Connect

Connect recently reached out to all UVA Health team members to share their Thanksgiving traditions. We asked the following questions:

• What is your name, title, and department/unit/work area?
• What is an absolute must-have food on the table? (Share the recipe!)
• What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
• What does Thanksgiving mean to you? What are you giving thanks for this year?
• Send a photo if you have one handy!

... and below are the responses we received. Thank you to all who sent in submissions. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

(Note: If you'd like to participate and share your own Thanksgiving traditions — it's not too late! — email your answers to any or all of the above questions to the Connect team at uvaconnect@virginia.edu.)

Dawn Hoffman
Senior Access Associate
Culpeper Same Day and Specialty Care

• Must-have on the table? | Turkey! Recipe: get my husband to wake early and cook the turkey.
• Favorite tradition? | Watching the Macy’s Day Parade.
• Thankful for | Thanksgiving means being thankful for my family, friends, fur babies, and holiday cheer!

Amanda Charlton-Lombardo, RN, BSN, Amb-RN
RN Care Coordinator
UVA Heart and Vascular Clinic

• Must-have on the table? | I’ve found the easiest, most delicious way to make turkey breast — and now it’s the only method I use! The turkey comes out perfectly juicy, and the gravy is incredible.
• I start with a boneless, fully thawed Butterball turkey breast. Leave the netting on, then clean and pat it dry before placing it in the slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and a little poultry seasoning. In a bowl, mix together one can of whole-berry cranberry sauce, one packet of dried onion soup mix, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 1/4 cup apple cider. Pour this mixture over the turkey. Cover and cook for 4-6 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low.
• When it’s done, remove the turkey from the slow cooker and let it rest. The turkey usually comes with a gravy packet — strain the cooking juices into a saucepan, whisk in the gravy mix, and heat until it reaches your desired consistency. If you prefer a thicker gravy, add a cornstarch slurry. Remove the netting from the turkey, slice, and serve.
• Voilà! A simple, flavorful turkey every time.

Kaitlyn McDaniel
Patient Access Specialist, Registration

• Must-have on the table? | Corn Casserole: 1 can regular corn (don’t drain), 1 can cream corn, 1 8 oz. sour cream, 1 stick of butter, 1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix. Spray 8x8 pan with Pam, mix all together in a bowl, pour into pan (butter should be room temp). Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Can be doubled. 
• Favorite tradition? | When my whole family gathers for thanksgiving (aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, and grandparents, aka everyone!) we would all do an ornament exchange. Each person is assigned another family member to buy an ornament for. This make it fun and personal for each person! We go around the table and watch everyone open up their ornaments, getting us excited for the Christmas season ahead of us! Now that I live in a different state, it's harder to see them during holidays, but I try to continue the tradition the best I can with my husband.
• Thankful for | I am thankful for having a loving supportive family and my new job!

Jane Mattimoe
Pharmacology, Temp Admin

• Must-have on the table? | Mashed celery root.
• Favorite tradition? | Mashing the potatoes. I enjoy that it’s a bit of an elaborate process, and my family likes to use this cheap-o seasoning that my grandma used since the 1960’s, which isn’t exactly gourmet, but feels like her. We spend all that time getting the potatoes ready, and at the last minute, we sprinkle in something cheap and delightful, that might not be found in the NYT’s Cooking section, but that elevates the dish to heights that make you want to create a tradition that lasts for generations!
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving means crisp and cold air and the crunch of leaves ... shuffling into the warmth of sharing a meal with those you care about. And that’s a key tenet, right? Care. At a time when things may not be perfect: work, general business, world events ... the care that goes into taking the time to cook each dish, cleaning the house to have guests over, dressing nicely, making timing work ... all of this, at its core, is wanting to be there for those who matter most to you.
• Thankful for | The Unofficial Pharmacology Medicinal Garden. Very fun that people have been contributing plants, and creating a little patch of life that hopefully will be of educational value some day! I’d be grateful if you would consider contributing too!

