Posted on 11/14/2025 1:20:05 PM PST by Jamestown1630
Nobody seems to have begun a Thanksgiving food/cooking thread, so I thought I would.
I've never eaten okra, but have always wanted to try. This time of year, I can probably only get frozen here; does anyone have a recipe they like for frozen okra?
I’ve had okra in gumbo. A little is ok.
Bump for great interest!
That looks very good.
Stuffing is my favorite part of the meal. My grandmother and my husbands grandfather made the best I’ve had, and they were both very plain; but wonderful.
I’ll admit, but only to you, that I’m going to cheat and start with Stove Top - but then gussy it up with sauteed celery and onion, craisins and the fried Italian Sausage.
No one will ever know. And if they ask, I’ll tell them I can’t reveal my recipe because it’s a family heirloom secret, LOL!
But they won’t ask; the crowd I’m serving will have their mouths too full to speak! ;)
I never heard of dry and wet brining of turkey. I will look at Mom’s recipe, but how, and why do you do these two processes. Thanks
I’ll make sure nobody learns your secret.
One dish I make often, not just for holidays, is an acorn squash filled with a bread stuffing. I got this from a book by Dee Hardie, who decades ago wrote for the House Beautiful magazine:
Stuffed Acorn Squash (Serves 4, increase amounts for a larger crowd)
2 whole Acorn Squash
2 Cups dry bread cubes (often I just use breadcrumbs)
3 T. grated Parmesan Cheese
3 T. chopped fresh Parsley
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
6 T. chopped Spring Onions
4 T. diced Celery
3 T. Butter
2 Eggs, beaten
4 T. Water, if needed
Salt and Pepper
Bake whole squash for 45 minutes in a 400-degree oven, or until soft.
While the squash is baking, combine bread cubes, Parmesan, parsley and seasonings.
Cook onions and celery in the butter until soft. Add the eggs to bread mixture and toss lightly. Combine with the vegetables, adding water for moistness, if needed.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Fill the squash halves with stuffing mixture. Bake stuffed squash for 20 minutes.
(I always salt and pepper the squash halves and put a sprinkle of olive oil in there, before stuffing; and I sprinkle more olive oil on top, before baking. And I probably use a lot more butter and Parmesan than this recipe calls for ;-)
The salt causes the turkey to be very moist and juicy; I think this will explain it:
https://food52.com/recipes/15069-russ-parsons-dry-brined-turkey-a-k-a-the-judy-bird
You have to be careful you don’t get a Kosher bird, though; those are already salted as part of the koshering, and you’ll wind up with a too salty turkey. (You can use this with chicken, too.)
Another thing: You must use kosher salt, not regular table salt or iodized salt.
“Don’t forget the BEST way to eat okra ...”
Yes I was going to add pickled but you beat me to it.
However, I will add raw okra just cut off the plant in the morning (small tender pod with dew still on it) add a dash of salt and enjoy.
As for fried I like mine crisp almost blackened in cast iron skillet with very little breading kinda like popcorn.
Okra is outstanding but its a real pain to harvest!
I didn’t realize until yesterday that Okra is a fruit, not a vegetable.
Makes sense. The blooms are lovely.
I’ll butt in:
Brining your turkey (or whole chicken) results in such tender meat that you’ll never want it any other way again!
https://www.marthastewart.com/8338253/how-to-brine-turkey-step-by-step
We never see anything interesting like that in our supermarkets; but it sounds good.
It’s always fun when we get something like purple or Romanesco broccoli; but it’s usually pretty standard fare, and so are the things available in farmers’ markets here. The CSAs are a little better for interesting varieties.
Do deer eat it, and will it grow in Coastal Virginia?
Yes, it would grow for you. We have never had deer in our squash/pumpkin patches doing any damage and we have plenty of Whitetail Deer around here.
Can you use Himalayan Pink Salt? It comes in fine and coarse ground varieties.
I’ve only done it with regular white kosher salt, and that’s what all the recipes suggest. I’ve used other salts as finishing salts, but I wouldn’t know how the pink salt would break down in this kind of application. (It also seems kind of a waste to use Himalayan pink salt on this.) The salt is more for creating an osmosis effect, drawing out the liquid and then redistributing it as a brine. Flavor actually comes from any other herbs, aromatics, etc. you use.
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