Setting the Thanksgiving Table

I can’t believe it’s that time of year already and the holidays are here. Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. It celebrates a few of my favorite things: eating, shopping, and of course, being grateful (especially that I get to do both of the above). Plus, we get an extra day off.

I grew up eating our Thanksgiving meal on paper plates sitting on the couch in front of the TV. Now that I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving the last few years, I get a chance to use all the dinnerware that I’ve been accumulating since our wedding registry. This year, there will be 19 adults and 5 kids at the Thanksgiving table. Make that 3 tables: Our main dining table for the adults, the breakfast table for parents of small children, and next to it, the kiddie table. Our home decor is a mix of vintage and modern, so my tableware reflects that, even on a traditional holiday like Thanksgiving. This is our Thanksgiving table set up this year.

A couple of quick & easy inexpensive ways to dress the table:

Paper napkin rings: Using scalloped edge scissors, I cut strips of black construction paper, wrote the guests name using a white gel pen and wrapped around a napkin, fastening it with scotch tape. There’s something special about having a napkin ring and a name written for each placesetting, even if it’s just made out of paper.

Tin can flower vases: Since we have a long table, I think it’s better to have a few small flower arrangements in a row, rather than a big centerpiece. I like recycling my jam jars and cans to use as small flower vases. They’re free and versatile to dress up for any occasion. I wrapped the cans in brown paper and wrote messages of thanks. It lends a rustic and handmade feel to the modern setting.

Check out more Thanksgiving ideas on our Pinterest page.

-Catherine Lo

A Twist on Thanksgiving Pumpkin

Back in college, on special occasions we’d head over to Helmand in SF, a nondescript Afghan restaurant sandwiched between strip clubs on Broadway & Columbus. I’ve always remembered their pumpkin dish, Kaddo. Years later, when I returned to the Bay Area, I went back to Helmand (which has since moved to a new location off the strip) to see if it was as good as I remembered. It did not disappoint. The pumpkin dish was still amazing. I came home and scoured the internet to find a recipe for Helmand’s pumpkin dish and found this recipe on Chowhound.

I’ve made this dish for the past few Thanksgivings. It fits the bill for a pumpkin dish to serve at the holiday table, and is sweet enough to substitute for the yams. People always love it. I generally follow the Chowhound recipe, but I never follow a recipe exactly, so here’s how I do it:

Yogurt sauce: For the yogurt sauce, I like using Strauss Organic plain yogurt because it has runny consistency and makes for better sauce. Greek yogurt tends to be too tart and thick for this dish, in my opinion. I don’t crush the garlic, which tends to make the garlic flavor too strong. Instead, I finely mince 1-3 cloves of garlic and taste as I add each clove to the yogurt. I add salt & pepper until it tastes garlicky and good. I make this a couple hours ahead of time and put it in the fridge to let the flavors come together.

Pumpkin: Sometimes when I can’t find pumpkin in season, I substitute butternut squash and it works just as well. It’s also handy that you can find cubed butternut squash at the grocery store these days. I coat the pumpkin with olive oil and add a pinch of salt, because a little salt awakens the flavors in everything. Then I sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture all over the pumpkin. I don’t use all of the sugar mixture even though the recipe says to, but I use quite a lot. The sugar helps with the caramelizing process during roasting. I like to roast at higher temperature, between 400-425 and I don’t cover with foil. I feel like the higher temperature seals in the moisture, cooks faster and creates a nice browning on the edges.

Tomato Sauce: To make the meat sauce, I like using good organic ground beef or ground bison, even meatless ground (I prefer Gardein brand but can’t find it in my grocery store anymore). I like to sneak in more veggies, so I add cubed carrots, mainly to give the sauce more texture.  I use jarred marinara sauce instead of canned tomatoes which tends to be too tart without enough depth of flavor, in my opinion. My favorite is Trader Joes Marinara. Nothing fancy. But it tends to have the right amount of sweetness, without tasting too Italian.

This dish has become a staple in my house and not just at Thanksgiving. It’s a delicious way to dress up a vegetable side dish for meat lovers since it’s smothered in meat sauce. It’s also hearty enough to be a meal all on its own. Just serve it with a starch like couscous, rice, pasta or spaghetti squash, for the carb-conscious.

If you want to try something new for Thanksgiving, add this Afghani pumpkin dish to the menu. I’m already craving it for this Thursday’s feast.

-Catherine Lo