Thanksgiving Meal- Sweet Potato Casserole

It would not be Thanksgiving or Christmas at Sweets & Eats without Sweet Potato Casserole; and thanks to my best friend and her mother, we have a great recipe.  It is one of those sides that you eat with everything else but then you wonder-- is it a dessert?  It is creamy, sweet and topped with a wonderful streusel.  I will eat it either way-- it's just good!

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Source:  Adapted from Carolyn Bates Carlisle and her Mother,  Christine Bates, fondly known as Tetot

• 5 cups warm mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• dash salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• up to 2/3 cups milk, if dry

Mix all ingredients and place in a greased casserole.  Mix in separate bowl the following ingredients for a streusel:

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• dash salt

Mix streusel and pour over sweet potatoes.  Bake 350 F. for 30 minutes.

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Thanksgiving Dumplings and Dressing

To Southerners, Dumplings and Dressing kind of fall in that category of main dishes.  Either one can stand on its own in a meal, even without the meat.  But at a special holiday they are served as a side dish.  Even with the chicken they are a must with ham, turkey or what ever you serve.  They are as varied as they come with every cook making them different.  At Stevens Catering we made them a little bland so you could add more poultry seasoning or sage as you like.  Some cooks use boiled eggs, some used raw.  You can make those changes if you like.  Make it yours with our recipe. 

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Chicken and Dumplings

Source:  SERVING, The Altrusa Club of Lufkin, Clarkie Brown, page 48.

•  1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups flour
• 1 stick butter
• 1 tablespoon Crisco
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 egg, beaten
• cooked large fryer with 9 cups broth

• Additional ingredients:
• 1 stick butter
• 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk

Combine first three ingredients.  Melt butter.  Combine dry ingredients, butter, Crisco, milk and egg and mix until it turns loose from bowl.  Set in refrigerator for 15 minutes. 

Remove chicken and add 1 stick butter to broth.  Roll dough out on floured board fairly thin and cut into three inch strips.  Drop into boiling broth.  Add pepper as desired and salt to taste. 

When finished with dumplings, mix two to three heaping tablespoons of flour with 2 cups of milk.  Pour into dumplings.  Stir gently.  Cover and cook for a few minutes before serving.  May debone chicken and add meat back to dumplings.

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Cornbread Dressing

Source:  inspired by Paula Deen

• Cornbread, recipe follows
• 7 slices oven dried white bread
• 1 sleeve saltine crackers
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 5 eggs, beaten
  

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, and saltines; set aside.  Melt the butter in a large skillet oiver medium hear.  Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes.  Pour the vegetable mixture oveer cornbread mixture.  add the stockmix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, and poultry seasoning.  Add beaten eggs and mix well.  Reser e 2 heapimg tablespoons for the giblet gravy.  Poour mixture into a greadsed pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, abouit 45 minutes.  Serve with turkey as a side dish. 

Cornbread

Source: Florence Calhoun

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons bacon drippings
  

Heat oven to 450 F.  Heat heavy 10 inch skillet with bacon drippings on top of oven.  Meanwhile, mix together all ingredients and pour in drippings.  Mix well and pour into skillet.  Cook in oven until brown on top; about 12 minutes.  

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Thanksgiving Menu- Meats

The recipes offered at Sweets and Eats and Stevens Catering were always well received at Thanksgiving.  This will be several long posts, but I am sharing the recipes with few pictures so you will have the recipes for the holidays.  Blessings for a great Thanksgiving and enjoy!

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Glazed Ham

Sources: inspired by thepioneerwoman.com

• 1 fully cooked boneless ham 12 pounds
• 3 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup spicy bottled mustard
• 1 can Dr. Pepper
• 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
  

Preheat oven to 325 F.   Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern about 1/16 inch deep.  Place the ham in a large roasting pan with a rack. Mix together the ham glaze and cover the ham.  Tent the ham with foil and bake in oven until 165 F.  Remove from oven and let rest until ready to carve and serve.

