A Very Simple Thread Thanksgiving 2024

As the holiday season begins, it’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is near—a time to reflect, share blessings, and gather with loved ones over great food.

At Simple Thread, we’re excited to continue our cherished tradition, now in its sixth year [2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023], of sharing our team’s favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Each dish reflects the unique tastes and traditions of our team, bringing a piece of our homes to yours.

Great software, like great meals, is crafted with care and meant to be shared. This year, we’re excited to share a new collection of recipes to brighten your table.

From all of us at Simple Thread, we wish you a holiday season filled with warmth, gratitude, and unforgettable feasts. Happy Thanksgiving!

---

Sautéed Bacon Brussels

Team Member: Gwen

Growing up, my dad had an awesome garden (that I under appreciated). Each year, we planted Brussels sprouts just for Thanksgiving. Sometimes they thrived, and sometimes the aphids got the better of them. Our Thanksgiving meal was a true family effort, with everyone taking charge of a dish: Dad roasted the turkey, Mom mashed the potatoes, my sister supervised, my Grandmother made the gravy and stuffing, and I sautéed the Brussels sprouts.

Ingredients:

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 yellow onion sliced thin
• 2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp garlic, minced

Heat a large skillet to medium heat on the stovetop. Add diced bacon and cook until bacon is crispy, stirring frequently. Remove bacon from skillet and set aside.

Use the same skillet and add the onions. Cook on medium/low heat until softened, stirring occasionally, for 5-8 minutes.

Add halved Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper. Stir. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes. Brussels sprouts should be a fairly bright green color with lots of browning.

Reduce heat to low. Add crispy bacon, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to the skillet. Stir. Cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until brussels sprouts are tender. Taste and add more salt or pepper if desired.

---

Classic Pilgrim Sandwich

Team Member: Brian

C’mon let’s be honest. The best part of Thanksgiving isn’t the gathering of our loved ones to take a moment on a crisp fall day to share our gratitude with each other … IT’S THE LEFTOVER SANDWICHES!

What follows is the base delivery platform for a classic Pilgrim sammy, but feel free to see my suggestions, or modify to your heart’s content.

Ingredients:

• 2 Pepperidge Farm “farmhouse” style slices of packaged bread
• ½ tablespoon butter (for optional pan-toasting method)
• 1–2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 3–4 ounces roasted turkey meat (sliced or shredded, dark or light meat)
• 2.5 tablespoons cranberry relish or dressing (see Brian’s 2019 recipe for ideas)
• 1/4 cup herbed stuffing (See Justin’s 2019 recipe for ideas)

Choose your optional fillers (pick your favorites or none for the purists!):

• “Healthy”: a few leaves of fresh spinach or arugula for a bit of crunch and freshness
• Elastic Waistband: Mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes for extra creaminess
• Classic Moistmaker: The only good thing in Ross Geller’s life!
• Lazy Moistmaker: A few spoonfuls of gravy to add moisture and depth of flavor
• Turophile: A slab of your favorite cheese for a rich and savory kick
• Hipster: Pickled onions or a few thin slices of red onion for added tang
• Fancy: A sprinkle of crushed pecans or fried shallots for a crispy, nutty finish

Choose your toasting option:

• Untoasted: Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one or both slices of potato bread.
• Pan toasted: slightly melt butter on med-low in pan, add bread and heat for 2–3 minutes on each side until the bread is golden and slightly crisp

Layer the Ingredients:

• Start with a layer of turkey on one slice of bread.
• Spread a layer of cranberry dressing over the turkey.
• Add a layer of stuffing on top of the cranberry dressing.
• If using, add in your choice of optional fillers, layering evenly.
• Assemble and serve. Top with the second slice of potato bread.
• Eat sloppily on your couch while binge-watching favorite holiday warm-up content.

