Family Recipes + a Playlist
Words by: Maggie Laubscher | Music by: Abby Yemm
There are few greater joys than celebrating over a good meal. We adore it for every occasion -- and non-occasion. From birthdays to date nights to random Tuesdays, it makes our days feel more special. Thanksgiving is the ultimate embodiment of that - a day of celebration with decadent comfort food.
For this Thanksgiving, we tapped our fellow Nellies and friends for their favorite recipes. We also chatted about all things holiday decor with Emily Walters of The Bloom Academy, a Nellie and our artist resident florist. While the holidays won’t be as much about entertaining this year, we can still focus on making our spaces festive. Here are her go-to tips and check out more on her Instagram account...
Monochromatic blooms always look chic - pick a color and layer stems in different shades of the same hue.
Don’t shy away from unconventional color palettes - think muted blue tones mixed with a vibrant red and orange bouquet, for example.
Don’t forget the details - tying your flatware with a pretty cloth ribbon atop a linen napkin, for example.
Like your favorite fall outfit, add layers - maybe a wood slab or rustic tray between a table runner and centerpiece.
While this year looks different than in years past and celebrations may be smaller, we are still leaning in. To the celebration, to the decadence, to the good food. Enjoy some food inspiration below and have a breezy Thanksgiving, Nellies. We are so thankful for all of you!
Lauren Atterbury’s Scalloped Oysters
Nellie Lauren Atterbury calls this recipe her favorite Thanksgiving indulgence. ‘My grandmother and mom have made them all my life and it’s not Thanksgiving without them.’
Scalloped Oysters
serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 quart oysters (drain & save liquid)
1/2 cup Pepperidge Farm breadcrumbs (crush)
1/2 cup finely crushed Saltine crackers
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter (and butter to sauté and dot)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
2 tablespoons dry sherry
Salt and pepper
Paprika
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Combine breadcrumbs, crackers, and parsley with butter and lemon juice
Sauté shallots and finely diced celery in butter and add to breadcrumb mixture
In a small greased baking dish, layer 1/3 breadcrumb mixture and then layer half of the oysters
Pour 1/4 cup cream and half of the oyster liquid over oysters
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
Repeat the above two layers and top with remaining third of breadcrumb mixture
Dot top layer with butter
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes or until golden & bubbly
Pour sherry over dish, sprinkle lightly with paprika, and serve immediately
Jo Marie Scaglia’s Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
Friend of The Nelle Jo Marie Scaglia lives and breathes good food. As founder and owner of two beloved local restaurants - The Mixx and Caffetteria Café - everything she touches in the kitchen seems to turn to gold. She shared this recipe to help elevate our Thanksgiving leftovers.
Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
BROTH INGREDIENTS:
Remove excess turkey from carcass, set aside
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
6 quarts water
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley (1 tablespoon)
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Leftover thanksgiving herbs (thyme, parsley, rosemary)
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
BROTH DIRECTIONS:
Put turkey carcass, vinegar, all veggies, and herbs in a stock pot, bring to a boil and then simmer for five hours on medium low heat
After that is complete, strain all solids from broth
Set broth aside
SOUP INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons butter or avocado oil
1 large onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced
3 celery stocks, diced
2 tablespoons GF flour *OPTIONAL*
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 quarts turkey bone broth (recipe above)
1 cup wild rice
2-3 cups turkey meat
2 cups English or frozen peas
SOUP DIRECTIONS:
In a large soup pot, add butter or oil, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook until onions are translucent
Add 2 tablespoons GF flour so the butter absorbs flour like a paste
Bring that to a simmer and cover for 30 minutes
Uncover and add salt, pepper, herbs, wild rice and turkey meat - simmer uncovered for 45 minutes or until rice is cooked
Salt and pepper to taste
Add more broth if needed
Fold in peas
Momma Scaglia liked to serve this soup with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top!
Margi Rusten’s Cranberry Frappé
Nellie Margi Rusten has kept this handwritten recipe from when she was young. ‘I grew up loving my grandmother’s cranberry frappé. It’s like a cranberry sorbet.’
