Thanksgiving favorites

For a lot of families, Thanksgiving wouldn’t feel right without a perfectly roasted turkey. (Photo: The Junior League of Houston, Inc.)

Cooking Buzz is a new column produced in partnership with the Junior League of Houston, a women’s charitable and educational organization founded in 1925.

Thanksgiving is, hands down, my favorite holiday. There is something about the simplicity of Thanksgiving that warms my heart. Thanksgiving calls us to pause and remember everything in our lives that is blessed.

My earliest Thanksgiving memories are of my dad getting up at the crack of dawn to cook the turkey in a big brown grocery bag. According to him, the bag kept the turkey from drying out. This seemed to be the case for many years until disaster struck and the bag caught on fire.

Given my family’s checkered past with turkey it might surprise you to know that I do make a turkey for our family’s feast. My mother-in-law, Connie Dyess, makes one, and I make another. I use the recipe for Favorite Turkey from The Junior League of Houston’s cookbook Peace Meals. No fire extinguisher required.

My father was also famous for his dressing. I now make it every year, and the smell of the onions and celery cooking in butter always reminds me of sitting on a squeaky stool watching my sweet daddy cook. I lost my dad more than 30 years ago, so I cherish those memories. Looking for a dressing recipe? Try Sage and Pecan Dressing from Peace Meals.

My best friend, Monica Abugattas, is from Peru. Her family does not really celebrate Thanksgiving, so she has always spent the day with us. Without traditions, it is said, we have no memories. I have so many fond memories of us cooking together, and now my 6-year-old daughter, Georgia, is cooking with us, too.

My mother-in-law always makes the show-stopping Pumpkin Roll from the Junior League cookbook Stop and Smell the Rosemary. We have to keep an eye on my husband, Chris, as he likes to dig into the roll before we eat.

If you are not a whiz in the kitchen, I think it is perfectly acceptable to cater the meal or pick up a prepared dish. The Junior League Pantry has a complete Thanksgiving dinner that serves 10 to 12 people for $225, or you can order a side or turkey à la carte. (Call 713-622-5965 to order.) Orders must be placed by Nov. 20 at 3 p.m., and pick up is Wednesday, Nov. 26, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., in the Junior League Ballroom, west of River Oaks on 1811 Briar Oaks Lane.

In our family it is important to not forget the drinks. A shiny silver punch bowl filled with something refreshing is a great centerpiece. The Champagne Pomegranate Punch from Peace Meals is stunning and delicious.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving with great food and family. Create traditions, and wonderful memories will follow. If the turkey catches fire, all the better.