Holiday dinners are more than turkey

Thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner most often turn to turkey. “Last year’s bird was so dry. Perhaps we should try frying it this year.” But, there’s more to a memorable holiday meal than just the meat in the middle. Many family traditions are found in the trimmings.

For as long as anyone close to him can remember, Charles Fleming has opened the doors of his Atlanta home to family, neighbors and friends on Thanksgiving morning in what he dubs his “Family, Friends and Outcasts Feast.” By his estimation, it’s the dressing that makes or breaks a holiday meal.

Fleming’s oyster dressing is legendary in his circle of friends.

“My grandparents on my father’s side were from Pensacola, Fla., so oyster dressing was their family tradition,” Fleming said. While many Southerners swear by traditional cornbread dressing, along the Gulf coast oyster dressing is a staple on holiday tables.

“You definitely want fresh oysters if you can get them,” he said. A dash of salt, pepper, cayenne, sage and basil give Fleming's dressing flavor. “And, don’t forget the Cajun trinity: celery, bell pepper and onions,” he added.

“You have to start with a good French baguette that you let go stale and then cube,” he said. The bread holds the dressing together and soaks up all the rich flavors.

For others, holiday meals are a time to enjoy special twists on everyday vegetables. From green bean casseroles to corn puddings, there’s no shortage of tempting treats to try. “I never ate a sweet potato I didn't like,” said Wayne McLaurin, a retired University of Georgia Cooperative Extension horticulture specialist who now makes his home on the Mississippi coast.

“Growing up with the greatest cook in the world, we learned early to eat pretty much everything. In the blending of French, Italian, Creole and Cajun, though, there was always true ‘Southern cooking,’ which involved sweet potatoes,” he said.

“Mamma fixed them french fried for breakfast with cinnamon and brown sugar. For other meals, she baked, boiled or candied them with marshmallows. She made mouth-watering pies and sweet-potato chips. We ate many cold sweet potatoes, too, as a snack after school,” he remembered.

But his favorite, often reserved for special occasions, was the sweet-potato surprise.

“Mamma made them from baked sweet potatoes she mashed with spices and rolled into golf-ball-size pieces,” he said. “Poking her thumb into the ball made just enough space to insert one or two miniature marshmallows.”

“Then, she reformed the ball, rolled it in fresh-grated coconut and chopped pecans and baked it until the outside was crusty and the marshmallow melted inside,” he said.

The names "sweet potato" and "yam" have been used interchangeably over the years. “We called our sweet potatoes yams because the variety we grew was the Puerto Rican type that was moist-fleshed and very sweet,” McLaurin said.

By any name, the sweet tubers are rich with Vitamin A, provide a high-energy staple to many diets and are instrumental in preventing childhood blindness in developing countries. And, they are an important Georgia crop. Tift, Tattnall and Colquitt are Georgia’s largest sweet potato-producing counties, growing more than half of the state’s 684-acre crop.

Including a colorful, nutritional mix of locally grown vegetables in your holiday menu is a healthy choice and good for Georgia’s economy, too. Georgia farmers grow more than 150,000 acres of vegetables in more than 40 different varieties. Just over 90 percent of them are sold at fresh markets. Georgia-grown vegetables had a 2008 farm-gate value of $850 million.

Holiday meals provide the perfect setting to celebrate heritage, to honor loved ones with traditional recipes and to try new trimmings to dress up the tried-and-true.

By Faith Peppers
University of Georgia

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Pumpkin Or Sweet Potato? Tips And Topping To Make The Best Pie

(NAPSI)-'Tis the season for pie making. This recipe for Sweet Potato Pie features a stunning fig and toasted pecan topping that works equally well on pumpkin pie. Whether you prefer pumpkin or lean toward sweet potato, these baking tips will reward you with pie perfection.

Luscious, sweet, moist, dark Mission or golden California Calimyrna figs are simmered in brandy and maple syrup and swirled with toasted pecans. Spooned over a silky-smooth sweet potato filling, this showy, classic pie is even more appealing when you realize it started with a refrigerated pie crust.

For more recipes and fig tips, visit Valley Fig Growers at www.valleyfig.com.

Perfect Pie Tips

• For optimum baking results, use a glass or dull-metal pie pan. Avoid shiny metal or disposable aluminum pans, which reflect heat and prevent crusts from browning. Dark pans may cause crusts to brown too much.

• To keep baked edges from getting too brown, cover the edges with foil after the first 15 minutes of baking. Use a 12-inch-square piece of foil. Cut out a 7-inch circle from the center, and gently fold the foil "ring" around the crust's edge. Be careful: The pie will be hot!