Cranberry Frappé
serves 10
INGREDIENTS:
1 12-ounce package cranberries
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 total cup juice (1/2 cup orange juice, juice from 1 lemon, remaining to 1 cup with pineapple juice)
DIRECTIONS:
Boil cranberries with ½ cup water until skin pops off, about 8-10 minutes
Drain and mash in chinois (to separate fruit from skins); set fruit aside in large bowl and discard skins
Boil sugar with ½ cup water
Once it reaches boiling, remove from heat and pour over cranberry fruit
Add orange juice, lemon juice, and pineapple juice; stir to combine
Pour mixture into 8x11 container and freeze overnight
To serve, remove from freezer and beat until fluffy
Robin Krause’s Chilled Mulled Wine
Robin Krause, another friend of The Nelle, is our go-to for all things healthy, delicious, and beautiful. As founder and owner of Unbakery and Juicery, Apothé Wellness, and Billie's Grocery, she is a thoughtful entrepreneur whose taste we inherently trust. Her chilled mulled wine recipe is the perfect complement to Thanksgiving Day -- and all of winter, really…
Chilled Mulled Wine
INGREDIENTS:
1 oz Cappelletti
1/2 oz orange juice
1 oz spiced syrup
4 oz L’onesta (sparkling red wine)
Splash of club soda
DIRECTIONS:
Combine and serve over ice
Top with pumpkin pie spice
Logan Dean’s Olive Oil Cake
Nellie Logan Dean shared this recipe from a cooking class she took with her mom. ‘It’s now a family favorite. It’s easy, not overly sweet, and very moist because of the olive oil.’
Olive Oil Cake
serves 12
INGREDIENTS:
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup limoncello or orange liqueur
¼ cup fresh orange juice
3 teaspoons lemon zest
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup blanched almonds, finely chopped, or pine nuts
Powdered sugar to garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter or spray 1 10-inch cake pan
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, liqueur, orange juice, and lemon zest
Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture; whisk until well blended
Fold in the nuts
Pour the mixture into pan and bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean
Place on a rack to cool
Run a knife around edges transfer to plate
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve
Anna Petrow’s Tomato + Ricotta Toast
Nellie Anna Petrow is our artist resident photographer. As a culinary, travel, and lifestyle photographer, she has worked with The New York Times, Food & Wine, countless local KC brands, and more.
Tomato + Ricotta Toast
INGREDIENTS:
4 slices bread
1 container ricotta cheese (can substitute cream cheese)
1 container cherry tomatoes (or any type of tomato)
Salt + pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Places slices of bread on a cookie sheet and broil in the oven until crisp and golden (or toast slices individually in toaster)
Rinse and cut cherry tomatoes lengthwise
Spread 1-2 tablespoons of ricotta on each slice, and arrange tomatoes cut side up
Finish with salt and pepper
To "upgrade" the recipe: top with olive oil and basil, or try a drizzle of Calabrian chili oil for some heat!
Ashley Bare’s Sweet Potato Casserole
Ashley Bare, friend and collaborator of The Nelle, is a chef, culinary instructor, recipe tester and developer based in KC. We adore each and every recipe she creates, and this casserole dish is perfect for autumn and winter.
This recipe originally appeared on Brit+Co.
Sweet Potato Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
6 sweet potatoes
Coconut oil spray
3 cups mashed sweet potato
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil (use ghee if not vegan)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 orange, zested with a microplane
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 orange)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
Bake 6 medium sweet potatoes, pierced a few times with a sharp knife, at 375°F for about an hour
Let cool, slice down the middle, and scoop out cooked interior
(alternatively, peel the potatoes and boil in salted water until fork tender, about 20 min)
Use a ricer or potato masher to mash potatoes
Preheat oven to 375°F
Prepare an 8-inch or 9-inch casserole dish by spraying it with a coconut oil spray
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and set aside
Using a food processor, pulse together the dates, walnuts, cinnamon, and flaky sea salt into pea-sized pieces (pulse about 10 times)
Spread the date-walnut evenly atop the sweet potatoes
Cover dish with foil and bake for about 45 minutes
Uncover and continue baking for another 15 minutes
Remove from oven and serve immediately
