One Table’s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner...

Yesterday, I volunteered at Aiken’s (SC) Community Thanksgiving Dinner, where the aroma of turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole and all my holiday favorites were bountiful on the tables lining the Alley, a neat backstreet alleyway filled with restaurants and small shops. The community Thanksgiving Day dinner was once again sponsored by One Table.Org and supported by an army of friendly volunteers. More than the estimated 2500 people, from all walks of life in the community, came together and sat as one group to celebrate this wonderful meal.


This was the fifth year for the event, which is free to the public. At the dinner there were about 185 turkeys, 300 pounds of stuffing, 425 green bean casseroles, 105 gallons of cranberry sauce, fresh baked rolls and endless pumpkin & pecan pies. Not to mention hundreds of gallons of sweat-tea to wash it all down. It all starts around midnight, the night before, when a loyal group of volunteer cooks start the process and do not stop until everyone is feed.

Volunteers start arriving early Thanksgiving morning to start and set the tables. Nothing is overlooked to make sure that the tables and serving areas are festive affairs, filling them with flower bouquets and cornucopias over flowing with fruits & nuts. Volunteers help to organize the food, so each serving area is stocked properly. And a course there is an army of volunteers to carve up old ‘tom turkey’, who has been slowly roasting in huge rotisseries and smokers.

You never know who may be serving or sitting next to you. This is not a case of the haves doing for the have-not's ~ This is everyone in the community coming together at one table in the old tradition of this holiday and giving thanks. Much like the original Thanksgiving dinner back in 1621, the community of Aiken, SC celebrates the blessings that have been received and given during the past year.

Job well done OneTable.org ~ I look forward to helping again next year!

George's notes:

• I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.
• If you want to know more about this very special event, visit www.onetable.org .
• Here are the links from local newspapers regarding this incredible event in The Aiken Standard and The Augusta (GA) Chronicle.
• Possibly you can get an event like this started in your community.
• You can click on the photos to enlarge and get a better feel of the event.

How to Carve a Turkey...

On Thanksgiving Day there is one minor, not so inconsequential detail left to tend to before dinnertime. Somebody has to carve the turkey! I recently came upon these carving tips to help make it easier to serve your turkey. To make sure you put the perfect finishing touches on your beautiful roasted turkey, you will need a few tools for the task of carving your turkey:

• A good, reliable, sharp knife.
• A long-handled carving fork to hold the bird.
• A large, clean cutting board or work surface on which to carve.
• A good-sized platter for serving.

Just follow these easy steps and enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner:


Step 1
Place bird on a carving board and remove any stuffing. Holding the end of the drumstick, pull the leg away from the body and cut between the thigh joint and body to remove the entire leg. Repeat with other leg.




Step 2
To separate the drumstick and thigh, cut through the connecting joint.




Step 3
Holding the drumstick by the end, slice meat into ¼ -inch slices. Cut thigh meat parallel to the bone into ¼ -inch slices.




Step 4
Hold the bird with a meat fork and make a deep cut into the breast meat just above the wing area.




Step 5
Slice down from the top of the breast into the cut made in Step 4. Slice meat ¼ -inch thick.




Step 6
To remove wings, cut through the connecting joints by the wing bones and backbone.




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Once you have craved up your turkey, save the carcass and use it to make a turkey soup; like the homemade recipe below.

The first thing you need to do is make your turkey stock which is very easy. There are 2 ways you can do this. Do you want a hearty soup with lots of vegetables or one with less vegetables? I prefer a nice hearty soup.

First thing you need to do for this turkey soup recipe is pick the turkey off of the bone and set it a side for later use.

Now put the turkey bones and skin in a large stock pot. Scrape the bottom of the roaster pan and add the scrapings to the pot as well. Fill the pot with about 4 quarts of water. Let it simmer for 3 hours.

Strain the stock.

Now you can stop here if you like and continue the next day by refrigerating it, or you can continue. Either way here is what you will need.


