the thanksgiving edition

part 1 : all about the sides

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it feels only right to dive into holiday recipes. I absolutely thrive during the holidays for one - cooking for others has always been my love language and it’s my chance to make all the dishes I don’t make on a regular basis but love.

Mac and cheese is one of those recipes, and this one is top-tier. It’s a hot debate on TikTok right now, and I might be in the minority here, but I’m team breadcrumbs—especially when they’re truffle-flavored. That said, feel free to leave them off if it’s not your thing!

The Brussels sprouts are another must-have and a holiday staple for me. The best part? I make them in the air fryer, which frees up precious oven space. I always struggle with not having enough room in the oven during the holidays, so I make at least one recipe in the air fryer. I even have a bonus, larger stainless steel toaster oven in the basement, reserved for the holidays, just in case I need extra cooking space.

The corn casserole is a popular recipe I’ve seen many different versions of, but this is mine. It started as something my boyfriend made for our first Thanksgiving together, and we now serve it at just about every gathering and it is always the first to go.

Honey-glazed carrots are another crowd-pleaser. This is one of my dad’s favorite thanksgiving recipes so I have been making it for awhile now too. They’re super simple, made on the stovetop, and require minimal effort—always a win during the holiday rush. I use baby carrots for ease but they can easily be subbed out for whole carrots, chopped into regular size pieces.

Next week, you can look forward to even more holiday favorites: green bean casserole, my favorite two-ingredient goat cheese appetizer, my grandma’s OG stuffing recipe, and stuffed mushrooms.

Enjoy and happy cooking!