found a great pumpkin pie recipe on this website and actually just made it for shabbos. It is always a hit with kids and adults.
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/printer/impossible-pumpkin.htm
instead of sweet potatoes, we make this carrot souffle. we used to just call it that–carrot souffle, until one of my brothers’ friends named it ‘carrot love’
it really is that good!
CARROT LOVE
2 lbs. carrots boiled (baby carrots)
6 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbs. flour
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder (omit this for Passover)
1 – 1 ¼ sticks margarine
For Topping:
½ cup crushed corn flakes (Quaker Oatmeal would also work) (and I omit completely for passover)
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
6 Tbs. brown sugar
4 Tbs. melted margarine
Puree carrots in food processor, add the next six ingredients.
I actually use my immersion (stick) blender in the pot the carrots were cooked in. fewer dishes–yay! just mash slightly before you start blending up. make sure the carrots are very well cooked.
The soufflé can be prepared the night before without the topping and kept in the refrigerator. Then put on the topping when ready to bake. Bake 45 minutes to an hour at 350.
Serves 10-12
if you make this for passover, it will be much flatter, but still very good.
I use coconut cream (not the water or the sweetened stuff for cocktails, the emulsified stuff) to keep it pareve. I cook garlic cloves in the coconut cream until they are soft, and then add the whole thing to the cooked potatoes before I mash it. It comes out really creamy and tasty, but probably a little high in saturated fat.
My favorite thanksgiving dish is the stuffing!
This is my fave Thanksgiving dish and has been a constant on my family’s Thanksgiving table since I was a kid. I’m not a big sweet potato fan but I looove this dish.
Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Walnuts
Makes one 13” x 9″ pan
3-4 large sweet potatoes
3 granny smith apples
1 1/2 cups walnuts (halves or pieces)
1/2 lb. margarine
1/2 lb. brown sugar
1 Tbs. water
Wash, pierce, and boil sweet potatoes just until they can be pierced through with a fork — DO NOT cook until mushy. Drain, cool, and peel potatoes.
Melt margarine with brown sugar and water in large saucepan. Cook on medium/medium-low until sugar is fully dissolved and it becomes a thick sauce (approximately 20-30 minutes), stirring occasionally.
While margarine and sugar are cooking, slice potatoes into 1/2 inch-thick rounds. Peel and core the apples, then halve vertically, and slice them into 1/4 inch thick semi-circles.
Place sweet potatoes upright in rows down the length of the pan, not packing them too tightly. Push an apple slice, curved side up in pan, in spaces between potatoes. Sprinkle walnuts over potatoes and apples. Finally, pour the margarine/sugar mixture evenly over the pan’s contents. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through and apples soften (approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour).
I grew up in rural PA, home of the Amish. This is a Pennsylvania classic, and a treat I make a few times a year, including Sukkot, Thanksgiving, and an occasional Shabbat. The beauty of this dessert is that it does not require refrigeration, which after a large holiday meal refrigerator space is always at a premium.
Shoo Fly Pie (Can be Pareve or Dairy)
Crumb:
1/4 cup shortening (butter or pareve margarine)
1.5 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
Work above ingredients together in a bowl
Liquid:
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup molasses
1/8 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup hot water
pinch of ginger, cardamon, & clove
1/4 tsp salt
Mix all the ingredients together and then add the hot water
Into an unbaked pie shell, put the crumbs and liquid in alternate layers with crumb on the bottom and on the top.
Bake 15mins @450F; then 20 min @ 350F. Comes out UGLY but sooo YUMMY. It is the perfect dessert leftover for breakfast with a cup of coffee.
I’m glad you are staying in Israel and staying safe. Family first. Enjoy the holiday.
Warmly,
Lisa
Thank you so much, Lisa. I appreciate that. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I feel like it was the right one.
You have no idea how happy I am to have come across your website! I have used other kosher sites, but they seem to not be geared toward ‘just family’. Tonight, we’ll be eating smashed potatoes, thanks to your recipe. They look fantastic, and after I check out your other recipes, I may have to try them all. Thank you so much – and may HaShem bless you and your family.
Aw, thank you so much! This is such a lovely comment! I hope you enjoy the smashed potatoes!