Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes: Stuffing to Pecan Pie

Ever since I became an adult, I have taken part in helping to prepare for our family Thanksgiving feast. I love to experiment with recipes and try new things, and I would like to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you.

I live in Texas, and we believe in stuffing! No fruits or anything funky - just breads mashed together with "stuff" and baked. There's nothing like a big pan of stuffing to go along with your turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Here is my favorite stuffing recipe, with my thanks to Sue's nana! The bread for this stuffing needs to dry and the stuffing itself needs to set overnight, so plan ahead.

4 boiled eggs
1/2 loaf white bread
2 packages Jiffy Cornbread mix (prepared according to package directions)
1 cup celery
1/2 cup onion
1 teaspoon butter
3 cups or 1 can chicken broth
1 whole chicken or 4 chicken breasts (or 2 large cans of chicken)
1 raw egg
salt, pepper, and sage to taste
1 can cream of chicken soup

Crumble bread and cornbread. Allow bread to dry.
Boil chicken in broth and shred.
Saute onion and celery in butter. Mix cream of chicken soup, salt, pepper, sage w/ onion and celery.
Blend raw egg with dry bread. Mix with chicken broth. Chop hard boiled eggs and stir into bread mixture. Add shredded chicken.
Place in buttered 9 x 13 pan and let set overnight
Bake at 350' for 30-40 minutes. If needed, add time in 5 minute increments until brown and done in the middle.

Of course, you must have a luscious pecan pie for dessert. This recipe is from my husband's grandmother.

(9 inch) pie shell, preferably deep dish
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon melted butter
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 cups pecans halves

Combine sugar, syrup, eggs, vanilla, butter and salt. Put nuts in the bottom of the pie shell. Pour in egg mixture. Bake at 350' for 45 minutes. Check after 30 minutes. If crust if becoming too dark, cover edges with aluminum foil.

Of course, no amount of food can replace the "thanks" part of Thanksgiving. Take time to remember your blessings and remember those in need.

Happy Thanksgiving!