Shea DeBerry
Senior Access Associate
Neurosurgery/Hydraulic Call Center

• Must-have on the table? | Oh, my spread is serious: turkey, ham, greens, dressing, potato salad, baked mac and cheese, green beans, and sweet potato casserole (right).
• Favorite tradition? | I start cooking at night while the kiddos are sleeping. I listen to my Christmas music and have a glass or two of wine. That is what I used to do with my aunt when I lived in Chicago. I have been in VA for 15 years and I still keep our tradition alive! I wish she was closer, but I know she is still doing the same thing in her home hundreds of miles away!
• Thanksgiving meaning? | I don’t really celebrate the holiday. I am Thankful everyday God gives me life. But I celebrate family and friends and fellowship with them, while we sit around, eat good and enjoy each other’s company. That is what it’s about for me.
• Thankful for | I am thankful everyday that God does not withhold His breath of life from me! It’s not just one day for me!

Michael Stanford
Charge Nurse, (typically) 3N    

• Must-have on the table? | Must have, but no longer produced: Trader Joes has a Thanksgiving variation on a chateaubriand — turkey loin smothered in gravy, wrapped in pastry dough with a cranberry sauce to top. We used to buy six or so, they were that yummy! And then COVID killed it, like so many things.

Natalie May
Projects Manager, Office of Team Wellbeing
Associate Professor of Research

• Must-have on the table? | White chocolate-cranberry-pecan tart. Super easy and delicious. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Katie Kuekes-Baker, MSN, RN, CNL, IBCLC
RN Clinical Nurse Leader
Mother-Baby/Antepartum/Breastfeeding Medicine

• Favorite tradition? | We do an annual Thanksgiving Taste Test challenge. It started one year when I picked up a pre-made “taste test of caramels” game where you sample eight different candies and guess the flavors. It was so fun that we put together our own taste test the next year, then the next, and kept going. This year will be our ninth year! We stuck with different flavored chocolates for a while, then branched out and have also done Kit-Kats, apples, and sodas. This year’s theme is chips. I always try to trick my family by getting the most offbeat flavors I can find, but they are getting pretty good at it! The winner takes home a small prize and, of course, bragging rights for the year. Just wanted to share our offbeat Turkey Day tradition!

Kendall Badgett
Patient Relations Representative

• Favorite tradition? | We start the day running the Turkey Trot with our friends and neighbors at our local YMCA. Each year we make sure friends have a place to go and if not invite them and so we always end up with friends, in addition to family, around the table. We watch football and eat traditional Thanksgiving day foods ... and then sit around the table and play games afterwards and enjoy our time together. Eventually, we fall into a turkey coma on the sofa and chairs for a rest.

Edie Newman
Administrative Fellow MC-CEO

• Must-have on the table? | Stuffing! And apple pie.
• Favorite tradition? | My family plays flagged football at my hometown elementary school the day after Thanksgiving. I am from Minnesota and we play rain or shine (or snow!).
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving is a time for reflecting on all the good life has to give. Being with family and good food is something to celebrate.

Nicole Gee
eLearning Developer – HIT Training / Training Services

• Must-have on the table? | Mashed potatoes.
  • Overnight Mashed Potatoes ingredients: 9 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 cup of sour cream; 6 oz. cream cheese; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 teaspoon salt; and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper.
  • Directions: Bake until heated completely through, roughly 45 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes; cook until tender yet still firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Mash potatoes until smooth. Stir in sour cream, cream cheese, butter, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Lightly grease a medium sized baking dish and transfer potatoes to it. Cover and refrigerate potatoes 8 hours, or overnight. Next day: Remove potatoes from the refrigerator and let sit on hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Favorite tradition? | Spending time with family and watching football.
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Taking time to remember the good things in our lives and enjoying time with family.
• Thankful for | This year, I am thankful my mom is still with us after dealing with serious health issues.

Liz Nelson
Senior Lab Specialist
Department of Cell Biology

• Favorite tradition? | My favorite Thanksgiving tradition — 25+ years now — is to make these turkey cookies out of Nutter Butters, Reese’s cups, candy, and white icing. Each guest gets one to eat (or keep!) and they are always a hit.

Pam Trapani
Centralized Access Medical Records
Ambulatory Access, Hydraulic Road

• Favorite tradition? | Thanksgiving traditions have changed for our family since my father passed away in 2020. We now enjoy a hibachi meal at one of the finest restaurants in Richmond, Kabuto. It’s always fun and the food is just as wonderful as turkey. The onion volcano is always a favorite part of dining at Kabuto!
• Thankful for | I am always and especially thankful for the closeness and love of family and for great coworkers!

