Where's the Turkey? - AARP The Magazine Entertaining
Where' s the Turkey
B Smith recalls an unusual Thanksgiving meal and offers her sweet bourbon corn pudding recipe
Some of my fondest childhood memories center around Thanksgiving, when aunts, uncles, grandparents, and cousins would descend on our western Pennsylvania home for a grand feast. The night before, I would stay up late with my mother, prepping onions and celery for the dressing and baking the pumpkin pies. The next morning, the house would be filled with the smells of roast stuffed turkey, glazed ham, tender roast beef, and corn pudding. Related
All that changed when I moved to New York City to become a model at 19. On my first holiday away from home, some new actor friends invited me to Thanksgiving dinner. I was so excited to discover my friends' family traditions. Imagine my dismay, then, when I learned they would be serving…spaghetti ?! Nothing against spaghetti, but somehow it just wasn't the same. I left early and called my mom, homesick for the sights and smells of my childhood. And I resolved never again to go without turkey. The next year I cooked my kind of Thanksgiving dinner in my tiny New York apartment for all my friends. Today, sharing my family's traditions — through my restaurants and cookbooks — is the best way I know to honor the spirit of the season. Sweet Bourbon Corn Pudding INGREDIENTS Serves 8 2 large eggs 3/4 cup evaporated milk 2 cups canned cream-style corn 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons bourbon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking dish. 2. Whisk together the eggs and the milk. Stir in the remaining ingredients. 3. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Bake 45 to 48 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm. Nutrients per serving: 168 calories, 6g protein, 25g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 5g fat, 61mg cholesterol, 132mg sodium
Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Magazines & Resources offers > See more Restaurants offers > See more Vision Benefits offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.