Good Morning, Friends! I'm making out my grocery list this morning for Thanksgiving, and I thought I'd share some of my favorite Thanksgiving sides. Enjoy :)

MELISSA FRIDAY’S FAVORITE THANKSGIVING SIDES & DESSERTS

CORN CASSEROLE

1 can cream corn

1 can whole-kernel corn, drained

1 stick butter, melted

8-ounce container sour cream

1 (6-ounce) package yellow corn bread mix (I use Jiffy)

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a greased 13x9x2-baking dish and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

GREEN BEANS

2 bags frozen Italian-style green beans or pole beans

8 slices bacon, chopped fried and drained

1 onion, sliced

2 teaspoons each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder

In a large pot, fry the chopped bacon until crisp.  Using a slotted spoon, place bacon on paper towels.  Add the sliced onion to the bacon grease and sauté for 10 minutes.   Add the beans and seasonings and enough water just to cover the beans.  Bring the beans to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour.  Taste the beans to see if they need more salt or seasonings.  Drain the cooked beans and place in a serving dish.  Sprinkle the cooked bacon over beans just before serving, if desired.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

3 cups cooked or canned sweet potatoes

½ cup sugar

½ cup melted butter

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, beaten

Topping:

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

1 cup pecans

Mix first 6 ingredients with a mixer until fluffy; pour into a greased 13x9x2-baking dish.  Mix topping ingredients well and sprinkle evenly over top of sweet potato mixture.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

CARROT SOUFLEE’

1 pound bag frozen sliced carrots (please do not use canned)

3 large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter, melted

3 T. flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. vanilla extract

Boil carrots until they are very tender, about 25 minutes.  Drain and mash with a potato masher.  Beat together carrots, eggs and remaining ingredients.  Pour into a lightly greased 1-quart baking dish.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Serves 8.

MELISSA’S CREAMY BAKED MAC AND CHEESE

1 (16-ounce) box elbow macaroni

2 pounds Velveeta cheese, cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup whole milk

3 cups of the macaroni water

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 13x9x2-baking dish.  Cook the macaroni according to package.  Before draining, take out 3 cups of the macaroni water and set aside.  Drain macaroni and place back in large pot.   Now add the Velveeta cheese, macaroni water, butter, milk and seasonings and cook over low heat just until cheese is melted.  It will be watery, but no worries because the macaroni will soak up the water as it bakes.  Place macaroni mixture in a 13x9x2 baking dish.   Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes.

CRANBERRY JELLO SALAD

1 large box strawberry Jell-O

2 Red Delicious apples, peeled and grated

2 large cans cranberry sauce

2 cups hot water

½ cup sugar

Mix Jell-O and water.  Refrigerate for about half hour or until slightly gelled.  Add apples, cranberry sauce and sugar.  Pour into a greased mold or greased Bundt pan.  Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.  Serves 15 small portions.

CHERRY AMBROSIA-CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 (6-ounce) package dried cherries

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained well

1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

3 ounces shredded, sweetened coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped

Stir cream cheese and powdered sugar together then add cherries and the next 4 ingredients.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.  Serve with Ritz crackers, celery, or ginger snaps.  Delicious!

FRUIT COCKTAIL CAKE      

½ stick real butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ t. baking soda

1 (15-ounce) can fruit cocktail, undrained

½ cup brown sugar

Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and beat well.  Stir together flour and soda and add to the mixture.  Stir in fruit cocktail.  Pour into a greased 13x9x2 pan and sprinkle brown sugar over batter.  Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.  Poke holes in cooked cake with a wooden spoon and spread with hot icing while the cake is still warm.

ICING:

½ cup evaporated milk

¾ cup sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 stick real butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup shredded coconut, optional

Mix milk, sugar, vanilla and butter; boil 2 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat and add coconut and pecans.  Pour icing over cake while cake is still warm.

 PUMPKIN CRUNCH        

This is awesome!

1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 sticks butter cut into pieces (I use real butter)

1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese

1 box yellow cake mix

1 large can evaporated milk

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

¾ cup whipping cream

½ cup powdered sugar

Mix pumpkin, milk, sugar, cinnamon and eggs.  Pour into a greased 13x9x2 pan.  Sprinkle with yellow cake mix and DO NOT stir.  Sprinkle pecans over cake mix then place butter pieces evenly over pecans.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Let cool completely.  Meanwhile, beat whipping cream, cream cheese and powdered sugar together and spread on top of pie when it’s cooled.