7 Thanksgiving Dishes that Need a Makeover

DivineCaroline


Makeover #1: Canned Cranberry Sauce
It's not too often that you hear someone raving about how exceptionally exquisite the can-shaped cranberry dressing was. The unnaturally perfect cylinder with indented ridges from the can, the bright magenta color, the fact that it holds its shape hours after it's plopped onto a plate, the disturbing jiggling as dad carves the turkey-all signs point to artificiality.

The alternative: Third Generation Cranberry Sauce with Pears is made with real cranberries, spices, and pears. It's sweet and tangy and adds a perfect amount of flavor to accompany the turkey and stuffing. And it doesn't jiggle.

Healthy Thanksgiving Meal Swaps


Makeover #2: Candied Yams
Poor little orange spuds, drowned in a sea of sugar and corn syrup, their natural sweetness overpowered and undervalued. But this starchy vegetable doesn't have to be blanketed in a layer of glucose to make it delicious.

The alternative: Simply Delicious Roasted Butternut Squash opts for a different orange vegetable and saves the overwhelming sweetness for dessert. It's an easy recipe that brings forth the rich flavor of butternut squash and is sure to earn a semi-permanent place at the holiday table.

How to Create Holiday Tabletops on a Budget


Makeover #3: Packaged Mashed Potatoes
The process of mixing fresh potatoes into a decadently creamy whip can take up precious cooking time and requires a little arm work, but it's well worth it to avoid the soup-like byproduct typical of packaged mashed potatoes. There are also unexpected delicious potato substitutes, such as cauliflower, that could trick even your Idaho-dwelling grandma into thinking she's eating the real thing.

The alternative: Creamy Cauliflower Puree is not your mama's mashed potatoes, but boy are they tasty. The puree turns out smooth and delicious. It's rich without a lot of added fat and has a nice robust flavor.

4 more delicious Thanksgiving dish makeovers!

More from Divine Caroline:
Is Christmas Ruining Thanksgiving?
Six New Drinking Games for the Holidays
Party Hairstyles You Can Easily Recreate
Why Fall is Biologically Ripe for Relationships
What the Day of the Week Says About Your Relationship

Connect with DivineCaroline:
Like us on Facebook for a chance to win $250!
Follow us on Twitter!
Share your story!