Homemade Turkey Soup

Ingredients:
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 Large Onions, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 ½ teaspoon Thyme
2 cups turkey,
¼ cup fresh Parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock containing your homemade stock, about 3 quarts ~ add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic and simmer for 45 minutes. Then drop in the turkey, parsley and thyme. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

If you wanted to, you could add some leftover rice and turn your soup into a homemade turkey rice soup.

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George’s notes:
Wishing all a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!
Photographs courtesy of The Aiken (S.C.) Standard

Roasted Vegetables...

Colorful caramelized roasted vegetables make a perfect Thanksgiving side dish. So, I headed down to my local farmer's market Saturday to look over the abundance of fresh harvested vegetables. I was not disappointed with the quality and variety.



There are many combinations of vegetables that you can use, but my favorites for color, texture and taste are Brussels sprouts, parsnips, carrots and butternut squash. This combination always receives huzzahs when ever I serve these delicious fall vegetables. It is also a great dish if you are asked to contribute to the dinner. It travels well and doesn't need reheating once you arrive, because it is delicious warm or at room temperature.

Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ pound Brussels sprouts, cut in half
½ pound parsnip, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
¼ pound carrots
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small bunch fresh sage leaves for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt butter in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat; stir in sage and garlic. Place remaining ingredients in un-greased rectangular pan, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Pour butter mixture over vegetables; stir to coat.

Cover and bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Serves 6 to 8

George's notes:
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
      ~Author Unknown

Ambrosia and Coconut Cake..

What is a Thanksgiving feast without that sweet treat after the meal? The most recognized Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie, and while pies are certainly a hit around my families Thanksgiving table, there are several other kinds of traditional desserts that are always served mainly for the memories they bring to the meal. Here are just two of those long remembered recipes and possible ideas for your delicious Thanksgiving desserts.

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The first one is my mom’s white cake smothered in whipped topping and fresh coconut ~ a real treat for those with a sweet tooth.

Twomama's Coconut Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
2¼ cups cake flour, sifted
2½ teaspoons double-baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites

Icing
2 cups sugar
2 cups sour cream
18-ounces frozen coconut, thawed, divided
1 cup heavy cream, sweetened and whipped

To make cake: Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla gradually, blending well.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter, a little at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Continue stirring until batter is smooth.

In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff pecks form. Fold them lightly into the batter. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans and cool completely.

To make the icing: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, 1 cup sour cream and half of the thawed coconut; set aside. In a large metal chilled metal bowl, whip heavy cream until soft pecks form. Add remaining sour cream and beat until smooth and thick. Fold in remaining coconut, but 1 cup for garnish.

To assemble: Using a bread knife, carefully cut the two 9-inch rounds in half. Place one half on a cake plate and spread half of the sugar/sour cream mixture on top. Repeat with two more layers. The last layer place on top and ice the entire cake, top and sides, with the heavy cream mixture.
Sprinkle with reserved coconut.

Refrigerate cake, covered, for at least 2 to 3 days before serving.

Serves 12

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Ambrosia refers to the food of the Gods in Greek mythology and this dessert lives up to its name. A delicious simple blend of flavors makes this a perfect dessert for holidays or any time of the year.

Here is the original recipe for Ambrosia from Mrs. S. R. Dull's cookbook Southern Cooking, circa 1928. This recipe called for coconut out of a real coconut. I can remember my mother cracking open whole coconut ~ holiday after holiday… once she even stabbed her hand opening the coconut, but that did not stop her making the ambrosia after returning from the emergency room with about 5 stitches in the palm of her hand. Now I use frozen coconut, but there is a difference. The Ambrosia is always served out of a crystal bowl and in champaign glasses.

Ambrosia


Ingredients:
6 oranges, peeled and chopped into ½ -inch pieces
1½ cups frozen coconut, thawed
¾ cup sugar

Mix all ingredients well. Refrigerate and let the flavors mingle for at least a day. Serves 4

This recipe is easy to multiply as needed, to serve your guest.

