Thanksgiving In Montana: What are Montanans Favorite Side Dishes?

I'm pretty much into full-blown Holiday mode.  So much so, that I bought the Thanksgiving Turkey yesterday and put it in the freezer.

I'm super excited for a couple of reasons, one, because I'm a fat guy and I love food and two, this will be my first year of smoking the turkey on my pellet grill. In fact, I'm not only doing the turkey on the grill, I'm planning on smoking the dressing (stuffing) and mac and cheese on the grill as well.

I was born and raised in the south, so we have a few Holiday food traditions and even though I've spent a few Thanksgiving's here in Montana, this will be the first one that I actually cook for.

So, I will ask you, what are Montana's must-haves for Thanksgiving?

I went around the station and asked my co-workers what were their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes and the following made the list:

Dressing/Stuffing with Gravy.

Dressing or stuffing with Gravy just feels like the Holidays. Even the stuff out of the box is delicious, right?

Pecan Pie.

I question anyone who doesn't like pecan pie, in fact the only think up for debate on this Holiday favorite is how to pronounce Pecan. Pea-Can or Pah-Caan. It's the latter, by the way.

Sweet Potato Casserole.

The actual answer I received was Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole, I've never had it, but I love any type of sweet potato casserole, so I'm guessing I would be a fan.

Rolls.

Rolls are certainly a staple when it comes to Thanksgiving. Throw on some butter and a bit of jam, and we're having a party. Bonus, those Hawaiian Rolls are super good as well.

Green Bean Casserole.

I'm going to be honest, this is not my favorite but I know that a ton of people love it. Personally, I would pass on this one.

Fruit Salad.

Fruit, pudding, whipped cream...ummm, yes please! This dish is great for any Holiday meal.

Mashed Potatoes.

According to Google, the number one Thanksgiving side dish in the state of Montana is mashed potatoes. I mean, who doesn't love mashed potatoes. I have a whole way that I prepare them. The recipe is below:

Derek's Holiday Mashed Potatoes Recipe

A Dozen or more Yukon Gold Potatoes (peeled with just a little bit of the skin remaining)

1 Tub of Sour Cream

2 Cups of Shredded Cheese

Garlic

Honey

1 Stick of Butter

Salt and Pepper

Dash of Tony's Cajun Seasoning

Boil the potatoes and drain them.  You can use a electric mixer or you can mash them by hand.  Add the stick of butter and continue to mix or mash, then add the sour cream and cheese. Add the garlic, honey, Tony's, salt and pepper while continuing to blend together.  Serve hot and enjoy!