Category: collards and cabbards
“Traditional Southern Thanksgiving Favs…with a Twist”
- Twisted Southern Thanksgiving Table
Being the “throw cooker” that I am, those of you that know me know I’m gonna throw a twist into a meal or recipe, any chance I get. Well there’s no reason Thanksgiving should be exempt from my voodoo. My friends
Valonda and Sharon invited me back again to their show, NBC17’s My Carolina Today Show, here in the Raleigh Triangle market… those two are so cute and fun I can never say no to their invites… although being a big girl as I am, I feel like Goliath Chef beside them. I’m sure they must wear something like Size -4 or something like that… and so bubbly I just wanna pinch their cheeks… bless their hearts! I usually take my clogs off during taping to help a little, but forgot when taping this week… the show will air tomorrow (Thursday, November 16th)… so as I post, I don’t have a link to the video yet they always throw up online… I’ll come back with that!
When Sharon asked me at my last visit to come up with ‘something’ for Thanksgiving, I didn’t have any ideas right off the bat like usual… but a couple of weeks ago, as usual, I had a vision… of one thing, and that’s all it takes to get me going. They asked me yesterday if I just magically ‘come up with this stuff,’ and I told them, “well, actually, yes.” My inspiration this time was collards. (And when I come up for air in-between this week’s BIG projects…. I’m going to post my “Almost Famous Collards” for you, and how I throw ’em together.) Once I had the collard vision, everything else just flowed right out of me… and so now, I introduce to you…
- My Southern Thanksgiving Table… with a twist!
As you look through these realllllly easy recipes, you’ll see all our usual stuff found on Turkey Day Tables, at least mine anyway… turkey, cranberry sauce, collards, stuffing (AKA dressing), turnips, butternut squash, sweet potatoes and pecan pie ~ just twisted out a bit. I hope y’all enjoy these and reallllly hope you will give me some feedback down there in the ‘comments’ box, and also, PLEASE SHARE on your Facebook pages and with your friends… I really need to get more folks here and need your help! I give you entertainment and wondermous recipes, and all I ask is that you invite a few folks to subscribe…
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Gotta run… as Food Stylist and Recipe Developer for Our State Magazine, gotta be up realllllllllll early in the morning and in Greensboro BY 7:30…. to shoot some wayyyy outside the box special recipes I developed for February issue… been working on them for a few months! Can’t tell ya any more than that… Top Secret, but you just run yourself on over and subscribe right now so it will come right to your mailbox in mid-January! (It’s a perfect gift that gives all year long too… for yourself or others.) You are just not gonna believe your eyes. Lordie Mercie, they are bringing in video folk too, to film the ‘behind the scenes’ of the assembly of these recipes and what goes on at a special photo shoot like this, so this gal needs all the ‘beauty rest’ she can get… but to tell you the truth, I’m SOOOO excited about this and feel like it’s my Christmas Eve and don’t anticipate much sleep, ‘tween that and the tornado watches going on thru the night. I’m about to bust wide open to tell folks about this… by my lips are sealed… for a few more weeks anyway.
So… hope you enjoy these recipes… and Share Away!
FOR 1 page PRINTABLE RECIPES, click HERE! Or, click the recipe name.
Grilled Barbecued Turkey
Grilled Barbecued Twisted ‘n Kicked Turkey
We’re twist’n & kick’n up Thanksgiving this year with some new ways to cook and serve traditional oldies. Everybody loves grilled goodies and this turkey is no exception. This recipe features some culinary goodies made here in North Carolina but you can sub your own favorites as well.
Recipe By: Wendy Perry
Serving Size: however much you cook!
Sliced Turkey breast (you can used cooked)
Turkey Legs (raw)
Tiny Town Turkey Rub (from Savory Spice Shop Raleigh-visit one in your area or order online!)
1 cup NC’s Fireside Black Jack BBQ Sauce Visit their Web Site
½ cup NC’s Crooked Condiments Gaelic Ale Mustard Visit their Web Site
1 teaspoon jalapeno powder (more or less to taste) (also from Savory Spice Shop)
TURKEY: To save time, you can buy cooked turkey breast.
Shake (generously) some Tiny Town Turkey Rub onto turkey.
SAUCE: Mix BBQ sauce, mustard and jalapeno power in small bowl.
Slice (cooked turkey) and place on grill. Baste with sauce and grill on each side until well-heated and sauce has caramelized a bit.
Cook raw turkey legs, turning frequently, until at 165° by thermometer. Once done and before removing from grill, baste generously with sauce and turn a few
times to allow sauce to glaze and caramelize.