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George’s notes:

• The other day, Debby at A Feast for the Eyes featured Ida Garten’s coconut cake, which is also a delicious coconut cake.
• In previous post I have two wonderful pies for your Thanksgiving feast ~ Cranberry-Apple and Aunt Esther's Cranberry Pie.

Lemon and Sage Roasted Turkey...

No matter what anyone might say, the star of a Thanksgiving dinner is the roast turkey. It is what everyone wants to see and taste. A roasted turkey is one of those glorious dishes that evoke both endearing memories of family gatherings and luscious meals. The great fear for the cook is not to overcook the turkey or make lumpy gravy. But there's actually nothing more straightforward than roasting a turkey to its plump, moist, golden perfection.

If you are tired of the same old turkey during the holidays, here's one that even grandma will love and it makes the house smell delightfully delicious!

Lemon and Sage Roasted Turkey

Ingredients:
12-14 pound turkey
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 lemon sliced thin
1 bunch fresh sage
1 stick butter melted



Mix broth and black pepper, set aside. Rinse turkey under cold water and pat dry. Loosen the skin carefully from the breast meat using your fingers. Place lemon slices and sage leaves under the skin. Season, as desired including the cavity.

Tie ends of drumsticks together, place turkey breast side up in a shallow roasting pan. Brush turkey with butter and then with the broth mixture. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of meat but not touching the bone.

Roast turkey at 350 degrees F for 4 hours or until the thermometer reads 180 degrees F and the drumsticks move easily. Basting, occasionally with broth mixture. Begin checking for doneness after 3 hours of roasting time.

Allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 14
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George’s notes:

• Check out my posted recipe for Ultimate Turkey Stuffing & Cornbread Stuffing.
• The photo is from my 2007 Thankgiving dinner.
• At one time, the turkey and the bald eagle were each considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of those who argued passionately on behalf of the turkey. Franklin felt the turkey, although "vain and silly", was a better choice than the bald eagle.

The Ultimate Stuffing...

The other day I posted my recipe for Cornbread Stuffing, here is another stuffing I make for Thanksgiving; because some guest do not like cornbread. I discovered this recipe several years in the Washington Post ~ Food Section and over the years I have adjusted the ratio of ingredients & spices to create the Ultimate Turkey Stuffing. It’s a new twist on an old holiday favorite. Enjoy!



Ultimate Turkey Stuffing

Ingredients:
1 cup dried cranberries
1½ cups orange liqueur
½ cup unsalted butter
2 cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
1 (16 ounce) package herb-seasoned bread stuffing mix
1 cup chopped pecans
4 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups chicken broth
4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Place the cranberries in a small saucepan, and cover with 1 cup of liqueur. Bring to boil, remove from heat, and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Sauté the celery and onion in the butter for 10 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

In the same skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat until crumbled and evenly brown. Drain.

Combine the sausage and stuffing mix with the celery and onion mixture. Stir in the cranberries and liqueur, pecans, and apples. Mix in melted butter, chicken broth, ½ cup orange liqueur; the stuffing should be totally moistened. Season with sage, salt, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter 15x10x2-inch baking dish. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake until heated through, about 1 hour. Uncover and bake until top is crisp, about 15 minutes.

Serves 8 to 10

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George’s notes:

• You are going to want to make enough stuffing, so there is leftovers for your turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving.
• Since 1947, each Thanksgiving the National Turkey Federation (NTF) and the Poultry & Egg National Board (PENB) have donated a turkey to the White House -- a tradition that is often confused with the Thanksgiving presidential turkey pardon. Officially, the presidential turkey pardon began during George H.W. Bush's first Thanksgiving in the White House in 1989. Prior to that event, presidents were more likely to eat the donated birds rather than pardon them to a petting farm for the remainder of their life.

