Our team loves a good meal! We can often be found eating Jets Pizza together, or Buffalo Wild Wings — Asian Zing and Honey BBQ are team favorites — or even a slightly healthier option like Joella’s Hot Chicken or Chipotle or McAlister’s Deli.
With Thanksgiving Day only a few weeks away, we wanted to share our team’s thoughts about our favorite and least favorite Thanksgiving Day foods, as well as our favorite Thanksgiving Day memories.
Enjoy, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING from all of us at the Dean Ballenger Agency!
HANNAH
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
The perfect mashed potatoes are not too lumpy, but not too creamy … it makes or breaks your meal! And then the chocolate pie I make every year — it’s so good, there’s never any leftovers!
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
Stuffing – it’s a texture thing.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
I think our first Thanksgiving with Lucy! It was fun watching her try the different foods and see the joy in her eyes. She loved being the center of attention! Another plus was that I was pregnant, so eating for two on Thanksgiving was just fine with me!
JARED
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
Corn Pudding, because it tastes great. Enough said.
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
Cranberry Sauce, and the reason why is because it doesn’t go well with the rest of the food.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
No specific memory, but my favorite thing to do is obviously eat a huge meal, watch football with family, and maybe sneak in a nap during the game.
JACKI
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
My favorite Thanksgiving food is definitely rolls and green bean casserole.
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
My least favorite food is literally everything else, without question! Because it’s all too fufu.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
When my dad asked my sister and I (who also loves the rolls) if we wanted to have Grandma’s homemade rolls one particular year, we both simultaneously said YES. As the day approached, we watched our dad who is an expert in the kitchen cook us a grand meal. As the time to eat was approaching we asked our dad where the rolls were and he simply said, “Go to the freezer and pull them out.” Lo and behold we pulled out Rhodes Frozen Rolls in the package. “What are these,” we said. With a big grin on his face my dad replied, “Grandma’s homemade rolls.” My sister and I had been living a lie our entire lives!
KEN
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
Sweet potatoes, made by my mother-in-law, Doris. She made the best ever – hand-peeled, extra brown sugar and molasses, and of course tiny marshmallows lightly toasted on top just before serving. You could just taste the love, which in this case was spelled B – U – T – T – E – R.
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
Cranberries. Sliced or sauced or whatever you do with them, they’re gross.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
Sitting at the kids’ table as an adult with my stepbrother, Andy. The room was packed and the two of us volunteered to sit at the tiny little card table reserved for kids. All the food and drinks finally made their way from the big table to ours, so we just kept our favorites right there in front of us and then ate and ate and ate. Lots of laughs, lots of drinks, and not many second-helpings for anyone else since we gorged. It was the perfect Thanksgiving day!
CHRISTIAN
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
I’m actually not a huge Thanksgiving food guy. If I had to choose it would probably be smoked ham instead of turkey. My favorite dish that is always at our family gathering is a Chocolate Éclair dessert. My grandma makes it and it’s always the fam favorite.
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
I’ve got a list of non-favorites, LOL. Deviled eggs, stuffing, or any kind of green bean casserole are all definite no-go’s for me.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
It’s simple, just spending time catching up with family and watching football.
LAURIE
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
My favorite Thanksgiving Day foods have changed over the years. Some examples are pecan pie tamales, ham, five-cup salad, and strawberry delight.
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
Cranberry sauce.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
All my Thanksgivings are special because I’m with family and friends.
DEAN
Favorite Thanksgiving food?
For me, it’s a toss-up between my mom’s dressing and the five-cup salad my sister always makes for me.
Least favorite Thanksgiving food?
Sweet potatoes.
Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
My favorite memory doesn’t even fall on Thanksgiving Day. As our family has grown and gotten older, all have moved away or gotten married and moved away. Hence, anytime we can have everyone together it’s always a great memory.
This last year our whole family went to Disney two weeks before Thanksgiving. We were all super excited about seeing the little granddaughters’ faces when they saw the princesses or my grandson when he saw Buzz Lightyear.
However, the highlight was not Disney but the Thanksgiving dinner and the time spent with family that week. Knowing we would not be together on Thanksgiving Day, I had made plans to have Thanksgiving a week early at our Airbnb in Florida. The day needed to start with no one having to cook or at least, cooking very little, so believe it or not we ordered Thanksgiving dinner from Bob Evans. Everything was prepared by just heating things up or using very little cook time.
The Airbnb had a huge kitchen table, but it still needed to be bigger for all of us. So we moved all the living room furniture out of the way, carried in the outside table, and attached the two together to accommodate all thirteen of us. At the end of Thanksgiving dinner, while we were all still sitting around the table, we started with our youngest granddaughter and asked what we were most thankful for and what our favorite time was from the past week.
And from the mouths of my grandchildren, they reminded us of what was most important — our family time. It was not seeing all the Disney characters, and it was not seeing the princesses. Even though that time was priceless, their favorite time was spent together swimming with their cousins. All us adults found ourselves somewhat surprised, thinking their answers would surely include a Disney highlight. But what we all realized was that our kids were growing up to love the things we all value the most — our family time.
So no matter where you are this Thanksgiving, make sure to reach out to your family in person, via video, or with a simple phone call. It may become your favorite Thanksgiving memory.
