My family (French Canadian) has a stuffing that is similar to the Candain meat pie Danielle has posted.  We just love it!
equal parts ground beef and ground pork, mixed well together
saute chopped celery tops, onion, parsley, mix in meat until browned.  Season with poultry seasoning, sage, garlic salt and pepper.  Add in some mashed potatoes and blend well.  Bake with or without the turkey (but making it with the turkey really adds a lot of flavor).

This is my first year hosting (and making the turkey), so I’m not expecting too much of the meat. But I’m very excited about my sweet potatoes and corn bread! I’m also going to make Danielle Bean’s delicious pumpkin bread. http://daniellebean.com/recipes/breads-and-rolls/pumpkin-bread/ Yum!

For the sweet potatoes, I’m going with the same recipe I used for our All Saints’ Day Feast this year - Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey Butter. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-sweet-potatoes-with-honey-butter-recipe/index.html It’s delicious, but be warned that it takes longer in the oven than the recipe calls for (30 minutes at 375 degrees was nowhere near enough); and go light on the olive oil, it’s easy for it to get too olive oil-y.

The cornbread recipe I actually just posted on my blog! It’s a new favorite inspired by Little House on the Prairie. http://citaonline.blogspot.com/2009/09/baking-for-thanksgiving.html

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is my second year to go with Danielle’s cranberry sauce recipe. It’s perfect.  In lieu of pumpkin pie I’ve started preparing Paula Deen’s Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-gooey-butter-cakes-recipe/index.html

I also make everything else in a traditional manner.  I go all out and make homemade rolls, too.  Can’t wait!  Oh, and today I bought a slow cooker with three separate inserts.  I’m still feeling more happy than guilty about that, so it’s probably a keeper.

My Mom insists upon doing most of the work for Thanksgiving still, but I do help with desserts and I also will provide a broccoli casserole.  We forgot that one last year and there was mutiny.  I thank you, Danielle, for the Pecan Pie recipe without corn syrup.  I will try that one.  I will also make a Chocolate Toffee Trifle, which is not very Thanksgiving-sounding, but it is one of the few desserts my aunt who is allergic to many things (eggs, soy) can eat as I have a chocolate cake recipe without eggs in it.  All this talk of food has me so grateful for the bounty we have all year long!

A fairly light year as I am still pretty puky.

turkey (brined first)
mashed potatoes
stuffing (basic bread,onion/celery with sausage and apple)
fresh green beans (tossed with a bacon vinegarette)
rolls
gravy
sunshine salad/family tradition (orange jell-o, pineapple and shredded carrots)
velveeta shells and cheese (don’t ask :D )
pumpkin tiramisu
chocolate pie

maybe pumpkin and apple pie too

don’t forget to stock up on pumpkin ladies. It will be hard/impossible to find by Christmas and through until next fall

We have 65 people coming this year. We all just bring a few sides and a dessert or two and we trade off years bringing the turkey. There is always more than enough food and everyone has a wonderful time.

Danielle - thank you so much for the great idea. I LOVE to try new things and I try them at family gatherings and I always get the “you mean you didn’t make Mom’s stuffing?!?”  So the suggestion of saving experimentation for other times gives me an excuse for additional entertaining!
And Dawn, I too bought the 3 insert slow cooker, but guilt has overcome and I plan on returning it. Maybe for a less expensive triple buffet server that doubles as a warming plate! I think I might get more use out of it. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, we are all truly blessed.