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Here at Cooking Chew, we don’t need an excuse to party — but Thanksgiving’s as good as any.
Religious origins and controversial history aside, the notion that we ought to take more time out to be thankful for what we have and acknowledge how lucky we are (some of us more than others) is plenty celebration-worthy.
It’s a holiday season when we gather and share with some of our closest people, and invite those who may not have a place to wear their fat pants.
In place of cooking a dozen different same-ol’ dishes, we’ve decided to innovate with a fresh, vibrant spread that we’re hoping will halve our traditional intake of leftover turkey.
Who knows, maybe you’ll find a few new favorite Thanksgiving potluck recipes.
Here’s every recipe you need to create or add to a wonderful Thanksgiving potluck.
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Crockpot Turkey Breast
So if you don’t think anyone will miss the legs at all, here’s your recipe for the best part of the bird, cooked low and slow! And a slow cooker turkey breast is always nice since it saves oven space for all the great sides that are coming.
Cranberry Brie Bites
We’ve got a thing for canned cranberries. And brie.
One fateful night spent furtively eating both by the light of the fridge yielded the discovery that they paired exceedingly well together.
Do away with all the trappings of a traditional charcuterie board — this is fruit and cheese at their finest.
Honey Pecan-Crusted Goat Cheese Log
This pecan-crusted goat cheese log is a party pleaser every single time. The best part is that I don’t need to cook anything, AND it only has four ingredients.
Cheddar Sausage Balls
Sausage balls make a great simple breakfast, brunch additions, appetizers, even GIFTS. They are easy to make, forgiving, tasty, freeze well, and easy to reheat.
Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
But I ran out of grape jelly one day mid-recipe and had to improvise with a can of jellied cranberry sauce. That little switch created a sweet, tangy, and savory appetizer that blew everyone away.
Turkey Cranberry Sliders on Hawaiian Rolls
Inside, thin layers of tender turkey and melted provolone meet the tart-sweet burst of cranberry sauce, held together in warm, golden sliders. These baked turkey cranberry sandwiches are as practical as they are festive—an easy way to stretch the flavors of the holiday table into the next day.
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
The noodles go in dry, so they absorb all those creamy ingredients into every bite.
Slow Cooker Creamy Corn
This Crock Pot Creamy Corn is ideal for holidays, potlucks, or weeknight dinners. It’s a recipe that frees your oven and stove so you can get more done.
Slow Cooker Cornbread Casserole
It’s rich, sweet, and balanced — exactly what a holiday corn casserole should be. Serve it warm alongside roast turkey, barbecue pulled pork, or glazed ham.
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Biscuits
That’s where these Cheddar Bacon Ranch Biscuits come in—crispy center-cut bacon, shredded cheese and ranch seasoning. Starting with frozen Grands Biscuits, this is truly an easy biscuit recipe for a lazy weekend breakfast or a last-minute brunch.
Pistachio Watergate Salad
I like them because they’re deliciously sweet and are satisfying crowd-pleasers. Meanwhile, they’re perfect for holidays, potlucks, and even parties.
Ambrosia Salad with Cool Whip
Some people even call it a dessert salad but whatever you want to call it, it is a great recipe. One of the wonderful things about this creamy fruit salad recipe is that you can add and subtract and change it up each and every time.
Crockpot Pumpkin Cobbler with Pecans
Serve the pumpkin cobbler warm with a scoop of ice cream, which melts into the soft pumpkin layer and carries the spiced aroma with each spoonful. I love this easy substitute for pumpkin pie: I still get the whipped cream (my favorite part) and pumpkin spice flavor.
Apple Dump Cake
The cake mix, cold butter, 2 cans of pie filling and that’s it—no fresh eggs or milk at all. Add a scoop of ice cream and it’s the easy dessert for last-minute company or to keep a few teens happy on a Friday night.
3-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies
This is a three-ingredient recipe, which means less stress and more yum. But don’t let the simplicity fool you—these brownies are bursting with pumpkin’s deliciousness.
Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
There’s something about these soft and chewy cookies in a combo of sweet white chocolate and tangy dried cranberries that just works. These cookies are soft in the center, slightly crisp on the edges, and easy to make when you’re craving something a little extra without a ton of effort.
3-Ingredient Pumpkin Bread
This could be the easiest 3 ingredient pumpkin bread you’ll find all season. You don’t even need a mixer— just a wooden spoon and a little elbow grease.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin White Hot Chocolate
This pumpkin spice-flavored white chocolate hot cocoa is a festive treat. With this slow cooker hot chocolate, you get the added treat of the aroma of it simmering all day.
Dr Pepper Glazed Ham
These days hams are often sold fully cooked and accordingly need to be heated up. This is the perfect moment to create a homemade glaze for ham and give that ham some extra flavor.
The bottom line
Look — buckets of gravy and mountains of sweet potatoes aside, Thanksgiving is meant to remind you what you’re grateful for, not stress you out.
And if we happen to be invited somewhere for even less stress, we can choose from a nice curated list of some really special Thanksgiving feast recipes.
We’re taking a chilled-out approach to the holiday season this year with a pared down Thanksgiving meal spread of some of our favorites.
Whether you’re cooking for few or many, we hope the recipes on this list have made your job a little easier.
Admit it, there are never enough food browsing opportunities
- 15 Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Ideas
- Vegan Thanksgiving Options
- 13 Thanksgiving Side Dish Ideas
- 11 Creative Cranberry Sauces
- How To Reheat Homemade Stuffing
From our family members to yours: Happy Thanksgiving!
