Morgan Carrigan | @morgancarrigan

There is something about being surrounded by family eating a ridiculous amount of food that is just so comforting. Maybe it’s because I am homesick or sick of eating Ramen noodles; nonetheless, Thanksgiving is such a great time of the year, and I specifically look forward to one dish at dinner: my Grandma’s ham. I am extremely lucky when it comes to family and food. I got blessed with such good cooks in the family and I am so grateful; however, this Thanksgiving dish is key to my dinner.

My Grandma Pat makes this ham with a cherry glaze and spices, and it is so great. I look forward to it yearly. The best part is making leftovers the next day with it, too. I am looking forward to many things this holiday, but Grandma Pat’s ham is top of the list.

Michael Malaychuk | @mmalaychuk

My favorite Thanksgiving dish has to be mashed potatoes. There are many ways to cook potatoes, but the mashed variety is by far the best. It’s the perfect complement to any Thanksgiving entrée— especially turkey and ham. Not only is it delicious, but it’s one of the easier dishes to make. It also comes in countless varieties with cheese, garlic and more spices to enhance your mashed potato experience.

One of the first things I go for every year is a healthy serving of mashed potatoes covered in gravy. No Thanksgiving is complete without mashed potatoes.

Alexis Malapitan | @AlexisAshl3y

My Filipino-American family takes a different approach to the traditional Thanksgiving foods; and by different, I mean we eat anything other than the conventional mashed potatoes, corn or turkey.

Even though I enjoy all kinds of desserts, my aunt’s upside down pineapple cake is my favorite. I tried it for the first time two years ago, and it definitely turned my world upside down. The golden brown texture of the sweetened bread topped with a ring of pineapple and a cherry in the center is unlike anything I’ve tasted before.

The sweetened bread melts in my mouth almost instantly within the first bite and has me craving more. The pineapple adds a tangy but irresistible taste, neutralizing the intense sweetness from the bread.

Jessica Plessner | @Jess_Pless

The one dish that I look forward to eating every year is my great-great-grandmother’s stuffing. Although she is not here with us today to cook it, her recipe has been passed down to me, and I have started to cook it each year.

It is just as fun to make as it is to eat because it is full of flavor. The Bates family stuffing is full of Granny Smith apples, brown sugar, bread, eggs and raisins — unlike the typical salty stuffing. It’s so amazing that I get to be apart of sharing my family legacy and enjoy it at the same time. That’s what Thanksgiving is all about.