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For many Minnesotans, the Thanksgiving holiday is a special time centered around family, fellowship, and of course, great food. While roasted turkey is typically the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving dinners, there are a wide variety of alternative main courses, sumptuous side dishes, and delectable sweets served with our feasts of gratitude. Everyone has their own Thanksgiving food favorites.

The MNR staff put together a list of our top Thanksgiving dishes and recipes—from food traditions that span generations to more recent and experimental concoctions; we hope you’ll be inspired by our holiday favorites.

• The traditional Thanksgiving dinner, especially turkey, dressing and gravy, because that combination makes for great leftover sandwiches the next day. —Paul Eger, Senior Vice President, Governmental Affairs
• Au gratin potatoes. Matt Spellman, Director, Governmental Affairs
• Mashed potatoes and gravy. You can’t go wrong! —Heather Zebott, Risk Management Coordinator
• For a new twist on a timeless dish, I add a package of Boursin Cheese (Garlic & Fine Herb is my favorite) to my mashed potatoes and tablespoon of butter on top! —Susan Dioury, Senior Vice President, Risk Management & Legal Counsel
• “Bobbie” hoagie, made from leftovers—Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and gravy on a hoagie roll. —Ryan Torpey, Associate Legal Counsel & Director of Member Legal Services
• Puppy Chow. Though this easy to make holiday dessert staple is often linked to the yuletide season, Puppy Chow can play a supporting role on the dessert tables at your Thanksgiving gathering. Perfect for snacking on before, after, or even during the traditional turkey dinner. —Seth Conover, Marketing & Communications Manager
• Our family managed to bridge the gap between the miserable mush of homemade stuffing and the delightful crunch of boxed stuffing by baking homemade stuffing in individual portions with muffin tins. This way everyone gets some crunch with their mush! —Thom Fox, Chief Finance & Operations Officer
• Green bean casserole. Wouldn’t be a Minnesotan Thanksgiving without it! —Amy Vannurden, Member Services Coordinator
• My uncle’s whiskey punch made with Southern Comfort and a frozen orange juice ring. It’s best enjoyed by my family while preparing the Thanksgiving meal.  —Kristan Waltz, Events Manager
• Turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce on a good hearty roll. —Jonathon Kopecky, Associate Legal Counsel & Professional Standards Director
• Sweet potato and carrot puree. A warm, buttery dish with a touch of nutmeg. Pairs perfectly with any and every traditional Thanksgiving dish. —Stephanie Teig, Vice President, Marketing & Communications
• Stuffing and gravy. In my opinion, you don’t have a true Thanksgiving meal without that timeless pair. —Ben Hansen, Communications Director
• Stuffing and gravy. The best, hands down! —Laurie Ganz, Professional Development Director