• Use a hot oven temperature during the first 15 minutes of baking.

• Cool the pie on a wire rack to help prevent a soggy bottom. The rack helps air circulate.

Sweet Potato Pie With Fig And Pecan Topping

Pie:

1 refrigerated pie crust (½ of 15-oz. package)

15 ounces canned sweet potatoes, packed in light syrup

⅓ cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup whipping cream

Topping:

¼ cup butter

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup stemmed, chopped Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid Figs

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon brandy or water

½ cup chopped, toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Prepare one 9-inch pie crust according to package directions for filled pie; do not bake.

Drain sweet potatoes; mash or whirl in food processor until smooth (potatoes should measure 1⅛ cups). In medium bowl, whisk together sweet potatoes, brown sugar, spice and salt. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, and cream. Pour filling into crust.

Bake pie 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350º, shield edge of pie with foil to prevent overbrowning, and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes or until center moves slightly when shaken. Remove pie to wire rack to cool.

For topping, in small saucepan, stir butter and brown sugar over medium heat until melted. Stir in figs, maple syrup and brandy. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until reduced to a thick, glossy syrup. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Spoon evenly over warm pie.

Cool. Chill for up to 8 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

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Enjoy Sweet Potatoes With A Heart-Healthy Twist

(NAPSI)-This holiday season, you can use olive oil to give your dishes a dose of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats without sacrificing taste.

For a lighter and more flavorful alternative to candied yams and other marshmallow-topped sweet potato dishes, try Mashed Sweet Potatoes. This twist on the comfort food favorite combines cardamom, fresh ginger and grated orange peel for a sweet-savory flavor. It uses olive oil instead of butter for a creamy consistency. And a crunchy baked topping of cinnamon breadcrumbs helps to ensure that even picky eaters will enjoy a healthy dose of the sweet potatoes' vitamins A and C. Holiday meals don't have to be elaborate to be festive and satisfying.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Prep. Time: 50 minutes

Cook Time: 57 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 47 minutes

4 large sweet potatoes (about 5 lbs.), peeled and quartered

Extra-light olive oil for greasing casserole

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 to 3 tsp. grated fresh gingerroot

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 egg

2 Tbsp. grated orange peel (approx. 2 oranges)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. cardamom, optional

⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper

2 slices cinnamon bread, torn into 1-inch pieces

2 tsp. extra-light olive oil

Place potatoes in Dutch oven with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover loosely and simmer 15 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain well in colander; place in large bowl; set aside.

Heat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease 2-quart casserole with olive oil. In medium skillet or saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and gingerroot; cook and stir until tender.

Lightly mash potatoes with spoon or potato masher. Add onion mixture and remaining ingredients except cinnamon bread and 2 tsp. olive oil. For smoother consistency, beat with mixer to blend. For a chunkier mixture, mash with potato masher or wooden spoon to blend. Spoon into prepared casserole.

In food processor or blender, process bread pieces until completely chopped. Blend in remaining 2 tsp. olive oil. Sprinkle over potato mixture.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned and thoroughly hot.

Makes 16 to 20 servings.

For more recipes, as well as additional information about olive oil, visit www.aboutoliveoil.org.

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Southern-Style Holiday Spread Shortcuts

(NAPSI)-Hosting family and friends during the holiday season can mean hours--even days--of menu planning, grocery shopping and cooking. From serving dishes to clean plates, the big meal takes only a fraction of the time to eat as it did to prepare.

For tasty fixings prepared in less than half the time, substitute ready-made foods into recipes. Add these delicious and quick recipes to this year's holiday menu to save time in the kitchen and spend more time enjoying family and friends:

Southern-Style Sweet Potato Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 50 minutes

1 15-ounce can Glory Foods® Sweet Potato Casserole

3 tablespoons butter, melted

2 large eggs

1 cup sweetened, condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 pie shell, raw, frozen

(9" deep dish)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine butter, eggs, condensed milk and vanilla extract in mixing bowl. Blend in cornstarch and then sweet potato casserole, stirring until smooth. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking for 40 minutes or until a knife inserted to the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool before serving.

Southern-Style Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons garlic, minced

2 15-ounce cans Glory Foods® Sensibly Seasoned Black Beans

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons lemon juice

⅛ teaspoon onion powder

⅛ teaspoon white pepper, ground

¼ teaspoon cumin, ground

Sauté the garlic and olive oil in a small nonstick pan for 3 to 5 minutes to soften and brown slightly. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, process until smooth and pour hummus in serving dish. Serve immediately with crackers, bread or vegetables or refrigerate for later use.

