Bagels with Lox and Cream Cheese

This is a super easy breakfast or lunch and a great crowd pleaser.  It's nice because you can serve this buffet style with all the fixings and let everyone prepare their bagels to their liking.  If you don't want to go to the extreme of making homemade Gravlax you can typically find lox next to the meat and seafood department in your grocery store.


Bagels
Cream cheese
Red onion, sliced thin
Roma tomatoes, sliced thin
Gravlax AKA Lox or smoked salmon, sliced thin
Black Pepper
Capers
Caper and parsley cream cheese spread (recipe to follow) (optional)
Dilled cucumbers (optional)

Slice the bagels down the middle.  Toast the bagels slightly on each side...not too toasted because you want them still soft on the inside.  Spread the cream cheese on top of your bagel slice to your liking. I like about 1.5 - 2 TBSP per bagel side. Add slices of smoked salmon or lox gets piled on top of the cream cheese.  Top with a combination of tomato, onion and dilled cucumber slices if you so desire. Grind fresh pepper on top and then sprinkle with capers if you like them.

Caper and Parsley Cream Cheese Spread:

3/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon chopped capers

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Make a spread by placing the cream cheese, capers, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix to combine. 

Dilled Cucumbers:

1 cucumber, peeled, split lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Thanksgiving Day Menu

We love entertaining and we especially love hosting our friends and family during the holiday season.  For Thanksgiving we typically host 25 - 30 people and these recipes are tried and true and fit the bill when feeding a larger crew.  These are a combination of some McQuaid and McCormick classic dishes and are served most every Thanksgiving with so much love in our home.

A little tip is once I get everything cooked, cooled and covered with foil, I like to write what each dish is on the foil along with any further directions needed for the day of cooking prior to storing them in the refrigerator.  

Hopefully some of these recipes and tips help make planning your turkey day a little easier.  Happy Thanksgiving!!

Appetizers -

Lox served with crackers, capers, lemon slices and minced red onion

Mamaw's Mushroom Croustades

Aunt Bette's Crab Dip served with French Bread

Stelton Blue Cheese and various other cheeses served with Triscuits

Paté served with crackers and/or French bread

Veggies and homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (baby carrots, celery sticks and cherry tomatoes)

Grapes red and green for garnishing and gnashing

Dinner -

2 Turkeys - 1 Roasted and 1 Fried (if it's not raining)

Roast Turkey

Fried Turkey

Southern Style Dressing or Classic Dressing

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Turkey Gravy

Classic Cranberry Sauce * I double recipe when serving 25 people

Canned Cranberry Sauce

Classic Green Bean Casserole *  I double recipe when serving 25 people

Savory Corn Pudding * I double corn amount only when serving 25 people

Mamaw's Spinach Rockefeller * I double recipe when serving 25 people

Sweet Potatoes * I double recipe when serving 25 people

Layered Salad or Sara's Caesar salad

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole *

Mamaw's Retro Lime Green Jello Salad *

Parker House Rolls *

Desserts-             

Pumpkin Pie *

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake *

Classic Pecan Pie

Chocolate Pecan *

David's Chocolate Chip Cookies *

Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream * I double recipe when serving 25 people

Serve all of the above with spray whipped Cream or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

*Can be made 1 - 2 days prior to serving