Many of you are starting to prep (and cook!) for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was always a special holiday to me. I recall my momma waking up at 5am to get the bird ready. I would wake up to watch. Later, the dining room table was set with her beautiful garden-patterned china. It was adorned with sparkling glasses, crisp-pressed linens, lots of sides, and a beautiful roasted turkey not to mention, of course, some kind of pasta or eggplant parmesan loaded with melted cheese and bursting with flavor. My father was Italian (mom was Irish-Swiss), so we would have both worlds collide in one delicious meal. My husband loves Thanksgiving so much, so I just make all the traditional sides with a few twists of course. But I do miss the Italian dishes mom used to make.

We have so many sides on the table for Thanksgiving. These are some in my cookbook, Gather For The Holidays: Sweet Potato Casserole, Savory Bread Stuffing, & Cranberry-Blackberry Sauce. These are on my blog: Creamed Spinach, salad with cranberries and pumpkin seeds, Maple-Glazed Carrots, Green Beans with Creamy Mushrooms and Crispy Fried Onions, brussels sprouts, Roasted & Stuffed Cauliflower with Chick Pea Tahini Filling, roasted butternut squash, and more.

And no Thanksgiving would be complete without the desserts. I have an Award-Winning pie crust in Gather For The Holidays that I use for my Browned Butter Sweet Potato Pie – it’s delicious! There is the best-tasting apple pie recipe given to me by my Mom’s friend Betty in my first cookbook, Food That Will Gather Your Family. It’s my go-to recipe. My Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Squares, on my blog, are always a big hit. They were taste tested and approved by my friend Chef Graham Elliot! The Pudding Brownies a newly developed recipe are very fudgy and a must try recipe for when the kids all pile in post-thanksgiving. I also have a good amount of cookies like my Ginger Crinkle Cookies on my blog. I hope you take the time to check out all the new and updated recipes and try some this holiday season.

I hope you are spending this holiday with those you love. I know it’s also a time when we think of those who may no longer sit at our table and we hold them collectively in our hearts. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thank you for following me on my cooking journey. Let’s stay connected on Instagram @marioochcooks. xo