Barbecue expert David Wingo showed how to brine and smoke a turkey.

For the brine:

Combine 1 cup salt, 1 cup sugar, 3 tbsp black peppercorns, 5 bay leaves, a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary, five cloves of garlic, and 4 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temp or add ice to cool rapidly.

Place raw or thawed turkey in a cooler or large stock pan. Add one gallon of water and the concentrated brine. Then add enough water to cover the bird. Store below 42 degrees for 12-48 hours.

For the grill:

Soak a few handfuls of wood chips (I recommend apple or cherry) for a couple hours. Build your fire on one side of the grill and preheat to 250 degrees. Remove the turkey from the brine and pay dry. Rub down with a half stick of softened butter and season with fresh cracked black pepper.

Place a handful of pre soaked wood chips on the coals and place the turkey on the other side of the grill, away from the heat. Maintain a temperature of 250 by controlling the vents and adding charcoal and wood chips every hour.

Cook for 3-6 hours depending on the size of your turkey. After 2 or 3 hours, start checking the temperature of the bird in the thickest part of the thigh. The turkey will be ready when it reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest for about 15 minutes and enjoy.

BrisketU pitmaster John Hearne gave tips on grilling turkey breast. BrisketU is holding a TurkeyU class from 11am-2pm on Sunday, November 20 at The Black Abbey Brewing, 2952 Sidco Dr. Nashville, TN 37204. They will be teaching how to properly and safely smoke and deep-fry a turkey. For more information or to register for the class, click here: https://brisketu.com/events/november-20th-2022-turkeyu-black-abbey/.

Anzie Blue executive chef and co-owner Star Maye made Fresh Cranberry Sauce. Anzie Blue has launched a 2-month Seasonal Cooking Class Series guiding guests through traditional Thanksgiving family recipes. Chef Maye will demonstrate the preparation and walk attendees through the recipes while they enjoy samples of each dish. Classes run October 26 through November 16 and begin at 6pm. Space is limited. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased here: https://www.anzieblue.com/. The ticket includes a complimentary cocktail and bites from the cooking demonstration. One-hour parking validation is available in the garage below Anzie Blue. Anzie Blue is located at 2111 Belcourt Ave, Nashville, TN 37212.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup water

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 cinnamon stick

1 orange peel

Pinch of salt

Instructions

Caterer and chef Jerod Wilcher made Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Legs. To contact Chef Jerod for catering services, call Kingdom Cuisine Catering Company at (615) 414-7237 or visit info@masterkingchefjerod.com. For more of Chef Jerod's recipes visit, www.masterkingchefjerod.com, subscribe to his Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/MasterKingChefJerodWilcher77 and follow @Chef_Jerod on Instagram.

SOUTHERN COLLARD GREENS WITH SMOKED TURKEY LEGS

Ingredients:

1 medium onion

2 smoked turkey legs

4 cloves garlic

10 c water

2 Tbl roasted chicken base

2 lbs collard greens

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1 Tbl onion powder

2 Tbl garlic powder

1 tsp seasoned salt

1 tsp hot sauce

Directions: Place smoked meat in a pot and chicken base and cover with water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for about an hour. Add onions and clean greens to pot and continue cooking for additional 2 hours. Add vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, & seasoned salt. Add hot sauce and let simmer for additional hour.

Al Anderson from Big Als Deli made Egg Bites. Big Al's Deli is located at 1828 4th Ave North, Nashville, TN 37208. For more information call (615) 242-8118.

BIG ALS EGG BITES

Ingredients:

1/4 cup greens

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 small tomato, diced, and seeded

1/4 cup diced onions

1/4 cup of broccoli or bell pepper

7 large eggs

1/4 cup of whole milk

salt, pepper, and minced garlic to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Spray muffin tin generously with non-stick cooking spray

3) In a medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, and seasonings

4) To each muffin cup, add 1 tbsp of mixed vegetables

5) Pour egg mixture to each tin leaving room at the top

6) Bake egg bites for 20 minutes. If the bites are not fully cooked return to the oven, cooking for 3-minute increments.

7) Enjoy!

Cookbook author Tammy Algood made a Smoked Maple Stuffed Pork Loin. Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks which are available wherever you buy books.

