What’s the mac daddy on your Turkey Day table?

Since most people take politics and religion off the table for Thanksgiving dinner discussion, your friends at Offerpad have something else you can talk about. (Top sheets aside.) The debate over whether or not mac and cheese is a traditional turkey day side dish has been raging for weeks. What say you, readers? Yay or nay?  

While we still have some die-hard deniers here in the office, a Today show poll seemed to settle the question. While mac made it to the second round of voting, viewers rated stuffing (or ‘dressing’ to be more precise, according to “Thanksgiving Queen” Martha Stewart) as the #1 side.  

Any guesses on what came in second? Rolls. (I have to admit. Our Thanksgiving table is not complete without crescent rolls, which my grandmother routinely burned…but we ate them anyway.) 

We didn’t need a poll, though, to know what we’re most grateful for this Thanksgiving (and every day). It’s you, our faithful customers. So to express our gratitude, here are some of our own Offerpad family members’ favorite recipes.  

Forget the calories and enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving from your family and friends at Offerpad!  

Mom’s Mac n Cheese (Serves 12)

• 1lb elbow macaroni 
• 4 oz cream cheese 
• 4 C heavy cream 
• 2 t salt 
• 2 t black pepper 
• 2 t garlic powder 
• 2 t onion powder 
• ½ C pasta water 
• 8 T butter 
• Handful minced garlic 
• 1 minced shallot 
• 2 t flour 
• 8 oz freshly grated cheddar 
• 8 oz freshly grated Gruyere 
• 8 oz freshly grated white cheddar 

1. Grab a pot and add heavy cream, cream cheese and seasonings. Simmer on low heat while you prepare the rest of your dish. Don’t let it simmer for too long, just warm it up before adding it to roux. 

2. In a separate pot, bring a pot of water to a boil, add in your past and a pinch of salt and boil until al dente. Save ½ cup of pasta water! 

3. Drain pasta and set it aside. 

4. On low to medium heat in the same pot you boiled pasta, add butter and sauté minced garlic and shallot for 2-4 minutes.  

5. Add in flour and continue to stir until it turns a light golden color-then add heavy cream mixture and pasta water. Keep stirring then add in cheeses until sauce is smooth. 

6. Layer pasta in baking dish and add sauce and more shredded cheese for the top. 

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until you are satisfied with the top layer being golden and toasted. Optional: top with scallions.  

Kim’s Stuffing (Serves 8-10)

Pro tip: Make this a day ahead. After baking, cool, cover and chill. Prior to serving, just uncover and bake 50-60 minutes until top is browned and crisp. 

• ¾ C (1½ sticks) unsalted butter  
• 1 lb good rustic or sourdough bread, torn into 1” pieces (~10 C) 
• 2½ C chopped yellow onion 
• 1½ C celery (¼” slices) 
• ½ C chopped flat-leaf parsley 
• 2 T chopped fresh sage 
• 1 T chopped fresh rosemary 
• 2 T chopped fresh thyme 
• 1 t kosher salt 
• 2½ t freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 C low-sodium chicken broth, divided 
• 2 large eggs, beaten 

1. Preheat over to 250°. Butter a 13x9x2” baking dish and set aside. Scatter bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until dried out, about 1 hour. Let cool. Transfer bread crumbs to very large bowl. 

2. While bread is baking, melt ¾ C butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery and onions. Stir often until just beginning to brown, ~10 minutes. Add to bowl with bread. Stir in herbs, salt and pepper. Drizzle in 1-¼ C broth and toss gently. Let cool. 

3. Preheat over to 350°. Whisk 1-¼ C broth and eggs in a small bowl. Add to bread mixture. Fold gently until thoroughly combined. Transfer to baking dish, cover with foil and bake ~40 minutes until internal temperature reaches 160°. 

4. Continue to bake, uncovered, ~40-45 minutes more, until set and top is browned and crisp. 

Juliana’s Pumpkin Churro Cheesecake (Serves 12)

• ½ C sugar 
• 1 T cinnamon 
• 1 t pumpkin spice powder 
• 2 8 oz blocks of softened cream cheese 
• 1 C pumpkin puree 
• 1 C sweetened condensed milk 
• ½ C sour cream 
• 1 T pumpkin spice 
• 1 T vanilla extract 
• Splash of pumpkin spice extract (not necessary if you can’t find it) 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 cans croissant dough 

1. Mix sugar, cinnamon and pumpkin spice in bowl. Set aside. 

2. Mix cream cheese, condensed milk, sour cream, pumpkin puree, pumpkin spice, vanilla extract, pumpkin extract and eggs. Mix with hand mixer until smooth. 

3. Spray pie pan with cooking spray and add sugar/cinnamon mixture to the bottom until it’s covered in sugar. Then cover pie pan (round or square) with pieces of croissant dough until the bottom is fully covered. Add cheesecake mixture until pan is full. Then cover the top with the remaining pieces of croissant dough until the top is covered. Once the top is fully covered with dough, add remainder of sugar/cinnamon mixture to the top until it’s fully covered. 

4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate 2-3 hours.