Thanksgiving in Georgia

Most people picture a big browned turkey on the table for Thanksgiving. Normally, we have chicken and dressing. Some people eat chitterlings or "chitlins" for Thanksgiving.

The first turkey my mom cooked for our family was the year we got our dog, Bruno, in 1969. It was the year man first landed on the moon.

A miniature poodle that lived on our road had had about 13 mix breed puppies and Mrs. Albert was giving a few away before they were ready to leave their mother. The mother did not have enough milk.

My dad went to an airshow one Friday evening, and mom said, "Go get one of the puppies." My dad had already said, no. Dad came back that Sunday. Bruno loyally followed him all over the yard and won my dad over.

Thanksgiving was the next Thursday.  We begged our mom to cook a turkey for Thanksgiving. The highlight of the day was putting the turkey carcass in the backyard. Bruno crawled in. He was a growling, fighting mess. We had the most fun playing with him and laughing. To the end of his days, he liked you to crank him before he ate. His favorite food was spaghetti not turkey.

Today we eat a low fat, healthy version of Chicken and Dressing about once a month. I'll spare you the recipe and furnish a great Italian Cream cake recipe instead.

Italian Cream Cake

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting
• Garnishes: toasted pecan halves, chopped

Beat butter and shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour and soda; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in coconut.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, and fold into batter. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Spread Nutty Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of 

Nutty Cream Cheese

Mix 1 stick of softened butter with 8 oz pack of cream cheese. Add 1 pound box of confectioner sugar. Add water until frosting has a good spreading consistency. Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.

I stole the cake recipe from Southern Living.   http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/italian-cream-cake-2

When it comes to Southern Cooking, Southern Living does have great recipes.

Even thoughI have cooked and ate chitlins. I don't recommend them to the uninitiated.