It’s our first Thanksgiving without our families, ever! And that makes me sad. But we do have fun plans with friends that feel like family here in Tennessee, and that makes me happy!

Having waited until our late twenties to leave our hometown, I never really understood why my friends who’d moved out of town struggled to choose between coming in town for Thanksgiving or coming for Christmas. Like, it’s a holiday?? Come for both?? Come for Thanksgiving and stay through Christmas??

Anyway, I GET IT now. It’s no easy task to drop your life and go across the country during the busiest travel time of the year, and once you add in fun stuff like guilt and FOMO and religious trauma, it’s just a lot.

We’ve decided to only go back to New Orleans for Christmas because it’s a fun time of year to be in the city, and I would have a Major Depressive Episode if we were alone for Christmas!

All that to say: we might not be hosting a big Thanksgiving dinner like we did last year, but we’re still making some of our favorite dishes and thought you’d like to know what makes its way onto our Thanksgiving menu :)

But the food is just the half of it! The table settings and decor really do the work of establishing the vibe for your gathering. In our book Housewarming: A Guide to Creating a Home You Adore, we have a whole chapter on making seasonal tablescapes (and you can buy the book right here!). My biggest tip for a table setting that feels the most welcoming? Use seasonal vegetation and organic decor, like the pumpkins and chestnuts on this year’s table setting!

We also love to add further charm with imperfect vintage items like the napkins rings and layered materials like the tablecloth and runner, which help contrast against any “basics”. Whenever you’re serving family style (which we always prefer!) remember to leave room for the food, and to place the food in intentional spots that allow it to act as part of the decor.

Below we’ve linked some of our favorite Thanksgiving recipes from over the years. Let us know what you make!

Mushroom Dressing Stuffed Mini Pumpkins, pictured above | These are a new addition to the Probably This Cinematic Universe this year, and honestly, they’re one of my favorite things we’ve ever made. They’re tasty and beautiful and there’s something extra fun about having individual serving sizes. And yes, you can eat the little mini pumpkins! They are so good!!

Aunt Renee’s Cranberry Sauce, pictured above | There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t miss my Aunt Renee, but every year around this time I get to make one of my absolute favorite things she ever cooked: her whole berry cranberry sauce. It’s zesty and sweet with an incredible kick of fresh ginger, and it’s always a hit. Bonus points for taking so little time to prepare!

Matt’s Green Bean Casserole, pictured above | If you think you don’t like green bean casserole, I’m begging you to try this recipe… it will expand your world view. While it’s slightly more involved than dumping a can of cream of mushroom into a casserole dish, the extra effort has a big pay off. While traditional green bean casserole is often simultaneously salty and bland (???) this recipe is fresh and satisfying and perfectly balanced and not disgusting like the stuff you’re used to!

Turkey & Andouille Gumbo | Another smash hit of Matt’s, this gumbo is wonderful as part of the Thanksgiving table spread or as the vessel for which all of the turkey leftovers are used! My biggest pro tip here? Skim the fat, cher. Otherwise you’ll be giving your guests a hell of a ride.

Bourbon Milk Punch | Older relatives LOVE milk punch, and if you like getting your family a little drunk, this would be a great way to do so! It’s an easy, seasonally appropriate hit that will have everyone in a slumber in no time.

Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned | Thanksgiving is really your last hold out for pumpkin spice, so why not make it count? Try our pumpkin spice blend in the linked blog post on roasted carrots or turnips, or go for the bourbon and make our PSL Old Fashioned!

Beyond our favorite foods, here’s some of the items we used in this year’s spread: