meal plan

We’re only a few days away from Thanksgiving, and many of us are already planning and preparing for the great feast. What was your family’s favorite part about last year’s Thanksgiving meal plan? What did you have entirely too much of afterwards? Was there anything that wasn’t as popular? (Personally, I think all Thanksgiving meals would be better with more mashed potatoes and much less stuffing.)

If you’re looking to adjust your Thanksgiving meal plan or try something new, here are a few Thanksgiving favorites from the writers of the BJU Press Homeschool blog!

Sharon’s Baked Corn

Ingredients

1 qt. corn, frozen or fresh

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1/8 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. oil

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. flour

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. Pour into a greased slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 3 hours and then on low for 45 minutes.

Sharon loves this recipe because it gives her an easy but delicious side dish to have cooking while she’s focusing on other, more involved dishes.

Megan’s Shoo-Fly Pie

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp. shortening

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup dark Karo Syrup

1 egg, beaten

3/4 cup water

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup hot water

1 pie crust

Directions

1. Mix sugar, flour, and shortening until crumbs form and reserve ½ cup for top of pie.
2. In another bowl, blend together syrup, egg, and ¾ cup water.
3. Combine crumbs and syrup mixture with spoon.
4. Dissolve baking soda in ¼ cup hot water and add to mixture.
5. Pour into pie crust shell and top with ½ cup reserved crumbs.
6. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.
7. Serve with whipped cream.

Megan loves this recipe because it has deep roots in Pennsylvania, where she grew up, and making it for Thanksgiving gives her an opportunity to share her history with her daughters.

Jenna’s Cranberry Salad

Ingredients

1 bag cranberries, fresh

6 apples, red delicious

20 oz. can pineapple chunks with juice

12 oz. tub whipped cream

Directions

1. Core and slice the apples.
2. Use blender or food processor to finely dice apple slices and cranberries.
3. In a bowl, thoroughly mix diced apples and cranberries together with pineapple chunks, undrained.
4. Transfer to strainer with a bowl to catch the juice; allow the mixture to drain overnight or at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.
5. Transfer mixture back to bowl and combine with whipped cream. Serve chilled.
6. Bonus juice: Draining the diced cranberries, apples, and pineapples will yield up to three cups of juice. Mix the juice into a pitcher of cold water or seltzer water. Add sugar to taste.

For me, Thanksgiving never feels complete without a big bowl of my mother’s cranberry salad. After she passed away, I took on the task of making it every year and sharing it with friends and family wherever I happen to be on Thanksgiving.

As the psalmist said, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” (Psalm 107:8–9).