Is Empire new tonight, Nov. 22?

Are we getting a Thanksgiving episode of Empire to complement the Lyons giving us plenty of epic dinner table scenes over the years?

Empire is on another hiatus in observation of Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have some fun.

In honor of the day of feasts, family and fun, I decided to do a list of some of my favorite food-related scenes from Empire. 

Here they are, in no particular order:

This scene from season 1 episode 3 , “The Devil Quotes Scripture,” was one of the earliest lessons that you don’t mess with Cookie Lyon. Here, Cookie asserts her place at the head of the Lyon family table and says a shade-filled prayer as Boo-Boo Kitty watches saltily.

Yet another Boo Boo Kitty and Cookie moment. Okay, technically this is a reach but I’m counting it because 1) the impetus of the fight was Cookie throwing a cocktail in Anika’s face and, 2) this fight scene is legendary.

Okay, I know I said in no particular order but this is probably my favorite Empire dinner table scene. It features “No Table Manners” Tariq grabbing asparagus off a plate with his bare hands (and honestly, Tariq doesn’t look like personal hygiene is his forte) and using a half bitten asparagus spear to punctuate. Every. Sentence. This scene never fails to make me cringe, as I wrote in my original recap of the episode for TheCelebrityCafe.com.

Honestly though, I’m not sure how anyone kept their appetite during this meal between the talk of consummated marriages, DNA testing sheets for bodily fluids and that awkward kiss between Anika and Lucious. But I am curious if Tariq took Cookie up on her to-go plate offer.

No list about Empire food moments would be complete without this gem from season 2. After being reintroduced to the family by Andre, Leah seeks vengeance on Lucious for deserting her so many years ago. In one of the most bizarre scenes from the show, Leah sits Lucious down and has him eat a slice of cake. Even though I was sure it was poisoned, Lucious is still alive and kicking. But this was our first glimpse at Leah Walker and her infamous mind games.

Next: Empire: An open letter to Hakeem Lyon

Happy Thanksgiving!