When We All Get Together

Last year was the first year in, well, as many years as I can remember that there was no conversation about where we would be for Thanksgiving. We were going to be in our home, thank you, just the two of us, keeping all germs real/imagined/feared to ourselves.

It was just fine with me.

We had been, as my husband says, "good kids": wearing masks, getting our flu shot just in case it helped anything, washing all of our purchases made on commando trips to the small local Aldi to pick up milk, butter, coffee, and creamer.

We went nowhere without the mask, did not eat out at all, stayed at home when we weren't (masked) at work. A holiday wasn't a reason to change that; it never entered my mind that we would do anything differently.

But this year? This Thanksgiving? It's all an open question again.

Do we get together with family? Trade screenshots of our vaccination cards, first? Do people that have had boosters get bonus points and sit at the grown-ups table?

Should I make Gramma's cranberry Jello mold this year? The one with the vanilla cheesecake sauce? Y'now; the one I'm pretty sure only I like? I mean; why not? Last year I wasn't sure I would see this Thanksgiving, not really. Last year I was afraid, deep down, that it really was my last year.

So shouldn't we be extra festive this year? Even if it turns out that it's just the two of us again?

Maybe you feel the same way, too. If so, why not try some of these recipes to add a different flair to your holidays?

I'll Drink to That!

Thanksgiving will be bittersweet for many people. Either they aren't able to travel to be with the ones they love, or for many the realization may be that they won't ever be with them again. It could be time for a toast; to fond memories, the grateful presence of now, and the hope for the future. One of these drinks may be just the right thing.

Yes, it is almost a meme unto itself, the amount of things that pumpkin can sneak into. Why not embrace the cliché and pour the adults a fall-inspired cocktail? The recipe itself couldn't be simpler: pumpkin beer (trust me, it's November, you can find it), and apple cider. If you are feeling especially festive add a healthy splash of bourbon. The 'recipe' calls for a garnish of apple slices.

Pro Tip: Take it uptown and rim the tall glasses with a mix of brown sugar, ginger, and cinnamon. Use a pestle to grind the sugar and spices together and into a fine dust. Then, just dip the rim of the glass in apple cider, then dip it right away in the mixture of sugar and spices. Let dry a few minutes before adding the ice and liquids, then add a very thin slice of apple to the rim.

Make Mine a Mocktail, Please!

Be ready for those that prefer a non-alcoholic drink when you gather together. Have the standby club soda with lime, of course, but have a special tasty Fall option, too. This Cranberry Moscow Mule mocktail is gorgeous, especially if you use the traditional copper mugs lined with stainless steel when you serve.

This recipe is not for someone that wants to phone in a special signature drink! It has an added touch of homemade cranberry concentrate. That is just fussy enough to impress and unusual enough that you should have a few recipe cards for folks to take home, too.

Pro Tip: you can make this Mule kick harder with the addition of vodka for those that want to include alcohol.

Go For the Big Finish!

Let folks know that you will handle the desserts and try one or more from the fine Vocal Cooks Collaborate collection (linked below). Besides unexpectedly simple desserts there are surprises in the Index like Tom's Scotch Eggs as an appetizer, Gluten-Free Bread, Irish Soda Bread, and more recipes are added weekly.

The Collaborate shows you how to go classic and sweet with authentic Hungarian Kreme's, delicious with an espresso and sliced pears poached in port.

Keep this next Collaborate recipe close by and satisfy your vegan relatives with a tasty (and surprisingly easy!) Salted Caramel Cheesecake that you can make ahead and decorate with seasonal fruits and a naughtily sticky topping.

Keep it Safe

Whether you are with family, friends, a party of two, or celebrating alone; keep the day a safe one and take the time to reflect on the things for which you are thankful.

I'm glad you're here.

This article is in my Food & Lifestyle column in the Vocal Creators Chronicle Vol.5. Click here to go straight to that edition!