Penny Yebra
Senior Access Associate
General Surgery, West Complex

• Must-have on the table? | Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese: This creamy, baked mac and cheese with smoked gouda and cheddar is rich, cheesy, and perfect for any occasion.
  • Ingredients: 2 cups macaroni or cavatappi; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 tbsp flour; 1 3/4 cups half and half room temperature; 4 oz cream cheese room temperature; 1 cup smoked gouda shredded; 1 cup mild cheddar cheese shredded; 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded; 2 cups Colby Jack shredded; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 1/4 tsp smoked paprika; 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Cook the macaroni al dente in boiling water with a pinch of salt. 3. In the meantime heat a pan over medium heat. Melt the butter in it. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the flour gradually and whisk constantly until it’s not clumpy and dissolved. About 2 minutes. 4. Add the half and half in batches, whisking constantly until smooth. Bring the heat up to medium, add in the cream cheese and start to stir to melt. It's okay if it doesn't get perfectly melted. 5. Gradually start whisking in the shredded cheeses. Do this as quickly as possible so it isn’t too thick. If it seems too thick, add in a little more half and half. It's okay if the last batch of cheese isn't completely melted. Save at least 1 3/4 cups of cheese on the side for topping and in the middle of the mac and cheese. 6. Once the cheese is incorporated add in the spices and whisk. Remove from heat. 7. By now the macaroni should be finished. Drain and add to the cheese sauce, stirring until incorporated.
• Favorite tradition? | Spending time with family and putting up the Christmas tree after dinner, while the movie A Christmas Story plays.
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving is a time to be with family and give thanks for each other, our health, our ability to spend time together, and enjoy each other. This year, we’re so happy my 92 year old mother, Doris, is still with us! She’s the matriarch of our huge family and the last of her generation. (Photo: husband Carlos, Mama Doris, and me!)

Suzanne Malone
RN Care Coordinator
Transitions of Care Program/Population Health

• Must-have on the table? | Thanksgiving is our family’s favorite holiday because we enjoy spending time together over a delicious meal. My husband loves to cook Thanksgiving dinner for our immediate family of five and extended relatives. He starts the day before Thanksgiving by making his homemade stuffing with three types of bread (he makes his own bread crumbs), sausage, fresh sage, celery, onions and garlic, and LOTS of butter. He stuffs the turkey with it and also fills a generous pan for those who prefer “dry, crunchy” stuffing. He begins baking the turkey early Thanksgiving morning and starts his homemade stock made with the turkey neck, gizzards and heart, more onions and garlic, and fresh herbs. When the turkey comes out of the oven, he prepares a huge batch of rich, buttery mashed Yukon Gold potatoes. A  brown gravy is then made with the stock right before we serve the meal so it is fresh and hot. Of course we have to include a veg in the meal, so I typically make a large green salad with a homemade mustard vinaigrette dressing, and a dessert. Our family is not big on pumpkin pie, so the dessert is the one and only food that changes from year to year. 
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving means getting together with loved ones and celebrating our time together with delicious food. We often play games after we eat or take a walk. This year I am giving thanks for a life with so many blessings, and another year of good work, friends, and family.

Susan Mullens, COC-A, CRCR, CHAA
Revenue Cycle Quality & Standards Coach

• Favorite tradition? | Our family tradition on Thanksgiving is to put up the Christmas tree (tree and lights only) the day before Thanksgiving. Then, we eat Thanksgiving "dinner" at about 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, take a few hours to digest, then come back together to decorate the tree. Once it’s decorated, the sun has gone down, so we dish out and serve desserts and turn on the lights.  It’s a great way to usher in the Christmas season!