MAPLE STUFFED PORK LOIN

Yield: 8 servings

1 (3-4 pound) pork loin

1/4 cup salt + 1 teaspoon, divided

3 teaspoons black pepper, divided

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 cup cooked and crumbled maple pork sausage

4 slices cooked and crumbled maple bacon

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

In a large brine bucket or container, stir together 6 cups of water along with the 1/4 cup of salt, 1-1/2 teaspoon of black pepper and 2 bay leaves. Place the pork in the brine solution, making sure to cover completely. Add more water if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Preheat the grill to 350 degrees or medium heat.

Remove the pork from the brine, discarding the brine. Pat dry and slice nearly in half so the loin lays flat. If desired, pound thinner with a meat mallet. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Evenly spread the cream cheese to within an inch of the edges and top with the parsley, then the sausage and bacon.

In s small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, remaining black pepper and barbecue sauce. Evenly drizzle 2 tablespoons over the layered pork. Tightly roll the pork and secure firmly with at least 4 pieces of butchers twine.

Place on the grill and cook for 1 hour or until the temperature reads 145 on an instant-read thermometer. Remove and wrap in aluminum foil. Let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with the remaining syrup mixture and serve warm.

Celebrity event planner Amos Gott gave tips on setting a festive Thanksgiving Day dinner table. To contact Amos Events for event planning services, go to www.amosevents.com. Special thanks to vendors: Please Be Seated [pleasebeseated.com] and Hester & Cook [hesterandcook.com].

Thanksgiving Mule:

4 oz ginger beer

4 oz unfiltered cranberry juice

4 oz orange juice

6 oz vodka

Simple syrup + dried cranberries for garnish

Chef Matthew Bell from Gray & Dudley made a Sweet Potato Chess Pie. Find this recipe and more in the Gray and Dudley digital Thanksgiving Cookbook found here: https://www.grayanddudley.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2021/09/21c_Thanksgiving_Chef-Cookbook.2021.pdf. Gray & Dudley is located inside the 21c Museum Hotel at 221 2

Ave N. Nashville, TN 37201. To make reservations, or for more information visit, www.grayanddudley.com or call (615) 610-6460.

SWEET POTATO CHESS PIE

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Yield: Two 9-inch pies

Chef Matt Bell

"I have been obsessed with chess pie and its story since first having it in Texarkana, Arkansas at Bryce's Cafeteria. It is so versatile as a base I wanted to bring it to the Thanksgiving table. If you are not a fan of sweet potato use canned pumpkin or even apple butter as a substitute."

INGREDIENTS

For the Crust:

3 cups of graham cracker crumbs

2/3 cup of sugar

6 oz melted butter

For the Filling:

4 lbs. sweet potatoes

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

4 Tbsp fine cornmeal

1 Tbsp salt

8 Eggs

6 Oz melted butter

1 cup buttermilk

1 Lemon (for zest)

 INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350.

2. Make the crust: melt the butter in a small pan and let cool. Combine sugar, graham cracker crumbs, and butter in a bowl and mix until combined. Press evenly into two 9-inch springform pans.

3. Roast the sweet potatoes whole for 45 minutes or until they are soft and are starting to caramelize. Remove the skin and mash the potatoes with a fork until smooth.

4. In a large bowl combine sugar, brown sugar, cornmeal, and salt. In a small bowl whisk eggs, buttermilk, lemon zest, and sweet potatoes.

5. Divide the filling between the two pans.

6. Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the center is set.

7. Cool and remove from springform pan. Serve with whipped cream and candied pecans.

Cookbook author Tammy Algood made Honey Mustard Bacon and Pork Medallions. Tammy has five cookbooks filled with Southern recipes available in local bookstores and on Amazon at www.amazon.com.

HONEY MUSTARD BACON & PORK MEDALLIONS

Yield: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 pork tenderloins

1 pound thick bacon slices

1/3 cup honey mustard, divided

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the grill to high with the lid closed (See alternative oven method below). Meanwhile, slice the tenderloins into thin strips lengthwise. Lay each strip on a piece of bacon and smear with honey mustard, using a total of about 3 tablespoons. Roll with the bacon on the outside and secure with a couple of toothpicks. Place on the hot grill and cook for 10 minutes, basting with half of the remaining honey mustard. Turn and cook another 10 minutes, basting with the remaining honey mustard. Remove from the grill and let rest 5 minutes before serving warm.

Alternative Oven Method: Preheat the broiler to high and position the rack in the upper third of the oven. Line the bottom broiler pan with foil and grease the top rack. Place the prepared pork medallions on the rack around 2 inches apart. Broil for 5 minutes, then turn, baste with the honey mustard and broil 5 minutes longer. Test with an instant read thermometer. You want the pork to reach 145 degrees. Rest and serve warm.