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If you are wanting a traditional cooked turkey that is not dry, then this is the recipe for you.

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Traditional Cooked Turkey

1 whole fresh turkey 12 to 14 pounds

ice chest to hold turkey

small clean garbage sack

brine (1/2 cup kosher salt, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 gallon water)

bag of ice

The morning before cooking the turkey start the brine.  Make at least 2 gallons of brine for a 12 pound turkey.  Unwrap the turkey, wash and place in a small garbage bag in an ice chest.  Pour brine over turkey until covered.  Seal bag and cover with ice.  Close chest and let set until next morning.  If room is available, turkey can be brined in refrigerator without the use of ice. 

Next morning:  Preheat oven  to 325 F.  Remove turkey from brine and wash thoroughly.  Place in galvanized turkey roaster,  breast side up.  Do not salt; may sprinkle with other seasonings as desired.  Cover with lid and roast until temperature probe pops out or until done.  Let set and leave covered until ready to slice. 

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Brining adds flavor and juiciness to the meat.  An age old process used to preserve meats is now used to season the meat throughout and make it much harder to dry out.  

Decorated Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Icing

I promised a second post for decorated cookies with a recipe for buttercream icing.  It would not be Christmas without this particular cookie made to its imperfections as the years go by.  In the 70's, I was a stickler for perfection.  Every eye, hair curl and holly in its place.  But as the years go by and the grand children come, it is more about the process than the end product.  Sometimes Santa turns out pretty good, then sometimes he looks a little stressed.  But isn't that true to life? 

Never the less, Christmas comes and goes and Santa always gets used for a class party or left for Santa at the stockings.  I have made a million of them but my most fun has been with the children and grands.  It is one of our Christmas traditions.  Don't let it stress you out.  Just enjoy for what it is!

The cookie cutter I use for Santa dates back to the 1970's.  It is a Hallmark and you can only get it on one of the online auctions.  My daughters quickly bought one for the family but I am still sure it is available.  It is a dandy!

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Buttercream Icing (for decorated cookies)

Source:  Mrs. Mayo's How To Make A Wedding Cake, page 48

Yield:  3 3/4 cups

 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Crisco (8 ounces)

1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups sifted)

1/8 cups powdered non-dairy creamer

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon Creme Bouquet or Cleear White Vanilla Flavoring

With mixer at low speed, mix powdered sugar, Crisco, salt and powdered cream until smooth.  Gradually add combined water and flavorings at slow speed, then  beat at medium speed until fluffy,  smooth and of spreading consistency.   Buttercream can also be used for icing cakes and decorating.

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Decorated Sugar Cookies- Dipped in Fondant Icing and Piped, Decorated with Fondant or Written on with a Food Grade Marker

Source and Inspiration:  Traditional Sugar Cookies, Betty Crocker's Cookbook page 148; Fondant Icing for Cookies, Martha Stewart

Yield:   3 small dozen (depends on size of cutter)

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3/4 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

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Mix thoroughly shortening, sugar, eggs and flavoring.  Blend in flour, baking powder and salt.  Cover; chill at least 1 hour.  Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll dough 1/4 inch thick on lightly floured board. Cut into desired shapes.  Pl,ace on ungreased  foil or parchment covered baking sheet.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until very light brown., Frost with fondant icing.

Fondant Icing:  Mix 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon almond flavoring.   Add enough warm water to make the consistency of heavy syrup.   Color with food paste coloring.  Dip the front of each cookie and place on rack to dry.

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Peanut Brittle

Cooking until brown

Adding baking soda 

Pouring out to cool

Pulling into bite size pieces 

Dr. Hallman gave me many good recipes when I was getting my degree. I remember we were taking a final exam at her house right before Christmas and she proceeded to whip up some Peanut Brittle. With all the carrying on of giving an exam and getting ready for a party, she burned the Brittle. Not to worry, she threw it out and proceeded to make another. The Brittle was great, all crispy and light from pulling and we even got our course grade that night!  I wonder if she graded that exam. 

