Thanksgiving stands out among holidays as a time to simply reflect on what we’re thankful for and enjoy a meal with those we love. Everyone has their different Thanksgiving traditions (mostly around food), so this year all of us at Kolbeco got together to share our favorite Thanksgiving foods and why they’re part of our traditions!

Lauren:

My contribution to our Kolbeco Thanksgiving celebration? Tamales! I’m always one to stray a bit from the expected and traditional. But in this case, tamales are a traditional part of holiday celebrations in Hispanic cultures. My mom’s family is Spanish and Mexican. I fondly remember my grandma hand making tortillas for breakfast on many mornings and whipping up pots of Arroz con Pollo. She never followed a recipe – it was always a pinch of this and a handful of that. After she passed away, we had to learn how to make her dishes through research at the library (yes, back then there was no internet) and trial and error. So this Thanksgiving, I decided to bring something reminiscent of those delicious dishes and share my love of tamales with the Kolbeco team.

Scott:

When it comes to Thanksgiving it all has to be in accordance to a theme in my book. When I saw Lauren had tamales on the list, I decided I was going with that theme and I went with nachos. It was nice to spend some time with the team and reflect on a great 2019. That is what I always love about the holidays.

Danieal:

For me Thanksgiving has always been very traditional, turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, pumpkin pie.  With one exception, my Grandma’s mostaccioli made an appearance at every holiday and we would all fight over the meatballs.  I brought roasted chicken and gravy to the Thanksgiving feast because it was the closest thing to a turkey which reminds me of all the family Thanksgivings as a kid.

TJ:

I choose to bring Chicago style, deep dish pizza. Being from the Chicago area, a tradition with our family includes getting deep dish pizza for holidays with the family. It was once a last second back up option. It was such a hit, we started getting it year after year. For me, deep dish pizza during the holidays is as common as turkey on Thanksgiving.

Kristine:

One of my favorite Thanksgiving foods is cranberry sauce. My family was split 50/50 between liking it and disliking it, until my brother Kaleb joined our family in 2012 and we finally outnumbered them. I would make a giant bowl every year, but half the time it wouldn’t gel and we’d end up with cranberry soup (which my brother and I would still eat). It wasn’t until taking Biology 101 during my freshman year of college when I was making it with a friend that she had the revelation that uncooked pineapple had certain enzymes that wouldn’t allow Jello to gel, and that we had to use only canned pineapple in the sauce because it had been heated. Who knew Gen-Eds could actually be useful?

Angela:

My favorite Thanksgiving food is apple crisp.   It reminds me of apple picking when I was younger.   My parents would pack up my three younger brothers and I for a trip over to Eckert’s in Grafton.   At the time it seemed so far away, but now it’s a tradition that I carry on with my kids.   Apple picking, apple crisp and Fall – my favorite time of the year.

Whatever your Thanksgiving traditions may be, or whether you’re making new ones with loved ones this year, we hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend! From all of us at Kolbeco, Happy Thanksgiving; we’re thankful for you!