One might guess that summer is our favorite season (and one would be right), but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a special place in our hearts for the fall. As the kids head back to school, the air turns crisp and breezy, and some of the best aromas of the year fill our homes—especially during Thanksgiving week!

With this beloved holiday just around the corner, we can’t help but feel the joy of gathering with family and friends, reflecting on what we’re thankful for, and indulging in delicious food. But let’s be real: every memorable gathering starts with some good old-fashioned planning and preparation. That’s where we come in!

To make your Thanksgiving planning a little easier (and a lot more fun), we’ve pulled together four fantastic recipes inspired by our cooking camps. These dishes are perfect for kids to help create and are guaranteed to be family favorites. Let’s make this Thanksgiving one to remember!

• Serves: 12 Deviled Eggs

• Special Equipment: piping bag (a zip top bag will also work)

• Ingredients: 

• 6 large eggs
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp yellow mustard
• ⅛ tsp salt
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Smoked paprika and fresh dill weed for garnish

• Instructions: 

• Add each of the eggs to a saucepan, and fill the pot with water (½-inch above the eggs). 
• Over high heat, bring the water to a boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let the eggs remain covered for 15 to 17 minutes.
• Fill a medium bowl with ice water, and transfer the eggs to the ice water for 5 to 10 minutes. Peel the eggs under running cool water.
• Slice the eggs in half (lengthwise). Carefully remove yolks, and place them in a medium bowl, place whites on a platter.
• With a fork, mash the yolks into a fine crumble.
• Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. 
• Mix until smooth.
• Shortly before serving, fill each egg white with the creamy yolk mixture. A small spoon or piping bag can be used.
• Garnish with a pinch of paprika and fresh dill weed. Enjoy! 

• Serves 6
  

• Ingredients:

• 4 medium carrots, (peeled, cut into ¼” coins)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp agave (light)
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 4 tsp ginger (freshly peeled and chopped fine)
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tsp parsley (flat leaf, chopped)

• Instructions:

• In a medium sauté pan bring the butter, agave, salt, ginger, orange juice, and water to a boil.
• Add the carrots, cover, and cook for 5 minutes on medium/high heat.
• Remove the lid, lower heat to medium, and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and creates a glaze.
• Check the tenderness with a paring knife. They should be tender with a slight crunch.
•  Toss in chopped parsley and serve warm.

• Serves: 6
• Special Equipment: immersion blender ( hand mixer, blender, or whisk can be used as an alternative – caution: contents are hot). 

• Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups cranberries
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp powdered ginger
• 4 tsp vanilla (pure)
• 14 cup orange juice (no pulp)
• ½ cup water
• 1 apple (diced small)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar

• Instructions: 

• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom sauce pot over medium heat. Cook until golden brown.
• Add apples, brown sugar, and ginger to the pot. Cook until moisture starts to evaporate and the sauce thickens.
• Remove the apple mixture from the pot and set aside.
• Using the same pot add the orange juice, water, sugar, and cranberries. Cook until the cranberries pop open and the liquid turns pink (approximately 5 min).
• Allow to cool slightly and puree with an immersion blender.
• Add vanilla and caramelized apples to cranberries and chill in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled.

• Serves: 6

• Special Equipment:

• Bundt cake pan
• 1 gallon zip top bag

• Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated (white) sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 cup butter
• 3 cans biscuits
• 2-3 tsp cinnamon

• Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 35o degrees, and grease your bundt cake pan. Set aside. 
• Open all 3 cans of biscuits. Cut each biscuit into fourths, and roll them into tiny balls. 
• Mix ¾ cup of the white sugar and 1-3 teaspoons of cinnamon together in the bowl (3 teaspoons give it a fairly strong cinnamon flavor, adjust the amount to match your preference). Dump this mixture into a 1-gallon zip-top bag and shake to combine. 
• Drop all of the biscuit balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Once all of the balls are in the bag, seal it, and give it a vigorous shake. Once fully coated, drop each of the biscuit quarters into the Bundt cake pan (distributing them as evenly as possible). 
• Mix all of the remaining ingredients into a cooking pot, and melt on the stovetop (medium-high heat), stirring until all of the ingredients are mixed as one. 
• Once the brown sugar butter has become one color, carefully pour it over the top of the biscuits. 
• Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (until the crust is a deep dark brown on top). Remove it from the oven, and allow it to cool for 20 minutes (as it will be very hot). 
• Once it has cooled, turn it over onto a plate, and serve! Enjoy!  

These recipes are just a taste of the culinary adventures campers experience at Highlander Summer. Our cooking camps are designed to inspire and educate young chefs at every level. Here’s how we make the kitchen come alive for campers of all ages:

Our Kids in The Kitchen (K-3rd) and Culinary Kids (1st-2nd) camps introduce younger campers to different cooking techniques while teaching them fun facts about a wide variety of foods, reinforcing math and reading skills, and expanding their flavor palates.

Intermediate campers can then transition into our Culture of Cooking (3rd-6th) camp to learn more advanced cooking skills and learn how to pair ingredients together. From homemade pasta dough to spring rolls and empanadas, these chefs-in-training are exploring diverse cuisines and developing the confidence to create delicious dishes from scratch.

In Bon Appetit (6th-12th) and Sweet Treats and Mini Bakers (6th-12th), our oldest campers have the opportunity to utilize our middle school commercial-grade kitchen including professional stoves, ovens, and other appliances. From carne asada tacos, gyoza dumplings, and sushi to creme brulee, s’mores cupcakes, and Italian donut zeppoles, these chefs might give the Food Network a run for their money!