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New York City Pols Share Their Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

By Della Hasselle | November 24, 2010 4:26pm

By Della Hasselle

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MANHATTAN — As New Yorkers countdown to their Thanksgiving Day feasts, New York City politicians and public figures shared favorite recipes, and a few anecdotes with WNYC Wednesday.

The recipes included a few Turkey Day standards, like S.I. Councilman James Oddo's Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's classic American Apple Pie, but a few pols got a bit more creative when sharing their Thanksgiving Day cookbooks.

For the health conscious, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch offered the recipe for his nephew's Guiltless Vegetarian Chili, WNYC reported.

"This chili tastes like meat, but it has no meat or fat," Koch told the station about the recipe, which is made from eggplant, yellow peppers and beans. "You can top the chili with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese, but I wouldn't because you will be adding a lot of fat and calories to an otherwise guilt-free meal."

Brooklyn Councilman Lew Fidler, who is diabetic, shared a recipe good for calorie-counting Manhattanites, Artificially Sweetened Stuffed Cabbage, according to WNYC.

Pols with meat on the mind offered a few rich dishes, like Rep. Michael Grimm's Italian Sausage Stuffing and and Union President Stuart Appelbaum's Swedish Meatballs in Pastry Shells, WNYC reported.

Jimmy McMillan, founder of the "Rent is Too Damn High" party, stayed true to his message by offering menus for two feasts, the Middle Class or 'Po Folk' Thanksgiving. The latter featured concoctions like "Monkey Bread" made with peanut butter, jelly and banana, and a smoothie made from grapefruit (with peels), honey and one egg, WNYC reported.

Not everyone was inspired by the Thanksgiving spirit; Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom New Yorkers said they wouldn't want to eat Thanksgiving dinner with, didn't offer a recipe, and former gubernatorial candidate Charles Barron said he found the holiday offensive.

"I don't celebrate Thanksgiving because of what they did to the Native Americans," Barron told WNYC.

"I do buy people in my district turkey, though, so they can celebrate with their families."