Best Thanksgiving side dish and why....

Capt MJ said:
Oohhh Chess Pie, especially Lemon Chess. Southern specialty. Folk lore says “chess” came from “chest,” as in it kept well in storage. So sweet your teeth screaming could star in a horror movie.
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now I have to do some research. I have heard of chest pies, all prior to the days of cold storage. And lemon is one of my favorite flavors.
 
Heatherg21 said:
now I have to do some research. I have heard of chest pies, all prior to the days of cold storage. And lemon is one of my favorite flavors.
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www.southernliving.com

Classic Chess Pie

Gooey, buttery, and perfectly sweet, chess pie has been a staple of the Southern dessert table for generations. This old-fashioned chess pie recipe is sure to please.
www.southernliving.com www.southernliving.com
 
Capt MJ said:
www.southernliving.com

Classic Chess Pie

Gooey, buttery, and perfectly sweet, chess pie has been a staple of the Southern dessert table for generations. This old-fashioned chess pie recipe is sure to please.
www.southernliving.com www.southernliving.com
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Crap my DH would love this. Now I am going to have to make a crust and turn on the oven. Good thing the DD and her fiance are coming over for dinner this weekend. I may have to do the maple or the caramel one. Lemon is in the running as well.
For those out there who will tell me to buy a premade crust, that is blasphemy. There is not even a comparison to homemade worth buying. Thank you @Capt MJ
 
Heatherg21 said:
Crap my DH would love this. Now I am going to have to make a crust and turn on the oven. Good thing the DD and her fiance are coming over for dinner this weekend. I may have to do the maple or the caramel one. Lemon is in the running as well.
For those out there who will tell me to buy a premade crust, that is blasphemy. There is not even a comparison to homemade worth buying. Thank you @Capt MJ
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I knew you would make your own crust. For the authentic classic versions of things Southern, I always turn to Southern Living, and deviate when they do “convenience versions.”.

It was our anniversary yesterday. Fancy take-out from a favorite, and I made an old-fashioned Southern Dr. Pepper sheet cake with dark chocolate frosting, right out of Southern Living. I’ve been diving back into my mother’s collection of cookbooks from church, women’s clubs and Southern Living, just to add variety to COVID Times.

Now, back on topic.
 
While we are talking desserts, enjoy these, any of which often makes appearances alongside classic pies at Thanksgiving:

www.southernliving.com

31 Vintage Church Desserts Worth Praising

There's really nothing like the old-fashioned Southern Living dessert recipes you can find in your mama's old church cookbook.
www.southernliving.com www.southernliving.com
 
My Mom's stuffing, may she rest in peace, my mother-in-laws corn she froze, and my wife's homemade cranberry relish. Never the stuff from a can. There's no comparison.
 
On one of our fall-family-tradition apple-picking ventures many years ago, a woman right out of Southern Living gave a demonstration on making apple pies. Pretty basic stuff except this: she made her pie crust with 7-Up instead of ice water. Said it made for a lighter, flakier crust. No word on whether Sprite was an acceptable substitute. Maybe I’ll try it this year.
 
Mmmmm... Mom's apple pie. My Dad, my brothers, my uncle and I would go deer hunting every Thanksgiving morning. We would be back around noon, with or without a deer, and we all had a big slice of pie. I always went for the apple with a good piece of extra sharp cheddar.

An apple pie without the cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze.
 
https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/christmas-cranberry-pie-recipe/

I love cranberries and I love pie. So we have this unorthodox but delicious cranberry pie every year. It’s part pie, part cookie, part cake, but 100% Thanksgiving. Try it with freshly whipped cream or a la mode.

It’s DD’s task to make it every year. Since she’ll be doing Turkey Day on the Yard, we’ll have her make it for Christmas instead. Maybe she’ll bring a couple back to the Yard too.
 
kinnem said:
Mmmmm... Mom's apple pie. My Dad, my brothers, my uncle and I would go deer hunting every Thanksgiving morning. We would be back around noon, with or without a deer, and we all had a big slice of pie. I always went for the apple with a good piece of extra sharp cheddar.

An apple pie without the cheese is like a kiss without the squeeze.
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How about one with a cheddar cheese crust? I’m going to put that on the Oct To Do list and start Pie Season in style.
 
VelveteenR said:
Thanksgiving at our house is all fresh, made from scratch, nothing from boxes or cans, but certainly includes sour-creamy garlic mashed potatoes and lots and lots and lots of gravy. On this day, no one is vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, or anything-ian or they go hungry. (We do not pander to anyone's crazy, bound-to-fail diet.)

