Giving Thanks
Recipes can yield unexpected blessings, writes Barbara Bartocci in Grace on the Go: 101 Quick Ways to Pray (Morehouse Publishing, 2006). A rummage through her grease-spattered index cards yields recipes in her deceased mother’s beloved handwriting and others for dishes such as “Mrs. McBride’s shrimp casserole” and “Nancy Smith’s cheesecake.”
“Next time you cook, pay attention to the memories that are sparked by the dishes you make,” she writes. “Bless all those who sweeten your recollections, thanking God for the spiritual nourishment these people have brought to your life.”
Here are some seasonal recipes from around the diocese to grace your Thanksgiving table:

Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad
6 oz package long-grain and wild rice mix
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup fresh broccoli florets, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 oz jar pimiento, drained
½ cup sweet and sour dressing
1 cup dry roasted peanuts
Prepare rice according to package directions; cool. Combine rice, cranberries and next 4 ingredients; add dressing and stir gently. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Stir in peanuts just before serving.
Recipe from Cooking With Two Saints: In the Kitchen With St. George (St. George’s, Valley Lee)

Apple Salad
3 large or 4 medium apples
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup pecan pieces, chopped

Dice apples into bite-size pieces. Mix softened cream cheese and mayonnaise. Add mayonnaise mixture to apples and mix. Stir in drained, crushed pineapple and pecans. Refrigerate 4 to 5 hours before serving. Keeps well for several days. Can be made the night before.
Recipe from Trish Parkinson in Ascension Cooks (Ascension, Lexington Park)

Glazed Sweet Potatoes
2 lb medium sweet potatoes (or 2 18-oz cans)
¼ cup butter or margarine
¼ cup maple (or maple flavored) syrup
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

If using fresh sweet potatoes, place in a kettle, cover with water and cook, covered for 25-35 minutes or until tender. Drain, cool slightly. Place cooked or canned sweet potatoes into a 2-quart baking dish. In a small saucepan, combine butter, syrup, brown sugar and cinnamon, cook and stir until mixture boils. Pour over potatoes. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes or until heated through. Yields 8 servings.
Recipe from Cloris L. Pyles in Tasty Temptations (St. Barnabas, Temple Hills)

Cooked Corn Pudding
1 can/package corn
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg

Beat milk, sugar and egg together. Put corn in baking dish. Pour the liquid over the corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 350 F for 45 mins.
Recipe from Margaret Greene in Tasty Temptations (St. Barnabas, Temple Hills)