A family reunion, a food feasts and a party all rolled into one; that is Thanksgiving in the South. Gathered around a heavily laden table are all the Grandparents, uncles, aunts and children basking in all the wonderful aromas and vision of the star attraction, the most delectable food to be had.
It is the time when even the "once a year" dishes make an appearance. Well, actually, twice a year, since this is about the same menu served Christmas. Turkey, ambrosia, candied yams, cranberry sauce; all the traditional favorites are featured. And best of all, it is mostly home cooked by the best Southern cooks, usually headed up by mom. Although a few short cuts are taken in the interest of time, such as store bought dinner rolls, there is very little that comes from a can or freezer. Southern cooks pride themselves on their "made from scratch" meals.
So, what is on the menu? Here is a typical Southern Thanksgiving spread. Understand that all families have their specialties that may not be listed here, but this is what I grew up enjoying every year.
Meat:
- Turkey (oven roasted - simple and tasty, nothing exotic)
- Ham (real ham, not a canned imitation, for those that do not favor turkey)
Vegetables:
- Candied yams (boil sweet potatoes or yams in water and sugar until tender and syrupy)
- Mashed potatoes (again simple, nothing fancy)
- Green beans (cooked Southern style until very tender and dull green color)
- Corn (kernels)
- Collard or Turnip Greens (Southern style - boil with onion, spoon of bacon grease, spoon of vinegar and dash of hot sauce until very tender)
- Black eyed peas (cooked about the same as collards)
- Cranberries - Never canned. This is not cranberry sauce, it is whole cranberries and much better. Put 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stir to melt sugar. Add 1 package fresh, whole cranberries, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Bring back to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes until syrupy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Side Dishes:
- Fresh veggie plate - assortment of carrots, olives, baby green onions, radish, pickles
- Cornbread dressing (stuffing)
- Ambrosia (home made - never from store)
- Fresh Tossed Salad - simple, just lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chopped green onions
Desserts:
- Home made Pecan Pie
- Home made sweet potato pie
- Mississippi Mud Pie
Bread:
- Southern Cornbread
- Dinner rolls (usually store bought but occasionally someone attempts home made)
Beverages:
- Southern Iced Tea (sweetened, of course)
- Coffee
- Syllabub (an old Southern adult drink)
An assortment of special dishes, mostly desserts, may or may not show up each year, but this is the old standby menu you could count on every Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may want to serve some or all of this menu, but make it from scratch as much as possible and serve it with the best side dish of all...lot's of love.
It is the time when even the "once a year" dishes make an appearance. Well, actually, twice a year, since this is about the same menu served Christmas. Turkey, ambrosia, candied yams, cranberry sauce; all the traditional favorites are featured. And best of all, it is mostly home cooked by the best Southern cooks, usually headed up by mom. Although a few short cuts are taken in the interest of time, such as store bought dinner rolls, there is very little that comes from a can or freezer. Southern cooks pride themselves on their "made from scratch" meals.
So, what is on the menu? Here is a typical Southern Thanksgiving spread. Understand that all families have their specialties that may not be listed here, but this is what I grew up enjoying every year.
Meat:
- Turkey (oven roasted - simple and tasty, nothing exotic)
- Ham (real ham, not a canned imitation, for those that do not favor turkey)
Vegetables:
- Candied yams (boil sweet potatoes or yams in water and sugar until tender and syrupy)
- Mashed potatoes (again simple, nothing fancy)
- Green beans (cooked Southern style until very tender and dull green color)
- Corn (kernels)
- Collard or Turnip Greens (Southern style - boil with onion, spoon of bacon grease, spoon of vinegar and dash of hot sauce until very tender)
- Black eyed peas (cooked about the same as collards)
- Cranberries - Never canned. This is not cranberry sauce, it is whole cranberries and much better. Put 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stir to melt sugar. Add 1 package fresh, whole cranberries, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Bring back to a boil and simmer 10-15 minutes until syrupy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Side Dishes:
- Fresh veggie plate - assortment of carrots, olives, baby green onions, radish, pickles
- Cornbread dressing (stuffing)
- Ambrosia (home made - never from store)
- Fresh Tossed Salad - simple, just lettuce, cherry tomatoes, chopped green onions
Desserts:
- Home made Pecan Pie
- Home made sweet potato pie
- Mississippi Mud Pie
Bread:
- Southern Cornbread
- Dinner rolls (usually store bought but occasionally someone attempts home made)
Beverages:
- Southern Iced Tea (sweetened, of course)
- Coffee
- Syllabub (an old Southern adult drink)
An assortment of special dishes, mostly desserts, may or may not show up each year, but this is the old standby menu you could count on every Thanksgiving and Christmas. You may want to serve some or all of this menu, but make it from scratch as much as possible and serve it with the best side dish of all...lot's of love.
Ken Miller is a free lance writer and webmaster for Southern Recipes, a free recipe website. Recipes for dishes in this article may be found at Southern Thanksgiving Recipes. They are all free.
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