Favorite Holiday Recipes

I thought I'd share some of my family's favorite holiday dishes this week.

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving to all! 

 

Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing with Gravy

You will need about 4 chicken breast and 7 cups of broth for both the dressing and gravy.
 
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons butter
4 cups crumbled cornbread
2 cups dry bread crumbs
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
3 eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
poultry seasoning and/or sage to taste
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Sauté celery and onion in butter; set aside.
Mix cornbread and bread crumbs with the stock.
Beat eggs slightly, add milk, salt and pepper. Stir egg mixture into bread mixture.
Add celery, onion, seasonings and chicken to mixture. Mix well.
Spoon into baking dish. Bake for 45 -60 minutes.

Gravy

3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups of broth
½ cup chopped, cooked chicken (We prefer this to giblets.)
1 hardboiled egg

In saucepan, melt butter and add flour. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Add broth and simmer until thick. Add chicken and egg. Heat through and serve hot.


Baked Cranberry Sauce

1 (12- ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cranberries, sugar, and orange juice in a small baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 55 minutes. Remove the cover and stir to melt any un-dissolved sugar.  Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or until the cranberries are soft and surrounded by a syrupy sauce. Spoon into serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.  I usually make this a day or two before our meal.

English Pea Casserole

3 cans Le Sueur English peas, drained
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Durkee Fried Onions or additional shredded cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a sauce pan, sauté onion in butter until tender.  Add flour and whisk until smooth.  Slowly add milk.  Cook over medium heat until thickened.  Add mustard, sugar, mayonnaise and cheese.  Stir until cheese is melted.  Gently add drained peas.
Spoon into prepared pan. Top with Durkee onions or shredded cheese.  Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 - 20 minutes.


Corn Casserole

1 can creamed corn
2 cans Mexi-corn
1 onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter -- melted

Combine all ingredients in order given; mix well. Pour into greased 2-quart ovenproof casserole. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.


Loaded Mashed Potatoes

6 large potatoes
2 to 3 cloves of peeled garlic
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
½ - 1 cup milk (depending on preferred consistency)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbles

Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Peel potatoes and cut into cubes. Place potatoes, salt and peeled garlic in a boiler. Cover with water. Boil potatoes 15 minutes, or until done. Drain and transfer potatoes into a large mixing bowl.  Mash to desired texture. Add butter, cream cheese and milk. Spoon into baking dish.  Bake for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Return to oven long enough to melt cheese.


Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (Can use 2 - 16-ounce cans)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Combine first 6 ingredients. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over top of sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot and browned.


Stuffed Eggs

6 eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (This is approximate - use more or less according to your taste.)
1 tablespoon pickle relish
Paprika for garnish

Place eggs in a pot; cover with water. Bring the water to a full boil; put lid on pot and turn burner off. Allow eggs to sit in hot water for about 15 minutes; remove from water and peel under cold, running water.
Cut eggs in half, lengthwise.
Remove the egg yolks and mash them with a fork in a small mixing bowl.
Mix in the mayonnaise and relish. Spoon mixture into the egg shells and sprinkle with paprika.