Cranberry Sauce & more...

It really doesn't matter if you're in the hills of Alabama, the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado or near the bay at Plymouth Rock; it isn't Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce. If you've never made cranberry sauce from scratch, you're missing out on one of the simplest ways to add something special to your Thanksgiving dinner.

When I was growing up in Georgia in the early sixties, fresh cranberries were largely unknown. Cranberries are grown in New England ~ or places that have regular rainfall, a high water table, and four distinct seasons that can be relied upon; conditions that just don't always exist in Georgia.

You couldn’t find fresh cranberries in the supermarket produce section back then, either. Perishable fruits and vegetables were not so widely distributed then, as they are now. But, we always had our cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, thanks to Ocean Spray.

One of the earliest Thanksgiving dinner tasks assigned to me by my mother was to open a few cans of jellied cranberry sauce, slice it, and put it on the table. I loved that job! I'd put a hole in one end of the can with the can opener and open the other end. The ‘sauce’ would slowly slide out in a crimson column, making that lovely vacuum sound. To this day, I still like canned cranberry sauce, but now that we can all buy cranberries that only days before were floating in a cranberry bog, we can be more creative and enjoy the tangy freshness and texture of fresh cranberries.

So, if you have been searching for cranberry ideas for this year's holiday meal, perhaps some of the recipes here will send you packing to the produce section. There you will find all the fresh cranberries you need, all neatly done up in plastic bags. ~ Just remember that it wasn't always that easy, back in Georgia in the early sixties.

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This recipe marries tangy cranberries with the flavors of orange, ginger, and cinnamon.

Mom's Orange-Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh cranberries
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
2 sticks cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh gingerroot, minced
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup apple cider
1 teaspoon fresh grated orange zest

In a 2-quart saucepan, place the fresh and dried cranberries, cinnamon, gingerroot, brown sugar, cider, and orange zest. Stir and simmer over low heat until cranberries pop - about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

To serve, transfer to a serving bowl.

Makes 2 to 3 cups

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The next recipe is a delicious chutney. You may find yourself eating it directly from the refrigerator, if you're lucky enough to have any left over.

Caroline's Cranberry Chutney

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh cranberries
1 ½ cups raisins
½ cup water
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup apple juice concentrate
2 cups sugar

1 cup sweet onions, chopped
¾ cup celery, sliced
2 cups tart apples, peeled and chopped

In a heavy Dutch oven, combine the cranberries, raisins and water. Cook over medium-high heat until berries pop. Add vinegar, allspice, cloves cinnamon, ginger root, cayenne, apple juice and sugar; cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in the onion, celery and apples. Bring to boil, reduce to medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Let chutney cool and thicken before serving.

Makes 5 to 6 cups

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The traditional Thanksgiving meal demands at least one kind of pie for dessert, at least for my family. It's usually brought by a popular aunt, family friend or in-law.

Aunt Esther's Cranberry Pie

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh cranberries, washed and sorted
1 cup raisins (golden raisins make a prettier filling)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup Water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
Pastry for double-crust 9-inch pie

Preheat oven to 450 degree F.
In a large, heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients except for vanilla and butter, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low-to-medium and, stirring frequently, gently boil the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes, until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour filling into an unbaked, pastry-lined 9-inch pie shell, and dot with butter.

Make a lattice top with the remaining pastry dough, and crimp edges.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 35 minutes more or until golden brown.

Serves 6

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George’s notes:
* Did you know that at the end of the Beatles song “Strawberry Fields Forever” from the Magical Mystery Tour album, John Lennon mutters “cranberry sauce.” There was no intended meaning to this; it was just supposed to add to the surreal feeling of the song.
* Cranberries are one of the few fruits native to North America and ripen from September through November, lending them well to holiday recipes.
* If you are in the mood for a more traditional pie, check out my post for Cranberry-Apple Pie.

Cornbread Stuffing...

