Mad Genius Comics

It seems odd — yet oddly appropriate— to talk about food next to a zombie comic, but Thanksgiving is without a doubt the biggest holiday in our house. Myrna’s family comes over and they are gracious enough to let me plan the meal and do 99% of the cooking. (When we adopt, I’ve asked my East Coast family to come out for Thanksgiving, not Christmas, to be with the Little One; that’s how important T-day is to us.) This year we’re expecting somewhere between 17 and 21 at our table. And on and around that table will be:

• Appetizer: Cranberry Salsa with Corn Chips
• Arugula Salad with Pecans, Oven-Dried Grapes, and a Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette
• Hawaiian-Portuguese Smoked Turkey
• Boatloads of gravy, of course
• Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta
• New York Salt Potatoes
• Roasted Medley of Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and Broccoli
• Roasted Parsnips with Bacon and Rosemary
• Gingered Sweet Potato Streusel
• Buttermilk Biscuits (Plus Spiced Pumpkin and Parmesan-Black Pepper variations)
• Desserts: Pumpkin Cheesecake, Bacon Baklava (must be tasted to be believed!), Fruit Pie from Myrna’s mom Betty, Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (store-bought), Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookie Ice Cream (home-made)

Most of these are tried-and-true, crowd-pleasing recipes— what have become, over the years, part of our Thanksgiving traditions— with a few new dishes thrown in to keep things interesting.

Happy Thanksgiving. Here’s hoping that yours, like ours, is filled with good food, family and friends, traditions, and a surprise twist or two.