< Previous20 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 FIL e PHOTO: J e NNIF er re YNOLDS Thanksgiving and turkey go hand in hand, but it’s the side dishes that make the holiday table so special. COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 21 FEATURE MAKING MEMORABLE MEALS Locals let us in on the secrets of their Thanksgiving starters and sides story by LAURA PENNINO | photos by JENNIFER REYNOLDS F avorite starters and side dishes made with love and laughter are the perfect complements for fried or roasted turkey, honey-baked ham and other holiday fare. Islander Sarah Rain and her fam- ily host deviled egg contests throughout the year. Rain’s winning pork belly deviled egg recipe will be featured this Thanksgiving. “My family started the contest in 2017 when my mom’s side gathered for Thanks- giving,” Rain said. “My Aunt Ana challenged Mom to a contest. Mom claimed that her deviled eggs were the favorite because we always ran out of her deviled eggs before Thanksgiving dinner was served.” For the past 10 years, Clear Lake-area residents Carla Thompson and her grand- daughter Aubrey, now 18, have been making savory breadsticks together. The breadsticks taste better when made a day ahead and then reheated on Thursday for the Thanksgiving meal, Thompson said. “I have a machine called a Thermomix that we use to prep for Thanksgiving,” Thompson said. “I love family traditions, and having Aubrey helps makes it special. Aubrey loves to be the lead chef.” Mandy Parker of League City, and her mother-in-law Dr. Annette Jenkins of Texas City, team up in the kitchen every year to produce a crowd-pleasing seafood dressing and homemade green bean casserole. “I married Annette’s son Calvin 20 years ago, and we’ve been sharing Thanksgiv- ing together ever since,” Parker said. “The seafood dressing has been a staple on our holiday menu for as long as I’ve been part of the family. The scratch-made green bean casserole made its debut last year at Thanks- giving, and it was such a hit that it returned for Christmas. Now, it has officially earned a spot as a holiday mainstay.” Terri O’Connell of Santa Fe enjoys making a cornbread dressing based on a recipe from a Betty Crocker cookbook her Aunt Dolly gave her as a wedding present in 1984. The recipe has been modified by O’Connell, her mother and grandmother over many years. “This is the only dressing my family has ever served,” O’Connell said. “I made it for the first time, all by myself, in 1984. This recipe is special to me because it was taught to me by my mom and her mom. It reminds me of both of them with every bite.”22 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 FEATURE AUBREY AND CARLA’S THANKSGIVING BREADSTICKS Yields: About 24 Frozen dough sheets, any brand (2 sheets per package) 6 ounces prosciutto, chopped into small cubes 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, chopped into small cubes 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3-4 tablespoons milk 2 tablespoons thyme 2 tablespoons rosemary Preheat oven to 375 F. Lay out the dough on a smooth surface and brush it with melted butter. Sprinkle dough with thyme and rosemary. Cut prosciutto and cheese into tiny pieces and layer on top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, press all ingre- dients into the dough. Cut the dough into 1½-inch strips using a pizza cutter. Twist each dough strip to resemble a winding road. Lightly brush milk onto each bread stick. Place breadsticks onto cookie sheet lined with parchment. bake at 375 F until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. The breadsticks can be made and stored overnight, then reheated to serve. SARAH’S PORK BELLY DEVILED EGGS Yield: 24 pieces 12 large hard-boiled eggs 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard ½ cup mayonnaise Pinch of paprika 1 teaspoon fresh or dried dill 1 teaspoon hot sauce Salt and pepper to taste 24 (2-inch) pieces of crispy pork belly Thin chives for garnish Slice the eggs in half horizon- tally, carefully remove the yolks and place in a small bowl. Add mustard, mayonnaise, paprika, sriracha, salt, dill and pepper to the yolks. Mash the mixture using a fork until smooth. Fill the egg-white cavities with the egg yolk mixture. (Use a pastry bag and tip to make the presentation fancier.) Top each egg half with a piece of pork belly and chives. STUArT vILLANUevA (From top) Carla Thompson, left, and her granddaughter, Aubrey, use her Thermo- mix to prep for Thanksgiving and make savory breadsticks, a family favorite; Sarah Rain and her family host deviled egg contests throughout the year. Her winning pork belly deviled egg recipe will be featured this Thanksgiving. (Opposite) Avary Parks, center, is learning to make her family’s Thanksgiving side dishes from her grandmother, Dr. Annette Jenkins, left, known for her seafood dressing, and