A Brighter Thanksgiving Table, Even When the Family Is on the Road

This Thanksgiving is a first for our family. Our eldest granddaughter is in her first year of college, playing volleyball at university. It’s the first time she’s been away from home, and with her volleyball schedule, she can’t come home for Thanksgiving.

So, what do we do as a family? We go to her.

Everyone has booked their flights, and my husband and I have rented an Airbnb near campus, our first time ever doing that. We needed a kitchen, because cooking together on the day is one of our family traditions, and honestly, it’s half the fun of Thanksgiving.

Cooking in a Kitchen I’ve Never Seen

Being close to campus, so our granddaughter can come and go easily, didn’t leave us many options. So wish me luck. I’ll admit I’m a little nervous about cooking a holiday dinner in a kitchen I’ve never seen, with no idea what the pans, the oven or the serving dishes will be like.

There will be adjustments, I guarantee it. One of them will be sending my husband out on what he calls a scavenger hunt, in search of something he has no clue about (he doesn’t cook that often). And sometimes I make something up, just to get him out of our hair. Don’t tell him.

Our Thanksgiving dinner uses a lot of seasonings and spices, so my plan is to premix some at home and pack them in my suitcase. But with Thanksgiving being the busiest travel week of the year, it’s carry-on luggage all the way, so I can’t bring much.

Time for a Little Lemon

Then I got to thinking about our traditional dinner: the turkey cooked our traditional way, in our traditional pan, with all our traditional sides, like cranberry sauce and Brussels sprouts. Adjustments will be made. So how about lemon herb Brussels sprouts and a lemon cranberry sauce? That shouldn’t be too hard for a lemon girl.

I got to work and did a trial run, and they came out even better than our traditional versions. Both are made in one pan, which is exactly what you want in a kitchen you don’t know.

La Limone One-Pan Lemon Herb Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs, salt and pepper, mixed
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Chili flakes (optional, if you like a kick)

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts cut side down and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Leave them alone for 5 to 7 minutes to get crispy.
2. Stir, reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for another 5 minutes, until tender.
3. Remove the lid, add the garlic and the herb seasoning, toss and cook for 1 minute more.
4. Turn off the heat and add the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan, plus chili flakes if you like. Serve.

La Limone One-Pan Lemon Cranberry Sauce

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• One 12 oz bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ½ cup water
• Zest of 1 large lemon, plus a little extra to finish
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• ½ tsp vanilla
• A pinch of cinnamon

Method

1. Put everything into a medium pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, as the sauce thickens.
3. Remove from the heat and let it cool, then top with a little more lemon zest. Those curls of yellow on the deep red are magnificent.

Thankful for Traditions, and for Adjusting Them

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m thankful for our traditions. But sometimes we have to adjust, and that’s OK too. I can’t wait to hear what the family thinks.

One tradition we will definitely keep is going around the table, with each of us sharing one thing we’re thankful for. I already know mine this year: the ability to adjust plans, even tried and true ones. You may surprise yourself with the outcome.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Over to You:

What have you had to adjust this Thanksgiving, and did it turn out better than you expected? I’d love to hear in the comments.