Five Easy Thanksgiving Recipes

{Appple-Pear Galette}

If slaving over a hot stove just isn’t your thing, I have several alternatives for you in lieu of running into the supermarket and scooping up a stale, over processed apple pie in a box.  Whether you’re hosting family and friends and are looking for simple, approachable recipes to compliment the main dish or you’ve been invited to someone’s home and you don’t want to show up empty handed, I have five easy Thanksgiving recipes that require minimal effort but will make a big impact!  I tend to favor galettes and crumbles over pies because they’re less complicated to make yet they taste just as good.  The most laborious aspect is peeling and cutting the apples and pears.  Once that part is done, the rest is a breeze.  Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream and you’re sure to have a crowd pleaser.  Another favorite of mine is a crisp and colorful seasonal salad.  It’s a wonderful way to start off a meal especially one as pretty as this raddichio, pear and arugula salad.  And who doesn’t love a traditional slice of cornbread to soak up all that gravy and cranberry?  The good news is that this version is low fat so you can save your calories for dessert.  Speaking of dessert, these mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins will not disappoint.  They’re the perfect size after ingesting a huge meal or they make an ideal breakfast treat accompanied by a cup of coffee.  Of course, when all else fails, there’s always the bakery (I usually end up leaving with way more than I had planned), a good bottle of wine,  a beautiful bouquet of flowers or a thoughtful hostess gift (some suggestions here).

{Low-fat Cornbread}

{Pear, Blueberry Fruit Crumble}

{Mini Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins}

{Radicchio, Pear and Arugula Salad}

* You can find some Thanksgiving tablescape inspiration here.