Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the Waldorf School’s Cafeteria staff is getting ready.

Aviva Gill, Waldorf’s Cafeteria Manager, and her staff have been repeating their turkey menu every year and students at the Waldorf School always look forward to it. “Because families have so many days of turkey,” said Gill, “we adjusted the menu a few years ago to a turkey meatloaf roulade and it has been popular ever since. I think of it as a taste-preview of Thanksgiving dinner without necessarily spoiling the turkey.”

On Tuesday, November 20th (the day before the Thanksgiving Assembly and two days before Thanksgiving Day), students in grades 4-12 will enjoy Chef Gill’s famous “Turkey Meatloaf Roulade” wrapped in puff pastry. (For those who are vegetarians, there will also be a “veggie-loaf roulade” option, also wrapped in puff pastry.) The luncheon will include all the traditional Thanksgiving side trimmings – like gravy, homemade cranberry sauce (see recipe below), stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash, and string beans. And the feast doesn’t end there. For dessert, Chef Gill and her staff have apple crump pie or pumpkin pie too!

Says Chef Gill, “From my kitchen to your’s, I wish you and your family a warm and peaceful Thanksgiving!”

Chef Gill’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Serves 4

• 1 pound of cranberries
• Orange zest from two grated medium-sized oranges. Once you grate the zest, use the oranges for 1 cup of freshly-squeezed orange juice.
• 2 cups of maple syrup (Says Chef Gill, “I highly recommend the maple syrup from Camp Glen Brook!)
• Combine above ingredients in a pot and cook on a hot stove until all the ingredients come to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and wait until the cranberries pop and the consistency turns to jam.

In addition to serving with turkey on Thanksgiving Day, Chef Gill’s Homemade Cranberry Sauce is great for left-over Turkey sandwiches or with just a spoon! Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving!