Southern Tastes for Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Here in the south we are fond of greens, beans, and anything containing vinegar. My collard greens recipe is perfect for any Thanksgiving Dinner table. It will bring a new pallet cleaning flavor to any meal.

Southern Greens:
2 large bunches of collard greens
¼ to ½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons bacon grease

Begin by chopping the ends of the greens and removing any leaves that are turning brown. Then wash them by submerging the green a sink full of water. Shake the greens around to release any trapped dirt. Place the greens into a colander, drain the water from the sink, and then repeat the process until there is no dirt coming off.

Have a large pot ready when you take the green directly from the sink full of water and place them in the pot. Cook the greens over medium heat with just the water that was clinging to the leaves and add the two tablespoons of bacon grease. Continue cooking until the leaves have wilted.

When ready to serve sprinkle the apple cider vinegar over the greens and toss once. You can add fresh ground black pepper, and you are not likely to need any salt. These collards keep their lovely green color and look great sitting next to the turkey at Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Dinner is not complete without a Sweet Potato Pie. This easy recipe will have your guests wondering how you were able to put together such a fantastic dinner!

Sweet Potato Pie
You can buy a premade pie crust, or make your own if you have a favorite crust recipe.
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
16 oz of mashed cooked sweet potato
1 can of evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Begin making the filling by beating the eggs with a hand mixer. Once slightly fluffy add in the remaining ingredients. Place the pastry lined pie pan on top of a baking sheet, and set them on the oven rack before pouring the filling into the pie pan. This will help keep spills to a minimum as the mixture is extremely runny. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and then lower the heat to 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean.

Once the pie is done baking place it in the refrigerator until cool. This usually takes 3 to 4 hours depending on how cold you keep your refrigerator.

These dishes will bring a taste of the South to any Thanksgiving Dinner. Enjoy!