Use this to also to baste Bacon Wrapped Collard Rolls with Stuffing.
Recipe Copyright© Wendy L. Perry, Inc.
May be shared with credit cited and link back to this blog
Cranberry BBQ SauSal
Throw your guests a twist at Thanksgiving or any time you serve turkey or chicken with this SauSal… (a little Sauce with a hint of Salsa)
You can throw this together in about 10 minutes with a bag of cranberries and some goodies you probably have on hand!
Recipe By: Wendy Perry
Serving Size: 8+
1 bag fresh cranberries
¼ cup favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup your favorite salsachopped cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
Throw everything but cilantro and jalapeno into heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until berries have popped and sauce has thickened.
Pour into serving bowl and chill. At serving time, sprinkle with cilantro and jalapeno. Serve with BBQ Turkey and Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Rolls and Stuffing.
This is also good on leftover turkey (and ham) sandwiches and wraps.
Recipe Copyright© Wendy L. Perry, Inc. May be shared with credit cited and link back to this blog
Bacon Wrapped Collard Rolls with Stuffing
Bacon Wrapped Collard Rolls with Stuffing
Collards….
the quintessential southern green, and no traditional Thanksgiving table in these parts would be complete without ‘em. But this year, throw together some of these and throw on the grill along with your turkey for a real surprising twist… and your dressing, or stuffing, whichever you call it, is tucked inside! Like most of this meal, these can be made ahead and just throw on the grill when you cook your turkey.
Recipe By: Wendy Perry
Serving Size: 8
8 collard leaves, torn into large pieces
8 slices bacon
4 cups your favorite stuffing
toothpicks
BBQ Turkey Sauce (see that recipe up above)
In deep skillet or pot, heat water 2 inches deep. Once boiling, throw collard leaves into water (stacked on top of each other). Blanche several minutes until tender. Remove and drain in colander being careful not to tear leaves.
Cook bacon in layers of paper towels in microwave (or skillet) several minutes until almost done, but still soft and pliable.
Lay collard leaf onto flat surface. Spoon ½ cup of stuffing horizontally and roll up. Wrap a slice of bacon around the roll and secure with toothpick. Continue until all rolls are completed.
Throw on hot grill and baste with the Turkey BBQ Sauce, turning to glaze while sauce lightly caramelizes and bacon finishes cooking. Serve with grilled turkey.
Recipe Copyright© Wendy L. Perry, Inc.
May be shared with credit cited and link back to this blog
Rosemary Skewered Fall Veggie Kabobs
Rosemary Skewered Fall Veggie Kabobs
These are really easy to throw together for a new twist on traditional Thanksgiving vegetables. You can also make these ahead of time to throw on the grill with the rest of your Grilled Turkey Day meal.
Recipe By: Wendy Perry
Serving Size: 8
8 stems of fresh rosemary
8 (or more) fresh Brussels Sprouts
16 1” chunks fresh turnips
16 1” chunks fresh butternut squash
1 large red onion, cut into 1” square slices
1 stick butter, melted
Few sprigs fresh sage
salt and freshly ground pepper
Strip leaves from rosemary stems, leaving about 2” of leaves on tip end. Set aside.
Steam Brussels Sprouts in microwave until tender but not mushy, about 3-4 minutes. (Time will vary depending on wattage of your microwave.)
Steam turnip and squash chunks in microwave until crisp tender being careful not to overcook; if too done, they will break apart when sliding onto skewers.
Thread onto skewers… squash, turnip, onion, sprout, squash, turnip, onion (or whatever pattern you choose)… I use 1 Brussels Sprout in center but you can add more if you like.
Throw onto grill making sure tips with leaves are over unheated area so they won’t burn off. Use sage stem with leaves to baste with melted butter while cooking. Grill, turning gently with tongs, until slightly charred on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper or seasoning of choice.
Recipe Copyright© Wendy L. Perry, Inc.
May be shared with credit cited with link back to this blog
BUTTERscoth PECAN Skillet Pie
Yummmm….
cooking and serving pie from a skillet just seems to make ‘em taste better! This pie just says ‘fall’… with the toasty pecans and richness of the butterscotch. Top with Sweet ‘Tater & Molasses Ice Cream and get ready for accolades all around for your DEElicious DEEssert.