Mary Leaf
Community Resource Coordinator
BRCC/Pediatrics/UVA Health Children’s/Colony Plaza

• Must-have on the table? | Home Baked Macaroni & Cheese: I rather not share the recipe, because it’s my secret recipe (only my sister knows the recipe).
• Favorite tradition? | My favorite Thanksgiving tradition for me is to start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, the rule is no decorations go up until the day after Thanksgiving. I am not traveling this year, so I am going all out with decorations this Christmas.
• Thanksgiving meaning? | What Thanksgiving means to me is, a time and place where I gather with my loved ones without any obligations or pressures to be anything other than myself and vice a versa for my loved ones. This is the time where myself and others are not expected to be anything other than grateful for the time we have together. Thanksgiving has always been a holiday for me in which I look forward to letting everyone know much I love them and express my gratitude for all of my blessings. This year I am giving thanks to new beginnings and my family living close to me after years of being far away from one another.
• Photo | This is a picture of my sister and I. My sister, Stephanie, is on the left. This Thanksgiving is special because it is my sister and her family’s first Thanksgiving in VA — only 45 minutes from my home. I give great thanks to having her so close to me and our family’s new beginning in the Shenandoah Valley.

Crystal Collette
Administrator of Behavioral Health
Patient Care Services 

• Must-have on the table? | A must have food on my Thanksgiving table is Filling. This dish is similar to traditional stuffing, but has both bread and potatoes. Here is the recipe:
  • Filling ingredients: 1 loaf of white bread torn into small pieces; 8 large potatoes, diced; 8 stems of celery, diced; 2 large onions, diced; 6 eggs; 1 stick of butter; 2 tbsp parsley; salt and pepper to taste; poultry seasoning to taste
  • Instructions:
    • Place potato cubes in large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes and save the water.
    • Fry 1/2 of the onions in butter until soft. 
    • In a large bowl add the bread, celery, raw onion, cooked onion, eggs, butter, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix together. Add in the potatoes and add water to keep moist. Sprinkle poultry seasoning on top.
    • Place mixture in a buttered 13x9 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Dominique McLaughlin
FEAP Consultant

• Must-have on the table? | Wegman’s Young Turkey and Country Ham from Cracker Barrell.

• Favorite tradition? | Watching the Dallas Cowboys play and win! I am changing the tradition from staying home to cook to traveling to be a guest at someone else’s table this year, to focus on what I need this year, allowing for grace and self-compassion.

• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving means taking time to pause to appreciate the people and things I am most grateful for. I am giving thanks to the people who introduced me to the sport of pickleball: retired Louisa County HS teacher Randy Holladay and a woman named Annette Hayes who would have been in her mid-'80s this year. I am also giving thanks to all caregivers who work hard to balance home and work life. Thanksgiving holiday can be challenging to get through for some, especially when your loved ones have passed away (in my case, my grandmother and mother). So, I am intentional about reframing my losses and shifting to being grateful for the opportunity to have cared for them in such a meaningful and intimate way. I am grateful they taught me values, morals, and the importance of giving back and serving others.

Nikki Maupin, LPN
Digestive Health Clinic

• Must-have on the table? | Deviled eggs, without a doubt.
• Favorite tradition? | Being with extended family, hearing the kids express how excited they are for Christmas, and enjoying the “little things” in life!
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving is dear to my heart for many reasons. It's always been a time to self-reflect, pause, and take in what is truly important in life. Sharing stories, laughter, and making memories to last a lifetime. This year I am thankful for my health, my career advancement, and life itself. Oh, the beauty in the fact that no matter what one is facing, someone is always going through something much more intense. Being humble, is key! 
• Photo | This year, our clinic team put together a gratitude tree to show one another what we are thankful for. Huge hit for staff and patients!

Andrew A. Drake Sr.
Patient Care Tech (PCT)
UVA Health Fontaine Research Park/ENT-Clinic

