Thanksgiving Menu

Thanksgiving will soon be upon us. We always have a traditional meal at my mother and stepdad's lovely home. I remember my sister, Sue, putting on much of the feast when I was growing up. When she had her own family to prepare food for, I tried to step up to the plate. As much as I love my mother, some of her kitchen creations leave a little to be desired. One Thanksgiving in particular featured her blender mashed potatoes. I think that was same year she purchased two entire carts of groceries for my five brothers and sisters, and then promptly drove off without loading a single bag into the car.

As a child, our Thanksgiving table also had small bowl of canned tuna with a squeeze of lemon. As strange as that sounds, my late father hated poultry of any kind, and his holiday meal would consist of plain albacore tuna, a wedge of iceberg and crackers. He would indulge in a piece of pumpkin pie, but didn't much care for the crust and would, without exception, comment that the pie needed more salt.

As for our holiday menu these days, we'll have a traditional turkey with a simple dressing and mashed potatoes. I recently saw a recipe for stuffing with artisan bread, fennel and pine nuts that looked promising, but we'll have to see. And, we're sure to have some wonderful sides, such as Cranberry Sauce, Pea & Peanut Salad, Praline Yams, Roasted Carrots and Ambrosia... oh, and that green salad we love so much.

Cranberry Sauce

12 oz. Ocean Spray Cranberries, rinsed and picked through for stems
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 apples, peeled and chopped
Juice and zest of one large orange

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan; bring to a low boil. Lower heat and simmer until apples are tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Pea & Peanut Salad

My sister, Liddy, just loves this dish, which used to be served (and may still be) by a restaurant called Embers in Mount Pleasant, where we grew up. It’s become a standard at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s best served fresh, as the peanuts become mushy after a few hours.

2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed
8 oz. sour cream (or more to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
3/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the above ingredients and serve immediately.

Praline Yams

After I made this on a whim a few years ago from a recipe on the back of the can of Princella Yams, it's been another of Liddy's favorites.

29 oz. can of Princella Yams, drained
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup coconut
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place drained yams in an ungreased 8 x 8 baking dish. Combine pecans, coconut, brown sugar, flour and butter until blended. Sprinkle over yams and bake for 35 minutes to 40 minutes.

Roasted Carrots

After trying these, we decided they're a must-have for Thanksgiving. The recipe is adapted from Paula Deen & Friends: Living it Up, Southern Style. You can add a bit of butter and chopped parsley as she does, but I don't think you'll miss them. As you probably already know, her House Seasoning is just a combination of 1 cup salt, 1/4 cup garlic powder and 1/4 cup black pepper.

2 lbs. fresh baby carrots
Olive Oil
House Seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread carrots on a foil-lined 13 x 9 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with house seasoning. Roast for approximately 30 minutes.

Ambrosia

This year, I feel inspired to add chopped maraschino cherries to the mixture, but that's up to you. I recommend Baker's coconut, since store brands can be a little dry, as well as Daisy sour cream, which doesn't have any additives.

1 cup coconut
1 cup mandarin oranges, drained
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chunk pineapple, drained
1 cup sour cream
Powdered sugar to taste

Combine coconut, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, pineapple and sour cream. Add powdered sugar to taste. Serve.

Have a blessed holiday!