At Celadon we’re giving thanks for the great team and talented authors who've come together since our launch in 2017. And what better way to show gratitude than to share an enormous meal (that can be eaten for several days)? Here are a few things we’ll be bringing to our tables—what are you bringing to yours?
Appetizers
My mother always hosted Thanksgiving back home, and my favorite appetizer was Brie cheese with cranberry chutney on red pears (recipe). It took so much willpower to not eat it all before our extended family arrived! –Alexis Neuville, Marketing Assistant
Side dishes
Potatoes
Can you even have Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes?! It’s my favorite part of the meal, by far. I love this recipe from Serious Eats. They pay careful attention to how to scientifically make a dish the best it can be—and here, they’ve found the way to make mashed potatoes seriously fluffy. –Randi Kramer, Editorial Assistant
Stuffing
Every year my wife and I argue about stuffing. She is a traditionalist and wants a simple, fresh bread stuffing. I find that boring. I want more, and I love a cornbread stuffing with sausage, preferably chorizo. So we’ve started an annual stuffing competition, where we both make stuffing and let the guests vote. Usually she wins, but I think people are just being nice. Sam Sifton’s excellent little Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well book has the best recipes for both. NYT Cooking also has recipes you can try: cornbread chorizo stuffing and traditional fresh bread stuffing. –Ryan Doherty, Executive Editor
The Turkey
My family has used this turkey recipe for as long as I can remember, and it was posted in our local newspaper. The trick to it is stuffing the turkey with pears, apples, onions and seasonings and then baste it with a red wine marsala. Towards the end, you add the maple glaze, and it’s just perfect. –Rachel Chou, Associate Publisher
Cautionary turkey tale
One year, my family decided to up our turkey game and brine our turkey, which we’d heard was the gold standard for getting a delicious roast. Because the bird was so big, the only vessel it would fit in was a mop bucket, which we filled with salty water. We left the giant turkey in this mop bucket overnight, but despite all our efforts, the turkey was actually mediocre. The moral of this story is that brining is over-hyped, and your time is better spent elsewhere. And if you’re going to brine, don’t do it in a mop bucket. –Cecily van Buren-Freedman, Editorial Assistant
An alternative to turkey
In my family we are not turkey enthusiasts, though we do make a token turkey. But we are big fish eaters and start every Thanksgiving with a huge spread of sushi and beer boiled shrimp. For the shrimp, you just fill a big pot with beer (doesn't have to be the good stuff) and some Old Bay seasoning or Creole spices. Buy the jumbo sized shrimp, boil the beer and throw in the shrimp. Let the shrimp simmer until they turn pink, about 3-5 minutes. Cool. And then let everyone peel and eat. –Jamie Raab, Publisher & President
Dessert
My family shares in making the Thanksgiving meal, and dessert is typically one of my offerings to the table. Several years ago, instead of pie, I made a pumpkin cheesecake--tasty, but cumbersome from baking to arrival at its final destination. The next year I re-focused my efforts on Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes. Easy to make, easy to transport, and so delicious! Those little cakes are now an annual request and we've yet to be able to send one home with leftovers! –Heather Graham, Director of Content
A family tradition at the table
Many, many years ago, my great aunt, Mooey, gave out little presents she dubbed "table prizes" after the Thanksgiving meal ended, when everyone was in comas and tryptophan stupors. Each gift came with a rhyme describing the contents of the package ("Bill, Bill, he loves to grill / but sometimes he needs a brush to clean / so burgers come out nice and lean"), and was inexpensive but clever—perfect for the recipient. A Yankees calendar; nail polish; a paring knife, avocados and a guacamole recipe; tea; Sumatra coffee... This tradition has carried on for close to 75 years and will be in full swing again in 2018. –Deb Futter, Co-publisher & SVP
