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.)

Penny Yebra
General Surgery, PFA/Hydraulic

• Must-have on the table? | Gotta have sweet potatoes, smoked turkey, and cranberry salad (our family has used this recipe for decades!)
• Favorite tradition? | Family time, no matter if it’s in person or via Zoom.
• Thankful for | I’m thankful for my mother turning 90 years old and still being healthy and here with us to celebrate!

Debbie Miller, RN ONC
6 East Orthopedics / Urology / Plastic Surgeries

• Must-have on the table? | Generally, turkey is a must, but it can be the natural or vegetarian/vegan option. All are welcome! Cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, rolls, and sweet potatoes are also must-haves. I especially like peas and pumpkin pie!
• Favorite tradition? | We have chosen to honor family with the traditional gift exchange that most do over the Christmas holidays. The best part is that when everyone is doing the mad rush for last-minute Christmas gifts, we are already done. An additional benefit is that, while most are asking for Christmas off of work, I am requesting to work Christmas. As a result, I can think of only a few years over the past 19 that I've been at UVA Health, where I have not been able to be home for Thanksgiving because I am the one working on Christmas. 
• Thankful for | Along with the thankfulness of the season, we celebrate the courage and joy felt by our ancestors who first settled this country along with those who were already established, as several of our family tree include Native American ancestry. It's makes for a joyous opportunity to honor our belief in our creator and benefactor who has given us such a wonderful land and culture to appreciate.

Garret Gellert
Trainee, Sterile Processing Department

• Must-have on the table? | My grandmother's corn pudding. Not sure what it is about it, but we have it at most major holidays.
• Favorite tradition? | Running a Turkey Trot 5k in the morning with my dad. We've done it every year since I was a little kid, and I don't see it ending anytime in the near future. 
• Thankful for | To be able to spend yet another year celebrating with my grandparents, and this year both pairs will be in town for the first time in a while!

Candace Howell
IT Specialist, EMR Training (Revenue Cycle Trainer)

• Must-have on the table? | We absolutely have to have yummy roasted turkey!
• Favorite tradition? | My fiancé and I have a lot of family that we are close with. We love going to visit multiple houses and seeing our loved ones. 
• Thankful for | Thanksgiving means a time to gather with your loved ones and celebrate family and friends (during a delicious meal)! I am giving thanks for my beautiful baby girl, Malia! I look forward to celebrating her first Thanksgiving this year with all our family and friends.

Jacob Fitzgerald, RN
3 West

• Must-have on the table? | I love pumpkin pie, and also green bean casserole.
• Favorite tradition? | My favorite activity is to go to all the Friendsgivings!
• Thankful for | I am thankful to work with a great team on 3 West and have love and support. I am thankful for friends and family and a loving community! I am also thankful for the freedom I have in this country, and to have good health. I am thankful to God, for everything he has blessed me with, and the people I get to serve. 

Michael Stanford
3 North Acute

• Must-have on the table? | Nanaimo bars and butter tarts. Nanaimo bar recipe is easy to find on the internet, but my family’s butter tart recipe is secret. Any family that freely gives you a butter tart recipe is hiding something.
• Favorite tradition? | Welcoming that sweet, sweet October chill. Yes, I am Canadian.

Crystal Drumheller, BSN, RN
6 East 

• Must-have on the table? | My mom's mac and cheese (secret recipe).
• Favorite tradition? | Black Friday shopping with my mom and sister in Williamsburg (yearly tradition).
• Thankful for | Family getting together to slow down and remember the good things in life. I am thankful for new-found friends. We have helped each other so much this year. 

Julie Salinas, PSC III
UVA Health General Surgery Haymarket

• Must-have on the table? | Turkey! Although the turkey is the main dish, we accompany it with a bit of everyone’s favorite fall foods. Pasta salad, potato salad, Spanish rice, mac and cheese, and pies made by each kiddo (strawberry and apple).
• Favorite tradition? | Going around the table from the eldest to the youngest and each one sharing what they are thankful for.

Anita Morris
Finance Culpeper

• Must-have on the table? | A must have for my family is corn pudding, but for me, personally, it’s pumpkin pie!
• Favorite tradition? | Over the years our family Thanksgiving has changed because kids have grown up and have families of their own now. I just like to try to be present for whoever is able to be together on that day, and appreciate all the moments and memories made.
• Thankful for | Extremely grateful also for my work colleagues in Finance! 

