I’m completely astonished how fast this semester has gone and now it’s time to for my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving! The best part of Thanksgiving is the fact that you can eat amazing comfort food until you are about to explode and be lazy with your family all day. Nothing sounds more glorious then that after a long, brutal semester.

If you are into cooking like I am, surprise your family with some of these awesomely easy but delicious recipes! They are bound to be a hit and you’ll probably get out of cleaning duties too.

My favorite side, hands down, is stuffing! I fill up on sides usually before I even get to the turkey. Here’s a great recipe for stuffing that leaves out all the weird stuff. 

Classic Bread Stuffing Recipe, Yield: 8 to 10 servings - Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 45 minutes

8 ounces (1 cup) butter
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup pine nuts
6 to 8 cups fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup chopped scallion
½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place the butter in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When melted, add the onion and cook,stirring, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add the nuts and cook, stirring almost constantly, until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the bread crumbs and the sage and toss to mix. Turn the heat down to low. Add the salt, pepper, and scallion. Toss again; taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the parsley and stir. Turn off the heat. (At this point, you can refrigerate the stuffing in a covered container, for up to a day before proceeding.)

4. Place the stuffing in a casserole dish (3 quart or 9×13-inch) and bake for about 45 minutes, or until crisp and heated through.

I’ve never liked sweet potatoes before, even though they are staple for Thanksgiving I’ve always opted for regular mashed potatoes. Here’s a recipe that totally changed my opinion on sweet potatoes.

Mashed Sweet Potato Brulée, Yield: 4 to 6 servings - Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 minutes

4 tablespoons butter
1½ to 2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked in any manner
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash of nutmeg
½ cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup light brown sugar

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a gratin dish (or shallow baking dish) with some of the butter.

2. Heat the potatoes if necessary and mash them with the butter, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. Put the sweet potatoes in the gratin dish, and smooth the top.

3. Sprinkle the top with the chopped walnuts. Bake until the dish is hot and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Remove the dish from the oven. Sprinkle the top evenly with the brown sugar. Turn on the broiler and adjust the rack to about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil, watching carefully and turning the dish as necessary. When the sugar bubbles and browns, it’s ready. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

You can’t have a good Thanksgiving feast without desert. You know there will be tons of pie, so bake something different and creative. These pumpkin bars are a unique mix of pumpkin brownies and pumpkin blondes. What they really are is just delicious. 

Pumpkin Pie Bars, Yield: 24 pie bars - Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) butter, melted
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

For the top:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add the pumpkin and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir or fold the flour into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.

4. Scrap the batter into the pan and smooth the top. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon, and then sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center has just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely and then, using the parchment as handles, lift out of the pan and cut into 24 squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Check out Brown Eyed Baker 

What are your favorite recipes? Tweet me @Mia_Noelle