Anna Leigh Waters has reached quite a few milestones in professional pickleball, but perhaps her most impressive accomplishment away from the court is preparing the annual Thanksgiving meal for her family. 

“I'm the only cook in the house, so I make everything for Thanksgiving dinner,” said the 17-year-old pickleball star. “We’ll buy a turkey or ham. That’s even more work if I need to do the side dishes. Usually, we’ll do a honey baked ham and then I’ll make all the sides.”

The Waters’ Thanksgiving table certainly isn't short on good eats.

The menu sounds absolutely delicious.

“I make baked mac and cheese every year. I have some really good mashed potatoes and some kind of vegetable bread. This year, I really want to make my own bread, like milk rolls. I’ve been seeing so many people making it online that I want to try them, too. This year, I’m going all out,” said Waters. “I also make at least one dessert. Last year, I made an apple pie cake with allspice cake, apple pie filling, and cream cheese frosting. I’ll be busy for a couple of days with all the prep.”

Waters shared that her kitchen skills came courtesy of her paternal grandmother.

“I learned to cook from my Nana in North Carolina where I used to live. We used to have tea parties, and she would teach me how to cook. Southern cooking was her big thing. I love her chicken and dumplings, and my dad loves her chicken casserole. My grandma used to make everything from scratch,” she said. “When I was little, I actually thought “scratch” was an ingredient. The day I found out that it wasn’t an ingredient, I cried all day. I was so upset they kept that from me.” 

It just so happens that cooking and baking are Waters' favorite downtime hobbies.

“I’m really good at pancakes. They’re super fluffy, thick pancakes,” she revealed. “I also make really healthy things when I’m home. I'll do some kind of protein like chicken, ground beef, or steak, and then I’ll make a carb like rice or potatoes. Around the holidays or for somebody’s birthday, though, that’s when I'll do something big.”

And with Thanksgiving being the biggest cooking holiday of the year, it’s no wonder Waters always looks forward to late November.

It's definitely a good time.