Recipe By: Wendy Perry
Serving Size: 8
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
2 tablespoons flour
3 large eggs – beaten with whisk till slightly frothy
1 11 ounce bag butterscotch morsels
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter — melted, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked pie shell, (I use Pillsbury from dairy section, not frozen)
Sweet ‘Tater & Molasses Ice Cream
Sea Salt
Preheat oven to 350.
Spray 10″-12’ cast iron skillet; place crust into prepared pan. It will naturally ‘ruffle’ as shown in picture.
In medium bowl, mix pecan pieces with flour. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie shell and bake 350* for about 40-45 minutes.
Let pie cool before slicing as it is easier to cut at room temperature.
Serve with dollop of Sweet ‘Tater & Molasses Ice Cream and pinch of sea salt.
Recipe Copyright© Wendy L. Perry, Inc.
May be shared with credit cited with link back to this blog
NC Sweet ‘Tater * Molasses Ice Cream
North Carolina Sweet ‘Tater & Molasses Ice Cream
Lordie Mercie.
You just don’t get much easier than this when it comes to Throw Cooking. This is a fun and easy recipe for little ones to throw together with you in the kitchen. Eat as is, or plop some on top of a slice of BUTTERscoth PECAN Skillet Pie.
Recipe By: Wendy Perry
Serving Size: 8
1 ½ gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 tablespoons apple pie spice
½ cup molasses
sea salt
Put softened ice cream into mixing bowl. Throw in sweet potatoes and spice. Drizzle with molasses and swirl into ice cream mixture. Refreeze.
Serve as is or over pie with a pinch of sea salt on top!
Sweet potatoes can be cooked in microwave on high power, about 10 minutes. Cook until soft when squeezed with a towel. Be sure they are well cooled before adding into ice cream.
Recipe Copyright© Wendy L. Perry, Inc.
May be shared with credit cited with link back to this blog
That’s all for now folks!
ahhh Collard Sandwiches… North Carolina culinary Heritage at its finest!
Collard Sandwiches have a long history here in North Carolina. They are so tasty, feature some of our finest foods… and you will be the belle of the ball when you take to potlucks or serve at your own gatherings. Just MAKE SOME. It doesn’t get much easier. Sit some out and watch ’em disappear
My Irish is showing….
Well, I’m not Irish that I know of, but I do have reason to celebrate this day each year. It’s my “quit smoking” anniversary… 12 years ago today! My motivation was the birth of my sweet nephew Wyatt, and my desire to be around to see him grow up and live life. Here’s to those of you who have quit too, and for those that haven’t yet, DO! For so many reasons…
I quit cold turkey and really had no desire to smoke once I did, but I did throw the butts of my last ashtray into a little ziplock bag with a splash of water. A whiff of that stink about 2 times was all it took. And here’s what I did to reward myself. I was smoking about a pack and a half a day… about $5 worth. So I put $5/day into an empty skinny neck tequila bottle… the skinny neck was to keep me from quickly “borrowing” it out of the bottle. Do you know what $5/day turns into x 365 days? $1,825!! Now there’s a treat to celebrate your first year eh?
Another great thing about today is the FOOD! I love corned beef, but really don’t cook it until this season each year. I need to change that. I love this soup, and you will too if you like a Reuben sandwich… it’s fast to throw together and crowd pleaser.
…a great way to use up leftover corned beef!
Perhaps you didn't eat up all your corned beef, so turn the leftover bits into this comforting creamy soup... it's like having a reuben sandwich in a bowl with Swiss cheese, rye and all!
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 tablespoons oil I used garlic oil but use your fave
- 1 large onion peeled, chopped
- 1 large turnip peeled, small dice
- 4 leeks washed and sliced into thin rings
- 2 Granny Smith apples not peeled, small dice
- 3 tablespoons garlic puree I use the puree in tubes in produce dept
- 1 14.4 oz can Bavarian Sauerkraut undrained
- 2 15 ounce cans chicken broth
- 1 pint half and half
- about 4 cups shredded cooked corn beef
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- shredded Swiss Cheese
- 6-8 slices rye bread, cut into cubes and toasted
-
Saute onion, turnip, leeks and apple in butter and a bit of oil until tender and starting to brown and caramelize in saute pan. Pour into heated crock pot.
-
Stir in garlic puree, kraut, broth, half and half, cream, corned beef, thyme and white pepper.
-
Stir to blend and cover. Heat on high until hot and dried thyme is tender.
-
Ladle into bowls and scatter with Swiss cheese and croutons. EAT!
If preferred, make a cornstarch slurry with a bit of the juice and stir back into the soup to thicken.
