Feeding Your Family — and the KC Community
There’s nothing better than being home for the holiday — and fall and Thanksgiving kick it off! Cozy sweaters, warm fireplace, yummy baked goods and having your family all in one place — there’s truly nothing better.
During this holiday season, many get wrapped up in the little things and the bigger picture is often overlooked. This Thanksgiving and holiday season, embrace this time of giving by feeding your soul, your family and the Kansas City community.
Whether you’re in need of recipes for a big family gathering or you’re looking for a local Kansas City Thanksgiving food drive, we have all the ingredients to make this year all about giving!
Let the Munching Begin
When it comes to holiday entertaining, Midwest Kitchens, LLC has you covered! We are excited to share some of our favorite recipes for fall and holiday entertaining. We know that the kitchen is the heart of every home – the place where we make our most lasting memories with our families and friends.
Everyone knows a thanksgiving meal is more than just turkey — here are some recipes that feature the heroes of the big meal that are often overlooked.
Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer
Need an appetizer to keep guests out of the busy kitchen while you put the finishing touches on the main meal? Although your Thanksgiving guests will be looking forward to the main event, keep them happy and occupied with a Thanksgiving charcuterie board — like this one by Ain’t Too Proud to Meg!
- Cheese
- Brie
- Mimolette
- Comte (Shaped into maple leaf with a cookie cutter)
- Bleu d’Auvergne
- Meat
- Turkey Deli meat “kebabs” (Using a rosemary sprig, rolls of turkey and cranberries)
- Carbs
- Baguette Slices
- Produce
- Mini Orange Pumpkin
- Grapes (Purple is a good color for a fall board)
- Raspberries
- Accouterment
- Cranberry Jam
- Candied Pecans (Or roasted chestnuts)
- Pickled Green Beans
- Garnish
- Rosemary
- Sugared Cranberries
- Cranberries (for garnish on the turkey kebobs)
Buttery Rolls — Perfect for Leftovers!
Rolls are essential to any meal, but especially your Thanksgiving feast! Try these Pull-Apart Sour Cream and Chive Rolls courtesy of Bon Appetit. Make sure you make plenty for leftover mini turkey sandwiches the next day!
- ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 5⅓ cups (667 g) bread flour, divided, plus more
- 1½ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 2¼ tsp kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, divided, room temperature
- ½ cup finely chopped chives
- Flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Whisk ½ cup milk, ⅓ cup flour (42 g), and ½ cup water in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very stiff paste forms (it should resemble mashed potatoes), about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; scrape tangzhong into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Gently warm the remaining 2 Tbsp milk in the same saucepan over low heat until lukewarm. Remove from heat, add yeast, and whisk until dissolved. Let sit until mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes.
Add sour cream, sugar, kosher salt, 2 eggs, 4 Tbsp. butter, and remaining 5 cups bread flour (625 g) to tangzhong. Scrape in yeast mixture and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed to medium and mix, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally and adding more flour by the tablespoonful if sticky, until dough is smooth and supple, 8–10 minutes.
Scrape dough onto a work surface and form into a smooth ball; dust lightly with flour. Place inside a clean large bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a silicone lid. Let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1–1½ hours.
Meanwhile, coat a 13×9″ pan, preferably metal, with 2 Tbsp butter (it will be a generous layer, which is what you want). Uncover the dough and punch down lightly to expel some of the gas.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and stretch into a square.
Roll out, dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking, to a 12″ square, and sprinkle chives evenly over dough.
Starting at one end, loosely roll up dough. Flatten with the heel of your hands into a long rectangle. Roll out the dough again, dusting with more flour as needed, into a 16×6″ rectangle.
Using a wheel cutter or bench scraper, cut dough into twenty-four 2″-squarish pieces (an 8×3 grid).
Working with 1 piece of dough, gather all the corners and pinch together to form a teardrop shape. Place seam side down on work surface. Cup your hand over dough and drag across the surface, moving your hand in a rapid circular motion, to form dough into a tight ball. Do not add flour, as you want friction between the dough and the surface. Place the ball in the prepared pan and repeat with remaining pieces of dough, spacing to make a 6×4 grid. Cover pan with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until rolls are nearly doubled in size, 45–60 minutes.