---

Three Ginger Cookies

Team Member: Star

This holiday season, I had the lovely opportunity to have an early Thanksgiving dinner with my in-laws. On their side of the family, they celebrate Thanksgiving a few weekends before to be contrarian (and to not suffer through traveling around the holiday). Our Aunt Mary-Ann made these delicious Three-Ginger cookies that are thin, but chewy, and dangerously snack-able. As a ginger and molasses lover, this one is definitely going in my recipe arsenal so I can make it for many holidays to come. 🙂

Yield: 3 ½ to 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• ¾ c (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ½ tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger root
• ½ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl. Beat in the molasses and then the egg.

Sift the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and salt together. Stir into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon until blended. Add the fresh and crystallized gingers and stir until well mixed.

Refrigerate the dough, covered, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease cookie sheets.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake until browned, 10 minutes.

Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

---

Macaroni and Cheese Bake

Team Member: Tracy

This macaroni and cheese bake is my grandma’s unique take on a classic dish, and it’s one I’ve always loved. She passed away last year, but my favorite childhood memories are of Thanksgiving at her warm home in chilly Chicago, filled with family and the smell of delicious food. This recipe brings back those cozy, joyful days and reminds me of her love every time I make it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I always have.

Yield: 1 Pan

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of bread – cubed
• 1 ½ cups scalded milk
• ½ Spanish onion – chopped
• ¼ pound melted butter
• The envelope of cheese powder from box of Kraft macaroni cheese
• ½ pound velveeta cheese – cubed
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 3 beaten eggs
• Noodles from 1 box of macaroni and cheese

Prepare the Bread Mixture: Pour the scalded milk over the cubed bread in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for a few minutes to soften the bread.

Sauté the Onion: In a small pan, sauté the chopped Spanish onion in half of the melted butter (reserve the remaining butter for later) until the onion becomes translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

Combine Ingredients: Add the sautéed onion and remaining melted butter to the bread and milk mixture. Stir in the cheese powder from the Kraft macaroni cheese box, cubed Velveeta cheese, salt, and pepper. Mix until the cheese is evenly distributed.

Add Eggs: Gently fold in the beaten eggs, making sure they are well incorporated without breaking down the bread mixture too much.

Cook the Macaroni: Cook the noodles from the box of macaroni and cheese according to package directions, but cook them slightly less than al dente, as they’ll continue cooking in the oven. Drain the noodles and fold them into the bread and cheese mixture.

Bake: Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and smooth the top. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes, or until the casserole is set, golden on top, and bubbly around the edges.

Serve: Allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy your creamy, cheesy macaroni and cheese bake!

---

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Team Member: Austin C.

After going to the same Thanksgiving with the same folks for years, one year our family got invited to a Thanksgiving / 80th birthday celebration at my great aunt’s house. It was very cool to see what was on their menu and what their traditions were. My great aunt had just shut down her cidery, so getting to drink her apple and cherry cider one last time was an obvious highlight. But, there was one thing other thing that was so good I had to ask her for the recipe: White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake.

(Now, I must warn you, I don’t full agree with this recipe. If you’re making a cheesecake, you should cook it in a bain-marie so it cooks more evenly throughout and you don’t get a huge crack on top and overcooked edges. Also, if you like a crispy crust, you should pre-bake it for about 15 minutes and let it cool. BUT, anyway, here it is:)

Equipment:

• 9 in. springform pan
• Stand mixer, hand mixer, or whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Large baking sheet
• Wire rack
• Medium bowl
• Large mixing bowl

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups gingersnap cookies, crushed
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 ounces white baking chocolate, melted in the microwave and cooled
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and adjust oven rack to the lower middle position.
2. In a medium bowl, combine crushed gingersnaps and melted butter in a bowl, mixing with a rubber spatula. Grease the bottom and sides of the springform pan with butter or cooking spray. Press gingersnap and butter mixture into bottom of springform pan to create a crust for the cheesecake. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup or ramekin to press the crust into an even layer.
3. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Set mixer to low speed and add eggs and vanilla extract until just combined. Turn off mixer.
4. By hand using your rubber spatula, gently stir in melted white chocolate. Gently fold canned pumpkin, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg to the cream cheese mixture.
5. Pour cheesecake mixture over your gingersnap crust.
6. Place your springform pan with cheesecake on top of a baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until center just begins to set.
7. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the cheesecake from the pan by running a pairing knife or thing metal spatula along the outside edge (do not remove the sides of the pan yet). Let the cheesecake continue to cool for 1 hour and then refrigerate overnight.
8. Just before serving, remove sides of the springform pan, cut, and enjoy!

