by Christie Sommers

Created on: November 12, 2009   Last Updated: November 13, 2009

Thanksgiving Menu Changes as Life Changes-Dare to be Different

Making a Thanksgiving dinner menu seems to get more difficult as the years go by. As the family expands, so much changes. The amounts of food, the types of food....everything changes. The menu should change as life changes. Someone may have a baby, get married, get sick, be overseas fighting for our country, be entertaining a new pet. Instead of depending on everyone else to work on the Thanksgiving menu, change it up a bit, and make sure that you try to meet everyone's needs. Of course turkey and stuffing can stay the same, but try to add some new favorites.

For appetizers, some great favorites include spinach dip, taco dip, french onion dip. These are all things you can buy, but I would suggest making them from scratch. If you have someone in who doesn't normally get to enjoy fresh homemade food, like a college student, this is a great thing for them. These can be served with bread, crackers, or chips. Cheese-burger soup is a great starter-not too heavy and not too light. There are many variations, so you can choose to suit your guests. For the main course, turkey can be served in many different forms if you do not want to take on the task of cooking the big bird! Consider turkey and dumplings or a turkey stew. This is excellent in the crock pot. When it comes to dessert, try something other than pumpkin pie. A good one is peanut butter pie. Mix peanut butter and sugar and whipped topping (frozen) together, then pour it into a chocolate pie crust. Next, heat up some fudge ice cream topping and pour it on top. Let it set and if you want to make it extra delicious, try some whipped topping on it when you eat it. This is still the traditional "pie" at Thanksgiving, but just not the same old pumpkin. This almost covers all the bases-wait! Don't forget the dog! There are great recipes for pumpkin biscuits for dogs. This will keep your wonderful friend from begging at the dinner table...well, at least for a little while.

The same old staples are delicious, but with life changing so much, why not change the menu a little every year. Especially for those who attend multiple dinners in one day, this will be a great change of pace. Sometimes having the same dinner two or three times a day gets old, how wonderful will it be when you are the one who dared to be different? A daring change will hopefully be rewarded by many smiling faces. Happy Thanksgiving!

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