If you are a reader of the TowneLaker magazine, then you know that community is very important to us. In addition to community, our staff members also enjoy spending time with their families and honoring traditions. With Thanksgiving just four days away, we thought it would be appropriate to share a few of our tried and true turkey day recipes with you! We hope you and your family enjoy some of our takes on tradition right here in Cherokee County!
Turkey Brine
“I was really nervous the first time I cooked my own turkey. I think I must have called my mother at least a half-dozen times to ask her questions about the process. And yes, I did remember to remove the bag of giblets from inside the turkey prior to cooking it. A few years ago I started brineing my turkeys (soaking the turkey in a solution of salt and water). Try brining your bird this year. It will change your world, I promise – or at least it will change your turkey. You won’t be disappointed!”
Jackie Loudin, Managing Editor
- 1 cup sea salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 5 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon rubbed sage
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
Dissolve sugars and salt in 2 quarts of boiling water. Once it is dissolved, add the other spices and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Add in 1-2 quarts more water (depending on the size of your bird). Place your turkey in a large Ziploc storage bag (one of the big ones designed for holding sweaters). When the brine solution is cool, pour over bird (you can add a bunch of ice cubes to speed up this process). Add more water if necessary – you want the entire turkey fully submerged. Let bird sit in brine for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. If your bird won’t fit in your refrigerator, put it in a cooler and cover with ice. When you are ready to cook your turkey, remove it from the Ziploc bag, then rinse and roast as you normally would.
Cranberry Bread
“I’ve been making this bread since I was 9 years old. I had a book called “Cranberry Thanksgiving,” which is the story of a grandmother who loses her secret recipe. The book set my imagination on fire, I just had to try the recipe, which was included in the book. It was a big hit.”
Michelle McCollough, Art Director
- 2 cups sifted flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 teaspoon orange peel
- ¾ cup orange juice
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1½ cups fresh cranberries, chopped Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix butter, sugar, egg, orange juice and orange peel together. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients and add to the egg mixture. Mix thoroughly, fold in cranberries and walnuts. Pour in a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 min.
Cornbread Dressing and Buttermilk Cornbread
“My mom Shirley is 75 years old, and has been making our family’s Thanksgiving dressing all of my life. She never used an exact recipe – just a little of this and that — and it made perfect sense to her. Last year the torch was nervously passed to me, since standing in the kitchen all day is becoming difficult for her. I knew this day would come and I also knew that despite my best effort, my dressing would not measure up. I needed courage, confidence and time (all of which I lack), along with exact instructions. It wasn’t my momma’s dressing, but the following recipe was a big hit; it has become our new tradition – and it’s foolproof. ”
Karen Flaig, Founder of Everyday Angels
Cornbread Dressing
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 2 cups chopped leeks
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Buttermilk Cornbread, crumbled (recipe follows)
- 3 cups cooked crumbled biscuits (I used Sister Shubert’s frozen)
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground sage
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- I also add shredded rotisserie chicken
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 in. baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat until it melts. Add celery, leeks, garlic, cook 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender. In a large bowl, combine cornbread, biscuits, bacon, broth, eggs, sour cream, poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper. Stir just until crumbs are moistened. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes until center is set.
Buttermilk Cornbread
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups buttermilk-flavored self-rising cornmeal mix
- 2¾ cups whole buttermilk
Preheat oven to 425. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, heat butter until melted. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal mix and buttermilk. Spoon batter into hot skillet and bake 30 minutes
Fried Oysters
“Growing up in Maryland, a Thanksgiving Dinner is not complete without a side of fresh local seafood. With crab season gone, this would leave us with oysters from the Chesapeake Bay. I still try to carry on this tradition and have fried oysters every Thanksgiving day.”
Laura Latchford, Page Designer
- 1 qt. fresh oysters
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay® Seasoning
- 16 ounces cracker meal
- 16 ounces seafood breader
- Canola oil
Mix all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the two eggs in a separate bowl. Strain and rinse the oysters, adding them to the whisked egg. Remove the oysters one by one from egg to the dry mix, coating each oyster well. Deep-fry in canola oil at 375 degrees until golden brown.
Brown Rice
“This is my mother-in-law’s (Betty Griffin of Thomasville, GA) recipe, and the one my husband looks most forward to.”
Denise Griffin, Controller
- 1 cup rice
- ¾ stick melted butter
- 1 can French Onion soup (not the mix)
- 1 can beef consommé
- 1 can sliced mushrooms
Mix all ingredients in a Corning Ware™ dish, then cover. Bake at 350 for one hour.
Better Than Pumpkin Pie
“Be prepared for your family to ditch the traditional pumpkin pie in favor of this dish.”
Candi Hannigan, Executive Editor
- 1 16-oz. can pumpkin
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ cups milk
- 3 eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 pkg. yellow cake mix
- 1 ½ sticks butter, melted
Topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Pour into a well-greased 13 x 9 in. pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top, then drizzle butter evenly over cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour until lightly browned. Serve with whipped topping. Serves 10-12.
Share your favorite turkey day recipes with us on our Facebook page!
Leave a Reply