5 After 5, Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Thanksgiving's only a week and a half away!  Are your taste buds already salivating at the thought of all that yummy food?  Are you more of a main dish person, or like me and all about the sides?  Share your favorites here at this week's edition of 5 After 5!

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It's time for another round of 5 After 5!  In case you missed it, last week's list was your 5 favorite podcasts and if you're new to this series, you can read more about it here - then catch up on all the old editions here.

Today I've got my list of 5 to share, as well as next week's topic for you to stew about over the upcoming days.

And this series is a link party, so be sure to scroll down and join in all the fun with us this week!

List 5 of your favorite Thanksgiving side dishes

I've never actually been a huge Thanksgiving-food person, but with all the ridiculous amount of food my family brings to the gathering, there are still some dishes I have to have:

1.  Mashed Potatoes

G is a mashed potato purist.  He wants them plain (or "normal," as he calls it) and turns his nose up at any variance to that.

I like them plain, too (A lot. A whole lot.), but I also like them with pretty much anything you can add.

My favorite add-ins? Garlic (of course), black olives, spinach, mushrooms, cheese...pretty much any food I like is fair game!

2.  More Mashed Potatoes

Mmmm...bacon...even better with bacon...

Seriously, everybody else better get their fill of the fluff right away, because I'm taking the rest for myself!

3.  Black Olives

This may seem like a weird side dish, but in our family, Thanksgiving just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a little dish full of black olives sitting there amongst the other goodies.

I usually have to fight my cousins for these - and of course you have to eat them in the correct manner of jamming them on your fingers first!

4.  Ham Roll-Ups

These and deviled eggs are a requirement at pretty much any family gathering.

My grandma always made ham roll-ups (you take a slice of ham - the cheap lunch meat kind - slather it with cream cheese, then roll it up around a green onion and slice it into sushi-type coins), but now my cousin has taken over the tradition.

Poor thing knows she can't show up to a gathering without a tray (or two...or three) of the things.

I am dead serious about that.

5.  Broccoli Cheese Bake

This is something I discovered years ago, maybe even on the first Thanksgiving that I did on my own.  It's not necessarily Thanksgiving-y (completely an adjective, and don't you deny it!), but it is delicious!

If we don't skedaddle out of town for the big meal this year, you can be sure I'll be making it - in all its puff-pastry, cream of destruction soup goodness - and I'll be sure to share it here!

For next week:

List 5 of your Thanksgiving traditions

Are all the football games a highlight of your day? Is the Macy's parade a must in your house?

I can't wait to hear what traditions are on your list - maybe I'll add a few of them to mine!

And now, here's this week's link party!  Two other fabulous bloggers have teamed up with me to create lists of five each week and we hope that you'll join us, too!

That's right, every post will be read, pinned and tweeted!  

Every Saturday, just stop by one of our three blogs to add your own list of five, then pop over and read as many other posts as you're able to each week - treat it like a true party and really mix it up and mingle with our fun little community!

The rules are simple:  just write your own list following the prompt each week (feel free to interpret it loosely - or in a unique way!), follow each of the three hosts on the social media channel of your choice, and then get into the spirit of the party by grabbing your favorite beverage or snack and reading the lists of the other party-goers.

Your Hosts:

Lisa, at Syncopated Mama: Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Google+ // Bloglovin'

Samantha, at Motivated Days: Twitter // Pinterest // Google+ 

Heather Marie at Life, Love, and Lasagna: Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram // Bloglovin'

What's your list?  I'd love to hear!  Either leave a comment below or email me at lisahealy (at) outlook (dot) com.

Also, if you don't want to miss a single minute of fun around here, be sure to sign up for free updates and then look forward to having each post delivered right to your inbox!

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