Stephanie Mills, CRC
Gastro/Hepatology Research

• Must-have on the table? | Ham (we have two people allergic to turkey).
  • Ham on the bone/pre sliced/canned
  • Pineapple rings (save the juice)
  • Maraschino cherries (save the juice)
  • Brown sugar
  • Mustard
  • Cloves
• Score your ham all the way around like a checkerboard (on the bone or canned)
• Insert clove onto the middle of each square (use 1/4 teaspoon ground clove powder in mixture for pre-sliced)
• Mix together your pineapple, maraschino juice with brown sugar and mustard
• Put the pineapple rings on the ham with toothpicks
• Add a cherry to the middle of each pineapple ring
• Pour the mixture onto your ham
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake at (baste with the drippings every 30 minutes)
  • Canned
    • 1 ½ -2 lbs. for 35-50 minutes
    • 3 lbs. for 60 minutes
    • 5 lbs. for 90 minutes 
  • Bone In
    • 5-8 lbs. for 90-135 minutes
    • 10-13 lbs. for 165-225 minutes
  • Boneless 
    • 1-3 lbs. for 45 minutes to 75 minutes
    • 3-5 lbs. for 60-90 minutes
    • 6-8 lbs. for 90-150 minutes
    • 8-10 lbs. for 150 to 165 minutes
• When you remove from the oven you remove the toothpicks from the pineapple and place around the ham as decoration and to eat.
• Favorite tradition? | Our tradition is to go around the table and to say what you are thankful for this year (from family, friends, and even the food on the table).
• Thanksgiving means | Thanksgiving to me means family. I know there are other holidays, but this one we all get together for a good meal, conversation, and the joy of one another. 
• Thankful for | My husband Joe. He is there for the good, the bad, and the ugly. I could not function in my world without him.

Mollie Bryan
Strategic Communications Specialist
UVA Community Health/UVA Health Marketing and Communication

Must-have on the table? |This is the dish that makes my Thanksgiving. My mom’s Chestnut Stuffing:

• 1 pound fresh chestnuts
• 1 cup melted butter or margarine (plus more if you want it moist)
• 4 cups almost stale bread
• 1 cup chopped celery
• lightly salt and pepper
• 4 teaspoon sage, or to taste
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 egg

Wash chestnuts, make two slits on each shell, and bake for 15 minutes at 475. Shell, boil in water to cover for 20 minutes. Chop fine. Mix with the melted butter, bread, crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, egg, and celery. Toss well. Yields enough to stuff an 18-pound bird.

Shelling Chestnuts

Pan/Oven Method: Cut a one-inch gash on flat side of nut and put in a skillet, allowing 1/2 teaspoon of butter to each cup of chestnuts. Shake over heat until butter is melted. Put in oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and with a small knife take off shells. By this method shelling and blanching are accomplished at the same time, as the inside skins will adhere to the outer shells.

Andrew Drake Sr., Patient Care Tech
UVA Health Fontaine Research Park/ENT-Clinic

• Must-have on the table? | Gordon Ramsay Roasted Turkey recipe, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, homemade turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, baked macaroni and cheese, pumpkin pie, old-fashioned apple pie, pecan pie, green bean and corn casseroles, buttery rolls and croissants, cornbread, stuffing, salad, cold/hot apple cider, lemonade, sweet tea, and egg nog.
• Favorite tradition? | Spending early mornings with family, 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. Another yearly family Thanksgiving tradition is to take the kids to Busch Gardens Williamsburg - Busch Gardens Christmas Town. 

• Thankful for | Thanksgiving is a day to express gratitude for the good things in life, such as family, friends, and blessings. Thanksgiving can also be a time to give back to the community by serving others, providing for those in need, or giving back to the environment. [This year, I am thankful for] Family and friends: The individuals that add significance into your life and support you. Your house: A roof over your head and a place of your own. Good health: The power to be healthy, live another day, and breathe fresh air. Nature is the beauty of the natural world that God provided for us to enjoy. God's providence: The concept that everything you have comes from God, including your resources, connections, and the ability to produce money.

Rebecca Foreman, RN, BSN
Cardiac Transition Unit 

• Must-have on the table? | An absolute must for a Thanksgiving meal is Green Bean Casserole and my mom's specialty, Frozen Fruit Salad.
• Thankful for | My ultimate, most memorable Thanksgiving that I have had is — I was able to spend one last Thanksgiving with my mother before she passed away. It meant so much to me.

