Tired of the same old turkey (especially if it’s dryer than the Arizona desert), lumpy mashed potatoes, and less-than-stellar pumpkin pie you see so much of every November? Why not try a new twist on the classic Thanksgiving dishes that we all know and don’t love so much anymore? Here are 6 ideas for taking Thanksgiving dinner from tried-and-true to new-and-improved.

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1. Brussels sprouts in cheese sauce: We all have broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole around the holidays. This year, surprise your family by turning dreaded Brussels sprouts into a cheesy-delicious side they’ll certainly want seconds of.

2. Vegetarian stuffing: If you’ve sworn off meat, the holidays can be a difficult time to eat. While everyone’s oohing and ahhing over the bird, show the family how delicious going meat-free can be. Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth, and sneak in some healthiness in the form of dried cranberries and kidney beans for protein. They don’t even have to know it’s good for them.

3. Mole: A spicy Mexican sauce made from stock, chocolate, spices, and more, mole is an interesting alternative to gravy. You can buy mole paste and reconstitute it with whatever broth you want, or if you’re feeling ambitious, try making it from scratch. Either way, your family will be pleasantly surprised if there’s a gravy boat full of mole on the table.

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4. Unconventional main dish: You don’t have to serve turkey at Thanksgiving. You’ll likely have several different Thanksgiving dinners, and all of them will feature turkey. Instead of serving a bird, treat your family to BBQ brisket or ribs. Or go all out Mexican with platters of enchiladas, homemade tortillas, Spanish rice, and flan. And you can’t go wrong with grilled burgers and hotdogs.

5. Mini pumpkin pies: We all know mini anythings are adorable. Make sure there’s enough pumpkin pie deliciousness to go around by making lots of mini pies instead of one or two regular-sized pies. Simply cut circles of dough from your pie crust and press them into muffin tins. Then fill them with your pie filling. In about half an hour you’ll have bite-sized cups of pumpkin perfection.

6. Jones Thanksgiving Dinner soda: If you’re not into the whole cooking thing this year, Jones soda has you covered. Pick up a five-bottle holiday pack that includes Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potato, Fruitcake, Cranberry, and even Turkey & Gravy sodas. Just think: that’s a lot fewer dishes than Thanksgiving usually requires.

Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving fare this year, or will you think outside the turkey?

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