• Must-have on the table? | Roasted Gordon Ramsay turkey recipe (below); mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes; roasted Brussels sprouts; homemade turkey gravy; cranberry sauce; baked macaroni and cheese; pumpkin pie, old-fashioned apple pie, and pecan pie; green bean and corn casseroles; buttery rolls and croissants; cornbread; stuffing; salad; cold/hot apple cider, lemonade, sweet tea, hot chocolate, and egg nog.
  • Ingredients: serves 8-10; 1 free-range turkey (ideally Norfolk Black or Bronze), about 5–5.5kg; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 onions, peeled and halved; 1 lemon, halved; 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally; 6 bay leaves; olive oil, to drizzle; 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon; Lemon, parsley and garlic butter: 375g butter, at room temperature; 1 tbsp olive oil; finely grated zest and juice of 2 small lemons; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed; small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped.
  • Method:
    • Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Meanwhile, prepare the herb butter. Put the butter into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and mix well. Add the lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic and chopped parsley. Mix well to combine.
    • Remove the giblets from the turkey cavity. Season the cavity well with salt and pepper, then stuff with the onions, lemon, garlic halves and 2 bay leaves.
    • With your hands, loosen the skin on the breast from both ends of the bird so that you will be able to stuff the flavoured butter underneath it, making sure you keep the skin intact. Repeat with the skin on the legs – from the lower side of the breast feel your way under the skin and out towards the leg, loosening the gap.
    • Stuff half the butter mix into the opened spaces under the skin. From the outside of the skin, gently massage the butter around the breasts so that the meat is evenly covered. Finally, insert the rest of the bay leaves under the skin of the breasts.
    • Place the bird in a large roasting tray, breast side up. Spread the rest of the butter all over the skin. Season well with salt and pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. (If preparing a day ahead, cover the turkey with foil and refrigerate at this stage.)
    • Roast the turkey in the hot oven for 10–15 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices and lay the bacon rashers over the breast to keep it moist. Baste again. Lower the setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and cook for about 2 1⁄2 hours (calculating at 30 minutes per kg), basting occasionally.
    • To test whether your turkey is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the leg and check that the juices are running clear, rather than pink. As oven temperatures and turkey shapes and sizes vary, it is crucial to check your turkey about 30 minutes before the calculated roasting time. If the juices are pink, roast for another 15 minutes and check again. Repeat as necessary until the turkey is cooked.
    • Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter and remove the parson’s nose, wings and tips of the drumsticks; reserve these for the gravy. Leave the turkey to rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes; make the gravy in the meantime. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin before carving. Serve the turkey with the piping hot gravy, stuffing and accompaniments.
• Favorite tradition? | Spending early mornings with family and friends, preparing Thanksgiving dishes and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Finishing the day on the couch, watching the National Dog Show and Miracle on 34th Street. Plus, Home Alone: "This is my house, I have to defend it" and A Christmas Story: "You'll shoot your eye out." Another yearly family Thanksgiving tradition is to take the kids to Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Busch Gardens Christmas Town and see family in New Jersey.
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving is a special occasion to show appreciation for the wonderful aspects of life, including family, friends, and our many blessings. Thanksgiving can also serve as an opportunity to contribute to the community by helping others, supporting those in need, or caring for the environment.

Crystal Lynch Reed
Surgery Scheduler, Digestive Health
Digestive Health Call Center

• Must-have on the table? | Green bean casserole.
  • Ingredients: 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (because I have to be dairy free I use Pacific brand cream of mushroom); 3/4 cup milk; 1/8 teaspoon McCormick pure ground black pepper; 2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) any style Del Monte green beans drained (fresh green beans if you prefer); 1 1/3 cups French's Original Crispy Fried Onions, divided (I usually use this much to mix in to the casserole and top before going in the oven and then I top with more when it is done cooking).
  • Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix cream of mushroom soup, milk, and pepper in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Stir in green beans and Crispy Fried Onions. Bake 30 minutes or until hot. Stir. Top with additional crispy fried onions. 
• Favorite tradition? | Once everyone is at the table, we go around the table and each say what we are thankful for.
• Thanksgiving meaning? | Thanksgiving means sharing with friends and family. It means a time of togetherness. I am always thankful for my family. This year I have four grandchildren (a three year old grandson, and three granddaughters — 9 years, 2 years, and 9 months on Thanksgiving day) to enjoy. I’m also thankful that my [family member] is still with us, fighting a strong fight against [a medical condition]. 
• Photo | I attached a three-year-old (2022) photo. The photo is actually from earlier in the year but I wanted to share this one because it was the last time I had both children and their spouses, all grandchildren (at the time) and my father and step-mom in the same place. Placement in the photo: Back row from left to right: Son-in-law, daughter, step-mom and my husband. Middle row: Daughter-in-law, son, father (he’s holding then 5-week old grandson) and myself. On the floor then 6 year old granddaughter and then 8 year old step-niece.