Houston McLaury-

Well Gusties, Thanksgiving break is right around the corner. In about a week’s time, many of us will either be driving back home or flying to different states to be with our family for the holiday. And, with this break, we can delight in the glory of a home-cooked meal once more. Perhaps we’ll try our hand at our own – or try a new recipe that ends up being a total disaster. Nevertheless, we shall go home and enjoy the company of family and friends, and hopefully get some well-earned rest. But, with the arrival back home, and the unpacking of all we have carried with us, one thought constantly comes to mind: which meal is the best? That is the question I hope to answer for you, dear reader, through a critique of how often we may have this food otherwise, and how I remember these dishes taste. So, let’s dive into this cornucopia of home-cooked meals, and find the best one, once and for all.

Immediately, we can get rid of the mashed potatoes and gravy. While I am much like Sam Gamgee, a lover and proportionate spokesman of the humble potato, I must also admit to the simple fact that this dish is served regularly with most meals. Meatloaf, steak, pork chops, any number of meals; mashed potatoes and gravy can be seen on the sideline, supporting the meal. Now, that does not mean mashed potatoes and gravy is not a good meal. I love a good mash, with hints of garlic spattered throughout the potatoes, and a healthy smattering of beef-based gravy on top. Of course, it’s good as a side, but as a stand-alone iconic item on Thanksgiving… it simply cannot be that because it is one of the most common sides to any meal.

The same can also be said for bread rolls. Most of the time, it’s just King’s Hawaiian bread rolls with butter as an option to add, but this is quite possibly the worst option you can pick up at the table. For one, as we all know bread is incredibly filling. Just one can leave you haggard and full, unable to enjoy the cooked meals that you have laid before you. If you want to truly enjoy each bit of food that was made, either skip the dinner roll altogether or opt for something better. What’s often done in my family’s house is that we make a version of the Red Lobster cheddar biscuits. These have a greater texture, and taste, and are just immensely better than the King’s Hawaiian bread rolls, so if you’re in love with the rolls at Thanksgiving, I would suggest trying your hand at one of these fantastic biscuits.

One of the better meals during Thanksgiving is the staple of the holiday, the turkey. Personally, I try not to have too much of the bird to save room for some of the other meals. The main part of the turkey that makes it a true meal is the seasoning, enhancing the flavor and bringing out the richness of the bird. Yet, for me, it suffers the same effect that bread does, mainly because it is so filling as one eats it. This is why I try to take only as few bits of the bird as possible, saving room for the other items that are available. In hand with the turkey comes the stuffing, a mixture of bread, mixed vegetables to enhance the flavor, and some form of stock to ensure a rich and full flavor, it is another staple of Thanksgiving. And, while it suffers from the same effect that the bread rolls do since it is often made up of bread, it is so flavorful, with so many different variations and combinations to it. To deny its place as one of the more iconic, and more flavorful items, is to deny the turkey its place as a main staple of the holiday.

But, it is not the best. No, for the best we come to a delicious mixture of cream of mushroom, crispy fried onions, and the pièce de résistance, the green beans. It all comes together to make one of the best items on the table during Thanksgiving: the Green Bean Casserole. The amount of room one has to experiment, adding other vegetables to the green beans, putting tater tots on top of the casserole to add some of that Minnesota style to it. Now, I must concede that for many people this is not a staple for their Thanksgiving meals. But, for my family, it always has been, and I’ve just always loved the flavors and textures that arise from this wonderful dish. So, despite the fact it has no true connection to Thanksgiving, it is still my favorite meal out of the entire banquet.

So, dear Gusties, as you pack your bags and begin the long journey back to your homes this next week, remember to enjoy the meals. And, try your best to experiment with the meals this break. Hopefully, some of you will try the Red Lobster cheddar biscuits, or some of you may get experimental with what you add to the stuffing. No matter the case, take the time to rest, relax, and enjoy all that life has to offer over this much-needed break.