Three weeks to Thanksgiving! We're planning a very small dinner, just me, Jim, and a friend or two, so probably a roasted turkey breast, unless I decide to order a really small turkey. Our extended family got together for my youngest nephew's wedding late October so that was our fall family shindig.

I had Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts in mind when I selected the recipes this week First up is a sweet potato casserole with a pecan topping; look for fall harvest pecans for the freshest, and last year's harvest sweet potatoes for the sweetest. They need time to cure after they're harvested, so wait until spring to buy this year's crop.

Next, baked oysters! Some people consider these to be only for hors d'oeuvres, but I can make a meal out of a dozen plus, plenty of bread for sopping, and a crisp green salad.

And finally, Virginia Willis' take on cornbread dressing with oysters. My grandmother would slip oysters in her dressing, sometimes in a pan that she announced as oyster dressing, sometimes without telling us and smirking when people commented on how unusually good the dressing was this year. She had a sense of humor. 

Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind.

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

P.S. Just a reminder, my new cookbook will be out in time for the holidays and we will be taking pre-orders in just a few weeks. Drop me a note if you have any question

Previous week's recipes:

 • Ginger-Caramel Shrimp • Spoon Bread • Creamy White Beans with Smoked Turkey

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping

While a sweet potato casserole isn't just for holiday meals, it certainly is all but required on a holiday table. Look for sweet potatoes from last year's harvest; they'll be cured and much sweeter than anything that is newly harvested.

Italian Baked Oysters

This is a simple yet flavorful way to enjoy Louisiana's favorite bi-valve. Not to worry if you can't get your hands on oyster shells- small ramekins will work just as well. I've even heard people say they use a cupcake pan in a pinch. Have plenty of hot French bread on hand for sopping up the tasty sauce. The recipe claims 30 oysters are enough for 4 people, I'm a bit skeptical about that! More is better.

Meme's Cornbread and Oyster Dressing

My grandmother often added oysters to one pan of her cornbread dressing, leaving one pan sans oysters for those who didn't care for oysters. This version, from Virginia Willis, is pretty straightforward. Make your favorite cornbread the day before, unsweetened, please, then proceed with the recipe.