Most of America has been taught the same story about Thanksgiving — that in 1621 Pilgrims sat together with Native Americans to share an autumn feast which was one of the first celebrations for Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together with a celebration of bigger, more important things in life besides a meal. It is about expressing gratitude for the good things in life. It is a time for restoring and connecting with loved ones. Thanksgiving can be a way to reflect how a family can show their support and love.

One way is through a gathering over the dinner table. Here are a few tips to help avoid stress and time: never turn down help, make as much ahead as possible, consider making the turkey or other items the day before when possible and setting the table the night before.

Families all have traditions and one neat idea is to set up a donation box and place it by the door. Ask all who are coming for Thanksgiving to bring one or two canned items to donate to the local food bank. Another idea that is pretty nice is to give everyone a sharpie to write what they are thankful for on a butcher paper cloth laid over the table or whatever you have available. It will be a reminder to your guests why you are having Thanksgiving.

Included in my column are a few recipes that I like to prepare when we are having a Thanksgiving dinner.

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients

1 (32 ounce) bag of hash browns

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Topping Ingredients

1 1/2 cups corn flakes, coarsely crushed

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a two-quart glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine all hash brown ingredients; mix well. Spread into a prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. Spread topping evenly over hash browns. Bake for 45 minutes or until hash browns are tender. Serves 8 to 10 people.

Scalloped Corn

Ingredients

1 can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 can cream-style corn

1 stick melted margarine

2 eggs, beaten

1 small carton cheddar cheese

1 package corn muffin mix

Instructions

Mix well, corn, margarine, eggs, sour cream and cheese; add muffin mix and blend well. Bake 35 minutes at 350 degrees in a greased, glass 9-by-12-inch baking dish.

Cranberry Fluff

Ingredients

1 14-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained

8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together cranberry sauce and crushed pineapple. Fold in whipped topping until thoroughly combined. Stir in mini marshmallows. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving. Enjoy!.

Turkey Dressing

This recipe can be used to stuff the turkey or just as a side dish. You can use any bread of your choice, but be sure that the bread has dried before putting the ingredients together. Stuffing can be made ahead of time by covering it tightly and refrigerating it.

Ingredients

2 small onions, diced

4 ribs celery diced

2/3 cup butter

1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (or 1/2 teaspoon ground sage)

Black pepper

Salt to taste

12 cups dry bread cubes (13 to 16 slices of bread)

2 to 4 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh herbs sage, thyme or rosemary

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and poultry seasoning. Reduce the temperature to medium low and cook until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, onion mixture, parsley and fresh herbs. Pour 1 cup of broth over top and toss the cubes. Add the remaining broth, a little at a time until cubes are moist (but not soggy) and gently toss. You may not need all the broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the bread mixture in a serving dish, dot with additional butter if desired and cover. Bake for 35 minutes with a lid or fold over the top, uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Note: I like to add shredded turkey or chicken to this dish.

Marsha’s Pumpkin Bars with Frosting

Ingredients

4 medium eggs

1 cup oil

1 can pumpkin

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Mix eggs, oil, pumpkin and sugar together; add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and pour into a greased 12-by-8-by-1-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool bars before frosting them. Makes 24 servings.

Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese

1 stick butter

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar

Frosting Instructions

Beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla together. Add powdered sugar. Spread frosting over cooled bars.

Loretta Krahling is a columnist with over 30 years of newspaper experience. Have any favorite holiday traditions (food related) you would like to share? Email them to me to share at krahling93@gmail.com. I can keep it confidential if you wish.