The staff of The Winona Times and The Conservative wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday, we are sharing some of our favorite Thanksgiving dishes. From our table to yours, have a wonderful holiday.
From the table of Amanda Sexton Ferguson
I was taught to cook by two of the best home cooks in Mississippi, my grandmother, Thelma Shelton Sexton, and my mother, Dorothy Sexton.
I can only remember a handful of “mess ups” by Mother (as the entire community knew my grandmother) and Momma, and 90 percent of the time, they never looked at a recipe.
Growing up, I watched these women in the kitchen for days prior to Thanksgiving and Christmas – basting and chopping and baking skillets upon skillets of cornbread for the best dressing you’ve ever had. They pulled out all the stops to make every holiday memorable for their families, and they were left exhausted after the final dishes were washed and stowed away.
As a kid, you take that hard work for granted. Now all grown up, and missing both of those amazing women something fierce, I hope they realize how those holidays shaped my life and how I view the importance of family.
Asparagus casserole is a tradition in the Sexton family, with so many trying to mimic Mother’s iconic dish on Thanksgiving and Christmas and just as many failing terribly. My sister, Deana, has come the closest to perfecting it, but even she will tell you that everything was better when Mother made it.
Mother’s Asparagus Casserole
2 (10.5 ounce) cans of asparagus tips, drained with ¾ cup liquid reserved (use Green Giant or specialty, not store brand)
1 can cheddar cheese soup
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ½ cups of Ritz cracker crumbs
2 boiled eggs, sliced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine asparagus, liquid, soup, butter, cheese, and Worcestershire in a saucepan. Heat until well blended. Set aside.
Combine melted butter and cracker crumbs.
Alternate asparagus tips sauce, crumbs, and sliced eggs in buttered 11x7x2 inch baking dish. Repeat layers.
Bake 30 minutes.
My Momma loved sweet potatoes. She would often bake one and eat it with a little butter.
I’ve never been a fan of sweet potatoes. However, I loved Momma’s sweet potato casserole with the candy-coated crust. Personally, I feel that you could mask the taste of liver with a nice candy-coated crust.
Sweet potato casserole was always a staple on our table for Thanksgiving and Christmas, with Momma making multiple pans and freezing them.
Sweet Potato Casserole
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
½ cup Pet Milk
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix and beat until mixture is smooth.
Topping:
½ cup brown sugar
½ stick butter
1 cup pecans, chopped
½ cup self-rising flour
Mix until the mixture is grainy and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
From the table of Tina Gatlin
Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Cake:
1 18.25-ounce box white cake mix
1 3-ounce box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
15 ounces frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup water
Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 ounces frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed and pureed
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
Strawberries for garnish (optional)
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease/spray 2 (or 3) 9-inch round cake pans.
Combine cake mix and gelatin in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat in pureed strawberries, eggs, oils, and water until smooth. Pour batter into pans, dividing the batter equally between them.
Bake 25-30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool in pans 15 minutes. Then, remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
For the frosting:
With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Beat in strawberries. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth.
Spread frosting on cake, covering between layers, on top, and on the sides. Garnish with fresh strawberries.
From the table of LaKeadra Coffey
In my family, my mom Gwendolyn Smith-Coffey is known for trying new things during Thanksgiving. One year, she made her version of broccoli rice casserole and it’s been highly requested since. My mom said she got the recipe from a family friend during a Children’s Day program and she decided to make her own version. Now, our family is full of picky eaters and we don’t stray too far away from the norm. But, this became an instant hit for our family. I hope it’s one for yours.
Broccoli Rice Casserole
2 bags of frozen broccoli (can also use fresh, frozen is easier)
½ bag of rice
1 package of Ground beef
½ onion
1 can Cream of Broccoli Soup
1 can Cream of Chicken (can use cream of mushroom too, I like cream of mushroom, she likes cream of chicken.)
1 bag of mozzarella cheese (you can also use cheddar cheese)
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Because frozen broccoli bags can be small, use less rice. My mom’s ratio is 1 to 1. But, I’m a big fan of broccoli so for me, it’s 2 to 1.
Instructions: Cook your rice. In a shallow pan, brown ground beef and onions, add seasoning. Drain your ground beef. Then add your broccoli and cook until almost tender. Before it becomes tender, add your cream of broccoli soup. Combine rice and broccoli mixture. Add in your reserved can of cream of mushroom.
Preheat your oven until 350 and place mixture in a casserole dish or pan. Add cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes.
One year she added almonds and that didn’t go over so well. But, they’re a great addition if you’re looking for a bit of crunch.
From the table of Amanda Cirilo
There are a few things that you think of when it comes to the holiday time of the year, but one of those major things is Sweet Potato Pie. While the pie is a favorite recipes as a dessert, it can also sneak up on the table as a side dish.
I have a recipe for candied yams that are a year-round favorite in my house. The great things about sweet potatoes is that they can be used so many different ways.
Did you know that they Sweet potatoes have been growing in the southeastern United States from as early as 1648? Today Mississippi is the second largest sweet potato producing state in the United States. Sweet Potatoes are high in fiber and are a good source of Vitamins B and C. They are also known to help with Acid Reflux which may be a big plus for some people, especially on a day when one is known to overindulge.
Candied Yams
2 cans or about 4 medium-sized sweet potatoes, boiled
1 teaspoon cinnamon
A squeeze of an orange
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
6 simple ingredients for a mouthful of flavor for even the pickiest eater.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel, boil, and drain the sweet potatoes (if you are not using canned) and place them into your casserole dish. Add melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, squeeze of an orange, and the ½ cup of marshmallows. (Typically, the marshmallow only goes on the top of the dish; however, I like to add it in with the mixture to give it a bit more sweetness.)
Give it a good stir and cover the top with marshmallows. Place it uncovered in your oven and let it sit long enough for the top to brown. About 15-25 minutes.
Enjoy!
