Turkeys, pumpkin pies, and mashed potatoes are all symbols of the holiday that brings loved ones together to give thanks and spread tradition through the recipes behind memorable Thanksgiving suppers.

For many, the traditional thanksgiving recipes bring a sense of comfort and union while others feel the holiday spirit best through less traditional celebrations.

“My favorite tradition was when my kids were little. It was just the three of us that really celebrated Thanksgiving. So, instead of cooking the whole turkey, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese, I would just pick up the gobbler sandwiches from Wawa that would have the Turkey, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. We would take it to the beach, and we would just hang out and play at the beach,” Art teacher Kerri Murphy shared.

Some families, including English Language Arts (ELA) teacher Caroline Shell’s family, have traditions and recipes that have been passed down for years.

“Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays in the Shell family and the patriarchs of the different generations are in charge of the Giblet Gravy. It started with my great grandfather picking up the recipe from a coworker and has become a staple at the table every year. The Giblet Gravy dish brings the family into the kitchen together as everyone has opinions on what to add or who makes it the best,” Shell said.

The Shell family Giblet Gravy recipe goes as follows –

·      Simmer water, giblets (turkey), onion, celery, bouillon, salt & pepper, for 45 minutes.

·      Chop the liver and neck meat from turkey.

·      Put the liver and meat into a saucepan; add chicken broth and eggs.

·      Mix milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl; slowly add to the saucepan.

·      Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until gravy has thickened (3-5 min.)

·      Serve hot!

For ELA teacher Sabrina Spence, the bread pudding has been the famous Thanksgiving family recipe ever since she was a child.

“This is a dessert dish made to bring us together as a family. After having a lovely and heavy meal that we all work on making together, this will bring it home. There is nothing better than having this dish with a nice cup of hot coffee. Hispanic culture in our family is huge, and this is just a small representation of how food can bring people together. It can also bring back so many memories, and I hope to one day keep this recipe going for my kids in the future,” Spence shared.

Spences’ Grandmothers infamous Bread Pudding goes like so –

·      “A loaf of bread torn into pieces

·      1/4 of Butter

·      4 Eggs

·      2 evaporated milks of 12oz can

·      1/2 cup of sugar

·      1/2 tbs vanilla

·      1/2 tbs of cinnamon and salt

·      Raisins

·      1/3 cup of grease for pan with the butter and mix it all

·      Oven to 350 for 45 min and enjoy!”

While Chemistry teacher Kelvin Fuentes was growing up in a Puerto Rican household, Thanksgiving was different from the traditional dinners.

“So, Thanksgiving was mostly a family party/reunion. I am Puerto Rican, so we grew up eating mostly typical dishes from there. We grew up eating Pasteles. It is kind of like a boiled Pastry filled with meat or chicken. Another dish we ate often was Arroz con gandules which were just rice, pigeon peas, and pork. Yeah, that was what it was mostly,” Fuentes said.