Holiday traditions are so important, and food traditions are especially sweet. Every time I make my family’s traditional holiday classics, I’m taken back to holidays past, cooked together as a family and served up on my mother’s special china. My father brought that china home to her from Japan when he was stationed in Okinawa. Now I serve these dishes in my home on that same china. One day my own child may take these same traditions to their own family. Each dish holds memories to hold on to for years to come.
However you celebrate, whether you’re hosting extended family or bringing together found family for an annual “Friendsgiving,” these recipes, favorites of our New Port Richey City Lifestyle team, are sure to become new additions to your own food traditions.
Cranberry Relish
You won’t find a can-shaped blob of gelled cranberry on our table. This is a recipe passed down by my grandmother and lovingly handcrafted every year for the holidays.
1lb cranberries (fresh or frozen)
2 oranges
2-3 apples
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
This is traditionally made using a hand grinder and must be made at least a day before serving. I’ve found many old hand grinders looking for new homes at garage sales and thrift shops. But this could also be made with a modern food processor. Clean the oranges and apples and dry them well. Then cut each into 6-8 pieces – peels and all. If working with fresh cranberries, they will grind with a better texture if they spend a few hours in the freezer first. When using a grinder, alternate cranberries, apple, and orange pieces until all the fruit has passed through the grinder. If using a food processor, pulse the cranberries, apples and oranges together, in sections if needed, until the fruit has a small, rough texture. Combine well in a bowl with the sugar and chopped walnuts (if using). Cover and refrigerate at least overnight to allow everything to meld together. This also freezes well, so you can prepare for Thanksgiving and save a portion in the freezer for Christmas dinner as well. Leftovers also make fabulous cranberry muffins.
Corn Casserole
This southern holiday classic is a real crowd pleaser, and one New Port Richey City Lifestyle photographer, Jacqueline Elliott from Magical Memories Photography, swears by for her holiday gatherings. Both savory and sweet, it’s a modern version of a classic southern spoon bread.
1 8oz package corn muffin mix
1 can whole kernel corn (15.25 oz, drained)
1 can cream-style corn (14.75 oz)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
shredded cheddar cheese
In a large bowl, stir together the corn muffin mix, can of whole kernel corn, can of cream-style corn, sour cream and melted butter. Stir until just combined. The batter should look thick but pourable, with kernels evenly distributed. Pour the batter into a greased 9x13 baking dish and spread it evenly with a spatula.
Place the dish in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 40–45 minutes (until the edges are golden and the center is set). Top with generous amounts of cheddar cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Let the casserole rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Roasted Turkey
Cooking the turkey is a task some dread. This recipe has never failed to offer a moist and flavorful turkey. You can use the pan drippings to make a wonderful gravy.
1 whole turkey or turkey breast
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 lemon (halved)
1 onion (quartered)
4 cloves minced garlic
1–2 cups chicken or turkey broth
Remove giblets and neck from thawed turkey. Pat turkey dry with paper towels, both inside and out. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder into an herbed butter. Spread about 1/3 of the butter mixture under the skin (directly on the turkey breast). Rub the remaining butter mixture all over the outside of the turkey. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper, then stuff it with the onion, garlic and lemon. Tuck the wings under the body to keep them from burning.
Place the turkey breast-side up on a roasting rack inside a large roasting pan. If you prefer, you can use a bed of vegetables (carrots, onions, celery) to elevate the turkey instead of a roasting rack.
Pour about 1-2 cups of broth into the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey in the oven uncovered at 325 degrees, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Base your cook time on the size of your turkey (estimate 13-15 minutes per pound). Every 45-60 minutes, baste the turkey with the pan drippings. Add more broth to the pan if needed. If the turkey skin browns too quickly, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to curb over-browning.
Once fully cooked, remove the turkey and transfer it to a cutting board or platter and lightly cover it with foil and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.
Sweet Potato Crunch
Sweet potatoes are a staple on Thanksgiving tables across America, but in the South, we make them a little bit differently. This can easily double as a dessert offering, but we always serve it next to the turkey on the dinner table. Watch your family go for seconds (and thirds) with this side dish.
Casserole Base:
3 large sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
Topping:
1/3 cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork or knife and cook until tender. You can prepare this by placing it in the oven at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or by microwaving it covered with cling wrap on high for 10-20 minutes with ¼ cup of water in the bottom of the dish.
Peel the cooled sweet potatoes and mash them in a mixing bowl (you can use a mixer or mix by hand). Combine the mashed sweet potato with the other casserole ingredients: butter, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla extract and granulated sugar. Spread evenly in a baking dish.
Prepare the topping, combining the melted butter, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour and chopped pecans (if using). Spread the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
If you love the sweet, buttery, crunchy topping, you may prefer to double the topping before baking. You can serve it in the baking dish or transfer it, swirling the topping throughout, into a beautiful heirloom china bowl for your Thanksgiving table. Leftovers are rare, but can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.
Homemade Stuffing
You could make stuffing from a box, but it’s well worth the time and effort to make it from scratch. This is a holiday tradition of my husband’s that he has taken over since his father passed away. It’s always a favorite.
1 loaf crusty bread (16oz, cut in small cubes)
1 can chicken broth (14.5 oz)
6 tablespoons butter
1 white onion (finely chopped)
1 cup celery (finely chopped - about 4 stalks)
3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon ground thyme
¼ teaspoon ground sage
Prepare all ingredients and have them ready before beginning. Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. Stir the bread cubes a few times during toasting to ensure even toasting and to avoid burning. If needed, do a couple rounds of toasting. Toasting the bread will ensure it retains its shape once moistened. If you prefer, you can also use stale, day-old bread that has lost its softness.
Pour the chicken broth into a microwave-safe container and heat for 4 minutes or until very warm. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and start to brown. Add in the poultry seasoning, thyme and sage and cook for another minute.
Add the toasted bread cubes and stir until the butter mixture completely coats the bread. Slowly pour the hot chicken broth into the pot, stirring constantly, until the bread cubes soak up the liquid evenly. You can add more (or less) broth to meet your preference. Cover the pot with a lid and remove it from the heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.