With Thanksgiving around the corner, we have gathered a few of our favorite recipes from our CGMN volunteers that will help make your feast a little more festive. From a dreamy mac and cheese to the cornbread stuffing that has been proven to never have leftovers, there is something here for everyone at your gathering.

Enjoy this delicious Pulled Pork BBQ recipe from CommonGround MN volunteer, Wanda Patsche

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons dry barbecue rub, or more as needed
1 (3 ½) pound bone-in pork shoulder blade roast
½ teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring, divided
1 cup water, divided
¾ cup barbecue sauce, or as needed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 soft white hamburger buns
¾ cup barbecue sauce, divided

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 210 degrees F (100 degrees C).
2. Sprinkle dry rub generously on all sides of pork roast and place meat into a heavy pan or Dutch oven.
3. Pour 1/4 teaspoon of liquid smoke flavoring into each of two 6-ounce ramekins; fill ramekins with 1/2 cup water each. Place ramekins into the Dutch oven on either side of the roast. Place lid onto Dutch oven.
4. Roast pork in the preheated oven until very tender, 12 hours. Remove roast from Dutch oven, place onto a work surface (such as a cutting board), and separate the meat from the bone using your fingers. Discard any large pieces of fat.
5. Roughly chop pork with a large knife or cleaver; drizzle with 3/4 cup barbecue sauce. Season with salt and black pepper.
6. Spread about 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce onto each bun and pile pork on buns to serve.

Note: You can use your favorite pork seasoning/rub. I like Martin County Magic Seasoning (yes, I live in Martin County – the county where this recipe was created). And you can use your favorite BBQ sauce. I do use my crockpot always and I will freeze the recipe to use for later. Put the BBQ pulled pork in a slider bun and you will have an irresistible meal! We ate many of these during fall.

Need to get in that extra serving of fruit? Try Wanda Patsche’s Homemade Applesauce!

INGREDIENTS:

8 tart apples
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

1. Peel, core, and thinly slice apples
2. Mix the apples with cinnamon and sugat in a large slow cooker
3. Pour water and lemon juice over apples
4. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours until the apples are soft
5. Usa a potato masher to mash the apples into applesauce

Note: Do you like sweeter applesauce? Just add more sugar. Do you like cinnamon? Add enough to satisfy your palate. And, yes, you can also make it without adding any sugar.

Dreamy Mac & Cheese from CommonGround MN volunteer Megan Sukalski

INGREDIENTS:

2 ½ cups milk
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar (reserve ½ cup for topping)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cook macaroni according to package directions
3. While pasta is cooking, heat milk and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour, salt, and dry mustard and simmer for 1 minute
4. Remove from heat; stir in 2 cups of cheese until melted
5. Add drained macaroni to saucepan and toss with cheese sauce
6. Transfer mixture to an 8 or 9 inch square baking dish; top with 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake uncovered until bubbly, about 20 minutes
7. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving, enjoy!

Cornbread stuffing that’ll complete your perfect Thanksgiving meal from CommonGround MN volunteer Krista Willis

INGREDIENTS:

2 boxes of cornbread stuffing (stovetop is my family favorite)
1 pound of sausage (turkey sausage or pork)
¼ cup of olive oil
1 onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup of diced celery
Optional:
1 cup diced apples
1 cup of diced sweet potatoes

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl mix diced carrots, celery, apples, and sweet potatoes and olive oil
   • Tip: I find it easier to dice and then mix in a gallon zip lock bag. I also, prep this the night before I cook them and just keep it in the fridge)
2. Place veggie/fruit mix on a sheet pan and bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes
3. In a frying pan, brown sausage. Once brown remove sausage from the pan and set aside
4. In that same frying pan brown onions until they become translucent
5. Using a glass cake pan mix sausage and veggies, add stuffing mis and water per directions on the box and gently stir with a fork
6. Bake your dish at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes

Note: It feeds a crowd and I have never had leftovers!

A sweet treat to finish out your food and thankfulness filled day! Check out these Pumkin Cookies from CommonGround MN volunteer Gail Donkers

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup oatmeal, heaping
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or to taste
2 tablespoons chia seeds
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup milk
¼ cup pumpkin (freshly baked or canned)
1 egg
splash of vanilla extract
Optional: splash of pure maple syrup or honey

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine wet ingredients into a bowl and mix, then in another bowl combine dry ingredients and mix
2. Once individually mixed pour wet mix into dry mix and stir until combined
3. On a cookie sheet place losely formed balls 2 inches apart
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until set
5. Top the cookies with your favorite ingredients – I like adding banana slices, maple syrup, a little extra pumkin pie spice, pumkin seeds, pecans, or whatever I’m feeling.

You can never have enough pumpkin sweets! A recipe passed down from her grandmother, try CommonGround MN volunteer, Melissa Pietig’s Pumpkin Dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

1 package crushed graham crackers
2 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup pumpkin
1 quart softened vanilla ice cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine crushed graham crakcers, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter and mix
2. Lightly press half of the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch cake pan creating a crust. Reserve remaining mixture
3. In another bowl combine pumpkin, the rest of the cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla ice cream, mix well
4. Pour the pumkin ice cream mixture over the crust and sprinkle remaining crust over top
5. Cover the dessert and place in the freezer, serve cold

Note: This can be made the day before and frozen overnight. Delicious!