Fill in the blank: “It’s not Thanksgiving without _____.” Most of us can name at least one must-have dish or ritual that makes this food-filled holiday feel complete. So we asked the University community to share their favorite traditions and recipes. Which one will you incorporate into your festivities?
Beloved Dishes
Bob Hume, Ph.D., vice dean for faculty affairs, plans to serve butternut squash roasted with cinnamon this Thanksgiving—a tribute to his side dish-themed street address in Westchester: Butternut Lane. “I want my kids to embrace their roots,” he said in jest.
As a vegetarian, Jeannine Pinto, Ph.D., director of the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, and her family go all out for a meatless Thanksgiving main dish: homemade goat cheese ravioli with a spicy, fresh pumpkin sauce. She roasts enough pumpkin to also make a holiday quick bread that she often shares with colleagues (recipe below).
Thanksgiving at the home of Zia Dawood, director of the Design and Construction team, doubles as a celebration for one of his three daughters. Her birthday falls near the holiday, so the menu revolves around her special requests. Often that includes his wife Ayesha’s chana masala (recipe below).
Experienced baker Marta Ricardo, Fordham Law’s assistant dean of professionalism and director of the lawyering skills program, made double-chocolate cupcakes that look like turkeys (recipe below) with her now-daughter-in-law six years ago. They’ve since become a regular hit with the kids and the adults.
And for Katie Anderson Kuo, director of Catholic life, Thanksgiving with her husband’s Taiwanese-American family is not complete without turkey, mashed potatoes, and nuo mi fan. “Made with sticky rice, Chinese sausage, shiitake mushrooms, and apples, it hits all the chewy, salty, sweet, and savory notes and is the perfect dish to tie the Thanksgiving table together,” she said.
Favorite Rituals
Sometimes it’s not the foods that define Thanksgiving, but other special traditions that have developed over the years. For over a decade, Michael Rasmussen, senior advisor to the dean of Fordham Law School, has been feasting with his family on the Friday after Thanksgiving. “Those traveling get to avoid one of the busiest travel days of the year, and those with multiple family commitments can attend both,” he said.
Christmas preparations are in store for Travis Proulx, vice president for external affairs, at his grandmother’s home in the Adirondacks. After Thanksgiving dinner, he and his cousins form an assembly line and make Christmas wreaths using princess pine, a ground cover they gather in the woods. His grandmother and other family members proudly display them at their North Country homes. “It’s a lot of fun, they smell beautiful, and Gramma, who turns 89 this Christmas Eve, loves hanging them,” Proulx said.
Alessia Valfredini, Ph.D., senior lecturer of Italian, alternates between two rituals. Some years, she celebrates the holiday at home, welcoming friends and strangers alike and mixing traditional dishes with unconventional ones, such as sweet potatoes with a sweet Thai sauce and vegan lasagna. In other years, she and her daughter volunteer their time and donate prepared food to organizations in their Harlem community. By delivering meals and talking to seniors, she is reminded of the essence of Thanksgiving. “It’s a moment to reflect on what the holiday is about, which for me is welcoming others.”
At Fordham, the holiday is also a welcome excuse to break bread with colleagues and students. The Office of Military and Veterans’ Services hosts an annual Friendsgiving potluck for student vets. And Corbin Wong, director of organizational and leadership development, started a new tradition this year with a Thanksgiving potluck for colleagues in the University’s new mentorship program.
However you celebrate, we hope you have a wonderful, delicious holiday!
Employee Recipes
Marta Ricardo’s Double-Chocolate Turkey Cupcakes
Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup water (or use brewed coffee, and then don’t add the espresso powder, below)
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sour cream (Fage is best)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese (brick-style), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup natural cocoa powder
Decorations
Candy corn, candy eyeballs (available from Wilton or the NY Cake store), and Swedish Fish, quartered to resemble wattles
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. Make the cupcakes: Mix wet ingredients in a bowl, then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Spoon the batter into prepared cupcake liners and bake for 25 minutes on the middle rack. Rotate the pans midway through baking.
3. Make the frosting: Cream together the cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer or bowl with a hand mixer, then add powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Let cupcakes cool out of the pan, then frost and decorate.
Jeannine Pinto’s Mom’s Pumpkin Bread
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 2/3 cups flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 heaping cups pumpkin puree (preferably fresh)*
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 cup walnuts and/or raisins, if desired
1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or a muffin tin.
2. Mix all dry ingredients well in a large bowl. Add oil and water, mixing thoroughly. Add pumpkin and eggs, mix thoroughly again. Fold in nuts and raisins, if desired. Fill to about 2/3 full.
3. Bake until a toothpick poked into the middle comes out clean. (For a loaf pan, this can be as long as 1.5 hours, depending on pumpkin’s moisture.)
*For fresh pumpkin, split a medium or small sugar pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds, oil the cut sides and roast, cut sides down, on a baking sheet in a 375°F oven until soft, around 30 minutes. Freeze any leftovers for another loaf!
Ayesha Dawood’s Chana Masala
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup red split lentils
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1 small tomato, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper* (adjust to taste)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Water, as needed
1 cup broth (optional)
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Oil for sautéing
1. Prepare the legumes: Wash and soak the chickpeas and lentils together in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain before using.
2. Sauté the onion: Heat oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Add aromatics: Stir in the ginger paste and garlic paste, cooking for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the diced tomato and sauté until it begins to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Add spices: Add the salt, red pepper, turmeric, cumin seeds, and ground coriander. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning and to allow the spices to bloom.
5. Cook the chickpeas and lentils: Add the drained chickpeas and lentils to the pot. Stir well to coat with the spice mixture. Add enough water to cover the chickpeas and lentils. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Optional broth reduction: If desired, add 1 cup of broth and simmer uncovered until the liquid reduces and the mixture reaches your preferred consistency.
7. Garnish and serve: Remove from heat and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve hot with rice, naan, or roti.
*Kashmiri red chili powder is traditional, but you can substitute it with a blend of sweet paprika and cayenne.
