Welcome to Thanksgiving week, foodie friends. Make haste and read on; the day is fast approaching. And your fellow readers have filled this column with goodies.
But first, as always, you have your challenges. There is a special supper brewing at First Presbyterian Church, where special meals are often the order of the day. The gracious people who man (and woman?) the kitchen are in search of a Chattanooga favorite, Party Potatoes. The source of the original recipe was the legendary hostess Maddin McCallie. Her recipe had "real potatoes, not frozen hash browns as it was from a good many years ago. Two other ingredients are cream cheese and sour cream." Can you supply the rest, or the recipe, perhaps even from the unforgettable Maddin McCallie's cookbook?
We have in the pipeline for December more cranberries, and are hereby asking for more: your holiday recipes -- Christmas, Hanukkah and all December celebrations.
(READ MORE: Some next-day ideas for those Thanksgiving leftovers)
A SIDE OF CORN
Pat Treadwell pronounced this side dish as "simple and delicious."
Baked Corn
1 can whole-kernel corn (not drained)
1 can cream-style corn
1 cup sour cream
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
1 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
Mix together, and pour into a buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes.
HOLIDAY CHUTNEY
When I read this family treasure from Linda Robinson-Graydon, I first noticed the recipe's generous yield of 2 quarts. That ought to be enough to carry us through 2022.
Ms. Robinson-Graydon wrote, "My sister, Mary Robinson, and I have prepared this cranberry chutney together for many years at Christmas. It has always been a big hit. This is a great place to use an apple peeler/corer if you have one."
Cranberry Chutney
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup grated orange rind
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 apples, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mace
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
4 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 cup raisins or currants
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
Stir in vinegar and next 6 ingredients, and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in cranberries and remaining ingredients; simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Cool; chill 8 hours. Yield 2 quarts.
THANKSGIVING TWOFER
Roseann Strazinsky sent, as is her generous habit, several recipes in her most recent missive with a Fairfield Glade, Tennessee, postmark. Here are the first two. And why not a whiff of garlic for Thanksgiving dinner?
Cheese and Garlic Biscuits
Biscuits:
2 1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix
3/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dry ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup buttermilk
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheese, garlic powder and ranch dressing mix. Stir in buttermilk, just until moistened.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until golden brown.
Add topping (recipe follows).
Makes 1 dozen biscuits.
Topping:
1 stick melted butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry ranch salad dressing mix
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
While biscuits are baking, combine ingredients. Brush onto baked biscuit tops.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Casserole:
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
2 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
Dash of salt
Combine ingredients, mixing well together. Place into a casserole dish that has been sprayed lightly with Pam.
Topping:
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans
Combine the ingredients well, and spread on top of the potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes about 8 servings.
FANCY POTATOES
Tim Threadgill has high praise for the next recipe. It is "the most holiday- feast-worthy potato dish I have eaten. Using two prepared pie crusts keeps the time manageable. The potatoes and ingredients could be prepared a day ahead (I would even put the crust in the pan a day ahead), but I would caution allowing things to come to room temperature to maintain the cook time. It has stolen the show from roasted prime rib and lobster.
"One tip: The crust after working the cheese and rosemary is heavy and fragile. Try to avoid any tears when putting it in the springform pan, to keep the cream from leaking out in cooking. Perhaps chilling it a bit before putting in the pan may help, but I wouldn't fold it. Use a mandolin for the potatoes so everything cooks evenly -- no one wants to bite into a half-cooked potato." His source: Southern Living.
Potato Gratin With Rosemary Crust
One surprise in this dish is a blend of two types of potatoes. The recipe calls for Yukon Gold potatoes, as expected, but it also shakes things up with the addition of sweet potatoes. It's a simple recipe, but it's also one with just enough surprise to keep home cooks coming back to it again and again.
1 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, minced
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Unroll pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle rosemary, pepper and 1/2 cup cheese over 1 pie crust; top with remaining pie crust. Roll into a 13-inch circle. Press on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; fold edges under. Chill.
Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice Yukon Gold and sweet potatoes.
Layer 1/3 each of Yukon Gold potatoes, sweet potatoes and salt in prepared crust. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice, pressing layers down slightly to fit.
Microwave cream and garlic in a 1-cup microwave-safe measuring cup at high 45 seconds; pour over potato layers in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.
Bake at 450 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 25 minutes or until potatoes are done and crust is richly browned. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving plate, and remove sides of pan. If desired, carefully slide gratin off bottom of pan using a long knife or narrow spatula. Garnish, if desired.
(READ MORE: No matter the kind, please pass the potatoes)
Off to the market with you, now. And do come back, satisfied and also ready, next Wednesday.
REQUESTS
-- Maddin McCallie's party potatoes
-- Recipes for December celebrations
TO REACH US
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send, and know we cannot test the recipes printed here.
• Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
• Email: chattfare@gmail.com