Thanksgiving Servings; Old and New
When I think of Thanksgiving I think of my mother and grandmother deciding, the night before, who would get up at dawn to "put the turkey in". Inevitably the turkey did not get in the oven until around 7:30 or so in the morning which meant dinner would not be until after 2 in the afternoon. I have no idea why they did not thaw out the turkey completely before putting it in the oven; I guess because they always did what they always did.
My turkey recipe comes from an old New Orleans cookbook called The New Orleans Cookbook by Rima and Richard Collin. I grew up with dressing on the side, from a pan as it should be, so this turkey is not stuffed.
1 turkey (about 12 lbs, take out the giblets and neck)
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
1 stick of butter
bacon drippings
Pre-heat oven to 325.
Wash and dry the turkey, inside and out. Rub inside with the lemon and about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Place the bird in a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Melt the butter and mix with 1/2 cup or so of bacon drippings, pour over the outside of the bird. Cook for about 4 hours, 20 minutes per pound, basting every 15 minutes. About half-way through, cover the bird with foil and loosely tuck the foil around the pan (you still need to get in there to baste). About 30 minutes before it is done, remove the foil, baste really well for the last time, and raise the temperature to 400. Consult your favorite cookbook for the correct internal temperate for a perfectly cooked turkey for the size you are roasting. If you don't have a meat thermometer, get one. Let the turkey rest on a carving board for at least 30 minutes or more to let the juices settle. If you slice any meat while hot, you will lose the juices.
To prepare the gravy: Pour the pan drippings,and scrape down the pan, into a saucepan and heat slowly, stirring, until browned.
Dressing was a staple at my grandmother's table anytime of year because her cook Eva made the best dressing around. One Thanksgiving when I was in college we had dinner at my cousin's house, and Nana brought a pan or two of Eva's dressing. We eagerly awaited our turn and took extra big helpings with no concern for anyone else. Grace was said and we all went for the dressing first. Then we stopped. Something was not right; the dressing was simply a pan of crispy cornbread. We learned a week or two later that Eva had Alzheimer's; she died the next year.
1 large cast iron skillet of cornbread, crumbled
2 cups white bread crumbs
3 large onions, chopped and softened in butter
4 ribs of celery, chopped and softened in butter
1 can of chicken broth
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
Mix all the ingredients, add broth to get it where you want it. Put in a pan and bake until brown.
I have yet to make a pan that is just like Eva's. As you can see, the recipe lacks precise direction.
Cranberry relish is one of my favorites. Not the jelly from the can. This is my mother's recipe and it is easy to adapt to the number of people at your table. This is also good with pound cake and vanilla ice cream. Or for breakfast.
2 apples, peeled and rough chopped
2 oranges, peeled
Rind from one orange (use 1/2 the peel if it is big orange)
1 cup sugar
1 bag fresh cranberries
In a food processor, pulse the cranberries until finely chopped and dump in a bowl. Then pulse the apples and dump in with the cranberries. Last the oranges with the peel. Mix the fruit with the sugar and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours. Stir before serving. Be careful not to chop the fruit to finely or they will get soupy in the sugar.
Green beans are on every table at Thanksgiving and ours was no exception. Except our green beans were from my grandmother's garden - not a can. Here are two recipes, one old and one new.
Eva's Green Beans
Cook fresh green beans in boiling water with ham hock till done.
Balsamic Green Beans (mine)
Green beans, washed and dried
1/2 Vidalia onion, sliced thin
About a table spoon Balsamic vinegar
Butter
Olive oil
Toasted/roasted pecans
If using fresh beans, blanch in boiling water until bright green. Drain well. Saute sliced onion in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until brown and and almost caramely. Add green beans and a little salt and pepper. Saute green beans with onions until beans are tender-crisp. Add pecans and heat through. This serves 4 - 6.
My favorite way to eat sweet potatoes is, of course, the way Eva cooked them. Candied. I don't have her recipe, but this one is mighty close.
Candied Sweet Potatoes
3 big sweet potatoes
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 tablespoons butter
about 1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg
Bake sweet potatoes at 400 for one hour. When soft to the touch, cool slightly, peel and slice. Set aside. Lower oven to 350. While the potatoes were baking combine the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and boil, then reduce to simmer for about 30 minutes. Place sliced potatoes in a greased medium casserole, about 1/2 - 2 quart. I like to do this in an oval dish so you can layer them around the dish. Pour the sauce over them and bake for about 15 minutes. Eva would use a sliced lemon or orange and the slices would be candied too.
Bob makes a great sweet potato casserole that is in high demand.
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
3/4 stick of butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
Topping:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 stick butter, cubed
1 cup chopped pecans
Combine sweet potatoes through vanilla in a large bowl. Pour into a large, buttered baking dish. Mix the topping and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 45 minutes.
Our family Thanksgiving recipes also include: (click to go to recipe)
And of course desserts. I think they will need a post unto themselves!
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