Everyone has there family traditions during the holidays, especially when it comes to food. Here’s a few dishes we’ve enjoyed over the years. You may have your own versions, but here’s ours.

Chicken (or Turkey) and Dressing

Boil a hen, or large roasting chicken until tender, cool and remove from bone. Crumble large pan of cornbread – not that sweet yellow kind-the real thing – and 8 pieces of white bread very fine. Pour boiling water over to soften a little. Cook large onion and several stalks of celery, chopped in a little water (can use microwave). Add onions, celery to cornbread mix, add a little broth and stir mixture until well mixed, adding broth until “soupy”. Add salt and lots of black pepper. Add sage to taste. Taste dressing to see if it has enough seasonings. Finally, add 4 raw eggs. Do not taste dressing after adding eggs!! Pour into a greased baking pan. Use a baking pan that will keep the dressing pretty thick, otherwise, it will dry out if too thin. Tuck chicken pieces into dressing. Bake at 400* till browned. You can broil the top to brown at the end.

Note: For turkey dressing, bake turkey and use some of the drippings plus canned chicken broth. the more eggs and drippings added, the richer the dressing! This is good eatin’ folks. It’s so good, it’ll “make you slap your grandma’.”

Coke Salad

1 can pitted dark bing cherries
1 large can crushed pineapple
2  3Oz. packages black cherry Jello
1 12 Oz. bottle of Coke (that’s Coca-Cola)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we love pecans, but use whatever nuts suit you)

Drain juice from cherries and pineapple, add water to make 2 cups. Heat juice until boiling, and dissolve Jello. When cool, add Coke, cherries, pineapple and nuts. Pour into a 9×13 baking pan, refrigerate until set. I could eat this whole pan, but, of course, I’d never do that….publically.

Cheese Sausage Balls

3 Cups Bisquick
1 lb sausage
1 lb. grated cheddar cheese

Blend all together, shape into small balls. You may need to add a little water if too dry.. Place on ungreased baking sheet, bake at 350* about 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Now, keep your husband away from them if you can. (These freeze really well).

Mamaw’s Louisiana Pecan Pie

You just have to have pecan pie. You have to. It’s required.

1 unbaked pie shell
1/4 cup real butter, melted
3 eggs
3/4 cups sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup dark Karo syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350*. Melt butter. Beat eggs until foamy, add sugar, eggs, salt and blend well. Stir in Karo syrup, vanilla and butter. Blend well., stir in pecans (pronounced puh-khans, for the record). Pour into pie crust. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until thin knife comes out clean when inserted into the center. Pie cuts easier if chopped pecans are used.