Recipes for all my friends:

Thanksgiving Dressing

As prepared by MaMa (Netta Mae) Craig

Cornbread (2 large skillets)

The best part of the dressing are the crispy edges!

To make cornbread:

1 cup corn meal

1 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 - 1 tsp. salt

1 plus cups of buttermilk

1/4 c. canola oil

2 tablespoons of Canola oil

Mix together in a bowl.  Put 2 T. oil in the bottom of skillet.  Place in HOT (425 degree oven) for ten minutes or so.  Add cornbread batter to skillet and return to oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Assembling Dressing: 

2 skillets of cooked and cooled cornbread

1 lb. of Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Dressing

2 ½ cups green onion

4 cups of chopped celery

2 cups chopped bell pepper

1 – 2 onions finely chopped in processor

2 Tablespoons of poultry seasoning

2 Tablespoons of sage

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons black pepper

Crumble cornbread in large baking dish (like a roasting pan).  Add stuffing mix and veggies and seasoning.  Add broth from Turkey and maybe two or more cans of broth.    If it’s too stiff, put in 2 beaten eggs (Mama puts in four and uses mixer to beat them). 

Pour oil over the top of dressing (edges of pan).  Clean the sides of the pan.  Smash edges away from pan with a spatula.

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These sweet potatoes are so good, you'll never go
back to the old standard recipes!

Amaretto Sweet Potatoes

2 lbs. sweet potatoes
3/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 eggs
2 T. amaretto
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 c. chopped pecans

Combine teh sweet potatoes with enough water to cover in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Boil until tender, drain.  Remove the skins of the sweet potatoes.  Arrange the sweet potatoes in a greased 2-quart baking dish.  Process the sugar, buttermilk, butter, eggs, amaretto, vanilla, cinnamon and baking soda in a blender until smooth.  Stir in the pecans.  Spoon over sweet potatoes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  NOTE:  This can be made ahead, refrigerated, and allowed to return to room temp and baked the next day.

***North Harris Montgomery County Junior League "Taste of Texas"
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Homestyle Green Bean Casserole

Using fresh green beans in this delicious casserole
makes all the difference in the world.  Definitely
a welcome update to the traditional casserole.

1 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
2 T. butter
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. reduced fat milk
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 T. ranch dressing mix
2 tsp. chopped FRESH thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. butter
1 (8 oz.) package sliced fresh mushrooms
Non-stick cooking spray
1 c. French fried onions, crushed
1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover for 4 to 6 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness; drain.  Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain and pat dry.

Melt 2 T. butter in dutch oven over medium heat.  Whisk in flour until smooth.  Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute.  Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 c. milk; cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.  Gently toss mushroooms and green benas in buttermilk sauce.  Place in a 13 x 9" or 3 qt. baking dish.  Combine french fried onions and next two ingredients; sprinkle over green bean mixture. 

Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 

***Southern Living, November 2011