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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT
My Top Five is a series of WHQR staff blogs that lists some of our favorite (or least favorite) odds and ends. Topics vary from music, to local life, to history, and to whatever else might catch our attention. Keep your eye out for some interesting stuff from our staff!

My Five Favorite Family (mostly) Holiday Recipes

Photo by Mcmlxi via Wikimedia Commons

I wanted to share a few great recipes – the most requested, every-year-on-the-table Thanksgiving favorites of my family. Most of these, my family and I have made for tens of years, but all have graced the holiday table every year since 2007 when we all found ourselves relocated to Wilmington. I pulled these out of the file this weekend to put together a list for the grocery (which I will shop, stupidly and happily, on Wednesday afternoon with my six-year-old twin daughters – I’m a glutton for crowded punishment). Oh, and I guess you can tell, I have a bit of a love for the carbs, but hey, it’s Thanksgiving.

Click here for the full recipes!

MS/Bradley Holiday Stuffing

I think this one came from an old Martha Stewart Cookbook (maybe pre-internet, not sure) and we’ve made a few tweaks over the years. It makes tons and tons which is fine with me as it’s my favorite piece of the Thanksgiving plate by far.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This one was given to me in the ‘90s from my old boss Elvis Mitchell, not sure where he might have come across it or maybe he made it up. I seem to recall he once made if for Sir Ben Kingsley who politely and happily ate a slice. It’s super creamy and full of ginger and pumpkin and my favorite cheesecake ever.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

We love brussels sprouts and eat them all year whenever they are available (and, yes, our house stinks like crazy as often as we cook them – cook yours early to erase the smell with the turkey and pies). This is a super simple way to prepare them and never fails.

Cranberry Sauce x Two

My husband Frank makes these “sauces” – one the traditional crowd pleaser my Mom always made, one the hot and spicy Frank pleaser. Actually most people have gone to the jalapeño side except the kids. He changes them up often, but I’ve attached the general recipes. (Full disclosure – Frank is really the cook in our family, so he prepares not only the cranberry sauce, but just about everything else.)

Cranberry Bread

This recipe came from my all-time favorite cook book, Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything (we’re on our second hard copy as the binding of the first finally fell apart a couple years ago). I’ve made a few slight changes, but really, who doesn’t make a few little tweaks here and there.

So, whatever you’re cooking, baking, roasting, grilling, drinking and eating this Thanksgiving, I hope you have a wonderful time and get to spend it with your friends, family and very best loved ones.

Share some of your recipes with me if you get a chance – we’re always open to adding something new to the overflowing table.

Mary Bradley moved to Wilmington from Los Angeles, CA in May 2007 with her husband Frank and twin baby daughters, Maggie and Kate. In California, Mary had been Drive Director and the producer of Elvis Mitchell's nationally syndicated public radio interview program "The Treatment" for public radio station KCRW for ten years. Mary was raised in Rhode Island and graduated from Boston University. Mary recently served as President of the Board of Directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Cape Fear Chapter.