Favorite Foods for the Holidays

Posted on October 31, 2010 by bob in GPlenty

Sharing adult children with their in-laws for holiday celebrations may be necessary, but it’s not fun.  That’s why I am especially thankful — actually jubilant — this year anticipating both children and their families parking their legs under my Thanksgiving table.  It’s rare that we are all together these days.  You can be sure that I’ll be serving the traditional dishes my family will anticipate…a golden turkey breast, my mother’s dressing, vegetables we “put up” this summer, cranberries in some fashion, and for dessert, bread pudding with bourbon (or whiskey) sauce.

I realize that families hold as their standard the dressing made by their mothers and grandmothers.  Likewise, I’m holding as standard my mama’s…it’s the most anticipated dish on our Thanksgiving sideboard.  We don’t use it to stuff the turkey; it’s heralded in a dish all its own.  If you don’t have a dressing recipe, I’m sure Mama would be glad for you to make hers.

This year I’ve also decided to make a cranberry chutney to accompany our meal. Tart and interesting, it’s a step up from traditional cranberry sauce.

And oh, my goodness…dessert!  My daddy’s bread pudding recipe is the perfect way to cap off our holiday meal.  Moist and flavorful and topped with bourbon (or whiskey) sauce, I’m sure I’ll be adding this to my long list of  “thank you, Lord”s as I head off for my nap, at least one grandbaby in tow.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of a daughter who lives close and a son who comes home.

Grandmother’s Dressing
1 pan cooked cornbread
enough liquid from chicken or turkey that when combined with crumbled cornbread makes it the consistency of cornbread batter again (in a pinch use 2 cans chicken broth and a little water)
2-3 biscuits or pieces of bread, pinched into bits
1 chopped onion
3 chopped boiled eggs
1/2 c. celery
salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients. Bake in greased Pyrex® or Corningware® dish at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until brown. Serve with giblet gravy.

Cranberry Chutney
Yield: 3 cups

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 t. ground coriander
3/4 t. dried red pepper flakes
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1 med. onion, sliced
1 c. apple jelly
1/4 c. dark brown sugar
1 t. mustard seeds
1 t. salt
1/2 c. raisins
4” strip lemon zest

Combine everything but onion. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Add onion and simmer 20 more minutes, until thick. Chill until ready to serve.

Grand daddy’s Favorite Bread Pudding
2 c. dried bread cubes (French bread preferred)
4 c. scalded milk
3/4 c. sugar
1 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
4 eggs, slightly beaten
optional: dash of cinnamon and 1 c. raisins

Soak bread in milk for five minutes.  Add sugar, butter, and salt. Pour slowly over eggs. Add vanilla and mix well.

Pour into greased 1 1/2 qt. baking dish.

Set in pan of hot water (1” deep) in 350 degree oven and bake until firm, about 1 hour. Serve warm with favorite sauce (lemon or whiskey sauce).

Whiskey Sauce for Pudding
1 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. warm half and half
no more than 1/4 c. whiskey, bourbon or brandy
1/3 c. chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar in a small, heavy boiler. Gradually add the cream. Stir over low heat until mixture boils. Remove from heat and add nuts and whiskey.

Patsy Smith, a Montgomery native, is the author of two cookbooks:
A Cookbook for My Southern Daughter and A Southern Daughter Entertains.
These books may be purchased at Capitol Book and News, Rosemont Gardens,
Southern Homes and Gardens, Jo’s Hallmark, Richardson’s Pharmacy,
and other fine book and gift stores, or through her website at southerndaughtercooks.com.

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