Meanwhile, place a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 375°.
Using a fork, whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl until no streaks remain. Uncover the pan, gently brush the rolls’ tops with egg, then sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Bake rolls until tops are deep golden brown, 25–30 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and immediately brush tops with remaining 2 Tbsp butter. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Slide a knife or an offset spatula around the sides of the pan to loosen rolls, then slide a metal spatula underneath to loosen the bottom. Slide the entire grid of rolls out and onto a wire rack. Serve warm or let cool.
A Vegetarian Casserole Meat-Eaters Will Love!
Who said vegetarians can’t enjoy Thanksgiving? We’re all about the sides — especially yummy, hearty casseroles. Try this alternative to sweet potato casseroles using those fresh winter squash from our All Recipes page!
- 2 medium-large butternut or acorn squash
- 1 heaping cup chopped onion
- 1 heaping cup mixed colorful peppers, chopped
- 2-3 cloves chopped garlic
- 3 Tbsp olive oil for sautéing
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup plain yogurt (Greek or traditional)
- 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts for topping
Cut squash down the middle, length-wise. Scoop out seeds & place them face down in an oiled pan. Bake at 375 for about 35 min, or until soft. Let cool & scoop out & mash.
Saute the onion and garlic. When the onion is translucent, add the chopped peppers. Saute until peppers are just under-done.
Beat eggs with yogurt. Crumble in the feta cheese. Combine everything and mix well. Add salt, black & red pepper to taste.
Spread into buttered casserole or baking pan. Top with seeds or nuts. Cover. Bake at 375 for 25 min.
For Dessert — A Slice of Autumn!
And of course, you can’t have Thanksgiving without pie! Our gooey pecan pie melts in your mouth. The rich flavors and added crunch remind us of Thanksgiving and winter holidays, although you can enjoy it any time of year!
- Filling
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Crust
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Add sugar & syrup to the beaten eggs. Then add salt, vanilla & melted butter. Lightly toast pecans in a toaster oven. Place pecans in the bottom of the pie shell. Add filling & bake at 350 for 50-55 min.
Cut flour & salt into butter & mix until a ball forms. Pat dough with hands into a 9-inch pie tin, mending if necessary and fluting edge if desired. Place pecans & chocolate chips in the bottom of the pie shell. Add filling and bake as directed.
For more yummy recipes, check out our All Recipes page!
Feed Your Soul and Your Community — Volunteer!
While celebrating a holiday surrounded by food and family, it’s important to remember those that have a more difficult time in our community — especially over the holiday season. This season is all about spreading cheer, being grateful for what you have and giving back to Kansas City. Gather up your guests and help make someone else’s holiday just as merry and bright as yours.
While you’re out grocery shopping for the upcoming holiday season, please consider adding a few extra items into your cart and donating them to Shelter KC at Kansas City Rescue Mission to help keep our supply full through the holiday season.
Here are some items needed:
- Stuffing
- Mashed potatoes
- Gravy mix
- Corn
- Green beans
- Peaches and pears
- Cranberry sauce
- Canned yams/sweet potatoes
- Brown sugar
- Set of salt and pepper shakers
- Crispy onions
- Cream of mushroom soup
Shelter KC’s Thanksgiving food drive ends November 19 at 5 p.m. For more information call Shelter KC at (816) 421-7643 or email them at volunteer@shelterkc.org. Visit Shelter KC at 1520 Cherry St. Kansas City, MO 64108.
Operation Holidays by Della Lamb is a four-day event that embraces those in need in Kansas City. Their goal is to provide a unique opportunity to inspire a kinder Kansas City by offering holiday cheer and comfort to 500 families.
Volunteer opportunities range from sorting and set up to preparing for the event as well as distribution day activities. This event offers large group registration — meaning your whole family or a group of friend could get together to volunteer together. Della Lamb also has an Amazon virtual gift guide for you to donate virtually!
Happy Thanksgiving, KC!
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect back on what this past year has brought us. Being a family-owned business, we understand the importance of trust, relationships and, above all, family. We are so grateful for all of our amazing customers, both old and new, who continue to help us grow as a business and as people. You all welcome us into your home with open arms, and for that, we couldn’t be more thankful. From our family to yours, we wish you a happy and safe holiday season.