Besides the common Thanksgiving foods and events, many families also have their own unique traditions, without which, for them, Thanksgiving would not be complete.
Here are some Thanksgiving recipes from students who love to cook.

Pumpkin Pie

For sophomore Sophia Vos, cooking and experimenting have always gone together. When she was little, she and her friend sophomore Sophia Ramsey used to experiment when making brownies. This hobby led the two to start their own pie business: Once Upon a Time Pies.
Last September, they wanted to make pumpkin pie. But when they looked online, Vos said that they were not satisfied with the recipes they found. Instead, they decided to experiment.
“If you google pumpkin pie recipes you’ll get hundreds of hits,” said Vos. “So we looked at the comments for the recipes and different techniques that they used. Our recipe if sort of a combination of everything that has been successful as far as major internet.”
Vos and Ramsey sell pumpkins and other pies at once-upon-a-pie.weebly.com, and have them delivered to houses in time for Thanksgiving.

Recipe:

Ingredients
– 1 can of pumpkin (Libby’s is recommended)
– 1 can sweetened condensed milk
– 2 eggs
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/2 teaspoon (fresh) ginger
– 1/2 teaspoon allspice
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
– 1 stop and shop pie crust

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 °F
2. Whisk pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, spices and salt in medium bowl until smooth.
3. Pour into crust.
4. Bake 15 minutes.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350 °F and continue baking 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean.
6. Cool. Garnish as desired. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Marble Pumpkin Cheesecake 

Sophomore Sarah Silvestri made her first cake by herself when she was six years old and has already made two wedding cakes for close family and friends. Silvestri said that her interest in cooking came from her parents.
“Both my parents are into exploring new recipes,” Silvestri said. “We never made anything from a box. Always from scratch. They appreciate the art of cooking.”
Silvestri’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe, pumpkin cheesecake, is a recipe that her dad created, combining one recipe from the food network and another from her grandma’s cookbook.
Silvestri said that besides its uniqueness, she appreciates the recipe for the memories it brings back.
“One Thanksgiving we had in our New Hampshire house,” Silvestri said. “and we made a pumpkin cheese cake there. It kind of reminds me of skiing. And then, last year, after the Powder Puff game, my friend and I made it together, with my dad, in preparation for Thanksgiving.”
Silvestri said that while she enjoys regular pumpkin pie, it can get a little boring.
“Pumpkin cheesecake is more unique,” she said. “It has a richer flavor. It’s got the pie part to it, then it got the cheesecake part of it. It makes it a little more of a sophisticated taste.”

Recipe:

Crust Ingredients
– 1 3/4 cups gingersnap crumbs
– 3 tablespoons brown sugar
– 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1 stick salted butter (melted)

Filling Ingredients
– 2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
– 1 cup sugar
– 1 tablespoon cornstarch
– 3 large eggs
– 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
– 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
– 1 can pumpkin
– 1 1/4 cups sour cream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Combine the crust ingredients in a medium bowl, press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar until very smooth, about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in cornstarch, then add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
5. Add vanilla, salt and spices.
6. Beat in sour cream until just blended.
7. Remove about a quarter of the batter and set aside.
8. Add the pumpkin to the remaining three quarters of the batter.
9. Wrap the bottom of the pan in aluminum foil and pour the pumpkin batter into the pan.
10. Pour the plain batter on top of the pumpkin batter and swirl with a knife or spoon to create a marble effect.
11. Place the pan into a larger one and pour one inch of very hot water into the outside pan, creating a water bath.
12. Bake for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven without opening it and let the cake cool for another hour.
13. Cool to room temperature (about an hour) on a rack, then refrigerate.
14. To unmold the cake, run a knife or a thin metal spatula around the edge of the pan and open the ring of the springform pan.

Vellutata di finocchi con mirtelli e nocciole (roasted fennel soup with cranberries and hazelnuts)

Senior Tomás Castelli does not actually celebrate Thanksgiving. He’s half Italian and half Venezuelan, and only moved to America four years ago, so the custom is new to him.
But he said that because his whole family loves to cook, they usually make a big meal anyways.
Castelli said that he cooked alot when living in Venezuela. In fact, he was so into it that he once got called up to cook on a TV show and even cooked at a restaurant for a night.
“I like cooking a lot,” Castelli said. “It releases the stress. I enjoy making the food and reading the instructions. And, after cooking, the people’s expressions. Cooking is now part of my life.”
According to Castelli, his father is a great cook as well, and they often cook together.
“When it’s Saint Christmas or Easter, both of us, we cook for 20 to 25 people,” Castelli said.
Last Thanksgiving, Castelli said that his family made Vellutata di finocchi con mirtelli e nocciole, or roasted fennel soup with cranberries and hazelnuts. Castelli found the recipe in a magazine called la Cuchina Italiana, The Italian Kitchen.
Castelli says he recommends the soup for anyone who wants Thanksgiving Italian-style, with many courses.

Recipe:

Ingredients
– 8 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 8 wedges
– 3 large Spanish onions, trimmed and cut into 8 wedges
– 4 large sprigs rosemary
– 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
– Fine sea salt
– Freshly ground black pepper
– About 10 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
– 1/4 cup roughly chopped dried cranberries
– 1/4 cup roughly chopped lightly toasted cranberries

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 °F
2. In a large bowl, combine fennel, onions, rosemary, and oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Toss together to evenly coat vegetables.Transfer to baking sheets.
3. Roast vegetables, stirring once and rotating pans halfway through, until golden and tender, about 40 minutes.
4. Discard rosemary and transfer vegetables to large pot; add stock.
5. Bring to boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook soup until flavors meld, about 35 minutes.
6. Using a food processor or blender, carefully puree soup in batches until smooth.
7. Return soup to pot and gently heat until warmed through; season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cranberries, hazelnuts, and a drizzle of oil (Makes 8-10 servings).