But First Let's Feast.

Based on Monday's staff Thanksgiving meal, it's a no-brainer that we won't be packing lunches this week!

If you're needing inspiration for your next holiday meal, we've made a list of recipes that graced our Thanksgiving spread. Hope you'll find something that wins the family over and makes everyone full and happy. 

Happy Thanksgiving from NSAI! 



1. Sweet Potato Soufflé (provided by Todd Givens)

Sweet Potato Mixture:
4 large sweet potatoes
½ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter or margarine
½ cup Light Corn Syrup
2 eggs
 
Topping:
Mix the following (makes about 2 cups)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup chopped pecans.
(Mix well. Makes about 2 cups)
 
Directions:
Peel, cook and mash 4 Large Sweet Potatoes. Set aside. Combine sugar, melted butter or margarine, light corn syrup and eggs and stir until creamy.
Stir the mixture with the sweet potatoes and place into 2 quart greased baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with topping. Bake covered at 350°F for 30 min.
 
​2. Squash Casserole (provided by Morgan Brown)
 
Ingredients:
5-10 squash
Minced Onion
1 egg
½ cup milk
1 block of sharp cheddar cheese
1 sleeve of Ritz or Saltine crackers
 
Directions:
Stew squash on stovetop with minced onion. Once squash is tender, drain squash and place in casserole dish. Mix the egg and milk in a separate bowl.
Grate cheese and set aside. Pour egg & milk mixture over squash, then add in cheese and mix together. Add more cheese on top along with crushed crackers. Bake at 350°F until it bubbles! Serve immediately!
 
3. Broccoli Casserole (provided by Anna Miller)
 
Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 4-ounce jar of chopped pimiento drained
2 Tablespoons of sour cream
1 cup of extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
1/2 to 1 cup cheese crackers
 
Combine all ingredients except cheese crackers and spread into a baking pan.( Season mostly with pepper-the soup is already salty.) Crush up cheese crackers spread on top. Bake for 30 minutes at 325°F.
 
4. Paula Deen's Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (provided by Libby Oellerich)
 
Ingredients:
For cake:
1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted
 
For filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 °F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey. Serve with fresh whipped cream.
 
5. Dinner Rolls (provided by Shelby Yoder)
Directions: Brush "Sara Lee Hawaiian dinner rolls" with melted butter and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes!
 
6. Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie Cupcakes (provided by Krista Darting)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
 
Mint Frosting
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons mint or peppermint extract
2-3 cups powdered sugar
green food dye
 
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line pans with cupcake liners. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla extract together. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Pour in half of these dry ingredients into the oil mixture and stir. Add milk and gently stir again and then add the rest of the dry ingredients. Be careful not to over mix. Fill cupcake liners half full and bake for 15-20 minutes or until and inserted knife comes out clean. Let cool. 

Frosting Prep:
Beat butter until smooth. Add vanilla and mint extract and beat again. Slowly add in powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency (add milk if it becomes too thick). Add as much green food dye as desired. Pipe on cupcakes with Thin Mints! I crushed a few cookies and used them as "sprinkles".
 
7. Cream Cheese and Fruit Appetizers (provided by Erin Kidd)
 
Cranberry Cream Cheese
8 oz cream cheese block
Pour fresh cranberry sauce spread overtop
Eat with crackers
 
Caramel Cream Cheese App:
8 oz cream cheese block
Pour caramel overtop
Add nuts or crumble on top
Eat with sliced apples
 
8. Paula Deen’s Cornbread Dressing with Sausage (provided by Dana Lalevee)
 
Ingredients
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix, prepared as directed and crumbled after cooled
7 slices oven-dried white bread
1 sleeve crackers
8 tablespoons butter
2 cups celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
7 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sage
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
5 eggs
1lb roll country sausage (mild or hot)
 
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices and crackers; set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Cook the sausage in the skillet. To the cornbread mixture add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage and poultry seasoning. Add 5 beaten eggs and mix well. Add cooked sausage and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 to 60 minutes.
 
9. Green Bean Casserole (provided by Leah Pitts)

Ingredients:
3 cans french style green beans
3 cans cream of mushroom
1 ½ carton fried onions
Garlic powder to taste
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Stir the green beans, cream of mushroom, black pepper/salt, garlic powder and and 2/3 cup onions in a casserole pan. Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Sprinkle the remaining onions on top. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.
 
10. Spinach Strawberry Feta and Walnut Salad (provided by Katie Brown)
Directions: Toss spinach, strawberries, feta cheese and walnuts in a bowl with balsamic vinaigrette and done!
 
11. Sopapilla Cheesecake (provided by Trina Lloyd-Weidner)
 
Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages of Cream Cheese softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Mexican vanilla extract
2 (8 oz) cans crescent roll dough
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ cup butter, room temp
¼ cup honey
 
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract until smooth. Unroll 1 can of crescent roll dough into the greased baking dish and press all sides to cover the bottom of the dish. Evenly spread  the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish. Cover the dish with the remaining crescent roll  dough.  You may need to roll flat before placing it on dish to cover all corners. Stir together the ¾ cup of sugar, 2 tbs of cinnamon and the butter. Spread the mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Drizzle with Honey. Can be served warm or chilled!
 
12. Mac & Cheese (provided by Jennifer Turnbow)

Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons plus 1 tablespoon butter
½ cup shredded Muenster cheese
½ cup shredded mile Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack
2 cups half and half
1 cup small cubes Velveeta
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
 
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add oil then macaroni and cook 7 minutes.  Drain.
Melt 8 tablespoons of butter and stir into macaroni. 
In a large bowl, mix Muenster, mild and sharp cheddar, and Monterey jack cheeses.  To the macaroni, add half and half, 1 ½ cups of the mixed shredded cheeses, cubed Velveeta, eggs, salt and pepper.  Transfer to a buttered casserole dish.  Sprinkle top with remaining shredded cheeses and dot with remaining tablespoon of butter.  Bake about 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
 
13. Recipe for Success (provided by Bart Herbison)
Ingredients:
Adequate funds
 
Directions:
Go to the bakery and purchase pie of choice. ;)
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