Elisa Andreis

Occupation: Realtor
Family status: Married

How long have you lived in Sedona?
Twelve years. I’m originally from Milan, Italy, but I moved here from the Bay Area after catching the usual Red Rock Fever.

Why did you choose this recipe?
It’s my husband’s favorite. Kale is a main staple in our diet. We eat it everyday, and we grow our own. We have 65 kale plants – kale grows in Arizona year-round. He and I created this recipe together. It’s my favorite dish to bring to holiday dinners. The key is using Tuscan kale, not Russian kale.

Finish this sentence: The best thing about Thanksgiving is…
I’m from Europe, so Thanksgiving is a new holiday for me. I’m very attuned to it because it’s about being grateful for what you have in life. We don’t have anything like that in Italy. I think having a holiday where you express your gratitude is a wonderful thing.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions?
I send out cards to everyone. And we always go to our friends’ house for a big potluck.

Thanksgiving football: Wouldn’t be the same without it. No television allowed! There’s a football game on thanksgiving?
No television allowed!

Where is the most unusual place you’ve celebrated Thanksgiving?
Crane mansion on Castle Hill in Ipswich, Massachusetts. It’s where they filmed The Witches of Eastwick. It was a formal dinner for about 300 people, and I was a server dressed in uniform. A bunch of kids from the high school were servers at the dinner. Our parents were there, but they didn’t host it.

Can you share a favorite holiday memory?
My favorite memories all involve traveling at the holidays. We usually travel for Christmas whether it’s to some island or mountain peak or even the bottom of the Grand Canyon. We did that for my birthday last year.

Pumpkin pie or apple pie?
Pumpkin. True Food Kitchen in Scottsdale makes the best pumpkin pie, but they only make it the week of Thanksgiving. The crust is gluten-free and the whipped cream is nondairy. One of our friends always drives down to Scottsdale the week of Thanksgiving to pick one up for dinner.

Any tips for traveling at the holidays?
Travel very light. We’ve gone to Europe and Asia for a month with only one carry-on each. Wear comfortable clothes, drink plenty of water and bring snacks. The rest is an adventure.