Commissary patrons encouraged to share favorite Thanksgiving recipes Published Oct. 11, 2007 By Kay Blakley Defense Commissary Agency Home Economist TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- Turkey and dressing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are the traditional "must haves" for any Thanksgiving celebration. But, it's the side dishes, special salads and additional dessert choices served alongside that allow families to personalize the menu into unique tradition. Some of those dishes might have been a mother's or grandmother's specialty that was adjusted to suit your family's taste. For example, have you ever made Sweet Potato Balls? It's a mixture of cooked sweet potato with butter and brown sugar folded in, heaping spoonfuls of which are formed around a full-size marshmallow, then rolled in coarsely crumbled corn flakes and baked in a hot oven just until the exterior is nice and crisp. How about Cheesy Potatoes -- cooked cubed potatoes set to swim in a smooth Velveeta cheese sauce, then topped with crumbled cheese crackers and baked until golden? If you're a big fan of the green bean casserole topped with French fried onions, you might enjoy a similar dish made with frozen cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli bathed in a mushroom soup and sour cream sauce, then topped with cheddar cheese and French fried onions. Finally, cranberry sauce from a can will do, if you just can't do any better, but I'll bet you'd love a jellied cranberry salad that uses a can of whole cranberry sauce, some chopped celery and walnuts, a package of gelatin, and that's it. It's quick and easy, and the result is "to-die-for" good. Actually, all these recipes fall into that same category of "easy, but just can't beat it -- delicious." They all came from Defense Commissary Agency patrons and will be posted in Kay's Kitchen on DeCA's Web site at http://www.commissaries.com. When Thanksgiving rolls around, no one will be short of good recipes to serve thanks to these contributions. Recipes for the Web site are still being accepted. Send them in the same format found on the site -- recipe name, ingredients list, and directions listed numerically. Make sure they are clear, complete, and written in easily understandable terms. Send your recipes to kay.blakley@deca.mil. To start the ball rolling here is a must have recipe for my house for Five-Cup Salad. Make some up and don't forget to share your Thanksgiving recipes with all of us. Five-Cup Salad 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained 1 cup mandarin oranges, drained 1 cup flaked coconut 1 cup miniature marshmallows 1 cup sour cream 1 cup chopped pecans (optional) Drain fruits well. Mix all ingredients together. Cover and chill several hours or overnight and serve.