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Source:  Dr. Patsy Hallman, SFASU Teacher

Peanut Brittle

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup white syrup

1/2 cup water

1 cup peanuts

1 teaspoon baking soda

 Cut a piece of foil or parchment; butter and place on cookie sheet or heavy surface of counter top.  Place all ingredients except soda in a heavy cast iron skillet. Cook on medium heat until syrup and peanuts become light brown. Take off heat and add baking soda.  Stir well and pour out on buttered surface.   When cool enough, pull, stretch and snip with scissors into pieces. Store in air right container. 

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Chicken Spaghetti

Our Chicken Spaghetti, served at our local Sweets & Eats, still conjures up heavenly dreams.  Just today our local newspaper, The Lufkin Daily News, referred to a local chicken spaghetti as "in fact, very reminiscent of the much-beloved chicken spaghetti that was served at the now defunct Sweets & Eats."  Thanks Brie Bradford for loving our recipe and reminding me that it needs to be shared!

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Chicken Spaghetti

Serves:  18

6 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 cups celery,  chopped

1 cup bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup butter, or 1 stick

2 cups powdered milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken bouillon, powdered

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 cups water

2 cans tomatoes and diced pepper, I use Rotel

1- 2 pound package Velveeta Cheese, chopped

24 ounces spaghetti, break into shorter lengths

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cook 6 chicken breasts in water until tender.  Reserve water to cook spaghetti.  Add 24 ounces spaghetti to heated water (may need more) and cook al dente according to package directions.  Remove spaghetti from water.  Save water.

Saute' onion, celery and bell pepper in butter until soft.   Add powdered milk, cornstarch, chicken boullon, pepper, 6 cups reserved water (add more if necessary), Rotel Tomatoes, and cubed Velveeta Cheese.  Cook until cheese is melted.  Add spaghetti.  Mix well and put into two large 9x13 inch sprayed pans and top with shredded cheddar cheese.  Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour.

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Shortly after introducing this recipe as a Take and Bake at Sweets & Eats, I was asked by a local grocery to create recipes for Sarah's Simple Solutions.  Both recipes are equally good.  The second one is easier and faster.  I am just not a fan of canned soup.  You decide!

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Chicken Spaghetti (fast and easy, Brookshires's style!)

Serves 9

Source:  inspired by reciped developed by Sarah Stevens

4 cups Brookshire Brothers Deli Roasted Chickekn

1 cup onion chopped

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

4 tablespoons butter

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 can diced tomatoes and chiliess

1 pound Velveeet Cheese, cubed

12 ounces spagheetti, break into shorter lengths

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute' celery, bell pepper and onion in the butter until transparent.  Add the canned soup and canned tomatoes and chilies a;nd bring to a simmmer.  Add cubed Velveeta and simer on low heat stirring lfreqently until cheese melts.

While cheese is melting, cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions.  Drain spaghetti ad add to sauce.  Add chicken to the sauce and lmix well.

Place mixture in a 9x13 inch pa sparyed with non-stick pan coating.

Top with chrfeddeed cheddar chhe ad bake 45 minutes to 1 hour in a 350 degree F oven until thermometer place in center offood register 1565 degree F.

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Chicken Spaghetti,  Sarah's Simple Solutions, Youtube for visual instructions.

Why I Buy Old Mixers

Notice I’m using a mixer from the 1950’s. I have burned up several mixers and at our shop we have burned up several of those new, high dollar kind. Of course they were never made for that kind of abuse but I will tell you that if you run across a mixer made by Hobart, buy it!!!! It will be under the major heading in small print.  I still have one mixer purchased in 1976 that keeps on running and has outlasted several other newer and supposedly better, mixers. Hobart makes all commercial mixers now and has sold out of the residential line.  So that’s why you see an old mixer in my pics. I’ll continue to use them and replace the parts as necessary. They just last!