...or dressing as it is called here in the South, is usually made from scratch. If you have only eaten boxed dressing, you will be delighted with the simplicity and wonderful flavors inherent in home-baked dressing. Cornbread gives a very different texture than white bread alone and adds the sweetness of corn to the flavor. It can be a side dish for a roast chicken dinner or baked in a casserole dish and served in place of breads or potatoes, but it is traditionally baked as a stuffing inside a whole turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.

The cornbread stuffing I usually use incorporates white bread crumbs and crumbled cornbread. The breads are highly seasoned with celery, onion, sage and chicken broth for the most fragrant and flavorful dish. In the South, the turkey is stuffed with a portion of the dressing. This helps the turkey retain its natural juices and remain moist. The stuffing is spooned into the bird loosely to allow for expansion. The rest of the stuffing is refrigerated until about an hour and a half before the meal is to be served. It can then be spooned into a large casserole dish, dotted with butter and baked until the top is golden brown.

Chicken broth can be used for this recipe and canned broth works fine. If you prefer, cover a whole chicken with water, along with the giblets from the turkey, in a stockpot. Add an onion and 2 stalks of celery, salt and a bay leaf. Boil covered over medium heat for 1½ hours to produce a flavorful stock for the stuffing. Save the chicken meat for another recipe. Strain the broth and allow it to cool before adding it to the stuffing. You will need about three quarts.



Aunt Carrie’s Cornbread Dressing
~ written as it was handed down to me

Prepare 2½ quarts of broth with preceding instructions. Allow to cool.

Bake two recipes of iron skillet cornbread. Cool completely and break into small pieces.

Tear or crumble 8 slices of white bread and allow it to sit out only long enough to dry it slightly.

Put breads in a large mixing bowl.
Add the following:
• 1 cup white onions, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup butter
• 4 beaten eggs
• 8 to 10 cups chicken broth
• 2 large bunches scallions, sliced

Toss the ingredients together until all bread is dampened but not mushy. More or less broth may be added to combine the ingredients. Use several cups of the stuffing to fill the turkey and place the rest in a casserole dish. Top with scallions. Cover with foil and refrigerate.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degree F.
Place casserole dish in the hot oven and bake for one hour. Remove the foil and return to the oven for about 10 minutes longer to brown.

The remainder of the chicken broth can be used to make gravy to serve with the turkey.

Serves 12

George’s notes:

• Aunt Carrie was my great-grandmother’s cook, who was legionary for her cooking, as well as running a ‘numbers game’ during the late 1920’s until her arrest in the 1942. But that never stopped her from turning out great Southern classics.
• If you don’t have an iron skillet, bake two 8 x 8 pans of cornbread from your favorite scratch recipe.

Bacon Braised Green Beans

Over the next week, I will post a few of my favorite recipes for the dinner of all dinners, Thanksgiving. Here is my modern take on a Southern classic that will leave you wanting more! Since this version is quick-cooked, the beans stay crisp-tender—they’re coated with sautéed onions and little pieces of bacon. And who can resist bacon!

Bacon Braised Green Beans

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 slices bacon, diced
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tablespoons sliced garlic
2 pounds green beans, rinsed, ends trimmed
1 cup chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Set a Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the green beans and toss to combine with the bacon and onions.



Increase the heat to medium-high and add the chicken stock. As soon as the stock begins to boil, place the lid on the pan and cook the beans for about 6 minutes. Remove the lid, season the beans with the salt and pepper, and toss well. Replace the lid and cook until the beans are tender, 1 or 2 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat and transfer the leaves to a serving dish or small platter to serve.

Serves 4 to 6

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George's notes:

• The old Southern method of cooking green beans was to cook them in salt water with a hunk of 'fatback' and let them simmer for several hours, until they were tender soft.
• Fatback is the layer of tissue under the skin of the back of a pig, with or without the skin. Fatback often is rendered to make a high quality lard.