Shentelle Harris
Patient Service Coordinator III
Bull Run Family Medicine in Manassas

• Must-have on the table? | For our Thanksgiving feast, homemade cranberry sauce and broccoli casserole are absolute must-haves on the table. While there are many delicious dishes to choose from, those two rank at the top of my list. The cranberry sauce is very easy to make. Simply combine fresh cranberries (1-2 bags, depending on guest count), sugar, and water in a pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have burst and the mixture reaches a jam-like consistency. Then, stir in a splash of fresh orange juice to add a hint of acidity and balance the sweetness. Allow the cranberry sauce to cool completely before refrigerating for a few hours or up to a day in advance.
• Thankful for | To me, Thanksgiving is about more than just the food. It's a day to reflect on our blessings and spend quality time with family and friends we don't see as often as we'd like. This year, I'm especially grateful to have the opportunity to welcome another year and cherish moments with my loved ones.

Charlene Beckett, RN
Employee Occupational Health, PWMC

• Favorite tradition? | My mom, Rita, passed away in January 2022 — she was an amazing cook! She won many awards in Home Economics class back in high school. She loved to make sure every holiday was special with special foods; deviled eggs, Wacky cake, etc. We carry on her tradition of making special foods that she loved — especially her Wacky cake.

• Thankful for | Thanksgiving means family gathered at the table to count our blessings, food, fun, and fellowship. It also means a time to remember loved ones that have past — remember fond memories and make new memories with children and grandchildren. Faith, Family, and serving our community. Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Shenia Thompson
Administrator of Hospitality and Support Services

• Must-have on the table? | My mom’s mac and cheese and sweet potato pie, as well as seven-layer cookies. 
• Favorite tradition? | Staying up all night with my mom as she prepares to feed all her children and grandchildren. We laugh, we reminisce, and sometimes we cry as we reflect on all we are thankful for. 

• Thankful for | Thanksgiving means family, and family is everything! My father has passed on, but my mother is still here, most times standing in as both a mother and father. I am giving thanks for her this year and the amazing impact she has had on me and my life.

Carol Schenck, LCSW
Ambulatory Social Work Dept.
Emily Couric Clinical Cancer Center 

• Must-have on the table? | My grandmother’s homemade stuffing … this recipe has been passed down four generations in my family. I am seventh generation Pennsylvania Dutch and this dish keeps showing up on the Thanksgiving table.  
• Favorite tradition? | That is the UVA Turkey Trot at Boar’s Head. I used to run it, but now I volunteer. Then a long hike with my dog and then a beautiful meal with my family. 
• Thankful for | Thanksgiving is the best.  This year we are celebrating the fabulous UVA Ortho trauma team as they put my 80+ year old’s femur back together. What an amazing feat. This staff is beyond wonderful, talented, and compassionate. Shout out to the one-in-a-million trauma surgeon, Dr. David Weiss, for repairing my mom’s broken leg. You are simply the absolute best! So grateful to you and your staff!

Theresa "Terri" Raju-Arroyo
Core Lab/Clinical Scientist

• Must-have on the table? | 3 things: Pernil (pork shoulder Puerto Rican-style, Coquito (Puerto Rican Egg Nog), and Indian Dahl  
• Favorite tradition? | Watching the Thanksgiving Day parade with family.

• Thankful for | Thanksgiving always mean being thankful and grateful. This year, I am thankful to the NICU team for taking care of my grandson for the first eight months of his life. He was able to come home January 2024. Thanks to them we will now have him for the rest of his life.

Nadine Frost
Haymarket Pre/Post Op Surgical Services

• Must-have on the table? | Stuffing and sweet potato pie.
• Favorite tradition? | We pray and everyone must say what they are thankful for.
• Thankful for | Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I'm thankful for food, family, an fellowship. I love giving back to the community. I always participate in my church’s Thanksgiving basket giveaways. I’m thankful for my family and friends.

Marsha Sims
Medical Credentialing Officer

• Must-have on the table? | My must-have for thanksgiving foods are, Pumpkin Dump Cake and home made dressings. 
  • Ingredients
    • 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
    • 12 oz evaporated milk
    • 1 cup packed brown sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    • 15.25 oz yellow cake mix
    • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Directions
    • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
    • Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13 inch cake pan.
    • In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, brown sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice.
    • Whisk until combined. Pour this mixture into the buttered pan.
    • Sprinkle the cake mix powder on top of the batter as evenly as possible.
    • Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the batter.
    • Pour the melted butter evenly over the top of the cake.
    • Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the edges are browned and the center is set. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.

• Favorite tradition? | My favorite tradition is to have the homeless from my church come over and have the turkey and all the fixings
• Thankful for | Thanksgiving is everyday for me just to be thankful for life, health, and strength, and to have my family all here alive and safe. Thankful for family and friends and that we are all well and safe, this world can be a dangerous place but thank God he has shown great mercy.