Thanksgiving Traditions

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! Our menu is set, the groceries have been bought, and my family will be in town later this afternoon. I am ready to eat some yummy food, spend time with my family, and remember all the reasons I have to be thankful.

My mom, sister, and I will stick to our tradition of getting up and doing a little shopping early Friday morning. We won’t be fighting over electronics or anything; we just go to have a good time with a Starbucks peppermint mocha in hand. 🙂

I thought I would share two of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes. These two dishes are ALWAYS included in our Thanksgiving day feast. What dishes do you prepare for Thanksgiving? Anything super crazy or out-of-the-box? I would love for you to share in the comments below.

The first recipe is for Cranberry Relish. This makes the turkey even better. I can’t eat turkey without it. This is my aunt’s recipe. It’s super easy and super tasty.

Cranberry Relish

1 package of fresh cranberries – washed

1 orange (the whole thing)

1/2 to 1 cup of sugar

chopped pecans

Chop cranberries and orange in food processor. Add sugar to taste and as many pecan as you wish. Refrigerate and enjoy!

The second recipe is for Strawberry Pretzel Salad. My friend Marlo introduced this to me at Easter one year and my life has never been the same 🙂 This is something I usually only make during the holidays and every year I can’t wait to put the first bite in my mouth.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

• 2 cups crushed pretzels
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to  400 degrees. Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons whiter sugar; mix well and press mixture in bottom of 9×13 baking dish.

Bake 8-10 minutes, until; set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.

I pray you all have a blessed Thanksgiving. That you remember all that you have to be thankful for.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. ²     Worship the Lord with gladness;     come before him with joyful songs. ³ Know that the Lord is God.     It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];     we are his people,the sheep of his pasture.