It's officially November and that means Thanksgiving is right around the corner! Even though this holiday is a few weeks away, it will be here before you know it! It is time to start planning and preparing what food will be served. This year's Thanksgiving may be different compared to previous years because of COVID. Gatherings may be smaller causing many people to make dishes that someone else brought in years prior. However, with smaller amounts of people, more focus and effort can be put into each dish. This allows for more creativity in the kitchen! Kimmel is full of products that you can incorporate into your delicious Thanksgiving meal.
Apple Butter is a great product that can help make this Thanksgiving meal a memorable one. It can be served as an appetizer to the meal on a charcuterie board with cheese, crackers, and other goodies. Another great addition to the appetizer portion is juicy pickles and olives. There is an array of different types of both pickled treats perfect for every taste bud in the store. Pickles and olives are one of the goodies that can be included on a charcuterie board. Set one of these out as a snack before the big meal and trust me it will be gone before you know it!
Whether you are planning a small or large gathering, Oh! So Garlic Seasoning is another perfect addition to your meal. This seasoning is very versatile and can be used in many different ways, whether it be used to season turkey or stuffing! If you're having a smaller gathering and don't need a whole turkey, roasting turkey breasts is another great option. Mix this seasoning with butter to baste your turkey. This will add flavor and prevent the turkey from drying out. Oh! So Garlic can also be added to stuffing to kick the flavor up a notch. Even when Thanksgiving is over, there are so many other ways to utilize the seasoning! Another way to add unimaginable flavor is through Kimmel's Honey. This can be used to glaze turkey or ham. My mouth is watering just thinking about the possibilities!
Sides are often the best part of the meal! Offer a fresh side salad with Blue Cheese Pecan Dressing. This dressing pairs perfectly with any Thanksgiving meal. As mentioned before, Apple Butter is a great addition to the meal, especially on rolls. This product is delicious spread over bread, and who doesn't love a classic dinner roll on Thanksgiving! Kimmel's Honey is another way to dress up a dinner roll. It can be used plain on a roll or made into honey butter. Our honey can also be utilized on baked vegetables like squash, carrots, or brussels sprouts as well.
Wait, sides aren't the best part of the meal, dessert is! Kimmel is full of options to fill the dessert table. There are a variety of different dry mixes that allow you still to bake but provide most of the ingredients in the mix. Many are even pumpkin flavored mixes! The Apple Barn has Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mixes available for purchase. Since a Thanksgiving meal isn't until midafternoon or later, guests tend to be hungry in the morning. Pumpkin Pancake Mix is a great way to fill those early morning appetites while still correlating the meal to the Thanksgiving flavors we all know and love! If baking isn't your specialty, the retail store also carries fresh and frozen pumpkin pies. These pies make dessert easy, but you'll have guests thinking you made the dessert homemade because of the deliciously spiced flavors! Other frozen pie flavors are available too.
It's not a complete meal without a specialty drink! All of the Kimmel wines would make a great addition to the meal. However, Kimmel's Apple Pie Wine definitely fits the theme with its cinnamon overtones. This wine tastes just like grandma's apple pie and will have you reminiscing on the past. It pairs well with the main dishes as well as the dessert. Many of the other wines make a great base for sangria and can be dressed up with fruit and other ingredients as well.
This is a great year to add some creativity to your Thanksgiving. Any product in the Apple Barn would make a great addition to your meal, these are simply suggested products! Throw on your chef coat and head to the retail store, as the products are waiting for you to develop them into creative recipes. Remember to tag Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard in your pictures and recipes on Instagram and Facebook, whether it be for Thanksgiving or an everyday meal. Everyone at Kimmel loves to see ways the guests are utilizing the products.
Alyssa Rosenbaum - Education and Food Safety Intern