Ah the holidays! The most food centric and chaotic time of the year! I feel so seen!
Shockingly, I have no major Thanksgiving disasters that come to mind (thank god), but perhaps that is because the joyful buzz of chaos seems to always accompany a day where you force family into a room with the good linens and red wine.
As someone who needs routine like I need water (which is why I don’t go anywhere without my emotional support water bottle), the predictability of holidays traditions (and their mayhem) soothes me.
My annual craziness usually consists of:
Running late for the Turkey Trot (despite the fact that we literally live a 3 minute drive from the starting line).
Attempting to stop my dog, Wyatt, from humping the other dogs and eating the donuts at said trot.
Trying to corral all of my family members when my mother requests a post-race picture (despite the fact that everyone rolled out of bed and just ran a 5k).
Haphazardly starting the cooking process while running back and forth between the kitchen and the TV room every time there is a Broadway number in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Having my dad shout updates of the (usually losing) score of the Bears game.
Debating with my mom for 20 minutes about whether or not we should make baked brie as an appetizer at 4pm, deciding it will fill us up too much, making it anyway, and it filling us up too much.
Feeling like I started cooking too early, taking a break, and then nervously rushing to finish everything despite the fact that we don’t have a set dinner time.
See #3.
Keeping Wyatt (our incredibly cute, but food motivated golden retriever) from jumping on the counter and eating the turkey (he always seems to get a lick in).
Knocking over approximately 2.5 glasses of water at dinner.
Losing at annual Thanksgiving poker.
But, I truly love it all. As a home cook, what’s not to love about a food centric holiday?
I took over Thanksgiving at my house when I was in high school. It was a slow coup, but eventually I moved from my place amongst the auxiliary troops into being the kitchen dictator (with my sous-chef sister) while my mom drank wine and watched from a distance. My demanding “what are we planning on doing for the tablescape??” at fifteen might have scared her away.
Despite my militant command of this sacred holiday in my house, I am full of Thanksgiving unpopular opinions. Brace yourselves.
Cranberry sauce is my favorite Thanksgiving food (I’m AWARE this is a hot take, tysm).
Traditional Thanksgiving food….bores me?
Please don’t burn me at the stake.
But, as someone who lives for spicy, acidic, and bold flavors, the über savory profile of Thanksgiving (while indulgent and delicious, obviously) always felt a little monochromatic to me.
Obviously when it comes to the holidays, tradition is tradition and you can’t get away with changing too much on the Thanksgiving table (as it is, we have both homemade and canned cranberry sauce to appease both my parents), but over the years, I’ve managed to sneak a few fun updates into the menu here and there. So whether you need inspiration for fun twists for your own Turkey Day or need a last minute Friendsgiving idea, I’ve got you covered!
The Bird
To be honest, the turkey is the one part of the meal that you’ll never see me make a lot of tweaks to because a) I don’t really care about the turkey that much and b) my dad (the rare turkey lover) would kill me. My family usually gets a Butterball (which does not need to be brined) and calls it a day, but when it comes to the cooking and preparation of a less processed turkey, Alison Roman’s Dry Brined Turkey is simple and fantastic. And for anything classic like this, Ina Garten is queen. Check out her Perfect Roast Turkey!
Green Things
In an endless sea of beige at Thanksgiving, we find the occasional green thing! If you find the gloppy green bean casseroles and not fully cooked brussel sprouts of the world lackluster, these are some of my favorites to add a little flavor and pizazz to the table.
Minimalist Baker’s Miso-Glazed Roasted Brussels give me the salty/sweet/acidic relief that I crave at a Thanksgiving table, while Smitten Kitchen’s Green Beans with Almond Pesto and Alison Roman’s Frizzled Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Onions both act as green bean casserole’s MUCH hotter cousin. And if you’re looking for a next day lunch or want to boost your table’s vegetarian game, Pinch of Yum’s Autumn Glow Salad with Lemon Dressing is not actually green, but IS perfectly seasonal and deliciously hearty.
Orange Things
Fall is the season of orange things! Squashes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes–I love ‘em all. Although my family always complains when there isn’t sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on the table, I’ve been able to add these Roasted Root Vegetables with Fennel and Pistachio Yogurt to the spread without complaint! And tbh if the sweet potato preparation was fully up to me, I would make Smitten Kitchen’s Roasted Yams and Chickpeas with Yogurt because if you’ve learned anything from my previous posts, hopefully it’s my deep love for chickpeas, yogurt sauces, and Deb Perelman. Squash is often something that family might allow you to play around with and if that rings true, make Smitten Kitchen’s Squash Toasts with Ricotta and Cider Vinegar. This recipe is SO good and SO autumnal and is a staple in my kitchen. It would be a perfect appetizer honestly, as would Giada De Laurentiis’ Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Tartines. Personally, Cookie and Kate’s Butternut Squash Risotto is going to be my Friendsgiving contribution this year and will make the vegetarians in your life feel like they’re not an afterthought on this meat-centric day!
Classic-Adjacent Things
There are few things that people have more deeply personal feelings about at Thanksgiving than mashed potatoes. I have watched grown adults fight over the lump vs. no lump question. Marriages have probably ended over it. Mashed potatoes are the one thing in my house that I don’t make because I wither under that kind of pressure. My sister and mom tag team that one (for the record–SUPER smooth, no lump mashed potatoes is the correct answer). BUT if you ever wanted to add MORE potatoes to your table or make something slightly more trendy for your Friendsgiving, I adore Alison Roman’s Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Fried Onions as a potato side for any occasion.
As my second favorite Thanksgiving food, stuffing has a special place in my heart. As a kid, I used to love the version where I got to tear up loaves of sandwich bread. Now, Smitten Kitchen’s Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing is the only version I make. It is the perfect combination of comforting tradition and flavorful innovation. It is pillowy and bready in every way you want stuffing to be, with an extra something from caramelized onions and sherry vinegar. I’ll often add celery into the mix because yum. Be prepared to eat it cold out of the fridge in the middle of the night.
And finally, the acidic queen of the table! She’s tart! She’s gorgeous! She cuts through the salt and fat of everything else like an avenging angel! She’s Cranberry Sauce! I make Cookie and Kate’s simple version every year and she’s perfect. Pro tip: my mom is obsessed with it and always asks me to make a double batch so that she can eat the leftovers on pancakes.
Sweet Things (That Aren’t Pie)
One of the great tragedies of Thanksgiving is that it is a holiday that is known for its desserts, yet no one ever truly has room for dessert after the meal. Whenever planning dessert, I always think to myself, what will I actually feel like eating after the big show?
Another hot take (for some): I do not like pumpkin pie. I’ve tried to get into it, but it’s just not for me. What IS for me is this Pumpkin Tiramisu from Food and Wine. It elevates the Thanksgiving dessert game and looks truly show stopping. Another fan favorite is Alison Roman’s Apple Cinnamon Tart, which is light, festive, and demands vanilla ice cream. Or for more appley-festive goodness, try Smitten Kitchen’s Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake. Deb is a dessert goddess and I can promise you that anything she creates will be a welcome addition to your table.
I hope you all have a flavor packed Thanksgiving with just the right dash of chaos! And if it’s the wrong dash of chaos, don’t forget that there’s always wine!