Traditional Thanksgiving Recipes for Watching Football

As everyone knows, Thanksgiving is not only a time for family and friends but also for football. The cook does not want to be stuck in the kitchen all day, nor do they want the hassle of cleaning up a big mess because the traditional Thanksgiving Day football game was one of the best ever. Many people are left wondering how they can have a traditional Thanksgiving meal and still watch football.

Some ideas include:

1. Move the television into the dining room. This becomes a problem, especially when your team scores, food goes everywhere.
2. Fill your plate at a buffet style dinner and take it into the living room to watch the game. This works fine if you have lots of TV trays, if not, then you have the same problem as before.
3. Have something that is portable, yet traditional, and won't require balancing a plate on your lap. Now, that's an idea!

Below are some recipes to make your Thanksgiving much more enjoyable.

Touchdown Turkey Sandwich

• Boneless Turkey Breast, sliced thick
• Large Croissant Rolls
• Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• Lettuce, leaves if possible
• Tomato, sliced
• Various condiments

Set out the ingredients on a table close to the television and let your guests assemble their own sandwiches whenever they feel like it.

Stuffing Footballs

• 1 box instant stuffing, any flavor
• 1 egg, beaten
• Turkey Gravy

Preheat oven to 400, grease a large cookie sheet. Prepare stuffing according to the box. Fold in the egg. Drop onto the cookie sheet using a tablespoon, and form into football shapes (these should be about the size of a small fist). Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from cookie sheet and place on a football shaped platter. Heat the gravy and place small bowls next to the platter. Allow guests to ladle the gravy into a small bowl and then dip the stuffing balls. Makes 12-16 balls.

Forward Pass the Potato Salad

• 8 servings Instant Mashed Potatoes, prepared and cooled (you can use real potatoes if you wish, but they must be prepared and cooled)
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion, or 2 tablespoons dehydrated onion
• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix onion and celery into the potatoes. Place mayonnaise, mustard, milk, relish and salt and pepper in a small bowl and stir until well mixed. Pour over the cooled potato mixture. Stir together and set in refrigerator until ready to serve. Makes about 8 servings.

Football Finger Food

• Fresh fruits, such as apple slices, cherries, grapes, etc.
• Fresh vegetables, such as celery sticks, carrot sticks, broccoli bites, and cauliflower pieces.
• Small Gherkin Pickles
• Olives, black and green
• Potato Chips

Set the table buffet style and make sure it is close to the television. You don't want to miss any of the action. Make sure you have enough of everything to allow your guests to eat until they are stuffed. After all, that is the Thanksgiving Tradition.