With Thanksgiving a mere three days away, the GDM team is anxiously awaiting the holiday that brings families and friends together over gratitude, good cheer and delicious food. Because every family’s Thanksgiving meal boasts its own set of traditions and culinary favorites, we’ve decided to each share our most-loved part of Thanksgiving dinner in the hopes that you’ll have a chance to enjoy it, too. To make things easier, we’ve compiled all of our favorite recipes into a downloadable collection of recipe cards for you to print at home. (Or, if a particular recipe peaks your interest, feel free to download individual recipe cards from the links below!)

Apple Orange Cranberry Sauce [Click to grab the recipe card!]

“Since I find the gelatinous glop that comes out of the can, totally disgusting, I had to find a delish replacement, and this has become part of our Thanksgiving tradition.  Enjoy!” – Martha Kirkpatrick, Director, Member Services

Sausage and Herb Stuffing [Click to grab the recipe card!]

“This is actually the first year that I will be cooking (something) for Thanksgiving so I think I’m going to do stuffing.  I have good luck with all of the recipes that I’ve made out of the Barefoot Contessa (Ina Garten) so I’m going to stick with what works!  Wish me luck! P.S.  Be sure to try our Pumpkin Pie Martini from last year’s Thanksgiving.  It’s a definite hit.” – Alexandra Gibson, President & CEO

Grandma’s Corn Pudding [Click to grab the recipe card!]

“My grandmother was an exceptional southern cook.  Every Thanksgiving I looked forward to the delicious food she’d put on the table.  What I looked forward to the MOST was her corn pudding.  Now I bring it to Thanksgiving with friends and/or family every year, and it’s always a hit!” – Amanda Butterworth, Senior Director, Creative Services

Connie’s Cranberry Ginger Sauce [Click to grab the recipe card!]

“My real favorite recipe is my Mom’s dressing that she makes for our family Thanksgiving dinner of 40+ people. We know she makes loads of cornbread and homemade biscuits in preparation, but she doesn’t use a recipe so my sister and I are threatening to video the entire process!  (… Also, this sauce is great on Turkey Day, and even better on a turkey sandwich – leftovers or any time of the year!) – Christina West, Director, Project Delivery

Classic Pecan Pie [Click to grab the recipe card!]

“I love my family’s extensive Thanksgiving meal, but nothing compares to the post-dinner dessert spread.  I have quite the sweet tooth, so I always save room for a few slices of homemade pie (we usually go overboard and have about six options!) while everyone else complains about being too full. This pecan pie recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook is definitely a favorite – especially when served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.” – Jessye Aibel, Associate, Social Media & Online PR

As the year is coming to an end, many of us are feeling the building stress in our lives as we work to meet deadlines and prepare for the holidays. Sometimes this stress can weigh on our shoulders and make it difficult to really focus and put our hearts into our work.

The other day a friend of mine and I were discussing some of the tribulations of our days when it hit us – focusing on the stress was actually holding us back in our daily endeavors. My friend suggested a new tactic – thanksgiving! We took a few minutes to think about the things in our lives that we are thankful for. The instant repose was so gratifying. It was such a simple but successful way to open our eyes to the blessings in our lives and to how much we were limiting ourselves.

So the next time you’re feeling weighed down with the trials of your day, take a deep breath, relax, and remember that thanksgiving doesn’t have to be just one day a year.

This martini was featured in our November e-newsletter, The Gibson.  If you don’t receive The Gibson, click here to sign up!

Before Thanksgiving dinner I made these martinis for our party.  Let me just say that I am not an amateur drinker and these are POTENT (yet outrageously delicious).  You might want to limit yourself to one unless you plan on being “that guy/girl” with your underwear on your head at the family reunion.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vanilla flavored vodka
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Irish cream liqueur
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger pumpkin flavored liqueur
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick for garnish

Preparation:

1. Pour the vanilla flavored vodka, Irish cream liqueur, and pumpkin flavored liqueur into a cocktail shaker over ice.
2. Cover, and shake until the outside of the shaker has frosted.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick to serve.
4. Enjoy!

It’s almost the day that, regardless of creed, we all celebrate and give thanks.

I asked a few of our Gibson team members to write about their favorite Thanksgiving memories.  Here is what they said:

“Growing up as the youngest child in my family (by so many years – I would almost say I was an only child) the holidays seemed dull. I would often think of how much fun it would be to have a big family – like some of my friends.

Now that I am married Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. We spend it with my husband’s family, which I love. Everyone comes to our farm in Virginia, where we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with a table set for 24, eleven of which are children. I love to see my four children enjoying time spent with their cousins, aunts and uncles. Our family travels from Connecticut, California, and Maryland and they arrive early in the week, and stay though the weekend. We play games, visit, and eat lots of good food. I am so very grateful to be able to spend this time with our family and create memories that will last generations.”

- Margie Strickland, Associate Director, Accounting Services

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“Thanksgiving is the one time of year that every single person in my mother’s large family gathers together. For me, the best part of the holiday is the calm before the storm. When it’s just my immediate family in the kitchen, preparing the green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and stuffing. A few hours later, 26 hungry people, plenty of extra chairs, and non-stop conversation will crowd the house. Every crazy minute of it is great, but it’s that peaceful afternoon that I look forward to year after year.”

- Heather Bien, GDM Blogger Extraordinaire

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