BUT, we do have one absolutely artery-clogging dish that I cringe to share, but we can't do without -- broccoli cheese dish. Yes, it might as well be made from by-products of the rubber plant, but it's generally the first thing to go:

2 bags (1 lb+) frozen broccoli pieces
1 lb brick of Velveeta cheese cut up into small chunks
1 (entire) stick of butter
1 stack of Ritz crackers rolled into crumbs (or pulsed in food processor to resemble dust)

If you're not gagging yet... Cook the broccoli according to package directions (but no salt) and drain. Over low heat, add the cheese chunks and butter and melt together with the broccoli pieces. Mix in half (or a little more) of the cracker crumbs. Remove from heat and pat into casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining cracker crumbs on top of mixture. Bake before serving for 30 minutes at 300 (just to get things a bit bubbly and brown on top, not because any of the ingredients actually require heat for any culinary purpose). Due to its possibly radioactive properties, this dish can safely be made up to a year ahead of time.

You're welcome.
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You SO lost me at....


Broccoli...

Not.ever.anytime.anyplace.

Steve
 
Capt MJ said:
Oohhh Chess Pie, especially Lemon Chess. Southern specialty. Folk lore says “chess” came from “chest,” as in it kept well in storage. So sweet your teeth screaming could star in a horror movie.
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YES, YES, and YES!!!

Both of my late grandmothers, fine Southern ladies, made "to die for" Chess Pie...

Steve
 
Sweet Potato Casserole...
Mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, evaporated milk (kind of like making a pumpkin pie, but less liquidy) and a topping made from butter, dark brown sugar and chopped walnuts. DW got it from a friend at work 20 or so years ago and it's been a staple at our Thanksgiving table ever since. We passed the recipe down to DD this past year for a Friendsgiving she and DSIL hosted and all those young 20 somethings raved about it!
 
flieger83 said:
You SO lost me at....


Broccoli...

Not.ever.anytime.anyplace.

Steve
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I totally agreed with you. But then, after my 15th birthday, I grew to accept it and now, its not an issue.
A couple of years ago, we stopped boiling/steaming our broc and started roasting it. Toss with olive oil, salt and
throw it in the oven.

Pretty pretty pretty good.

 
Dad_2024 said:
Sweet Potato Casserole...
Mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, evaporated milk (kind of like making a pumpkin pie, but less liquidy) and a topping made from butter, dark brown sugar and chopped walnuts. DW got it from a friend at work 20 or so years ago and it's been a staple at our Thanksgiving table ever since. We passed the recipe down to DD this past year for a Friendsgiving she and DSIL hosted and all those young 20 somethings raved about it!
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Thats my wife's go to dish when she needs to bring something for Thanksgiving. I love it, but unfortunately don't eat it anymore. Too much sugar. But it's to die for. A standard classic in these parts.
 
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So, a contribution.

This cook book is 25 years old but oh man, it is most worthy. It is a compilation of notable NFL players and coaches and their favorite comfort-food recipes. Some absolutely fantastic stuff in it. One could probably still find a copy out there.
My Father in Law was a Texan that loved cooking with a Southern touch. Sweet Potatoes was a favorite. The following was Emmitt Smith's contribution to the book of recipes. As a side dish, it is not light weight but it was one of my FIL's favorites even if it was a late comer. It is very good.

There is some rib sticking grub in this book. I have to go put it back in the safe now....

recipe 1.jpgrecipe 2.jpgrecipe 3.jpg
 
MidCakePa said:
On one of our fall-family-tradition apple-picking ventures many years ago, a woman right out of Southern Living gave a demonstration on making apple pies. Pretty basic stuff except this: she made her pie crust with 7-Up instead of ice water. Said it made for a lighter, flakier crust. No word on whether Sprite was an acceptable substitute. Maybe I’ll try it this year.
Click to expand...
From a chemistry perspective it should work. My step mother makes hers with ice cold sparkling ice water. And I use her recipe for any homemade pie crust.
 
OldRetSWO said:
I totally agreed with you. But then, after my 15th birthday, I grew to accept it and now, its not an issue.
A couple of years ago, we stopped boiling/steaming our broc and started roasting it. Toss with olive oil, salt and
throw it in the oven.

Pretty pretty pretty good.

Click to expand...
One of my favorite things about winter is tossing broccoli, red onion, cauliflower and carrot in olive oil and herbs and roasting at high temps. Such a different animal than steaming.
 
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