Thanksgiving Dinners in Aspen / Snowmass

If you're planning to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Aspen, but would be thankful not to cook, there are a lot of great options available for you. Aspen and Snowmass have a number of great restaurants offering traditional Thanksgiving dinners, perfect for the whole family. You'll also find restaurants offering Thanksgiving dinners available for pick-up so you can dine in the comfort of your luxury rental home.

Ajax Tavern

Ajax Tavern will serve a traditional Thanksgiving plate for $34++ in addition to its regular menu. Make a reservation online or call (970) 920-6334. 

Element 47

Element 47 is offering a traditional 3-course Thanksgiving meal. Pricing is $99++ per guest, available with a $65 wine pairing option. Pricing for children is $47++ per child. Make a reservation online or call (970) 920-6330.

Jimmy's Bodega

Jimmy's Bodega will serve a three-course Thanksgiving dinner. Pricing is $48 per person. Call (970) 710-2182 for reservations. Prefer to eat Jimmy's Thanksgiving dinner at home? Look for the Jimmy's American pick-up Thanksgiving dinner below. 

Dinners Available for Pick-Up

Jimmy's American Restaurant & Bar — Jimmy's is offering a full Thanksgiving dinner for pick-up. Think delicious turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry relish, dinner rolls, and more. Fill out the Thanksgiving order inquiry for details. 

Mawa's Kitchen — Choose either a full Thanksgiving meal or à la carte selections to fit your tastes. Some of the highlights include farmhouse roasted turkey with rosemary gravy, Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, roasted fall vegetables, truffled macaroni and cheese, and pumpkin maple pie. Explore the Thanksgiving Pick Up Menu for details.  

Dinners Available for Pick-Up from Aspen's Private Chefs

Chef Tim Hanley:  Call (970) 379-6666 for more details.

Favorite Recipes from the Aspen Signature Properties Team

Annie's Jalapeño Cheese Grits

Use the "quick grits" recipe on the can of the 5 minute grits package. Add two packages of shredded cheddar cheese, Tapatio hot sauce, and one egg. Cook until thick, and pour into a cassorele dish. Put sliced jalapeños on top and bake until firm to the touch (about one hour at 350 degrees).

Lauren's Mom's Cranberry Orange Bread

• 3 medium oranges
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tablespoons cooling oil
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped fresh cranberries ( I usually add more)
• (1/2 cup walnuts – optional)

Zest 1 orange. Squeeze juice from all oranges and measure ¾ cup of the juice. (Or go the lazy way and just use orange juice and skip the orange zest.) In a mixing bowl, combine the ¾ cup orange juice, oil, and 1 teaspoon orange peel zest and egg. In another mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add orange juice mixture to dry ingredients, and stir until moistened. Fold in cranberries and walnuts.

Turn batter into one lightly greased 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pan or three 6 x 3 x 2 loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes for large loaf or 30-40 for small loaves.

Nee's Squash Casserole

This is one of my favorite recipes, not only during Thanksgiving, but all year round. It requires only 6 ingredients and 45 minutes.

• 1.5 lbs of zucchini squash and 2 yellow squash peeled and cut into 1.2-inch cubes. (Try to keep as close to same size as possible. This helps the ingredients cook evenly and consistently.)
• 1 small to medium size onion (diced)
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1 cup of Mayonnaise. To make a healthier, I use 1/2 cup. Use quality Mayonnaise as it does make a different in taste.
• 11/2 cup of sharp shredded cheddar cheese. (If you want to make it rich, use Gruyere cheese.)
• 1 1/4 cup of Ritz crackers (crushed) or 2 sleeves of the individual packs and/or Panko. See below under "Notes / Variations" for details.

In a medium nonstick skillet on medium heat, sauté garlic and onion for a couple of minutes or until translucent. Then add the squash and mix. Add salt and pepper (1 tsp or more depending on your salt level). Cook for another min. Add a 1/4 cup of water mix and put the lid on. Continue cooking for another 5 mins or so until the squash is cooked thoroughly and tender; add more water (1/4 cup at a time) if needed to keep moist. Once the squash is fully cooked, transfer into a large mixing bowl. Along with the squash, add 5/8 cup of cheese (this is where I would use the Gruyere cheese), 3/4 cup of the crushed Ritz cracker (I use Panko here — see option below for amount), and mayonnaise. Depending on the rest of the meal, this is when I might add a pinch of nutmeg and cumin to give it that nutty and smoked back ground flavor for winter dishes or with grilled meats. Add a little bit more salt and pepper. Mix well. Then transfer the mixture into a buttered 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle the remaining amount of cheese (this is when I would use the sharp cheddar cheese rather then the Gruyere) and top it off with the crushed 1/2 cup of the Ritz cracker. Place it in the oven on the medium rack for 25 to 30 minute or until it bubbles. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes / Variations:

• I use the Ritz cracker to sprinkle on top because the butter in the cracker helps to keep the top from burning and it crisps up nicely, adding a layer of crunch to this creamy textured dish.
• I also add chopped kale (about 2 cups) toward the end of cooking the squash. Adding another kind of veggie gives the dish color and another dimension to the dish. It’s a dish my son likes and another way I can sneak another veggie in.
• I only Gruyere cheese in this dish only during the holidays. It makes the dish very rich, but also high in calories, among other things.
• I use Panko in exchange for the Ritz cracker in the mixture part of the dish again keeping the fat and calories down. This helps make it healthier without sacrificing taste. If using Panko in the mixture, use 1 cup rather than 3/4 cup as Panko is more dense.
• Before serving, I sprinkle on top some fresh basil (chiffonade) or fresh Italy flat leaf parsley (chopped coarsely).