Plus, the ones she absolutely won’t eat on turkey day.
As you’re mapping out your menu for this year’s Thanksgiving feast, you might find yourself thinking, “Hmm…I wonder what Katie eats on Thanksgiving...” No? Just us? OK, well, either way, we have the answer to that query.
Katie eats what you eat with a few alterations. She definitely digs into the turkey, but no stuffing for her — it made her sick once as a kid and she never ate it again. Another delicious dish she doesn’t love? PIE! Yep, you read that right: She’s not too crazy about pie. She does love a Jell-O concoction her mom used to make. She enjoys creamed spinach and sweet potatoes, too, but she prefers the latter without marshmallows on top.
If your mouth is watering, you’re in luck. I’ve written up the recipes for some of her favorite Thanksgiving dishes. I put my own personal twist on a few of them, but I think Katie would approve. Below you’ll find two of her favorite sides plus that famed Jell-O salad. You can thank me later — or now. It is Thanksgiving, after all.
How to make Katie’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes
Creamed Spinach
In my entire career as a professional cook, I have never made creamed spinach. So when Katie mentioned she’s a fan, I decided to make my own version. It was so tasty, I ate it straight from the pan!
Instead of using frozen spinach that has way too much water in it, I recommend buying bagged spinach leaves that are already washed and dried. The recipe can be cooked ahead and cooled, refrigerated overnight, and gently rewarmed in a saucepan before serving. And to make it gluten-free, rice flour is a perfect alternative to all-purpose.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
1 stick plus 2 tbsp. unsalted butter (10 tbsp.), divided
1/2 whole medium onion, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup rice flour or all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
24 oz. baby spinach leaves washed and dried
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping (optional)
Directions
In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 8 tbsp. (1 stick) of butter. Add the onion and a teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring frequently until the onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook for 1 more minute until the garlic is fragrant but not burned. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic. Using a whisk (Katie Couric Media swears by Material’s whisk), stir the flour to incorporate it into the butter and onion mixture. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.
Whisking constantly, slowly add ¼ cup of the half-and-half to the onion mixture. The sauce will begin to thicken. Add another ¼ cup of the half-and-half, whisking completely to ensure there are no lumps (except for the onions).
When the sauce is smooth, add the rest of the half-and-half in a slow stream, whisking the whole time to incorporate it completely. Whisk in the Dijon mustard. Allow the sauce to simmer on low for 5 minutes or until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the nutmeg, then taste, adding more salt and ½ teaspoon ground pepper if desired. Remove from the heat.
In a large nonstick frying pan, heat a teaspoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the spinach and a pinch of salt. Allow it to sit for 15-30 seconds before using tongs to fold the spinach leaves that are on top down to the bottom of the pan. Cook the spinach for 1-2 minutes in total, or until it’s barely wilted. Move it to a bowl and repeat with the remaining spinach until it’s all wilted.
If there’s any liquid at the bottom of the bowl of spinach, drain it off before folding the spinach into the cream sauce. Taste, adding more salt, nutmeg, or pepper if desired. If using, fold in the Parmesan cheese.
Place the creamed spinach in a serving dish (I love these simple bowls that look like a work of ceramic art), top with additional Parmesan if using, and serve!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Crispy Bacon and Optional Marshmallows
To marshmallow or not to marshmallow…that is the question. I’m team marshmallow when topping my sweet potatoes, but Katie likes her sweet potatoes without the fluffy layer. Either way, these sweet potatoes are a cinch to make and reheat nicely a day or two after you make them. If you must omit the marshmallows, it’ll still be delicious.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60-75 minutes
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
8 Garnet yams, washed and dried (look for uniform yams that will look good when halved)
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (will be divided in the recipe)
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar (less if preferred)
¼ cup orange juice (fresh if possible), plus the zest of 1 orange
2 tsp. pumpkin spice blend
Kosher salt
1 cup cooked bacon crumbles
2 cups mini marshmallows (optional)
½ cup toasted and chopped walnuts (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the sweet potatoes and dry them. Using the tines of a fork, prick each sweet potato a few times to allow air to escape. Place them on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Place them in the oven and cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have softened and can be easily pierced with a fork. Remove them from the oven to cool.
When each potato is cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh of each potato and place in a large mixing bowl. Discard the skins. You should have about 6 cups of sweet potato flesh.
Drizzle 4 tbsp. of the melted butter over the sweet potatoes, then add ¼ cup of brown sugar, the orange juice and zest, the pumpkin spice blend, and a teaspoon of salt. Using a potato masher or electric beaters, mash until the sweet potatoes are free of lumps and the ingredients are evenly combined. Taste the mixture, adding more brown sugar if desired. Stir in the chopped walnuts if using, then stir in half of the bacon crumbles. Taste, adding more salt if needed.
Place the mashed sweet potatoes in an oven-proof casserole dish (Le Creuset‘s are oven-safe and full of character) and spread them out evenly. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of melted butter. Place them back in the oven to reheat for 10-15 minutes until warmed through.
Combine the marshmallows, remaining bacon bits, nuts, and a tablespoon of the melted butter in a mixing bowl. Toss to coat the ingredients with the butter. Spoon the mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes, then place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the marshmallows are browned. If omitting the marshmallows, toss the bacon and nuts with the butter and sprinkle over the sweet potatoes.
Katie’s Mom’s Lime Jell-O and Pear Parfait
When Katie mentioned her love of this old-school lime Jell-O salad that her mom used to make, I was up for the challenge to modernize it. I mean, what screams “holiday meal” more than a good ol’ fashioned Jell-O concoction? Instead of making one large Jell-O “salad,” I decided to modernize the presentation a little by creating individual portions in glasses, letting the light shine in on that lime green Jell-O. I found myself sneaking bites of these out of the fridge all week long!
These parfaits can be made 2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until you’re ready to enjoy them.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes, but 2-6 hours to chill.
Serves: 6-8
Equipment: 6-8 individual glasses for serving
Ingredients
1 package Lime Jell-O
2 15-oz. cans sliced or halved pears, drained
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
3 tbsp. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. whole milk
Chopped Pecans for topping, optional
Graham cracker crumbs for topping, optional
Directions
Divide the pears evenly between 6-8 serving glasses. Prepare the Jell-O according to the packaging instructions. (I use the quick method, starting with hot water and adding ice water to chill the mixture down quickly.)
Divide the Jell-O evenly among the glasses, pouring it gently over the pears. Place the glasses on a tray, cover it with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate until set, about 2-4 hours. I love these little jars because they’re super cute and have lids, which makes them perfect for Jell-O-making!
Before serving the pears, use an electric mixer or beaters to mix the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and milk. Beat until the cream cheese is fluffy and there are no lumps of sugar, scraping down the sides once or twice if needed.
Spoon an equal portion of the cream cheese mixture on top of each parfait, using a flat-edged spatula to spread it evenly over the top of each parfait. Or if you prefer, simply add a dollop to each dessert. Sprinkle with graham crackers and pecans if desired and serve.
Want more drool-worthy dishes for your Thanksgiving meal? Check out my full Thanksgiving menu below:
