A Southern Thanksgiving Dinner

~Doc Lawrence

  

Chef Lara Lyn Carter

Flavors and aromas combine with good cheer, laughter and welcoming hugs. This is the day Americans gather in reunion, sharing the bounty of the earth miraculously transformed into miraculous traditional dishes that harken to those days long ago when parents and grandparents taught us the importance of this ritual, establishing for future generations the spiritual rewards of sharing. 

These original recipes are treasures, the creations of Emmy winner, our own Chef Lara Lyn Carter, taken from the pages of the cookbook, Southern Thymes Shared. They reflect love of family, the land and a heartfelt respect for tradition.  You’ll enjoy these authentic recipes from the kitchen of Georgia’s Golden Girl.

Roast Turkey with Lemon and Sage 

10-12 pound turkey

Sage Butter (recipe follows)

1 onion

1 lemon

1 clove garlic

1 bouquet of sage (1 cup of leaves)

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup white wine

Remove all giblets from turkey and wash inside and out. Pat the turkey dry. Lift the skin away from the breast of the turkey and generously rub the breast with the sage butter. Rub the outside of the turkey with the remaining butter. Fill the cavity of the turkey with the onion, lemon, garlic and sage. In a greased roasting pan fitted with a rack, pour in the wine and broth. Place the turkey the rack and roast at 350 degrees for 2 ½ hours or until juices run clear and leg is easily removed from the turkey. Allow the turkey to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Sage Butter

This butter has wonderful flavor that infuses the turkey or any poultry.

1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature

¼ cup of sage roughly chopped

1 tsp. coarse salt

Melt butter over medium heat until bubbly. Reduce heat and add sage. Allow sage and butter to simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove the butter from heat and stir in the salt. Allow the butter to cool slightly, remove the sage and pour into a small bowl.

I don’t think that there is a better cook in the world than my mother. She has passed so much on to me in the kitchen and I don’t mean just recipes. I have gotten great advice, listened to stories, and even solved the world’s problems in her kitchen.

Oyster Cornbread Dressing

4 cups crumbled corn bread

2 cups crumbled white bread

1 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 ½ cups chopped sweet onion

½ stick of melted butter

3 extra-large eggs lightly beaten

1 ½ cups chicken broth or homemade stock

16 oz. oysters in juice

1 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine breads, peppers, celery and onions. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Add oysters, salt and pepper last. Mix everything well and pour in a greased 9X13 pan.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes. Be sure to test in the center as some ovens cook faster than others.

Cranberry Salad

My mother-in-law makes this every year at Thanksgiving. It is always so beautiful with the rich colors reflecting the colors of fall.

1 package of fresh cranberries washed and picked over

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

Two 3oz. packages of strawberry Jello

1 large can crushed pineapple drained

1 can mandarin oranges drained

½ cups chopped toasted pecans

Cook cranberries in water and sugar until they begin to pop open. Add Jello and stir until dissolved. Add fruit and nuts to mixture and chill to set.

Pumpkin Pie: A Classic Thanksgiving Tradition 

3 eggs beaten

1 cup light brown sugar packed

2 tbsp. self-rising flour

15 oz. can of pumpkin puree

12 oz. can evaporated milk warmed

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. fresh grated nutmeg

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground clove

½ tsp. ground allspice

1 prepared pie crust

Combine all ingredients saving milk for last. Gradually add the warmed milk mixing well. Pour in a prepared pie crust and bake 350 degrees for 1 hour.

 WINE PAIRING~Doc Lawrence Selections

This is America’s feast and ideally the wines should be from our great domestic producers. The best advice I ever received about wine pairings for this day of homecoming and gratitude was to offer guests variety. With so many dishes to choose from, the wines should be diverse, but still fit within the flavors and aromas. Then your guests choose what they like. Riesling has adapted well in our country, produced from Washington State to New York, and is a noble wine that will comfortably take to the turkey and the dressing. The food friendly white and red wines from Oregon’s renowned King Estate particularly Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir should be on your table. Aperitif? A Deep South’s sparkling wine from Georgia’s Wolf Mountain will be light and refreshing. A Southern red wine: Three Sisters Cynthiana-Norton is dry and the grape is native to Georgia. Each wine will become a delicious salute to family and friends, a prelude to the glorious holiday season.