Register

Thanksgiving dinner

Dining Hall
Dinner time at Camp Alleghany! Photo: Camp Alleghany Archives.

I bet I’m not the only one who, if asked, would say that my favorite meal at Camp Alleghany is…Thanksgiving Dinner!

There’s nothing more delicious than those couple of times each term when a dinner with all the traditional fixins’ is served — turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, rolls, and stuffing made from leftover French Toast for added savory-sweetness!

When you’re away at camp this meal gives whole new meaning to the phrase “comfort food.” Maybe that’s part of our motive — setting a mood of home to make our campers even more at home. Very tricky, huh? And it works! Like I said, I’m definitely not the only one who loves the Camp Alleghany Thanksgiving Dinner!

And there’s more

Those who’ve had this stupendous meal are sure to recall Carrie’s Yeast Rolls, which are still served long after her tenure at ‘Ghany ended. So as a special treat for YOUR Thanksgiving Dinner, and as a tribute to our beloved Carrie, I’m sharing her recipe with you again. (If you’re a sentimentalist who saves things, you might still have this recipe from the 1999 Rattler Newsletter.)

Carrie’s Yeast Rolls

(Makes 3 dozen)

6 Cups Flour (plain)
2 Pkgs. Dry Yeast.
6 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs
2 Cups Warm Water
1/2 Cup Milk
6 Tbsp. Crisco

Dissolve yeast in l/4 Cup Water and l/4 tsp sugar. Sift  sugar, flour and salt together. Add Crisco to consistency of corn meal. Combine yeast, eggs, milk, Water and mix With mixer. Then, make a Well in flour and pour in the yeast mixture. Knead for five minutes. Let rise 1 hour. Punch down and let it rise again.

Rollout: Cut into 3″ squares. Place on greased cookie sheet. Let  rise again. Cook at 350° degrees for 10 minutes.

As The Rattler said at the time,

You might be able to duplicate the  recipe, but no one can duplicate Carrie’s special touch!

But I am sure that you’ll enjoy much special time with your families and friends this Thanksgiving and we wish you the best as you do. (You just might want to advise the cook to put some French Toast in the stuffing!)

–Elizabeth Dawson Shreckhise, Assistant Director, Camp Alleghany for Girls

Picture of Elizabeth Shreckhise

Elizabeth Shreckhise

Elizabeth is the Director of Camp Alleghany for Girls, the third generation member in her family to hold this position. But she also spent her childhood (ages 7-16) as 'Ghany camper, then held various counselor positions, and spent a decade here as the Assistant Director. She has a Masters in Education and Human Development and is a former School Counselor. Elizabeth lives in Staunton, Virginia during the "off-season" with her husband Matt and sons Mason, Ellis, and Noah. In addition to staffing, enrollment, program planning, outreach, and camp management duties, she helps keep the website current, writes and updates camp literature, and oversees the blog.