Hey, fam, it’s Ginger wishing y’all a Very Merry Minjmas and a Happy New Queer! I love a Holiday spread full of fabulous foods, especially new takes on old faves. Turkeys, potatoes and sweets … OH MY! Put on your stretchy pants and switch things up this season with some of my favorite recipes! They’re sweet, they’re savory, they’re so good they’ll make your granny proud!
CeeJay’s Seriously Good Turkey Rub
This rub works best on a standard 15-20 lbs turkey.
INGREDIENTS:
4-5 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock, room temperature
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1/2 tablespoons granulated onion
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon white pepper
Add butter into a stand mixer with paddle attachment. If you don’t have a stand mixer, a standard hand mixer will do. Add stock slowly until incorporated, then add stock until incorporated. Mixture will look broken, but that’s okay. Next add all the dry ingredients into the mixture. Mix until incorporated.
Loosen the skin around the meat of your bird. To do this, gently slide your fingers between the skin and meat, being careful not to pierce the skin. Next, cover the bird with your mixture. Make sure to place some of the mix under the skin of your bird. If you have any left, add to the cavity of the bird.
Cook your turkey according to the instructions on the packaging. Make sure you baste your bird every 30 minutes to ensure it remains moist.
Aunt Glenda Faye’s Famous Fruit Salad
This recipe freezes well if you leave out the bananas.
INGREDIENTS:
2 apples, chopped
2 oranges, segmented
3 bananas, sliced
1 cup green grapes, sliced
1 cup red grapes, sliced
1 small can maraschino cherries, drained (Keep the juice!)
1 small can of crushed pineapple, drained (Keep the juice!)
1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 large egg
1 cup sugar
Whip together the egg, sugar, and juices from the cherries and pineapple until combined and frothy, then cook 3 to 5 minutes.
While your mixture is cooking, combine all of the fruits, marshmallows and coconut flakes into a large bowl and mix well, taking care not to bruise the fruit. Pour your cooked mixture over the fruit, toss with care, and immediately refrigerate for at least as hour.
Grandma Eads’ Super Sunday Spuds
INGREDIENTS:
5 large Russet potatoes
1 24oz bag of baby Dutch potatoes
2 tbsp minced garlic
A handful of fresh dill
2 tbsp black pepper
5 tbsp iodized salt
1.5 sticks salted butter
1/2 cup butter milk
8 oz tub sour cream
Put a pot of water on to boil.
Season water with 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tbsp pepper, 2.5 tbsp salt, and dill.
Slice 1/2 stick of butter into 1/8” chips and chill.
Peel only the Russet potatoes.
Slice all potatoes into roughly one inch chunks.
Add all potatoes to the seasoned, boiling water and cover to cook until tender. Drain potatoes into colander. Do not rinse!
Pour cooked potatoes into a mixing bowl. Add 1 full stick of butter, 1 tbsp garlic, 1 tbsp pepper, 2.5 tbsp salt, butter milk, and sour cream.
Beat with a hand mixer until mixture is creamy and dreamy. Do not over-mix! There should still be visible lumps of potato. Spoon into a serving dish, mixing in peaks and valleys as you go.
Place chilled butter chips into the valleys and allow to melt just a bit. Dip, serve, and watch it disappear!
Granny’s Basic Mac ‘N Cheese
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni
1/3 cup of milk
1/3 cup sour cream
16 oz block prepared cheese like Velveeta
2 tbsp iodized salt
2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp salted butter
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Put a pot of water on high to boil.
Season water with 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper.
Cut prepared cheese block into cubes.
Warm your milk.
Add macaroni to the rapidly boiling water. Cook until al dente. Drain cooked pasta into colander. DO NOT RINSE.
Pour drained, cooked pasta back into the pot. Add butter to the hot pasta. Mix until melted. Return the pot of buttery pasta to the stove on a low, simmering heat.
Add cheese cubes, warm milk, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. Mix until melted. Add sour cream, mixing until creamy and blended. Allow to sit for a few minutes to set up. Or don’t—it’s your call! Just enjoy it!
You can find more recipes from Ginger Minj in her cookbook/memoir, “Southern Fried Sass: A Queen’s Guide to Cooking, Decorating, and Living Just a Little Extra,” available from Simon & Schuster, on Amazon and anywhere books are sold.