---

Perfect Pie Crust

Team Member: Joseph

Recipe By: Margaret Glass

Pie crusts can be fiddly, but my great grandmother’s recipe makes it worth it. It’s flaky and flavorful with a tangy savor and makes an average chicken pot pie amazing.

And just in case you, like 99% of the human population, struggle with making a pie crusts here are a few tips:

Use plastic wrap — Roll out the pie crust between two sheets of plastic wrap, or even a grocery bag. The plastic sheeting lets you roll up and transfer the delicate pie crust without tearing.

Keep things cold —Pie crust is flaky because it traps layers of fat or butter between flour. If the fat melts, your dough turns sticky and hard to manage (besides losing the flaky texture). So use ice water and don’t hesitate to pause and pop the dough into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes if things get too warm.

Patch it up — If your crust cracks or splits, just take a bit of extra dough and patch it together. A frankencrust is just as tasty as any other.

Yields: 2 double crusts or 4 single crusts.

Mix together:

• 4 cups flour (550 g)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt

Then add:

• 1 and 3/4 cups Crisco (or cold butter) (310g)

Mix well with a fork until crumbly.

Beat together in cup or small bowl:

• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 egg

Add the beaten egg mixture to the flour and crisco mixture and stir just until the ingredients are moist. Divide into 4 balls. Use immediately or keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, make crusts, seal in plastic bags and freeze or freeze balls and thaw before rolling.

---

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Team Member: Angela

Author: Minimalist Baker

This isn’t my recipe, but I have made this since I started a vegan diet. You can easily add additional spices to get a different flavor profile, like thyme, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, or nutmeg. You can also opt out the vegan ingredients and use real butter or milk.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans (rinsed and trimmed in half)
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. vegan butter or olive oil
• 1 medium shallot (minced)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 cup finely chopped mushrooms (button, baby bella, or cremini)
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (really any vegan milk other than soy IMO)
• 1 ½ cups crispy fried onions (divided)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt well – it will help season the green beans. Add green beans and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and place in an ice water bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.

In the meantime, start preparing the sauce. In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add vegan butter or olive oil and shallots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add mushrooms and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes more or until lightly browned.

Sprinkle in flour and whisk to stir and coat the veggies. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly add in veggie stock, whisking to incorporate.

Add almond milk next and whisk to stir again. Season with a touch more salt and pepper and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to thicken. Cook for 5-7 minutes more, or until thick and bubbly. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Remove from heat and add ⅓ of the fried onions (½ cup as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and all of the cooked green beans. Toss to coat well, and top with remaining fried onions.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbly and slightly browned on top. Serve immediately (handle pan carefully).

Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to a few days.

Fresh beans are strongly preferred in this recipe. If you use frozen or canned, drain them well and bake for less time.

---

Harvest Pie

Team Member: Angela

Author: Marion Scott

This is my grandmother’s recipe and a variant of a pumpkin pie.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• ¾ cup water
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 ½ envelopes gelatin
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped
• 3 egg whites
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 baked pie shell
• Whipped cream

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, ¾ cup of water, egg yolks, 1 cup brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in a saucepan. Cook for 12 minutes and let cool.

When cool, blend in 1 ½ envelopes gelatin that has been softened in ½ cup cold water. Set aside.

Beat egg whites, 3 tablespoons brown sugar and vanilla until stiff. Add in chopped walnuts and fold into pumpkin mixture. Pour into the baked pie shell and top with whipped cream.

