Thanksgiving is all about comfort, and no one understands that better than Dan Pelosi. Known as GrossyPelosi online, Pelosi is a New York Times bestselling cookbook author and a self described “Italian meatball making meatballs.” Spoon University caught up with Pelosi about his favorite Thanksgiving recipes, Friendsgiving hosting tips, and his partnership with Del Monte vegetables for the holiday season.
Even as a seasoned host, Pelosi knows putting together a menu for the first time can be intimidating. He recommends including both simple and more complicated recipes, with “one or two complicated things” max. And dishes with pantry ingredients are a lifesaver.
“A lot of people shop the perimeter of the grocery store, but I think that I was raised in the center of the grocery store where there are lots of shortcuts found in pre-made items,” Pelosi said.
Those items might include frozen foods or box mix for cornbread, which simplify cooking on a budget and a time crunch. Pelosi’s especially fond of pre-cooked canned vegetables from Del Monte, like Hot Honey Flavored Sliced Carrots.
“You don’t need the oven,” Pelosi said. “You don’t need any complicated tools, and the carrots are ready to roll. You just blend them up, and it’s delicious.”
The Hot Honey Carrots remind Pelosi of his aunt’s recipe, which he makes every Thanksgiving but takes much longer from scratch. “I also love taking classic recipes that perhaps we’ve had year after year after year and giving them sort of a loose fit,” Pelosi said.
He still sticks to the classics for Thanksgiving with his Italian-American family, sharing the same pasta dish every year. But when it comes to Friendsgiving, Pelosi adds an innovative twist to the nostalgia and comfort of traditional recipes. He prefers to roast chicken because “we get enough Turkey around Thanksgiving” and uses the juices for stuffing.
And he always uses leftovers. Vegetables like brussels sprouts and leeks go into a lasagna, and eggnog goes into one of his favorite eggnog pudding recipes. These dishes don’t need to be complicated — after all, it’s Friendsgiving.
“Embracing more of a mingling-type of food and having the meal be a little bit simpler but more of a hangout vibe is nice,” Pelosi said. “I have a cheese ball that I love because I feel like that’s nostalgic but also delicious. Oh, and things like the whipped carrot and feta toast, which is so delicious with the Del Monte carrots. That’s an easy last-minute thing to throw together.”
There are also elements Pelosi considers beyond food when hosting a meal, such as music. “I always find the person who’s really good at the playlist — which is not me, so you can outsource things,” he said. “My boyfriend is really great at picking the playlist, so I make sure that he has that handled.”
Instead, Pelosi’s in charge of setting the table, where he says “more is more.” He enjoys adding unexpected touches, like using a colander as a bread basket or curtains as a tablecloth. “Also, a candle goes a really long way,” he said. “Not scented. No one wants scented candles because you want to smell the food.”
The most important thing to remember as a Thanksgiving host, Pelosi said, is to welcome the journey — even parts that don’t go as planned.
“Not everything’s going to happen and be perfect, so embrace the good and the bad,” Pelosi said. “Everything is going to be delicious, no matter what. People are just happy to be in your presence and eating.”