From the Kitchens of Amy & JJ
As promised, here are 2 side dishes to get you ready for Thanksgiving! Next week – Thanksgiving desserts!

(From JJ) When I am planning my Thanksgiving plate I consider one important element…color. Let’s face it, a lot of Turkey Day items are pretty bland looking. Browns, tans, potato white… Adding brussel sprouts to the menu is a great idea and this particular recipe adds a flavor combination that compliments all of the dishes you count on for Thanksgiving.

SAVORY BALSAMIC BRUSSEL SPROUTS
1 lb Brussel Sprouts
1 Tbls Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 lb Pork Belly (chopped)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut the bottoms off and slice the brussel sprouts lengthwise and toss in olive oil. Make sure you keep the single leaves and include them. Coat the sprouts well and add olive oil as needed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. After the sprouts are well coated, add the chopped pork belly. Arrange on baking sheet using the entire sheet. Put into oven and roast 20 minutes. Take out and move around on the baking sheet to flip and mix up. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on the sprouts. Put back into the oven and roast for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and put into serving dish. Drizzle balsamic vinegar (not too much) on the mixture. Serve hot.

Pro tip! If you like spicy food, instead of balsamic vinegar – use Frank’s Hot Buffalo sauce. The sauce works its way into the brussel sprouts and makes a delicious and spicy dish!

(From Amy) Thanksgiving meal prep can be overwhelming, so I like to make sure I have “make ahead” options to free up time on the day-of. One of the easiest things to make ahead is the mashed potatoes! I make these a day or two in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Don’t forget to take them out of the refrigerator a few hours before you want to serve and bake at 350 degrees. Or, if you are like me, pull out a crockpot and throw them in there to warm up for a few hours.

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman! See the recipe at www.thepioneerwoman.com

MAKE AHEAD MASHED POTATOES
Ingredients:
5 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes (that’s what we like – but use whatever potato is your preference)
¾ cup butter
8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
½ to ¾ cup half-and-half
½ to 1 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
½ to 1 tsp. Black pepper

Directions:
Peel and cut the Potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, a fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.
Turn off the stove and add the butter, cream cheese, and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash mash. Next, add about ½ tsp. Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.
Stir well, and place in a medium sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes (and, if saving to make later – throw in the fridge!). If you are cooking them immediately, place them in a 250 degree oven to heat until the butter is melted and the potatoes are warmed through.