TV personality and baker Tammi Arender made Roasted Sweet Potatoes. To place a cookie order on Tammi's online bakery, Taste of Tallulah go to https://www.facebook.com/tasteoftallulah/. A portion of bakery sales go to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

INGREDIENTS

4 cups chopped peeled sweet potato

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

2 Tablespoons of molasses (or honey if you prefer)

1 tsp of Tony Cacheres Cajun seasoning (omit if youre wanting to use these sweet potatoes in desserts like sweet potato pie or muffins).

1 tsp of Thyme (dried or fresh)

1 tsp of nutmeg

1 tsp of cinnamon

Salt and pepper to taste (go light on the salt as Tony Cacheres has plenty of salt)

DIRECTIONS:

Uses for sweet potatoes:

Use the roasted sweet potatoes as a side dish or add to a salad. You can also turn these sweet potatoes into sweet potato puree (see recipe below).

I also use them in my Sweet Potato Cream cheese bread and my sweet potato sugar cookies (see recipe below).

SWEET POTATO PUREE

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs sweet potatoes, already roasted or boiled until tender (You can also use canned sweet potatoes but freshly roasted is best!)

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of nutmeg

1/4 cup of brown sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

DIRECTIONS:

Transfer the warm sweet potatoes to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, slowly add the half-and-half, and spices. With the mixer still on low, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. Taste for seasonings and mix until smooth. Serve hot.

SWEET POTATO SUGAR COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups room temp butter

1/4 cup butter flavored shortening

1/3 cup softened cream cheese

1/4 cup sweet potato puree

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

1 egg room temp

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange zest

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking power

1/2 tsp cardamom

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

Cream together butter and shortening until smooth. Add sugar and sour cream. Add Sweet Potato Puree. Add egg. Then vanilla and orange zest. Mix together dry ingredients and slowly add to wet ingredients. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for at least two hours. After chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 7-9 minutes (just until edges start to turn brown on the bottom).

Al Anderson from Big Al's Deli made Baked Salmon with Cranberry Pomegranate Glaze. Big Al's Deli is located at 1828 4th Ave North, Nashville, TN 37208. For more information call (615) 242-8118.

CRANBERRY JALAPENO POMEGRANATE SALMON

Citrus Marinade:

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

4 ounces orange juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon rosemary

2 ounces minced garlic

3 ounces fresh cilantro

3 ounces fresh Italian parsley

4 6 ounce salmon patties

Combine all ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl and mix together. Place salmon fillets in the marinade and marinate for 8 to 24 hours.

Cranberry Jalapeno Pomegranate Sauce:

3 cups of orange juice

1 pomegranate- seeded

2 cups fresh cranberries

2 minced jalapenos

2 cups 10x powdered sugar

3 ounces orange juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch

In a medium saucepan add the 3 cups of orange juice, pomegranate, jalapenos, cranberries and powdered sugar. Bring to a boil and let boil until the cranberries pop.

Mix the orange juice and cornstarch together and mix into the pot. Sauce will thicken in one minute.

Cook salmon in a preheated 350 degree oven for 7 minutes. Place salmon on a plate and ladle the sauce over the salmon and enjoy.

A Big Al's recipe.

Cookbook author Trace Barnett made Spiced Cornish Hen with Chocolate Gravy. You can find more recipes, gardening tips and Southern traditions in Trace's cookbook "Tracing Roots: A Modern Approach to Living Off the Land", which is available wherever you buy books. Follow Trace on Instagram @thebittersocialite and check out his blog at www.thebittersocialite.com.

SPICED CORNISH HEN WITH CHOCOLATE GRAVY

Serves 4

My grandmother was famous for making chocolate gravy for breakfast when grandkids or guests visited. A rich, decadent treat that pairs well with a slather of butter or the savory flavor of chicken. This versatile gravy is amazing easy to prepare and doubles as a wonderful breakfast, brunch, or dinner accompaniment. A little dash of cayenne and chili powder really spices things up.

FOR THE HENS

4 Cornish hens

8 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

FOR THE GRAVY

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoons cayenne

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange hens in a large, heavy duty roasting pan. In a medium bowl, combine melted butter with the remaining ingredients. Baste each hen with a liberal amount of the butter mixture. Roast in the heated oven for 25 minutes.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and remove hens from the oven. Baste hens with the remaining butter mixture and return to the oven. Roast for another 20-25 minutes or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Remove from oven.