*Note — make sure you are using fresh eggs. The last step in this recipe is making a meringue. I also think chopped pecans would be a great substitution for the walnuts.

---

Garlic Confit Ricotta Spread

Team Member: Robert

Almost as important as the main course on Thanksgiving are all of the snacks and appetizers your spread needs to keep those eager stomachs at bay as you put the finishing touches on the big meal. Here’s a crowd pleaser to have at the ready to keep those wandering hands occupied.

Ingredients:

• One loaf of good, crusty sourdough bread
• ½ cup of Greek yogurt
• 4 cups of whole milk
• 4 lemons, or until you have ⅓ cup of lemon juice
• 3 bulbs of garlic
• 1 cup of olive oil

Garlic Confit

Note: this step can be skipped entirely by wrapping each bulb of garlic in aluminum foil with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper and placing in a 425°F oven for 45 minutes to make buttery, roasted garlic

1. Preheat oven to 300°F
2. Peel all cloves from each bulb of garlic and place in an oven-safe dish
3. Pour 1 cup of olive oil over the garlic, or until all cloves are submerged
4. Place in the oven for 2 ½ hours, or until each clove is roasty, toasty, and spreads like butter.
   Bonus content! Save the olive oil and you now have roasted garlic-infused olive oil to use at your heart’s content

Ricotta Cheese

Note: you can skip this step entirely by simply buying ricotta cheese instead of making your own. But here’s an opportunity to flex on your guests

1. Gently heat milk in a saucepan until it reaches 180°F
2. Once milk reaches desired temperature, pour in the lemon juice and stir well. Let stand for 10-15 minutes as curds form
3. Using a slotted spoon or metal spider, place curds in a cheese cloth and allow to drain over a fine sieve for 1 ½ – 2 hours.

Garlic Confit Ricotta Spread

1. Mash all of the garlic you confit’d (or roasted) into a paste, adding a pinch of salt
2. In a separate bowl, whip the ricotta until it is smooth. Add the greek yogurt and garlic paste and stir until well combined.
3. Taste for seasoning, adding salt or a splash of lemon juice to bring it all together.
4. Serve with toasted slices of sourdough bread

 

---

Step It Up Grandma! Collard Greens

Team Member: Justin

Nothing is more southern than cooking up a big old mess of collard greens. But as much as I love collard greens, I’ve met many others who despise them. I find that it generally comes down to the fact that most collard greens are BORING. Time to crank it up.

Making exciting collard greens is easy, just cover up all that yucky green stuff with meats! I kid… mostly.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds collard greens (buy the bags of chopped collards if you’re feeling lazy!)
• 3 cups onion, chopped (you can reduce if you’re not big on onions)
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic, minced or crushed (again, reduce if you don’t like flavor)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (don’t worry, we’re adding salt back in. Bonus points if you have homemade chicken stock!)
• 4 cups water (adjust water to stock ratio depending on your tastes)
• 2 smoked ham hocks (Don’t know what a ham hock is? No worries, just close your eyes and throw it in!)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (Yep! Do it!)
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon crystal hot sauce (or your fav, have more for serving)
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Tear collard green leaves off of stems and cut or tear them into coarse chunks.
2. Put onions into a large stock pot with some butter, cook until browned.
3. Put garlic in as the onions are finishing cooking, get it nice and fragrant.
4. Add chicken stock and water to the pot, throw in ham hocks. Cook on high until it comes to a boil.
5. Add torn up collard greens, fish sauce, pepper, and hot sauce. Once it returns to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for an hour. Check the collards for tenderness, and cook longer if desired.
6. Once tenderness is reached, remove from heat. Remove ham hocks with some tongs and remove meat with a fork (it should just fall off). Chop up meat and return to the pot.
7. Then stir in half of the apple cider vinegar. If half isn’t enough, add the rest. I like my collards vinegary!!
8. Eat it! And tell your grandmother to step it up on those boring collard greens!