From Our Table to Yours: Thanksgiving Recipes Straight from Our Kitchen

Every year around this time, our office conversations shift from deadlines and manuscripts to the really important stuff: whose stuffing recipe reigns supreme, whether marshmallows belong on sweet potatoes, and the proper ratio of pie to people. This Thanksgiving, we decided to stop just talking about food and start sharing it.

We asked our team to contribute their favorite Thanksgiving recipes, the dishes they're known for, the ones their families request year after year, or the new traditions they're building in their own kitchens. What we got back was a delicious mix of cherished family heirlooms, creative twists on classics, and a few happy accidents that became holiday staples.

So whether you're looking to add something new to your table or just curious about what fuels the people who bring you local history all year long, we hope these recipes inspire your holiday feast. From our team's kitchens to yours, happy Thanksgiving!

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Amy, Title Manager

1. Preheat your oven to 400F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish or a dish slightly smaller (no less than 2 qts).
2. Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes and bake for 1 hour or until soft and tender. When sweet potatoes are cooked, slice them in half and allow to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.
3. Pell the skins away from the sweet potatoes and mash well in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, heavy cream, butter . eggs, mixing until combined.
4. To make the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add 6 tbsp of butter and use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour until a crumble forms. Stir in ¼ cup maple syrup and the walnuts.
5. Pour half the sweet potatoes into the prepared dish. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the streusel. Spread the remaining sweet potatoes over top and sprinkle the remaining streusel evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is dark golden.
6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, brown the remaining 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Stir in the remaining maple syrup. 
7. Just before serving, drizzle the browned maple butter over the casserole. Serve warm.

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David, IT Data Analyst

"My wife never liked Thanksgiving until I made this turkey recipe!"

Gordon Ramsay's Roast Turkey with Lemon, Parsley & Garlic

• 1 free-range turkey (ideally Norfolk Black or Bronze), about 5–5.5kg
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 onions, peeled and halved
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
• 6 bay leaves
• olive oil, to drizzle
• 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon

   

  Lemon, parsley and garlic butter:

  • 375g butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • finely grated zest and juice of 2 small lemons
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 
  • small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Meanwhile, prepare the herb butter. Put the butter into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and mix well. Add the lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic and chopped parsley. Mix well to combine.
2. Remove the giblets from the turkey cavity. Season the cavity well with salt and pepper, then stuff with the onions, lemon, garlic halves and 2 bay leaves.
3. With your hands, loosen the skin on the breast from both ends of the bird so that you will be able to stuff the flavoured butter underneath it, making sure you keep the skin intact. Repeat with the skin on the legs – from the lower side of the breast feel your way under the skin and out towards the leg, loosening the gap.
4. Stuff half the butter mix into the opened spaces under the skin. From the outside of the skin, gently massage the butter around the breasts so that the meat is evenly covered. Finally, insert the rest of the bay leaves under the skin of the breasts.
5. Place the bird in a large roasting tray, breast side up. Spread the rest of the butter all over the skin. Season well with salt and pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. (If preparing a day ahead, cover the turkey with foil and refrigerate at this stage.)
6. Roast the turkey in the hot oven for 10–15 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices and lay the bacon rashers over the breast to keep it moist. Baste again. Lower the setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and cook for about 2 1⁄2 hours (calculating at 30 minutes per kg), basting occasionally.
7. To test whether your turkey is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the leg and check that the juices are running clear, rather than pink. As oven temperatures and turkey shapes and sizes vary, it is crucial to check your turkey about 30 minutes before the calculated roasting time. If the juices are pink, roast for another 15 minutes and check again. Repeat as necessary until the turkey is cooked.
8. Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter and remove the parson’s nose, wings and tips of the drumsticks; reserve these for the gravy. Leave the turkey to rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes; make the gravy in the meantime. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin before carving. Serve the turkey with the piping hot gravy, stuffing and accompaniments.

