There’s a good chance some of you are still scrambling for a Thanksgiving Day menu, or you’re seeking fresh inspiration for the annual fall feast. To help, I took a break from education stories to ask the Tulsa Flyer and Oklahoma Eagle staff for their opinions on the best Turkey Day dishes.
Many of our picks are steeped in family tradition, but some of our thoughts are much simpler; gravy is good, family is better and leftovers are non-negotiable. We share those and some original recipes that aren’t family secrets below.
From the moment leftovers are finished to fixing my plate the next year, I dream of southern Thanksgiving staples, like cornbread stuffing and sweet potato pie. If your dinner doesn’t necessitate several packs of butter, or a nap after eating, you simply aren’t celebrating correctly.
Cost of living reporter and Georgian Libby Hobbs agrees. Libby’s pound cake recipe (see above) has been honed for generations, originally written by her great-great grandmother in the Marie Baptist Church’s recipe book. Libby has made it every year since middle school — it’s loaded with almond extract and baked until the top is perfectly crispy.
Executive editor Gary Lee’s favorite, Indian corn pudding, is another beloved family recipe. The original recipe was handed down by his Creek Freedman grandmother, Rhianna, and has its own styling for every family member. Gary’s take adds jalapeno peppers and sour cream to the traditional base of cornmeal, corn and cheese.
General assignment reporter Joe Tomlinson is another corn pudding fan, largely thanks to his mother Kelly, and her skill in the kitchen. It’s simple, “she’s wonderful and amazing, and so is her corn pudding.” Find her go-to recipe here.
Mom-made dishes are hits across the newsroom. Web producer Jess Meza Calzada’s mother makes pozole verde every year.
Armando Rivera, social media editor, says his mom’s Pavochon is his “favorite turkey in existence.” His father-in-law’s fried bird comes in at a close second.
Armando’s spread also features roast pork, Flan de Queso, “flan’s way cooler, smoother cousin,” and arroz con gandules, or rice and pigeon peas. Serve the latter with skirt steak and chimichurri, or with a fried egg at breakfast Friday morning, because “you can only ever make enough for a family of three or a small militia” at Thanksgiving.
Art director Molly McElwain brines her turkey in buttermilk. Pro tip: Spatchcock the bird for a moist, flavorful centerpiece. Add this recipe (see above) to your list for Thanksgiving.
Flyer government reporter Phillip Jackson demands an “extremely cheesy” macaroni and cheese dish. Ismael Lele, The Oklahoma Eagle’s business reporter, douses his classic mashed potatoes in gravy.
Community journalism director Lexi Goodnough makes her dressing with homemade croutons, mushrooms and the holy trinity — carrots, onions and celery. It’s crispy on the outside but moist on the inside, with turkey (or chicken, if you’re a Goodnough) throughout.
“Green bean casserole, oh how I love thee,” says our deputy editor Jessica Remer.
Thanksgiving is really the only appropriate time to eat green bean casserole, so she looks forward to it all year. Every annual casserole looks a little different, since she cooks with her heart — not a recipe. This year, Jessica’s adding cream cheese to make it extra creamy and bacon to make it delicious.
Documenters editor Sam Stockley makes a stunning cranberry lime pie every year. It’s originally based on a Bon Appétit recipe (see above), but Sam’s features more lemon and less lime keeping it a tart treat.
Story editor Haley Samsel is not the biggest fan of Thanksgiving foods, but she’s attempting to become a chef in 2026. First up is a pumpkin crumble cake, recipe courtesy of the New York Times.
Ross Terrell, managing editor of The Eagle, has one contribution to his family’s spread — cranberry sauce. Get the can, he says, chill it for 12 hours, open it once dinner begins and slice it up with a butter knife.
We hope that’s instructive.
From all of us at the Tulsa Flyer and The Oklahoma Eagle, happy Thanksgiving. We’re grateful for you.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
