Thanksgiving is the best time of year, and it’s the only time I can truly disconnect from outside worries. Over a mix of conversation, good food and soft music, aromas of roast turkey, cranberries and pumpkin spice waft through the air, and my family shares our latest happenings and favorite memories at the dinner table. 

After over a decade of Thanksgivings with my cousins and friends, we celebrate the same recipes, games and quality time together. Since I was a little kid, these have been our family’s favorite traditions, and I want to share my favorite memories and the best recipes we’ve curated throughout the years.

Aunt Mignon’s stuffing

My Aunt Mignon sparked my passion for cooking. Since I was little, she ensured Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. She always put me to work in the kitchen, making me taste her food experiments while simultaneously working as a 6-year-old sous-chef. One of the most memorable dishes of hers for me — that has now become tradition — is her stuffing, with sausage, turkey, apple, breadcrumbs, onion and chestnuts. I have fond memories of quartering the chestnuts while trying to sneak bites of the thyme and rosemary italian sausage. The breadcrumbs soak up the seasonings and stock, while the celery and onions provide a subtle sweet crunch. My aunt never fails to make perfect stuffing. 

Although Aunt Mignon improvises the recipe without measurements, I would recommend using Melissa Clark’s Brioche Chestnut Stuffing to best replicate my aunt’s magnum opus.

Monkey bread

Soft, buttery, salty and doughy in taste but not in texture, savory monkey bread is the pinnacle of my family’s meal. After our rendition of Julia Child’s great brioche bread would always come out underbaked, my uncle Micheal tried a different technique. Using the same recipe, he baked it like monkey bread in a bundt pan. Voila! Best bread ever. Smaller dough pieces rolled in butter and dill create a buttery smell that fills the air and a fluffy, yeasty taste dominates the plate. It’s mouthwatering and irrefutably one of the best dishes ever made with the only downside being how hard it is to stop eating it.

Micheal follows Julia Child’s brioche bread recipe until shaping, then rolls smaller dough balls. Roll them in butter and optionally dill, then stack in a bundt pan and bake as instructed.

Brussel sprouts

Because of my mom’s poor choice to be a pescatarian, over time, my family has found many tasty vegetarian dishes. Surprisingly, my dad came up with these delicious garlic parmesan brussel sprouts which are golden brown, crispy, garlicky and a perfect balance to a rich meal. 

Infuse three tablespoons of a neutral oil with a few cloves of garlic, cooking the garlic and removing them once they start to brown. Put the brussels face down over medium-high heat, and after a few minutes of cooking, cover for 10 minutes. Simply flip them when golden brown and grate some parmesan for a delicious side dish.

Desserts

Often, the best part of our night is the postprandial that symbolizes friends and neighbors are about to come over with their distinct desserts. Over games like Codenames or charades we take small bites of apple galette, pecan and pumpkin pie, molasses spice cake with maple frosting and various chocolates, as we convinced ourselves that dinner hasn’t completely filled us up. Out of all of the desserts, my favorite is the pumpkin pie.

I would recommend using either the “The Joy of Cooking” recipe or Tastes Better From Scratch recipe for pumpkin pie.

The next morning: Juk 

The next morning, our traditions include a morning run, playing football and basketball and going for a jump in the lake. The highlight of the morning after Thanksgiving is a unique but special dish: juk. Juk, also known as congee, consists of turkey or chicken, rice, garlic and green onions. Aunt Mignon uses leftover turkey to create a cozy rice porridge dish that brings back all the great memories from the week. After adding soy sauce, which gives the juk a salty umami flavor, you’re left with a warm, meaty and fresh rice porridge.

In a large pot, add one cup of short grain rice (like sushi rice), the leftover turkey and bones and six cups of water or enough to barely cover the turkey. Cover and let it cook at low heat for six to eight hours, stirring and adding water as needed. Serve with soy sauce and a sprinkle of green onions.

Final thoughts

I hold each of these foods close to my heart every year. I sometimes think it’s funny I have all of these memories associated with our Thanksgiving recipes, but I’ve come to realize it’s not all about the food. The time cooking and baking brings us together and while the food enlightens our week, it’s the people we share it with that make it so special. At the end of the day, Thanksgiving is about one thing: gratefulness.The time spent and memories made with family is priceless, and for that, I am forever grateful.