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2024 Thanksgiving Menu and Meal Prep Timeline

* image These past few months have been busy for our family, especially since our oldest joined a local swim team. Between juggling our work schedules and balancing school with practices... we're all pretty wiped out. Although it's a lot of work, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving. Preparing the holiday meal for our family fills my heart with joy, and I can't wait to get started. To make things easier for me, I don't deviate much from  our first Thanksgiving  as a family. The dishes I make are familiar ones, and the recipes for them live at my fingertips. Keeping the same menu year after year means I don't have to spend time researching recipes or planning a new one. Here are my tried-and-true Thanksgiving recipes, as well as my prep timeline for the big day!

Mama Nina Foccacheria - Bethlehem, PA

Maryland Crab Ravioli at Mama Nina's Foccacheria in Bethlehem, PA - Photo by Taste As You Go

Right now, I'm sure many of you are reviewing your Thanksgiving to-do lists, carefully ensuring that you'll be preparing the appropriate number of side dishes to complement the turkey that you'll begin roasting first thing in the morning. Others of you may be taking stock of the bar to make sure supplies won't run out halfway through the meal.

I'm fortunate enough to be able to rest easy tonight, as I won't have an actual hand in cooking dinner. But I will be spending some quality time mentally readying myself for the gorgefest ahead of us.


Garlic Rolls at Mama Nina's Foccacheria in Bethlehem, PA - Photo by Taste As You Go

Blah, blah, blah, Michelle... What does Thanksgiving have to do with these drool-worthy pictures of food that's obviously not going to be making an appearance tomorrow?

Absolutely nothing.

Except for the fact that part of the Thanksgiving holiday is about the feeling of anticipation before the big meal.

Something similar happens whenever Stephen and I eat at Mama Nina Foccacheria, more often referred to as Mama Nina's. We get really excited about having the opportunity to inhale the insanely addictive Garlic Rolls that are served with all of their dinners. On one plate, you get a generous pile of rolls that are smothered with enough chopped garlic to kill all of the vampires in Season 1 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Thankfully, we love garlic, so it's okay.

Maryland Crab Ravioli at Mama Nina's Foccacheria in Bethlehem, PA - Photo by Taste As You Go

Despite the long list of tasty offerings on the dinner menu, my go-to order always seems to be the Maryland Crab Ravioli ($26.95) that's listed on the Specials Menu. The ravioli is filled with blue crab and then served in a white wine and herb cream sauce.

Sound good?

It gets better.

In addition to the seafood in the ravioli, the dish also features sauteed shrimp, scallops, and jumbo lump crab meat. Totally worth it, and, if you're like me, you'll be able to take a good portion of the dish home for leftovers.

(I have leftovers because I always fill up on too many Garlic Rolls... Oops.)

In the warmer months, try and grab a table outside. The restaurant is on the small side and can get cramped during the dinner rush. Dining al fresco really is the best option.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Mama Nina Foccacheria
546 Main Street
Bethlehem, PA 18018
(610) 867-9802 | Map

Mama Nina’s Foccacheria on Urbanspoon

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