Cooking and eating are central to Thanksgiving like no other holiday, and so we wondered: just what does a Huntsville Thanksgiving looked like? So we asked! Here’s what we learned about Huntsville Thanksgiving after asking local folks: what are you cooking for Thanksgiving this year?
Sides
Sweet potato casserole. I use my mom’s recipe, and it has lots of brown sugar and cinnamon in it. Oh, and it has to have the little marshmallows on top! It’s like dessert during the main course! It’s not Thanksgiving for me without it!
-Amy Jones, Broadway Theatre League
I am making strawberry pretzel salad. It takes 9 million years to make but my family loves it!
-Cheryl Davis, Huntsville Hospital
This year I was asked to bring an appetizer to our family Thanksgiving. I went to Pinterest to find some creative ideas and found a great recipe for roasted brussel sprouts & apples on skewers, drizzled with a balsamic glaze. A perfect combination for the holidays!
-Adriane @ Adriane Scott Designs
My mom still does the turkey and stuffing (the really hard stuff!) and I am just in a supporting role, bringing sweet potato casserole, green beans, and an appetizer or two.
-Cynthia Potts, Land Trust of North Alabama
Our family comes together to make the best Thanksgiving dinner! And I’m bringing my homemade 6-cheese mac & cheese.
-Lauryn Johnson, Von Braun Center 
For me? Fresh cranberry sauce with a tablespoon of fresh squeezed orange juice and little orange zest (mixed in while cooking) for good measure!
-Jennifer Doss, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra
My husband is making his Italian spinach. Not exactly a traditional Thanksgiving side dish, but our kids have always loved it. If you or your children don’t like spinach, it’s because you’ve never tasted this spinach! This is how God meant for spinach to be prepared. I’m pretty sure it’s in the Bible somewhere.
-Pam Clasgens, HEALS, Inc
Because there will be other people eating it and because my wife is awesome, we will be bringing broccoli salad to the table. Just like the Pilgrims did.
-Joe Martin, Huntsville Adventure Boot Camp
I’ll be cooking a homemade cranberry sauce, which utilizes both whiskey and maple syrup, key ingredients to any holiday dish!
We’re doing a potluck Thanksgiving with the extended family and are in charge of the roast and a couple of side dishes. We’re also making a broccoli cornbread and sweet potatoes.
-Sara Alavi, Silhouette Boutique
I’m spending the day with some great friends, and I’ll be making a Cheddar Corn Casserole and Cranberry Pinwheels to add to the traditional turkey dinner we are having.
-Leslie Gates, Theatre Huntsville
Main Dishes
We’ll be having the traditional turkey and all the trimmings– cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole and of course the all-important cranberry sauce. I do the ham although I prefer turkey!
-Charles Winters, Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Deep fried turkey!!
-Kristian Chesser, Landers McLarty Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, Subaru and Fiat of Huntsville 
I’m cooking a BIG turkey, some appetizers and sweets and have placed an ordered for all the side dishes!
-Jo Ann Henderson, American Cancer Society
First time trying to make a fried turkey (making one in the oven as a backup of course) and all the usual side dishes liked loaded mashed potatoes and green bean casserole!
-Charity Stewart, U.S. Space and Rocket Center
Desserts
A couple of our favorites are freshly-made Ambrosia with oranges, maraschino cherries, coconut flakes, bananas and pecans; and our favorite dessert are “Noels.” Those are like a brown sugar brownie – minus the cocoa.
-Kelly Smith, Athletic Club Alabama
My husband’s family is cooking and I am bringing the entertainment, our 19mo old son! And, chess tarts for dessert!
-Elizabeth Flemming, The Schools Foundation
The Whole Schabang
I’m helping my mom make sausage balls, green bean casserole and chocolate pie. Those are Thanksgiving staples for me!
-Stephanie Schrenk, Our Valley Events’ Blogger
Well, I’m not planning to cook! But, I plan to eat turkey, sweet potatoes and vegetables.
-Rob Heard, Downtown 47
Smoked Turkey of course, Kelly’s favorite Rosemary Peas and Pearl onions, Carrots Marsala, Crockpot Dressing, yams, Peanut Butter Pie, and, German Chocolate Cake.
-Libby Webb, New Market BBQ
My stove is currently shot, so I am having a replacement part shipped from California that is supposed to be installed on Wednesday in time for Thanksgiving! I am definitely keeping my fingers crossed that the part arrives on time to cook our traditional Thanksgiving menu of Turkey, Mashed potatoes, Green bean casserole, Macaroni and cheese, Squash casserole, Yeast rolls, Cranberry sauce, Salad, Pumpkin pie, & Pecan pie!
-Jennifer Moore, Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Everything Else
Volunteering at a soup kitchen.
-Bronwen Murray, In the Loop Communications
I am being really bad this year and not cooking. My family will be going to a Thanksgiving buffet. We just decided it wasn’t worth the hours of cooking and cleaning for 45 min – 1 hour of eating. Hopefully this will give us more family time.
-Brandi Goode, My Spirited Art 
The new CEO of Downtown Huntsville, Inc is so committed to downtown that he’s getting his turkey from a downtown restaurant, Cotton Row!
-Chad Emerson, Downtown Huntsville, Inc.
My fiancé, my mom and I are joining friends at Piccadilly for Thanksgiving. It’s something of a tradition for us, started many years ago because, when I was at The Times, I usually worked the Thanksgiving shift at 3 p.m.
-Ann Marie Martin, Huntsville Public Library
What am I making for Thanksgiving? Reservations.
-Mitzi Coulombe Connell, Yoga with Mitzi
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Such a fun article!
Thanks, Amy! And I’m totally with you on the sweet potatoes. We have a tradition of burning the marshmallows on top of the sweet potato casserole every year. It started out as an accident, and no matter how hard we try to avoid it, it still happens…
Love Mitzi’s idea!
We do too, Joe!
Our family has done reservations for Thanksgiving MANY, MANY years and it is a fabulous idea! Well worth the money: no one is stressed out, everyone gets what they want, and no one has to do the dishes. Talk about a win-win!
Loved seeing what all my friends around town are whipping up. Hold your breath and cross your fingers for us…Chris and I offered to smoke the Turkey. First. Turkey. Ever. Wish us luck!
Best of luck- but we are sure it’s going to be a great turkey! We already know how fantastic your cookies are!