Karen Wall Porter shares recipes, centerpiece ideas for fall entertaining
OPINION —
With a love for cooking, flowers, art and hospitality, Karen Wall Porter is carrying on her grandmother’s talents for gracious living. Karen has fond memories of growing up in Selma in a family that cherished time together around an attractively set dinner table. She is sharing her ideas for creating fall centerpieces as well as collected recipes, with many on her Thanksgiving menu.
As Karen is following her family’s traditions, she enjoys preparing meals for her husband Bill, their three sons and their families, as well as other family members, especially for holidays. “It is a treat for the family to come here for Thanksgiving,” said Karen’s mother, Veta Sobera Wall, who lives with them. While Mrs. Wall also enjoyed cooking when Karen was growing up, she worked and didn’t have as much time as Grandmother Sobera.
“Selma has a history of hospitality,” says Karen. “I grew up around a lot of great cooks at St. Paul Episcopal Church, but Grandmother Sobera was the one who really loved to cook and entertain. She loved to set a beautiful table. It didn’t always have to be with fine china and silver, it could be everyday dishes with a bunch of mums she picked from her yard.”
The first time Karen remembers noticing her grandmother’s special touches was when she and her sister spent the night with her. At breakfast, their grandmother set the table on her screened porch with a special set of china. She served orange juice in an attractive pitcher and egg cups with the tops cut off for dipping toast points. She always took the time to do something special.
Sunday afternoons were an important family time as they always had lunch at Karen’s grandparents’ house. Grandmother Sobera’s in-laws lived two houses up the street, and they would take them lunch and go back later with a tea party. Her grandfather’s mother was English and adored afternoon tea parties. “That was fun,” Karen said, “and it inspired me.
“Grandmother and my mother involved my sister and me in the kitchen. I was always there watching and helping. If it was on Sunday and we were having potatoes, I would help with mashing them.”
While there were plenty of southern dishes at her grandmother’s house, there would be some for Karen’s grandfather, who was from upstate New York.
Karen and her siblings were especially impressed by meals at Christmas, as it further sparked their interest is creating attractive table settings. Their grandmother served the meal buffet style in the evening, with candles lit, fine china, silver and a stunning centerpiece. The food was always yummy, and they looked forward to the dinner every year.
Creating attractive tables goes back for generations in the family. Karen’s mother remembers her grandmother setting attractive tables under a gorgeous chandelier. Her well set table included individual salt and pepper cellars.
“I was exposed to a lot of great cooks,” Karen said. “I think we used to do more entertaining than we do now. I grew up going to more teas and other social events.”
In addition to learning how to cook from her family, Karen took French cooking classes in Selma from Madame Martin. Karen enjoyed learning about French dishes and sampling steak tartare and escargot.
Karen and Bill raised their three sons in Selma. They are Bill Jr., who lives in Enterprise; Wes, who resides in Auburn; and Steve and his wife, Cindy, and their two sons, Carter, a junior at Auburn University and Marshall, a freshman at AU, who also live in Auburn.
When Bill retired from banking in 2008, they moved to Auburn. Karen was still working in Montgomery for the Alabama State Department of Education. Since she worked out-of-town, they wanted to live near the interstate and built a lovely home in White Oaks in Auburn. She retired in 2020.
The Porters joined Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Karen is an active member of Campus Club, serving as the media and social chair.
Over the years, the Porters were Auburn Tigers fans and season tickets holders, so they were familiar with Auburn. Karen and her mother also have a connection to Auburn, being related to Caroline Marshall Draughon.
As Karen has continued her love of cooking, she will adapt recipes to suit her family’s taste. Over the years, she has collected recipes, including ones from ladies at her church in Selma. She has also enjoyed taking cooking classes from Jim Sikes.
For Thanksgiving, Karen will start two weeks ahead. She writes out what she is going to prepare each day in order for everything to be made ahead. She also lists needed grocery items. She is organized, and she has her recipes together.
Karen will serve several of the recipes she is sharing at Thanksgiving, including Golden Carrot Casserole, Honey Glazed Sweet Potato with Goat Cheese Rounds, Harvest Wild Rice Pilaf, Holiday Fruit Conserve and Pecan Praline Brownies with Caramel Praline Sauce.
While her praline brownies are easy to prepare and are scrumptious by themselves, Karen will serve them warm with a scoop of ice cream and warm praline sauce.
At Thanksgiving, Karen will decorate a “girls” table and a “guys” table. The girls table will be decorated with her grandmothers’ china and silver. On the guys’ table, she uses Spode china with wild animal designs to create a hunter’s table.
“I appreciate the family dishes inherited from my grandmother,” Karen said. “That is what makes our family celebrations special since they belonged to my grandmother.
“Selma will always be home,” she added, “but we love Auburn. There is so much to do all the time, and Auburn people will make you feel welcome. It has been a blessing being here and being part of the community.”
For Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season, add a touch of gracious living to your dining tables by setting the table with whatever dishes you have and assembling a simple centerpiece.
“When your family sees you have done a little more effort for them, they will appreciate it,” Karen said. “I learned from my grandmother that it doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just make a little more effort. It is a love language.”
Tips for Creating Inexpensive Floral Arrangements
“You don’t have to have any special talent,” Karen said. “Pick up flowers at the grocery store and work with them until you like the arrangement. Look online at arrangements for inspiration.”
She suggests not using tall straight vases. She uses round bowls and an oasis or chicken wire to hold flowers for larger arrangements. Waterproof floral tape is used to hold down the oasis, and she sometimes she uses “frogs” to hold stems and for smaller arrangements.
Another idea she likes is taping an oasis to a charger for the base. The oasis needs to soak in water several hours if you want it to last. Use fresh oases, as older ones don’t absorb much water. Halls and other stores carry supplies, while chicken wire can be found at hardware stores.
Karen forages greenery from her yard or side of the road to fill in with the flowers. Following is list of greenery she uses that are easy to find.
Foraged Greenery For Making Arrangements:
- Variegated pittosporum, ligustrum/privet, loropetalum, leucothoe, Elaeagnus
- Pyracantha berries, nandina berries, crepe myrtle
- Cedar, pine, arborvitae,
- Fall branches (oak, maple, elm, hickory, buckeye, sourwood), tall grasses, ferns, milkweed
- Camellia
- Jasmine vine, smilax, grape and muscadine vine
- Beauty berry, persimmon, fig branches, ligustrum berries
- Hydrangea, fresh or dried
- Rosemary, basil spires, spent sunflowers
Holiday Fruit Conserve
1 bag fresh cranberries, cleaned
1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
¼ cup finely minced green onion
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 cup golden raisins
¾ cup pecans
In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, white sugar, brown sugar and cup of water and bring nearly to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 5 minutes or until berries start to pop. Add apple pieces, cinnamon, ginger, zests and juices and simmer for an additional 15 minutes over low heat.
Remove from heat and add chopped onion, celery, golden raisins and pecans. Let cool and spoon into a glass container. For best results, refrigerate overnight before serving. Serve chilled with turkey, chicken, or duck or with a topping for crackers with cream cheese.
Harvest Wild Rice Pilaf
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup wild rice blend, rinsed for one minute and drained
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
1 Honey Crisp apple, peeled and chopped
1 cup butternut squash, small cubes
2 garlic buds, sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked in 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Begin by combining broth, apple juice, mustard, 2 Tbsp. butter, salt, pepper, dried seasonings and bay leaf in a large pot with lid and bring to a boil. Add cleaned and drained rice to ingredients in pot, cover, reduce heat/flame to lowest setting.
Simmer, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid for 45 to 60 minutes or until rice is tender and almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Check for doneness at 45 minutes. When done, drain rice completely and in fine mesh strainer and remove bay leaf.
Using the empty pot, add 2 Tbsp. of butter to melt over low-medium heat. Increase heat to medium and add onions, apples and squash sautéing until onions, apples and squash are tender.
Add garlic slivers and sauté for 30 seconds being careful not to burn garlic. Add drained rice, drained cranberries and pecans to pot. Toss to evenly combine. Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish as desired and serve warm. To prepare ahead, make everything and store in refrigerator. Reheat then add cranberries and pecans. This makes a great alternative to potatoes or dressing/stuffing.
Honey Glazed Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Rounds
This makes a great appetizer or the perfect small side to a full plate.
Rounds:
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher or sea salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Topping:
4 oz. good goat cheese (not feta)
2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. heavy cream or half and half
1 Tbsp. local honey
¼ cup chopped pistachios
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
2 Tbsp. local honey to drizzle
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside. Combine goat cheese, cream cheese, milk and honey with a mixer and set aside. Next peel and slice sweet potatoes into ½ inch slices. If you have a mandolin, use it!
Place parchment on a large baking sheet. With a pastry brush, add olive oil to each side of potato rounds. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and bottom of each round and lay flat on the baking sheet. Place in a hot oven on middle rack and bake for at least 15 minutes, checking after 10 minutes to make sure they are not too browned. Take tray out of oven and flip rounds. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until fork tender.
When rounds are done, remove and allow to cool. Before serving, add a dab of cheese mixture to each round, sprinkle with pistachios and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with a bit honey and serve immediately.
Pumpkin French Toast with Warm Caramel Pecan Sauce
These are decadent and are best served with fresh fruit on the side.
Warm Caramel Pecan Sauce:
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup milk or cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Toasted pecan pieces
French Toast:
3/4 cup half and half
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
10 slices Challah, Brioche or French bread
½ stick butter for griddle
For Caramel Sauce: Slowly toast pecan pieces in a skillet on low-medium heat, stirring so not to burn. Remove when they begin to smell toasted and let cool. Combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan over medium heat; watching it carefully, bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in pecan pieces.
