Parker House Skillet Rolls

These rolls are reminiscent of one of our favorites, "Bubba's Cooks Country" restaurant here in Dallas.  This recipe is perfect for your Thanksgiving or Christmas Day feast.

Makes about 48

1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

4 to 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened and cut into 48 cubes

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk, sugar and yeast.  Let stand until mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.  Stir 1/2 cup flour into yeast mixture.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, beat melted butter, eggs, and remaining 1 cup milk at low speed until combined.  Add yeast mixture, beating to combine.  Add 1 cup flour and salt; beat to combine.  Gradually add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, beating until dough comes together and begins to pull away from sides of bowl, 2 to 3 minutes. (Dough will be sticky but not unmanageable.  If dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it comes together.)

Spray a large bowl with cooking spray.  Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and let stand in a warm, draft-free place (75 degrees) until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

On a lightly floured surface, turn out dough.  Divide dough in half and gently shape each half into a ball.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Spray 2 (12-inch) cast-iron skillets with cooking spray.  Roll half of dough into a 14x12-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick.  Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut dough, re-rolling scraps as necessary.  Repeat with remaining dough.

Brush each circle with melted butter and place one cube of softened butter on bottom half of each one.  Fold circles over and press to seal.  Place in prepared skillets.  Cover and let stand in a warm, draft-free place (75 degrees) until puffed, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush rolls with melted butter.  Bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with additional melted butter.

**Recipe adapted from Cast Iron Baking from Brooke Bell

 

Mamaw's Green Jello Salad

Another McCormick Holiday feast classic.  This retro recipe in particular is one of my Mom's favorite's.  Even with the crazy ingredients it is definitely worth a try.  If you're not crazy about the ideas of adding mayonnaise to your jello (fair enough), I've seen recipes where they add more cream cheese instead.  This recipe can be made ahead of time.

1 small pkg. lime jello

3/4 cup boiling water

2 cups mini marshmallows

1 - 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/2 cup Carnation Evaporated Milk

1 can crushed pineapple including juice, large can

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup diced bananas

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Add boiling water to jello mix.  Stir for 1 minute.  Add marshmallows, and cream cheese, and stir for another minute or so. Sprinkle the lemon juice on the bananas, coating well.  Add all of the remaining ingredients to jello mixture and mix well. Spoon mixture into a casserole dish.  Place in refrigerator to gel.

Mamaw's Spinach Rockefeller

My sweet, precious Mom's Classic Spinach Rockefeller.  This is a dish that is always included in the McCormick holiday feasts.  I like this dish also because it can be prepared a day ahead of time.

4 packages chopped fresh or chopped frozen spinach (10 oz each)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs

1/2 white onion, chopped fine

2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

2 eggs

Pinch of fresh Thyme

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tsp celery salt

1½ tsps Worcestershire sauce 

Dash or two of Tabasco

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 pinches of Accent

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt to taste

Cook spinach as directed on the package or if fresh, steam for 5 - 10 minutes. Drain very well.  In a sauté pan melt the butter and lightly sauté onion and garlic.  Mix the remaining ingredients with the onion, garlic and butter in a bowl. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 " baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  If prepared the day before and is refrigerated you might need more cooking time.

Serves 10 - 12

Savory Corn Pudding

Another Southern staple.  Prepare this dish a day or two ahead of time.  Bake as directed, let cool, and then cover and chill up to 2 days. Reheat covered with foil.

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

6 large eggs 

2 cups heavy cream 

1/2 cup salted butter, melted and cooled 

2 tablespoons canola oil 

6 cups fresh corn kernels (from 8 ears) 

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (from 1 onion) 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl until blended. Whisk together eggs, cream, and melted butter in a medium bowl until blended.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add corn and onion, and cook, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. thyme. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir flour mixture and corn mixture into egg mixture. Spoon into a 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dish, and bake in preheated oven until set and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. thyme.

**This recipe is adapted from Southern Living's Magazine.

Cheesy Hash Brown Potato Casserole

Yes, you can freeze this casserole. Simply freeze them without the cornflake topping.  When ready to use, thaw in the fridge overnight and bake with the cornflake topping as directed.  Instead of Corn Flakes for the topping you can substitute crushed potato chips such as Ruffles Potato Chips.  Just add mixture prior to cooking minus the cheese.  The chips should look toasty and not burnt

2 lbs hash brown cut potatoes

1 - 16 oz container sour cream

2 cups cheddar cheese, plus 1/2 cup for the topping

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 small onion, finely chopped or a bunch of green onions 

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 tsp pepper

2 - 3 cups crushed corn flakes cereal

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a very large bowl mix sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, both soups, onion, garlic and pepper.

Add the hash browns and mix together thoroughly.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 " baking dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 - 50 minutes or until hot and heated through.  

While casserole is cooking, mix the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese with 3 cups of corn flakes and melted butter.  

After baking 40 - 50 minute cover top with corn flake/cheese mixture and bake an additional 15 minutes until potatoes are bubbling and top has browned.

Serves 10 - 12

Classic Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce can be made 2–3 days ahead of time before serving.