her mother, Mandy Parker, whose scratch-made green bean casserole is a hit. J e NNIF er re YNOLDS “I love family traditions, and having Aubrey helps makes it special. Aubrey loves to be the lead chef.” CARLA THOMPSON COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 23 MANDY’S GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE Serves: 8 to 10 2 tablespoons minced garlic 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 pint heavy cream ½ cup Gruyere cheese, grated ½ cup Gouda cheese, grated 1 pound steamable French green beans or canned green beans 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound bacon, cut into smaller pieces 1 pound baby bella mushrooms, finely diced 1 teaspoon salt (optional) 2 tablespoons black pepper 2 tablespoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 small white onion, diced ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth (optional) 1 can French’s Crispy Fried Onions Preheat oven to 350 F; grease baking dish and set aside. Using a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy. remove the bacon and set it aside, leaving the drippings in the skillet. In the same skillet, melt butter in bacon grease, add diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Then add the finely diced mushrooms and cook until they are tender. To make the sauce, sprinkle flour over sautéed vegetables and stir to combine. Gradually whisk in heavy cream, ensuring there are no lumps. Add Gruyere and Gouda cheeses, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, the Cajun or Creole seasoning and cook until the sauce thickens, about 5-7 minutes. (If sauce is too thick, use a little chicken broth to thin it.) Add cooked green beans to greased baking dish. Stir in mush- room/cheese sauce. Mix until all ingredients are well coated. Top with crispy bacon. bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly. remove dish from the oven and top with the French’s Crispy Fried Onions the last 10 minutes. bake until golden brown. remove from the oven and let casse- role cool for a few minutes before serving. ANNETTE’S SEAFOOD DRESSING Serves: 8 to 10 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped 1 pound lump crabmeat or crawfish tails (or both) 1 cup unsalted butter ½ cup onion, diced 1 bell pepper, diced ½ cup celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon Cajun or Creole seasoning or to taste 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, prepared and crumbled, or equal amount of prepared homemade cornbread 1 can cream of shrimp soup 2 eggs, beaten 2 cups chicken broth or seafood stock (for a richer seafood taste, use seafood stock) 1 teaspoon of each — salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and onion powder (or to taste) Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a baking dish and set aside. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions, bell pepper and celery. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in shrimp and cook until pink and opaque, about 2-3 minutes. Add green onions, Cajun or Creole seasoning, red pepper flakes, Old bay, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder. Stir well to combine. Gently fold in the crabmeat, being careful not to break it up too much. remove skillet from heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine crumbled cornbread and seafood mixture. Stir to combine evenly. Mix in cream of shrimp soup. Gradually pour in broth and beaten eggs. Mix until the dressing is moist but not too wet. You can adjust the amount of broth depending on your desired consistency — dressing shouldn’t be runny, just moist. Transfer mixture to greased baking dish. bake for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. J e NNIF er re YNOLDS24 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 FEATURE TERRI O’S FAMILY CORNBREAD DRESSING Serves: 8 to 10 For the cornbread: 2¼ cups cornmeal ¾ cup flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1½ teaspoon sugar 1½ teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon baking soda ½ cup cooking oil 2¼ cups buttermilk 3 eggs For the dressing: 3 bunches green onions, cleaned and chopped 1 bunch celery, cleaned and chopped 4 raw eggs 2 tablespoon sage (use more or less to taste) 1 stick butter Black pepper and salt to taste 3 cups chicken or turkey To make the cornbread: Heat oven to 450 F. Place a well-seasoned, 11- inch cast-iron skillet with just enough cooking oil to coat the bottom of the skillet into the oven to heat up. While the skillet and oven are heat- ing up, mix ingredients together. Carefully remove hot-oiled skillet from the oven. Pour cornmeal mixture into the skillet. It will make a searing sound as a crunchy crust is formed. bake about 25 to 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. remove skillet from oven and place a big sturdy plate on top of