Thanksgiving Traditions Amongst the Riverdale Community
Thanksgiving is a holiday packed with a variety of cherished traditions that are shared with family and friends. For example, amongst the Riverdale faculty, Ms. Ludemann’s family has cinnamon buns for breakfast followed by watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Additionally, Dr. Manko has what he calls a “Pie-Mageddon” and on Friday he takes leftover pie to his friends’ houses to recap their Thanksgivings. Coach Cody has a small dinner on Thanksgiving day and a large celebration with his extended family on the following Saturday. Lastly, Mr. Jacquet and Ms. Piconni both enjoy watching football with their families. Common traditions, in addition to giving thanks, are watching the parade, participating in a Turkey trot, donating food, and so many more! And of course, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the food! As Mrs. Cat Crocker said, “Food brings people together, sitting at a time in this world when everybody’s being pulled in so many different directions, and so many people have so many things going on in their lives.” There are many classic dishes on Thanksgiving that are quintessential to the dinner table: turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and cornbread. However, almost everyone The Riverdale Review talked to had unique holiday traditions. For example, Mr. Collins Hilton comes from a very large family, so his family cooks two large turkeys and prepares other easily prepared dishes to make the most of time and oven space. If you’re looking for some dishes to add to your Thanksgiving table, below are some recipes from your favorite Riverdale teachers!
Mr. Hilton: Thanksgiving Rolls
“These rolls are a staple and can be prepped in the morning, left on the table, and toasted just as folks are ready to eat. Easy and good for a crowd.”
Ingredients:
ShopRite brand Sweet Hawaiian Rolls
Salted butter
Garlic salt
King Arthur’s Better Cheddar Cheese Powder
Directions:
Take the Sweet Hawaiian Rolls, and spread a layer of butter on top.
Sprinkle with your choice of garlic salt, King Arthur’s powder, or both.
Let sit until ready to toast.
Toast in the oven on broil until butter is toasty on top - careful not to burn them!
Mr. Smith: Cranberry Sludge
“I’ve been making this every year since I was a small child. No Thanksgiving is complete without cranberry sludge.”
Ingredients:
2 lbs of fresh or frozen (allow to thaw) cranberries
1 juicy mid-sized orange
3 tbsp of honey
1 tsp of cinnamon
Directions:
Cut the orange into smiles, remove any seeds and the stem nub
Blend cranberries and orange to a coarse consistency in either a blender or a food processor.
Stir in 3 tablespoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and blend well.
Mrs. Crocker: Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin
“My favorite dish that I’ve been making for a long time. It’s really good.”
Ingredients:
3 lb fresh spinach, stems discarded, or 3 (10-ounce) packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed
5 tablespoons unsalted butter plus additional for greasing pan
3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 small)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
4 lb butternut squash (2 large), peeled, quartered, and seeded
1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/4 cup)
Directions:
If using fresh spinach, bring 1 inch water to a boil in a 6- to 8-quart pot over high heat. Add spinach, a few handfuls at a time, and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water.
Thoroughly squeeze cooked fresh or thawed frozen spinach in small handfuls to remove excess moisture, then coarsely chop and transfer to a bowl.
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then cook onion and garlic, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion mixture to spinach along with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cream and stir to combine.
Put the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 9 inches; not glass).
Cut squash to separate bulb section from solid neck section, then cut pieces lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices with the slicer.
Layer squash and spinach mixture in baking dish, using about one-fifth of squash and one-fourth of spinach for each layer, beginning and ending with squash. Sprinkle top layer of squash evenly with cheese and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then cover directly with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Bake until squash is tender and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove paper and bake gratin until browned in spots, 10 to 15 minutes, or broil 3 inches from heat, 2 to 3 minutes.