24 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (6 cups)
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 wide strips orange zest, plus 1 cup fresh juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick, discarding before serving)
1/4 tsp Kosher salt


In a saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange zest and juice, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst and mixture thickens slightly, 12 to 15 minutes. (Sauce will thicken more as it cools.) Remove from heat; let cool completely. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

**This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Another classic side dish that can be made a day ahead of time.  You'll want to make sure that you don't over beat the potatoes to ensure that they stay smooth and fluffy.  When making ahead of time, give them 30 minutes on the counter to adjust to room temperature prior to putting in the oven.

5 pounds russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and rinsed
1 1/2 sticks regular salted butter, plus more for dotting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup or so half-and-half
A splash heavy cream
Salt and black pepper
3 to 5 heads roasted garlic

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Dice the potatoes and boil in a pot of water until fork tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and return to the pan over low heat. Mash the potatoes for 5 minutes to allow a lot of the steam to escape.

Add the butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, cream, some salt, pepper and roasted garlic. Stir/mash to combine. Test and adjust the seasonings.

Spread the potatoes into a large buttered baking dish. Dot the top with butter. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.


**Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Traditional Southern Style Cornbread Dressing

 

I grew up with my Mom and Granny always including cornbread dressing with our Thanksgiving feast.  This is a recipe I found that reminds me of their classic recipe, but with some twists with the addition of saltine crackers and cream of chicken soup.  You could also add cooked pork sausage and some chopped walnuts or pecans too for a heartier dressing.

Cornbread enough to fill a 9x13 or Pepperidge Farm Dried 

1 sleeve ritz or saltine crackers

3 medium eggs lightly beaten

1 large yellow onion diced

5 cloves garlic minced

5 sage leaves OR 2 1/2 tsp ground sage

2 tbsp olive oil

4-6 cups chicken broth

14 oz cream of chicken

2 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp coarse black pepper

1 tsp thyme leaves

3 stalks celery chopped

Start chopping, and dicing all of the vegetables such as the celery, onions, and garlic. Also chop up the fresh sage.

Next, drizzle the olive oil into a large pan, then place the pan over medium heat.

Once the oil is nice and hot add in the onions, celery, and garlic. Cook until nice and tender.

Now toss in the fresh sage. Continue to cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat off.

Crumble the cornbread into a large mixing bowl, along with the crackers.

Now add in the cooked vegetables. Fold the ingredients until everything is well combined.

Now pour in the broth followed by the cream of chicken soup.

Add in the eggs, and mix everything until well combined.

Sprinkle in the seasoning salt, thyme and pepper.

Now mix until well combined.

Preheat the  the oven to 350 F.

Lightly oil a 9x13 bake dish, then pour in the dressing mixture.

Bake the dressing uncovered for about 45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

**This recipe is adapted from I Heart Recipes

Classic Green Bean Casserole

This is a classic side dish for any holiday, that is easy to prepare.  Prepare this dish a day or two before. Store covered in your fridge until ready to bake. Add about 10 extra minutes of bake time because it will be cold when it goes in the oven.

3 (15-oz.) pkg. frozen French-cut green beans, thawed and well drained

½ cup salted butter, divided

1 (8-oz.) pkg. sliced fresh cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 large shallot, chopped

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

4 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded (about 1 1⁄2 cups)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 (8-oz.) can diced water chestnuts, drained

1 cup crispy fried onions or shallots (about 2 oz.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Squeeze green beans lightly in hands to remove water.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Add mushrooms and shallot, and cook, stirring often, until mixture is deeply browned and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a plate, and without wiping out Dutch oven, add remaining 6 tablespoons butter to Dutch oven.

Melt butter over medium-high; whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Cook, whisking, until thickened and bubbly, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper until melted and smooth. Stir in green beans, mushroom mixture, and water chestnuts; spoon into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven until bubbly around edges, 15 minutes. Remove from oven; top with fried onions or shallots. Return to oven; bake until topping is golden brown, 15 minutes.

**Recipe adapted from Southern Living

This is the recipe I will try next year:

2 lb. green beans

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced, divided

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

4 large sprigs thyme

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1¼ cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 (8-oz.) can diced water chestnuts, drained

½ cup grated Parmesan

Freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup French’s fried onions

Preheat oven to 375°. Working in batches, cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green and halfway to tenderness, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain and let cool; trim stem ends.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook half of mushrooms, without stirring, until golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes. Toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes more. Add 2 Tbsp. butter and 2 thyme sprigs to pan. Cook, tossing occasionally, until butter browns and mushrooms are dark brown and very tender, about 4 minutes longer. Season with salt and transfer to a plate. Repeat with 2 Tbsp. butter, salt, and remaining oil, mushrooms, and thyme.

Melt remaining 2 Tbsp. butter in a large saucepan over medium-low. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking occasionally, until roux is golden brown and smells mildly nutty, about 4 minutes. Whisk in milk and cream. Increase heat and bring to a simmer, whisking often, and cook until béchamel sauce is thick and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in garlic, water chestnuts and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange green beans and mushrooms in a 2-qt. baking dish. Pour sauce over (it may not look like enough, but it will get saucier as it bakes). Cover tightly with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling, 25–30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until casserole is lightly browned on top and around the edges, 15–20 minutes longer. Top with fried onions and continue to bake just until onions are slightly darker and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes to set before serving. 

**Recipe adapted from Bon Apetite