Thanksgiving Sides

from Lowcountry Weekly November 9 – November 22

On Losing Hope

It's one of my favorite things to be thankful for. I don't have to cook Thanksgiving dinner. Vince and I are blessed to be invited to a gathering of friends every year. All we have to do is show up with a side dish. In true southern fashion, the turkeys are deep-fried and everyone takes copious amounts of vegetables, salads, side dishes and desserts. In keeping with the spirit of not being responsible for the main course, I'm sharing some delicious Thanksgiving side dish recipes. Some of the vegetables featured are still available at our local farmers' market. Please try to buy local produce whenever you can. For more great recipes, be sure to check out the Holiday Gift Guide that is featured in this issue of Lowcountry Weekly. Happy Thanksgiving!

SQUASH AND TOMATO CASSEROLE

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese 3 to 4 yellow squash, sliced ¼-inch thick ¾ cup diced red onion 1 (10-ounce) package grape tomatoes, halved 1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 4 tablespoons butter, melted Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese together in a bowl. Lightly grease a square baking dish with cooking spray. (You'll be making two layers, so be sure to divide the squash, onion, tomatoes, bacon and cheese for each layer.) Spread half of squash in prepared pan, scatter with half of the onion and half of the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper. Top with ½ cup of crumbled bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat with another layer of the remaining squash, onion, tomatoes, salt and pepper, bacon and cheese. Sprinkle top with 1 cup panko breadcrumbs. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake, uncovered, for 60 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serves 8.

CREAMED CAULIFLOWER AND SPINACH

1 head cauliflower 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2/3 cup heavy cream ½ cup grated parmesan Salt and pepper 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, to garnish Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Cut cauliflower into florets. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until tender. Drain well. Place cooked florets in a food processor. Add butter, mustard, cream and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped spinach. Pour mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 or 20 minutes or until heated through. Serves 4 to 6.

By Debbi Covington

SWEET POTATOES WITH MAPLE PECAN DRIZZLE

4 small sweet potatoes 4 tablespoons butter, melted Salt ½ cup maple syrup ½ cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into ½-inch slices. Spread them out on a large baking sheet. Drizzle the potatoes with melted butter. Sprinkle them with salt. Toss well to coat and then spread them out on the pan again in a single layer, making sure that they are not touching each other. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Turn slices over with tongs and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring maple syrup to a boil in a small sauce pot. Add the pecans and bring back to a boil. Cook for 1 minute and remove from heat. Pour the sauce over the hot sweet potatoes and serve. Serves 4 to 6. The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@ cateringbydebbicovington.com.

Lunch with Author/Actress Karen Grassle

The University of South Carolina Beaufort Lunch with Author 2022-2023 Series continues Tuesday, Nov 22 at The Belfair Clubhouse beginning at noon. Karen Grassle will be discussing her memoir Bright Lights, Prairie Dust. Grassle is known around the world for her iconic role as “Ma” on TV’s Little House on the Prairie.

About the Book: Growing up in a loving but alcoholic home by the Pacific, Karen Grassle—the curious and optimistic little girl who would grow up to become the beloved actress from Little House on the Prairie--seeks comfort at her local Baptist church, in dance, and in friendship. Finding herself wholly at home on the stage, she pursues acting with all her heart. As a young woman, leaving lovers behind, she wins a Fulbright to study in London. There, she revels in the excellence of the theatre and the stimulating travel; only occasionally, she is baffled when brought low by a night of drinking.

Cast as "Ma," it seems she will have it all: love and acting in a big, new life. But her moods fluctuate wildly as the pressures of success increase along with her drinking. She is advocating for women when it all comes apart. In this raw, emotional memoir, Karen recounts with surprising candor and humor how she ultimately faced her own alcoholism and found her way home.

About the Author: Karen Grassle is known around the world for her portrayal of the iconic character of “Ma” on Little House on the Prairie. Karen grew up beside the Pacific Ocean in Ventura, California.

While studying at the University of California at Berkeley, she discovered her calling and began to pursue training in acting, eventually receiving a Fulbright to study in London at the famed London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

During her years on television, Karen co-created the TV movie Battered and advocated for women’s issues. She continued to appear on television and also stood by on Broadway for Mary Tyler Moore and Lynn Redgrave. She has continued to work in major roles, spending six years at Actors Theatre of Louisville, and later, at theatres near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as around the U.S. and Canada. Her most recent film is Not to Forget, a lighthearted story that revolves around the issue of dementia and family.

Join us for lunch with author Karen Grassle at Belfair Country Club on Tuesday, November 22 at 12 pm. Books will be available for purchase and the author will be signing books. Reservations must be made by November 15. Tickets are $50. The Lunch With Author series will continue on December 16, with t Mary Green The Cheese Biscuit Queen Tells All and David Shields Taste of the State. For additional information go to www.uscbcenterforthearts.com