Thanksgiving is Thursday, and while we’re sure your loved ones have traditional dishes they bring to the table each year, sometimes it’s fun to spice up the menu a little bit with something new.
Here are Thanksgiving dishes by Chattanoogans found in some classic cookbooks at the Chattanooga Public Library (plus, a more modern, veganized recipe by a local blogger below) for you to bring to your table this holiday.
Cookbook: “Fine Dining: Tennessee Style”
Published: 2000
Dish: Chattanooga Choo Choo Corn Fritters by Jim Wynn
- 3 cups of flour
- 2 tablespoons of baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 3/4 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup of whole kernel corn, drained
- Deep fat for frying
- Powdered sugar
Sift the first four ingredients. Mix eggs + milk and add to the dry mixture; add oil and corn and beat until blended. Drop heaping tablespoons into 350° deep fat and fry for two to three minutes, or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Keep warm and serve with powdered sugar.
Cookbook: “Lookout Mountain Cook Book”
Published: 1972
Dish: Wild Rice Casserole by F. Ward Reilly Jr.
- 1 cup of wild rice
- 1 10 oz. can of condensed consommé
- 1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes, salt + pepper
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/2 pound of sauteed mushrooms
Soak and wash rice. Place in casserole dish and pour consommé over it. Let absorb for an hour or more. Bake covered at 350° for 40 minutes. Add water if it dries. Add butter, parsley + mushrooms. Mix together. Cook uncovered at 300° until all liquid has been absorbed.
Cookbook: “Come into my Kitchen”
Published: 1969
Dish: Chocolate Almond Pie by Celia Marks
- 6 Hershey chocolate almond bars (small size)
- 18 large marshmallows
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 cup of heavy cream, whipped
- Baked crust
In the top of a double boiler, melt candy bars + marshmallows in milk; cool thoroughly. Fold in whipped cream and pour into an eight or nine-inch baked pastry shell. Chill before serving. If desired, decorate with toasted almond slivers.
More of a chef (or taste tester) of the modern age or have a family member visiting who quit turkey, cold turkey? Check out this delicious vegan recipe by local blogger Kate Veltkamp of The Friendly Feast to balance your Thanksgiving table with age-old classics + exciting new dishes.
Blog: The Friendly Feast
Dish: Roasted Delicata Squash with Balsamic Glaze by Kate Veltkamp
- 1 Delicata squash, cut into rings with seeds removed using a spoon
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups of balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of nondairy butter (Pro tip: Kate likes Country Crock brand best)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 cup of vegan feta cheese crumbles (Pro tip: Kate recommends the Follow Your Heart brand)
- 1/4 cup of pecans, roughly chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400° while you prepare your ingredients. Coat the delicata squash rings in olive oil, place the rings onto a cookie sheet + pop them into the oven for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. (Both sides should be brown + the edges should be a little crisp.) Whisk vinegar + sugar together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Melt butter in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat + add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Toss in spinach, and stir to ensure garlic butter coats it (three minutes max). Sprinkle in a pinch of salt to taste. Plate the dish by arranging the squash rings on top of one another + top it with sauteed spinach, vegan feta + chopped pecans. Drizzle the balsamic glaze over top + sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper.