Another of my St. Patrick’s Day faves is my Southern Colcannon. Read more about what colcannon actually is in this post from a few years ago.
festuring white NC sweet potatoes and Wendy’s Almost Famous Cabbards (cabbage n’ collard concoction)
Good old North Carolina sweet potatoes and my cabbards make this traditional white potato and greens dish more bettahhhhhh! It was most exciting to see my recipe shared in print while at Our State Magazine.
Here’s to wishing your and yours a blessed day, today and always!
Southern Colcannon… get’n my Irish on for a day! (1)
Southern Colcannon featuring North Carolina Sweet Potatoes and Wendy’s Cabbards (collards and cabbage) @ WendysHomeEconomics.com
UPDATE…. my Southern Colcannon and “Cabbards” recipes were published in Our State Magazine in March 2015! This is such a tasty recipe to serve anytime, but just right for adding a southern twist to your St. Patrick’s Day supper table. I am republishing this old fave per requests… I hope you’ll enjoy!
With all the blogs and newsletters filling my inbox with St. Patty’s Day recipes, I got to pondering what I could do to put the “Wendy Twist” on things while throwing some Irish South In Your Mouth. So far as I know, there’s nary a drop of Irish in me, but green IS my favorite color. Those are (that is) my credential(s) for this recipe.
All my life, I’ve seen “colcannon” but never really paid attention to what that is, so being the Culinary Adventurist that I am, it was time for me to dig deeper… turns out, “DIGging” around was appropriate since this dish involved taters that have been dug up… somewhere… sometime.
I first turned to a few dictionaries to find out just what such an oddly named dish is made of… and find that to be potatoes, greens (traditionally kale, but cabbage and other greens have come to be used), butter and seasoning. Bestill me heart, you little Leprechan! Some of my FAVs… this is a no-brainer for me. Since I love to sub this for that, and that for the other, I got to it.
Let’s start with the potato part. Seeing as how I am lucky to live in the heart of sweet potato country here in North Carolina, it only makes sense to me to throw aside plain old potatoes and grab Sweet Taters as I mostly prefer using anytime a potato is called for… This past week, at my local Piggly Wiggly, I got THE best white sweet potatoes… about the best of ANY colored sweet potato ever to pass my lips… so good in fact I got a whole case of them. All you have to do is throw some in the oven and bake until nice and soft when squished with a hot pot pad. (Note: I Dig the Pig, cause they are local folks who buy local NC goodies for their store.)
Next.. cabbage. I do luv me some cabbage, but even mo’ better are my cabbards. We’ve cooked those here before… and just so happens I still have plenty of my winter stash in the freezer, so just had to thaw and heat those.
Ahhh… Butter! A staple in my kitchen. Not much that makes butter better… except browning! I’ve been throwing browned butter into all sorts of stuff lately, so why not atop my Southern Colcannon too? And according to the song I found, see below (after creating my recipe), it seems there is supposed to be a butter hole on top! So there’s your pot ‘o gold. Toasty, nutty browned butter. I’m quite certain the fountains in heaven doth flow with luscious browned butter.
As I read more about Colcannon, it seems that it is mostly served with ham. Yet another staple in my kitchen, it only makes sense to this “Irish for a day gal” that a helping ‘o country ham (from here in North Carolina of course) snuggles up next to my concoction of Southern Colcannon!
Now that, my friends, is my contribution to the day of Irish celebration. Colcannon is so groovy, it has its own song.
So here you go… tap along.
The song “Colcannon”, also called “The Skillet Pot”, is a traditional Irish song that has been recorded by many artists.
“Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?
With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.
Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake
Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?”
The chorus:
“Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I.
And the more I think about it sure the nearer I’m to cry.
Oh, wasn’t it the happy days when troubles we had not,
And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot.”
The story of its name and the colcannon traditionalists versus “the other group” is rather interesting. I’ll let you decide if you need to know more… over here!
And on a personal “toot my horn” note, St. Patty’s Day is special for me… because it was on that day in 2005 I QUIT SMOKING!
If you have a Colcannon story or memory to share, please do in the comment box. Share your recipe too… for Colcannon or how you quit smoking.
What to throw together...
- baked sweet potatoes, any kind but white used in photo
- cooked and seasoned cabbards, cabbage or collards
- roughly chopped scallion, white and green parts (optional)
- salt and pepper
- browned butter
How to throw together...
- Use about equal parts baked sweet potatoes and greens. Exactness is not important.
- Throw baked potatoes into mixing bowl and mash. Fold in greens and mix well. If using, add scallion into mixture and stir to combine. Or, simply add into greens when cooking or heating. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make well in serving of colcannon and fill with browned butter.