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Abigail, Senior Production Editor

Pumpkin Pound Cake with Maple Glaze

1½ cups butter, softened

2 cups sugar

6 eggs

1½ cups (1 can) pumpkin puree

½ cup good maple syrup

3½ cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon (or more, depending on your preference)*

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

 *These spice measurements aren’t absolute. I sometimes add ground ginger, allspice, or even a pinch of pepper—levels and flavors are subjective! Use what you like.

 Cream softened butter and sugar. Add eggs, pumpkin, and maple syrup, mix until smooth. Combine dry ingredients, add to wet, and mix just until homogenous.

 Bake in 2 greased loaf pans at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.

 Maple Glaze

Stir maple syrup and a dash of vanilla extract into sifted powdered sugar to create a glaze to your desired thickness. Drizzle on top of cooled pound cakes. You can dress it up with toasted pepitas, pumpkin seed brittle, or even chopped candied ginger.

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Erin, Acquisitions Editor

"My kids’ favorite book has always been Cranberry Thanksgiving. This recipe is included in the book, and we make it every year (we do all cranberries, no raisins)."

Grandmother's Famous Cranberry Bread

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup butter or margarine
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
¾ cup orange juice
1½ cups light raisins
1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg, orange peel, and orange juice all at once; stir just until mixture is evenly moist. Fold in raisins and cranberries.

Spoon into a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

If you choose, you may substitute cranberries for the raisins to have an all-cranberry bread.

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Katie, Publicity Director

Mable Ryan Cake

• 1 C (2 sticks) butter
• 2 C sugar
• 3 C Plain Flour
• 4 Eggs
• 1 C Evaporated Milk
• 2 TSP Baking Powder
• 1 TSP Vanilla
• 1/2 TSP Lemon

Cream butter, sugar, then add egg yolks.

Fold in Flour, etc,  then stiff beaten egg whites.

Bake in 3 cake pans 300 for 25-30 minutes

ICING CHOCOLATE

• 2 1/2 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Evaporated Milk
• 4 SQ Bakers Unsweet Chocolate
• 1 Block Butter
• 1 TSP Vanilla

Cook 1st 4 ingredients in iron skillet on med low until soft boil forms in a glass of water. Cool and put in electric mixer with vanilla. Add more milk if too stiff. 

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Hannah, Publicist

"My grandma makes a coconut cream pie that I look forward to every year."

• 1 unbaked flaky pie crust
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1  can full fat coconut milk*
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Fully blind bake the pie crust. Cool pie crust completely. You can do this up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.
2. Make the coconut filling: Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together. Set aside. Whisk the coconut milk, half-and-half, granulated sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce temperature to medium-low heat. Once boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pot.
3. The pudding will immediately begin to bubble and thicken. Stand back and use caution as the bubbles may burst. Whisk and cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, butter, vanilla, and coconut extract (if using).
4. Pour warm filling into cooled pie crust. Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until chilled and thickened. Pie may be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
5. Pipe whipped cream on top.

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Emily, Senior Publicist

"My grandma always makes a from scratch pumpkin roll that's my favorite!"

Pumpkin Roll

• 3 large eggs, beaten

• 1 cup white sugar

• ⅔ cup pumpkin puree

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup chopped pecans

• 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar for dusting, or as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12x17-inch jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper; grease the parchment paper. Generously dust a kitchen towel with confectioners' sugar.

2. Beat eggs, white sugar, and pumpkin together in a bowl until creamy.

3. Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together in a separate bowl; gradually stir into egg mixture. Stir to combine. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for exactly 10 minutes.

5. Immediately turn cake onto the prepared kitchen towel. Starting at a long end, roll up pumpkin cake and towel. Let rolled cake rest for 10 minutes.

6. Beat cream cheese, butter, 16-ounce package confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth; fold in pecans.

7. Unroll cake; spread with the filling. Roll up cake (without towel). Cut off any jagged ends. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Cut cake in half; sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.

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Maddison, Publicist

"I’ve been trying to perfect a butternut squash soup to take for Thanksgiving."