For French toast: Preheat a non-stick griddle on cooktop (or electric griddle to 350 degrees).
Wisk together in a large rectangular dish the milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg until all is well combined. Prepare bread slices for dipping, then dip bread slices into egg mixture, a few at a time. Allow the bread slices to absorb the mixture, then gently flip over to coat other side.
Place butter on griddle and then places coated slices. Cook until golden brown on bottom, butter griddle once more and flip toast to opposite side and cook until golden brown.
Serve warm with caramel pecan sauce or maple syrup and butter. If you are feeling extra festive. Pre-whip heavy whipping cream and top each slice.
Easy Peasy Peanut Brittle
This is great for tailgating, so be prepared to make this often! (Note: all microwaves cook at different temperatures, so use your nose and adjust cooking time if it is cooking too fast. You don’t want to scorch your peanuts or syrup).
1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
1 cup sugar
½ cup white corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. butter for baking sheet
On a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper, spread 1 teaspoon of butter to cover entire surface. Set aside.
Add peanuts, sugar, syrup and salt in a microwave safe 1 ½ qt. casserole bowl. Place the bowl in microwave and cook on high for 7-8 minutes, stopping at 3 minutes and stirring well. (You may want to have oven mitts handy to remove dish.)Add butter and vanilla, stirring well and return to microwave for 1-2 minutes more until peanuts are lightly brown and syrup very hot.
Using oven mitts, carefully remove hot mixture, add baking soda, and stir gently until light and foamy. Immediately pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and let cool for 30-60 minutes until completely cool and set. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Pecan Praline Brownies
These are yummy served with a scoop of ice cream and Warm Caramel Pecan Sauce.
1 container (16 oz.) light brown sugar
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
1 ½ tsp. pure vanilla
1 ½ cups self-rising flour, sifted
1 ½ cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast pecans in a non-stick pan on low heat until warmed through and toasty; let cool. Sift flour and set aside in a small bowl. Melt butter; let cool. Wisk eggs in large bowl and add cooled butter.
Prepare: In a large bowl add sugar to melted butter and eggs. Add salt and vanilla; mix all until well blended. Gradually add sifted flour until incorporated; do not overmix. Stir in cooled nuts.
Bake: Pour mixture into a lightly greased 15½ x 10½ x 1-inch pan and spread to edges. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool, then cut into squares.
Warm Caramel Pecan Sauce: (This is the same sauce served with Pumpkin French Toast.)
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup milk or cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Toasted pecan pieces
Slowly toast pecan pieces in a skillet on low-medium heat, stirring so not to burn. Remove when they begin to smell toasted and let cool. Combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan over medium heat; watching it carefully, bring to a boil. Cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in pecan pieces.
Golden Carrot Casserole
This is a robust side dish for chicken, turkey, or ham.
½ cup golden raisins
2 Tbsp. sherry
2 lb. carrots, trimmed and sliced
1 tsp. orange zest
1 ½ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup butter, divided, plus 1 tsp. butter
1 small yellow onion, minced
¼ cup flour
¼ tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Kosher salt
½ tsp. white pepper
¼ tsp. celery salt
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¾ cup whole milk
¾ cup half and half
8 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
In a small bowl, add raisins and sherry; allow to sit for 30 minutes, drain. Set aside.
In a large pot, start water to boil, then reduce heat and add 1 Tbsp. of Kosher salt. Melt ¼ cup butter and pour over breadcrumbs, stir well, let cool and set aside.
Peel, slice carrots into ¼ in rounds (if you have a mandolin, use it). Chop onion. Zest orange. Butter 3-quart casserole with 1 teaspoon butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Add prepared carrots to salty water and cook until almost tender. In a small pan, sauté onions in ¼ cup butter. While onions sauté, prepare sauce by mixing together flour, dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt, white pepper, celery salt, ginger and milks; mix well. Blend into this mixture sauteed onions. Next, mix together carrots, drained golden raisins and orange zest and add a first layer into prepared casserole dish. Add a layer of grated cheese; repeat layers ending with cheese.
Pour the sauce over the last layer. Pour buttered breadcrumbs evenly across top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. If topping is not browned, medium broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully.
Best Molasses Gingerbread Cookies
These are perfect with a cup of hot tea, coffee, or a cold glass of milk.
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 Tbsp. orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Kosher salt
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
Sugar
Cream butter and brown sugar in stand mixer; add egg and beat until fluffy. Blend in molasses and orange juice, mixing well. In a separate bowl combine flours, soda, salt and spices. Spoon into creamed mixer to incorporate while beating on slow. Stop mixing when no flour is visible.
Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out on lightly floured surface and cut into cookies. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle sugar lightly over cookies and let cool.