For more Southern-style holiday recipes and shortcuts, visit www.GloryFoods.com.

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Vanilla Spices Up Holiday Dishes

(ARA) - Pro chefs and casual cooks alike will soon create confections for the holiday season. The best-loved delicacies will have one of the world's most popular flavors in common -- vanilla, with its heady, aromatic taste combined with sweet, fruity and floral scents.

Americans consume about 1,200 tons of vanilla beans a year. Vanilla is exciting and comforting, sexy and simple all at the same time. But not all vanilla is the same, and it pays to know the different kinds before you begin your seasonal baking.

The flavor is extracted from vanilla beans which are grown in four locations around the world -- Madagascar, Indonesia, Mexico and Tahiti.

Madagascar beans are creamy, sweet, smooth and mellow and work well in rich foods and in recipes that call for high heat, like cookies. Madagascar vanilla also works in ice cream and blends well with coffee and in chocolate recipes. Indonesian vanilla is typically a lower quality vanilla which has smoky, woody flavor notes and is often sold in supermarkets and warehouse clubs as just "Pure Vanilla Extract."

Vanilla was discovered in Mexico, and Mexican beans are spicier and complement chocolate, cinnamon, cloves and other warm spices. Surprisingly, Mexican pure vanilla extract also smoothes out the heat and acidity of tomatoes and chili peppers, which are used in salsas and barbecue sauces. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns consumers to purchase only Mexican pure vanilla that is produced in the United States. Mexican-produced vanilla is often made with coumarin, a toxic substance banned in the U.S.

The fourth kind of bean, Tahitian vanilla, is more delicate and works best in cooler cooked foods like refrigerated and frozen desserts, fruit pies and sauces, smoothies and shakes. Tahitian pure vanilla is known for its aromatic, cherry-like flavor and decorates fruit recipes splendidly.

Confectioners, bakers, chefs of fine restaurants and home cooks make sure they have vanilla like Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on hand to perfect their holiday baking. Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Inc. is known as the producer of the finest vanilla because it uses an exclusive cold extraction process, which slowly draws out the delicate and distinctive flavors of the vanilla beans.

One way to expand your holiday recipe list this year is to use vanilla in savory dishes like Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes, in addition to cakes and cookies. Vanilla helps to enhance the inherent flavors of sweet potatoes, rather than concealing their flavor in sweeteners.

Creamy Vanilla Sweet Potatoes

Serves six

Ingredients:
4 medium sweet potatoes
canola oil
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter softened
1/4 cup real maple syrup
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 strips bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes and lightly coat skins with canola oil. Pierce each potato several times with a fork, place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for one hour or until fork-tender.

Cut the hot potatoes into halves. Scoop the pulp into a mixing bowl, discarding the skins. Beat at medium speed for one minute using an electric mixer. Add cream cheese, butter, syrup, vanilla extract, salt and pepper. Whip until creamy.

Spoon whipped potatoes into six ramekins coated with nonstick cooking spray and top with the bacon. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for five to eight minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, they may be reheated in a microwave.

Courtesy of ARA content

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Judy's Mama's Sweet Potato Biscuits

It's cold outside and so my mind turns toward one of my favorite cold-weather foods, my Mama's Sweet Potato Biscuits. This is a great recipe to keep in mind if you have leftover sweet potatoes.

Mama's Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 cups self-rising flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup margarine or shortening
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes*
1/3 cup PLUS 2 Tbsp. buttermilk**

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with PAM or grease it the old-fashioned way.

Sprinkle the salt on the mashed sweet potatoes. Sift flour and cut in the shortening or margarine. Add sweet potatoes. Add buttermilk gradually until it's stiff enough to roll out but not too dry! If you add too much milk, make drop biscuits (which is what I always do, lazy me). Roll out on pastry sheet lightly dusted with flour. Cut with lightly floured biscuit cutter and pop them on the cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

*toss a large sweet potato into the microwave to cook if you're in a hurry. Clean it, then poke it a few times with a fork to break the skin. Wrap it in a damp paper towel and cook it until soft. You can also buy sweet potatoes in a can if you really want to. I don't care for them personally, but when used for cooking they are OK.

**If you don't have buttermilk you can add a little bit of lemon juice or vinegar to the milk and it'll work fine. If you don't have lemon juice or plain vinegar then try substituting plain yogurt or sour cream as either will work fine.

Some variations I've tried include mixing some sausage into the mix (or you can serve them with sausage). I've also added some sugar and made them a morning treat! Another great way to eat these is to cut them open after cooking, slather them with butter, sugar and cinnamon. Sweet potato cinnamon biscuits are the best!

Judy