As student journalists, bringing important stories to light is a continuous cycle throughout the school year. Late nights and early mornings reporting on national, state and campus news seems never ending.

But, when holidays like Thanksgiving arrive, even the most dedicated reporters trade their laptops for their living rooms and gather around tables filled with family, friends and traditions. The Badger Herald’s staff is no exception, each bringing their customs to the holiday season, proving that sometimes the best stories are the ones that unfold around our own dinner tables.

Some of the most cherished Thanksgiving memories are not made in the dining room, but in the kitchen. Whether following family recipes passed down through generations or taking on a new culinary adventure, the time spent together preparing the meal can be just as meaningful as the feast itself.

For Emma Kozina, one of The Badger Herald’s arts editors, Thanksgiving preparations are a family affair that unfolds in her grandma Lynny’s kitchen. Kozina, her sisters and cousins throw on matching aprons and tackle the holiday cooking preparation together.

“It gets very messy,” Kozina stated.

Kozina recalled a recent attempt at making sangria that went hysterically wrong when her little cousin Lilly decided to add her own creative touches to the mix. While the sangria never made it to the Thanksgiving table, the event has certainly become a cherished memory of their family Thanksgiving.

Other staff members from The Badger Herald find their most meaningful Thanksgiving traditions in cherished family recipes. For Managing Editor Ava McNarney, her family’s sweet potato casserole has become the highlight of her family’s holiday celebrations.

Originally created by her grandmother Marge and later tweaked by her mother, the dish has become a holiday staple that wins over even the most skeptic sweet potato critics.

“It’s a heartwarming dish that even the non-sweet potato lovers in my family enjoy,” McNarney shared.

Go ahead and try to convert your fellow anti-sweet potato friends with this recipe —

Sweet Potato Casserole

The ingredients

• 1 can (40 oz.) sweet potatoes / or 4 medium-sized fresh (peeled and cubed)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup melted butter

The process

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Empty a can of sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, drain and mash.

In a medium bowl, mix mashed potatoes, white sugar, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.

In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, pecans, flour and melted butter. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Sometimes, the most memorable traditions are the ones that have stuck around since the 1970s, like News Associate Editor Sophie Wooldridge, whose family has been making “orange stuff” since that time. Wooldridge describes it as a unique concoction of Cool Whip, tapioca pudding, orange jello and mandarin oranges.

“It’s become a running joke in our family because my mom and I absolutely hate it, but our extended family always brings it,” Wooldridge shares.

For Print News Editor Anna Kristoff, Thanksgiving traditions extend beyond blood relations. Kristoff calls Chicago home with her immediate family, while her extended family is in New England. This has created a new tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving with chosen family of close friends in Chicago. What started as a single invitation from Kristoff’s friend’s grandmother has blossomed into a newfound tradition.

“[Spending thanksgiving together is] the completion of a transition from friendship to family,” Kristoff said.

Of course, Thanksgiving traditions would be incomplete if we did not talk about football. I am certain most of us can relate to Wooldridge’s family — who shared their tradition of spending hours long watching football, along with playing darts and ping pong. Reporter Sylvia Butters’ family also puts their own spin on holiday entertainment with a mandatory watching of the “National Dog Show.”

Whether you have established traditions with your loved ones or not, there is always indeed room at the Thanksgiving table for something new and innovative. Maybe you are looking to venture into a different cuisine, or better yet, perhaps you’re looking to start your own tradition this year. In either case, here are a few recipes for inspiration that caught my attention this season.

If you know me, you know I love and adore Meredith Hayden, also known as “Wishbone Kitchen,” and her squash gnocchi with Thanksgiving chili crunch spoke to me in so many ways. The marriage of fall flavors from the squash to the Thanksgiving chili crunch sounds like the ultimate dish for a fall lover.

If you’re thinking to yourself what could possibly be an appropriate thanksgiving dessert that is not in pie form — well I have just the recipe for you! Harrison, “@harrywwallace” on TikTok, is the ultimate food comfort chef and recently shared his recipe for pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. It bakes up fairly quickly, so all of  you procrastinators that need a last minute contribution to the dinner table, here is your saving grace. Might I add, the simplicity of ingredients and large serving size allows you to please a crowd with ease. Consider this your perfect dessert for you college kids hosting Friendsgiving.