the skillet. Carefully turn over the skillet and the cornbread should come out easily. Allow it to cool. To make the dressing: Spray a large roasting pan with baking spray to help with sticking. Use the same skillet you cooked the cornbread in to melt the stick of butter. As soon as the butter is melted, add onions and celery. (This will look like a lot but will cook down.) Cook until soft, stirring constantly. Crumble the cornbread into the roasting pan. Mix in onions, celery, sage, liquid, salt and pepper. Then taste it, noting that the flavor of the sage grows as it cooks. The mixture should be wet, but not soggy. If it tastes good to you, then mix in the raw eggs. Place in the oven and cook until it’s done, usually between 30-45 minutes. JeNNIFer reYNOLDS Terri O’Connell’s cornbread dressing starts with the cornbread recipe in her well-used “Betty Crocker’s Cookbook,” which she received as a wedding present in 1984. 12 EVIA MAIN UNIT 1201 GALVESTON, TEXAS 77554 WWW.EMPOURIA.COM 409.295.4096 Call-ahead, Curbside & Delivery options available GENERAL STORE & POUR ROOM • Wine by the Taste, Glass, or Bottle • Over 140 curated wines to shop • Unique sundries and housewares • Gourmet snacks and local craves • Indoor and patio seating availableCompassionate Guidance in Your Time of Need. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has been serving Galveston County and surrounding areas with empathy and reverence for several decades. Our roots are deeply ingrained in the community by standing side by side with families as they take their first steps towards healing. During this time, you will seek guidance from someone who understands the needs of families in celebrating the life of their loved one with dignity. Making sure that we take all precautions in maintaining a safe environment to ensure the physical and emotional well-being of everyone. E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary has always been at the forefront of making sure the families we serve receive our utmost attention and care. We look forward to being your source for compassionate care and exemplary service. We stand ready to help you honor your loved one by keeping the tradition of offering “Quality, Distinctive and Professional Service”. 3828 Ave O | Galveston, TX 77550 409.762.8470 E. R. Johnson Family Mortuary28 COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 DOWN HOME ‘GOOD FOR THE SOUL’ Pastor finds the most nourishing Thanksgiving ingredient is gratitude story by SHANNON CALDWELL photos by STUART VILLANUEVA F or the Rev. Alicia Besser, Thanksgiving is all about the delicious flavors of turkey, apple and squash with bursts of spice and maple syrup. But the most nourishing ingredient of all is gratitude, she said. “Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year,” Besser said. “As a lead pastor, it is the one holiday where I have no work responsibilities. I think it is good for the soul to stop and give thanks. I love the simplicity of the holiday — there are no presents, no need to worry about what to wear. It is about good food and people coming together to celebrate community.” Besser, who was born and raised on Galveston Island, is the senior pastor at Galveston Moody Memorial First United Meth- odist Church. She’s expecting 24 guests at this year’s Thanks- giving dinner, including family, friends and neighbors. The dinner has grown over the years because Besser likes to invite people who would otherwise be alone on the holiday. On the menu will be an apple cider brined turkey, cranber- ry sauce made from scratch with fresh berries and a spinach salad with roasted butternut squash croutons, dried cranberries, candied pecans and a maple Dijon dressing. “The cranberry sauce is my dad’s favorite, and I make it every year even though he passed in 2015,” she said. “My stepdad, who I was very close to, loved canned cranberry jelly, so we always have both. He passed in August, but it will be on our buffet. My guests eat both, but I don’t. But it honors these men I love, and that makes me happy.” The spinach salad is “hands down my favorite,” Besser said. The dressing and candied pecans can be made beforehand, making it a bit easier for a large Thanksgiving meal. The salad also is good with grilled chicken and is good for the waistline, she said. “During Covid, we decided rather than gaining the Covid 15, we would lose 15 pounds, and this salad was a big part of that weight-loss journey,” she said. Besser loves to cook, to adapt existing recipes with her own flavors and to learn from friends. Her cranberry sauce recipe is adapted from the back of a packet and turkey brine recipe started from a conversation with her friend Jay. The internet, COASTMONTHLY.COM | NOveMber 2024 29 The Rev. Alicia Besser counts her cranberry sauce and spinach salad as two of her favorite Thanksgiving sides.Next >