- ENJOY!
Southern Colcannon… get’n my Irish on for a day!
Southern Colcannon featuring North Carolina Sweet Potatoes and Wendy’s Cabbards (collards and cabbage) @ WendysHomeEconomics.com
UPDATE…. my Colcannon and “Cabbards” recipes were published in Our State Magazine in March 2015! This is such a tasty recipe to serve anytime, but just right for adding a southern twist to your St. Patrick’s Day supper table.
With all the blogs and newsletters filling my inbox with St. Patty’s Day recipes, I got to pondering what I could do to put the “Wendy Twist” on things while throwing some Irish South In Your Mouth. So far as I know, there’s nary a drop of Irish in me, but green IS my favorite color. Those are (that is) my credential(s) for this recipe.
All my life, I’ve seen “colcannon” but never really paid attention to what that is, so being the Culinary Adventurist that I am, it was time for me to dig deeper… turns out, “DIGging” around was appropriate since this dish involved taters that have been dug up… somewhere… sometime.
I first turned to a few dictionaries to find out just what such an oddly named dish is made of… and find that to be potatoes, greens (traditionally kale, but cabbage and other greens have come to be used), butter and seasoning. Bestill me heart, you little Leprechan! Some of my FAVs… this is a no-brainer for me. Since I love to sub this for that, and that for the other, I got to it.
Let’s start with the potato part. Seeing as how I am lucky to live in the heart of sweet potato country here in North Carolina, it only makes sense to me to throw aside plain old potatoes and grab Sweet Taters as I mostly prefer using anytime a potato is called for… This past week, at my local Piggly Wiggly, I got THE best white sweet potatoes… about the best of ANY colored sweet potato ever to pass my lips… so good in fact I got a whole case of them. All you have to do is throw some in the oven and bake until nice and soft when squished with a hot pot pad. (Note: I Dig the Pig, cause they are local folks who buy local NC goodies for their store.)
Next.. cabbage. I do luv me some cabbage, but even mo’ better are my cabbards. We’ve cooked those here before… and just so happens I still have plenty of my winter stash in the freezer, so just had to thaw and heat those.
Ahhh… Butter! A staple in my kitchen. Not much that makes butter better… except browning! I’ve been throwing browned butter into all sorts of stuff lately, so why not atop my Southern Colcannon too? And according to the song I found, see below (after creating my recipe), it seems there is supposed to be a butter hole on top! So there’s your pot ‘o gold. Toasty, nutty browned butter. I’m quite certain the fountains in heaven doth flow with luscious browned butter.
As I read more about Colcannon, it seems that it is mostly served with ham. Yet another staple in my kitchen, it only makes sense to this “Irish for a day gal” that a helping ‘o country ham (from here in North Carolina of course) snuggles up next to my concoction of Southern Colcannon!
Now that, my friends, is my contribution to the day of Irish celebration. Colcannon is so groovy, it has its own song.
So here you go… tap along.
The song “Colcannon”, also called “The Skillet Pot”, is a traditional Irish song that has been recorded by many artists.
“Did you ever eat Colcannon, made from lovely pickled cream?
With the greens and scallions mingled like a picture in a dream.
Did you ever make a hole on top to hold the melting flake
Of the creamy, flavoured butter that your mother used to make?”
The chorus:
“Yes you did, so you did, so did he and so did I.
And the more I think about it sure the nearer I’m to cry.
Oh, wasn’t it the happy days when troubles we had not,
And our mothers made Colcannon in the little skillet pot.”
The story of its name and the colcannon traditionalists versus “the other group” is rather interesting. I’ll let you decide if you need to know more… over here!
And on a personal “toot my horn” note, St. Patty’s Day is special for me… because it was on that day in 2005 I QUIT SMOKING!
If you have a Colcannon story or memory to share, please do in the comment box. Share your recipe too… for Colcannon or how you quit smoking.
What to throw together...
- baked sweet potatoes, any kind but white used in photo
- cooked and seasoned cabbards, cabbage or collards
- roughly chopped scallion, white and green parts (optional)
- salt and pepper
- browned butter
How to throw together...
- Use about equal parts baked sweet potatoes and greens. Exactness is not important.
- Throw baked potatoes into mixing bowl and mash. Fold in greens and mix well. If using, add scallion into mixture and stir to combine. Or, simply add into greens when cooking or heating. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make well in serving of colcannon and fill with browned butter.
- ENJOY!
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