A Thanksgiving Menu

this year my mom's birthday falls on thanksgiving day, so my sisters and i are taking over thanksgiving. we've got a big shoes to fill since my mom does a crazy good job every year.

we are serious about our thanksgiving food. we usually cook enough to feed an army, although there is on average, only 10-12 of us each year.

each year our thanksgiving is full of a mix of lebanese and american dishes (since my madre is lebanese) and it's pretty much the best meal ever (christmas comes in a close second with her famous prime rib!).

we're taking on my mom's menu, dropping a couple of dishes and adding a few new ones this year, and since it's literally been FOREVER since i've posted a recipe, i thought i would post the menu and see how many dishes i can share on the blog this year.

we'll start cooking the week or so before thanksgiving, so if any of the items below sound delish (which i promise they all are!) be sure to check back for the recipe. some items won't make it on the blog in time because they have to be done they day before or day of (think turkey, etc.), but they'll be there for you if you'd like to add them to your christmas dinner or thanksgiving next year!

what we're skipping this year...sweet potato soufflé, spiked egg nog (although this will make an appearance by christmas) and pumpkin cheesecake.

so here's the menu in all it's glory. some recipes i've already shared on the blog and i've linked to them for convenience:

appetizers:

hummus with pita (we'll be making the classic version with just garbanzo beans)
lebanese meat pies
a cheese plate
shrimp platter

the main meal:

butter basted turkey (i'm doing my own recipe this year as opposed to my mom's)
lebanese rice dressing
classic bread dressing
mashed potatoes and gravy
cranberry fluff
sweet potato biscuits (a new menu item this year!) - These were a fail and not worth posting about!
lebanese "sittee" salad (named after my sittee (grandma))
lebanese grape leaves
lebanese kibbe
mac and cheese (a new menu item this year from the Vintage Mixer)

dessert:

peanut butter balls
mint truffles
mom's sugar cookies
pumpkin cupcakes from Sally's Baking Addition with Paula Dean's cream cheese frosting (a new item this year!)

cocktails:

mom's hot buttered rum
bourbon spiced cider from Instructables

** Post updated to include recipes as finished